And I’m not saying that the original is bad. You have to have a good song to have a good cover in my opinion. But sometimes the cover artist just understands the mission and takes what the original song did and expands on that a hundred times over.
What’re some of your guys’s favorites?
By no means do I think she did it better than Joplin. But Pink’s AOL Sessions performance of Me and Bobby McGee has stuck in my head for decades now. (And for what it’s worth, both are better than the original from Kristofferson)
Second choice, and another one that I legitimately think is better than the original, *Tweeter and the Monkey Man" by The Headstones.
Edited: Honourable Mention, because no one ever actually tops The Clash. But Captain Tractor did a version of London Calling that is one of my favourites.
Edited: Okay…one last one. Specifically for the Saskies. Captain Tractor’s version of the Arrogant Worm’s “Last Saskatchewan Pirate”.
For a bit of context, back in the 90s, my then girlfriend and I were decent friends with the band. Enough so that whenever they would come to Saskatoon they’d crash at our place and we’d go hang out backstage at their shows. Weird because the reason we knew them in the first place was because the drummer was my girlfriends ex…but hey…it was the 90s.
Just an all around bar-band all about drinking songs. Something young people don’t do anymore. Was talking to a buddy of mine the other day about how every bar we used to go to in the 90s has been demolished.
“Am I Evil” by Diamond head, covered by Metallica, and done so much cleaner and better that I got into a full-on argument with somebody (pre-google) about it it not being an original Metallica song.
Also, I have nothing but respect for Roberta Flack and think “Killing Me Softly” was a fantastic song when she performed it, the Fugees absolutely crushed that song. Listening to the original shortly after makes it fall a little flat.
In the reverse of this, when I mention “Wagon Wheel” and somebody mentions Darius Rucker I get upset. Oh, you took a solid song with great harmonies and instrumentation, and you swapped it out to be a generic country song? Way to make it “your own” bud.
Muse did a great job of converting Feeling Good. It was a bold choice and they smashed it.
Yeah, its a great version. Almost a completely different song.
I got to see Killswitch do Holy Diver with both lead singers.
It was amazing.
Howard’s band was opening for Killswitch just after lockdown lifted.
They killed it.
Bruce Springsteen - Staying Alive
That’s awesome
Isn’t it?! I believe it’s a tradition, or an ancient charter or something, that he does a cover of a local act wherever he plays. I think as an encore. This was in Brisbane a few years ago. Edit: Wouldn’t you know it? There’s a playlist
Within Temptation’s cover of Radioactive by They Might Be Dragons. Much better. That said, nothing can beat the hilarious acid trip that is the original’s music video.
Dont you mean imagine giants? 😜
Bare Naked Ladies - Lovers in a Dangerous Time (original by Bruce Cockburn)
Metallica - Turn the Page (original Bob Seger)
I genuinely prefer Ronan Keating’s version of Words
I have the Bee Gees original on vinyl, yet I always go back to Keating.
Kind of the opposite but “As the World Caves In”. Most people know the cover by Sarah Cothran , but I think the original by Matt Maltese is way, way better.
It’s a song about two people together at the end of the world, and while Sarah sings it mourning the loss of everything, Matt sings it as a love song. To me that’s the much more powerful message, that when everything is burning down, the only thing that’s left and all that really matters is being together with the person you love, and the only thing to mourn is that you won’t have more time with them.
Covering Leonard Cohen. This song is one of two (the other being Grace) that got me obsessed with Jeff Buckley back in my early to mid 20’s.
It’s just beautiful.
“Every time we touch” by Electric Callboy
Karmastition by Alicia Keys.
Stevie Wonder’s original was awesome, but the mash up is just chefs kiss.
Very common opinion, but “Hurt” originally by NIN covered by Johnny Cash. He really puts his mark on it, especially considering how old he was when he did the cover.
I might be the only person who prefers the original
I don’t prefer one or the other. The two are so different from each other that it’s hard to even think of them as being the same song. It just depends on my mood which one I want to listen to.
I share this view. Someone elsewhere on the thread said that the best covers are ones that recontextualise the original, and this song/cover feels like the perfect example of it. I just can’t directly compare the original to the cover because they’re going for such different things
Good point.
I definitely prefer the original. The layering and orchestration is better and more complex (but not too complex). I prefer Rezner’s voice in that as well. I don’t hate Cash’s version, but I don’t love it.
Nah, I also prefer the NIN one. It’s just that Cash did a great job at the cover.
I think Kermit’s cover of Cash’s cover was brilliant.
Definitely a classic.
There’s also the Sevendust version from Southside Double-wide Acoustic Live… just to stir the pot a little more 🙂
Haven’t heard it. I know what I’ll be listening to next. Thanks.
Heartily seconded, came here to say this.
Yes that’s a great one
I was just about to say this.
This is the one.
Jimi Hendrix’s version of All Along The Watchtower by Bob Dylan. It’s likely to be the only version of the song most people have ever heard.
And even Dylan agreed it was better
Is it still a cover if the original artist agrees to let you adopt the song? Dylan said it’s Hendrix’ song now.
yeah I love that Dylan said he felt like he was covering jimi when he played it.
I’m not sure I’d agree that it’s jimis song though considering he never played it out, just made the studio cover for Are You Experienced
