Which cover versions improve on the original?

However, I must submit "The Logical Song" by Scooter, which is undeniably a visionary work of genius and MY single of the year thus far (sorry Missy, sorry Nelly). Siberia is, as it were, the place to be.

The Smokey Robinson version is better while I'm listening to it (those ragged backing vocals!)

a score-draw I suppose.

"none of the band seem to give a shit about making an effort or even know what it is they're singing (cf. Sugababes "Freak Like Me")"

Grrrr FITE! The 'babes know damn well what it is they're singing, and they know why they're singing it, too- it's an important public service to make the masturbational fantasies of teen boys (and girls) more interesting. Nuff respect.

adeva's "respect" pisses all over aretha's original.

Apart from the fact that nothing could ever possibly piss over Aretha Franklin, the original "Respect" is actually by Otis Redding.

"massively unpopular opinion: Chuck Berry's "Rock and Roll Music" was much improved when the Beatles did it."

"The Beatles version of 'You've really got a hold of me' is better while I'm listening to it (that clomping piano!).

Other Beatles covers that improve on the originals- "Baby It's You" and "Money" (not as good as The Flying Lizards tho.)

i feel such a fool.

(Well, it's a tired answer. I had to make it interesting somehow.)

Also, the Ramones' version of "Let's Dance" is ace.

And I dunno if it's better, but Cinerama's version of London runs the Smiths very, very close...

I also remember Paul Heaton doing a fantastic version of Lean On Me a few years ago too, the Radio 1 Christmas Carols thing.

I bet Ronan could!

There are several gothy/new beat versions of early Depeche Mode songs on _I Sometimes Wish I Was Famous_ that I vastly prefer to the originals. I'm thinking in particular of Systema The Affliction's "Shouldn't Have Done That", Pouppe Fabrik's "Photographic", Signal's "My Secret Garden" and Ater Koma's "The Sun And The Rainfall". S.P.O.C.K's "Ice Machine" comes very, very close to beating the original.

Better than the Johnny Cash original?! This is something I have to hear.

Yes, a whole album of covers of songs by other dead stars, called Gravelands. The first three tracks on it (Come As You Are, Love Will Tear Us Apart and Song To The Siren) are all terrific, though most of the rest is rather less good.

"Gravelands" was ace but by the time "Return To Splendour" was released the joke had pretty much worn thin (I mean, "Under The Bridge"? "CHILD Of A Preacher Man"??)

Peaches version of Rock Show

I'll think of some more in a minute. My mind's gone blank.

.. Vanilla Fudge's version of "You Keep Me Hangin' On"

My Bloody Valentine's cover of 'Map Ref 41°N 93°W' ever so slightly improves it also.

bis's recent cover of 'Shack Up' was better than the A Certain Ratio version they were covering (it was an ep of Factory covers) but not as good as the Banberra original.

That's all Ican think of at the moment that hasn't been mentioned.

Am I the only person who prefers Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower" by far? I don't think it's a very good song in the first place and I think Hendrix' version gives it a gravitas it really doesn't earn, and unearned gravitas = horrible bombast, nice guitar work or no.

obviously Sinéad's "Nothing Compares 2 U"
Nico "These Days"
Cat Power "I Found a Reason"

Hijokaidan "Silver Machine"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBCWxjV_M64

My top 10, in order:

Stevie Wonder - We Can Work It Out -- I searched this thread and there are *two* different version of We Can Work It Out listed, and somehow neither one is the miraculous Stevie interpretation.

The Clash - Police On My Back — The Equals original is just fine. The Clash version dials the energy up to 11 and lights the guitar riff on fire.

Al Green - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart -- Maybe this is the definitive version? If not, it should be. The Bee Gees version is great, but the slow build of the Al Green version turns it into an absolute epic.

The Main Ingredient - Summer Breeze — This Main Ingredient album had two different Seals and Croft covers, both of which improve on the originals. Their Summer Breeze adds tons of flute and vibraphone (xylophone?) and blows the tune wide open.

All Mixed Up - Red House Painters -- I know, i know, Mark Kozalek. But I loved this song for years before I realized that I already knew it as a Cars song, and his cover of it has so much more depth.

Nouvelle Vague - In A Manner of Speaking -- The Tuxedomoon original is so gawky, I'm a bit surprised that anyone heard the potential in this.

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane — Another song that gets improved by sanding down the rough edges. The disparity is most striking on the bridge. Technically, Margo Timmons is singing the same notes as Lou Reed, but there’s just no comparison.

REM - Crazy — Maybe I just like Stipe’s vocals better than the jerky-jerky Pylon singer. My favorite track on Dead Letter Office.

Jackson 5 - Doctor My Eyes — The Jermaine verse almost tanks the whole endeavor, but MJ (who is only 13 here) just hits it out of the park. Exuberant.

Toots and the Maytals - Take Me Home Country Roads — A little corny (“West Virginia” becomes “West Jamaica”), but undoubtedly an upgrade.

I’m also ashamed to admit at one point of my life that “all mixed up” cover was one of my favorite songs ever.

Bongwater - The Drum
Galaxies 500 - Listen the snow is falling
Butthole Surfers - Hurdy Gurdy Man

Nico "These Days"

Is it technically a cover if it comes first?

Basically EVERY cover of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is an improvement on the original, which I just heard a couple years ago.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXYPb0rrwbA

But apparently Peggy and Ewan MacColl were especially down on Roberta Flack's definitive take, so fuck 'em.

It also applies to “it’s all over now baby blue”, every cover I’ve heard tends to improve on the original.

13th floor elevators and Them versions being the peak so far.

Dylan version is so… soulless. You’d never guess it’s one of his best written songs if you went by the original version.

Even the Anonhi version which sounds as if recorded on a potato is better.

In a similar vein, does anyone stan for Leonard Cohen's original version of Hallelujah?

Rod Stewart – Tom Traubert's Blues
Rod Stewart – Downtown Train
Bruce Springsteen – Jersey Girl

(hmmm, I see a pattern developing here)

Fairport Convention – Percy's Song
Nick Cave – Death Is Not the End
Marianne Faithfull – The Ballad of Lucy Jordan
10,000 Maniacs – Everyday Is Like Sunday
10,000 Maniacs – Hello In There
Tindersticks – If You're Looking for a Way Out
This Mortal Coil – Song to the Siren

Nina Simone - Feeling Good (the original Broadway musical version ("The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd") of the song is...uhh...fairly unremarkable)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPdoWp-PHFU

Nina Simone also makes the most definitive version of Sinnerman. I wasn’t even aware it was a cover until recently via another thread on ilm.

Nina Simone's "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?" is also the definitive version IMHO.

I still love the original but boy is this one smooth take on this song

kali uchis - venus as a boy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47oiB_quDf8

Nina Simone does a lot of reinventions of very white singer songwriter stuff on the material I have collected as Sugar In My bowl.
Have found that an odd companion to black militancy which I thought she was about at the time.
BUt the versions are really good from what I've heard of them and I'm really glad to have them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSgZ3B-2q-g

PJ Harvey - “Highway 61 Revisited”. So thrashing and brutal. Never cared much for the original, tbh.

Elvis Costello: What's So Funny 'bout Peace Love and Understanding smokes the original Brinsley Schwarz version.

The Fauns' version of Doot Doot". Heard the original for the first time (didn't even know it was a cover), and their version is better.

chocolate watchband: "baby blue"

OTM

And ditto re: Nina Simone, on a zillion tracks.

This is not an improvement as such, but I recently suggested Sebadoh's rendition (this one) of Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" when someone asked about interesting covers IRL. That person really didn't dig it, which *obviously* means I should foist it on others now that I've been reminded godammit.