cover versions

[Total Longo]

Cover versions that actually improve on the original :

 

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix. Energises the Dull Dylan version

Jealous Guy - Roxy Music. Makes a great song even better. Surely the point.

Police and thieves - The Clash. Raw and more urgent than Junior Murvin.

Always on my mind - Pet Shop Boys. No fan of theirs but let's face it, anything's better than the hideous Presley original.

 

I'm sure there are tonnes more but i can't think of them.

[Dirk]

The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

[cochcaer]

Lemonheads - Luca/Mrs Robinson

Oasis - I am the Walrus

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane

The Sundays - Wild Horses

The Walkmen - Mother Sky

[Hermes]

Cover versions that actually improve on the original :

 

All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix. Energises the Dull Dylan version

Jealous Guy - Roxy Music. Makes a great song even better. Surely the point.

Police and thieves - The Clash. Raw and more urgent than Junior Murvin.

Always on my mind - Pet Shop Boys. No fan of theirs but let's face it, anything's better than the hideous Presley original.

 

I'm sure there are tonnes more but i can't think of them.

 

I thought you had taste?

[Stu Monty]

How about Travis doing hit me baby one more time, not a bad cover at all.

 

Sorry to state the obvious but Hallelujah sang by Jeff Buckley cannot be bettered.

 

And finally I would have to go for the finest cover version I have ever heard which would be bizarre love triangle done by an Aussie band called Frente. I would advise anyone who has never heard it to track it down on t'net or to buy the frente album it is on because it makes the new order version seem shallow an pointless.

 

As an aside. Has anyone seen that boybandish bloke who has covered Your woman by White town...utterly awful beyond words. I saw it as I flicked past "The Box" so I presume nobody has seen him and that nobody ever will once the record label owned station stop pushing it.

[Hermes]

Stairway to Heaven - Rolf Harris.

[cochcaer]

And how did I forget Johnny Cash's Hurt - even better when accompanied by the vid.

[cochcaer]

Stu Monty never mentioned Radiohead's cover of Nobody Does It Better?

 

*faints*

[chorlton]

Lemonheads - Luca/Mrs Robinson - ace but not better than the original.

 

Radioheads cover of Nobody does it better is amazing, but i prefer the aimee mann version off the David Arnold Project.

 

Novaeu Vagues versions of friday night sunday morning (the specials) and too drunk to fuck (DK's) are both better than the originals imo.

[BatChainPuller]

Solidarity - Black Uhuru

Im Free - The Soup Dragons

Lets Dance - The Ramones

Paranoid - The Dickies

Step On - Happy Mondays

[chorlton]

ramones version of substitute by the who is also ace.

[MLB]

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane

 

 

How to take an already brilliant song and make it even better. Agree with you on the Johnny Cash choice as well, although most of his covers are better than the originals.

[cochcaer]

Siouxie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence

Many of the Prince covers.

[cochcaer]

Currently listening to a stream on http://www.last.fm (worth exploring) and The Ataris version of Boys of Summer just came on.

[Guest Gazmo25]

Big fan of The Specials cover of Maggie's Farm, very well done considering they are covering a Dylan track. Also love the Everything But The Girl cover of Night and Day, although Sinatra and Billie Holliday take some beating! Also Nina Simone's cover of Here Comes The Sun, quality and Muse's cover of Feeling Good

[Paul]

Big fan of The Specials cover of Maggie's Farm, very well done considering they are covering a Dylan track. Also love the Everything But The Girl cover of Night and Day, although Sinatra and Billie Holliday take some beating! Also Nina Simone's cover of Here Comes The Sun, quality and Muse's cover of Feeling Good

No-one beats the Ella Fitzgerald version of "Night and Day". Whilst we're on Bacharach and David, the Bomb the Bass version of "Say a Little Prayer" is ace - clearly not better than Aretha's definitive version, but still ace.

 

Cover versions are so variable. If nothing new is brought to the song, it will invariably be shite. However, if (like Johnny Cash) the covering artist takes the tune in a bizarre new direction, there's a great chance of genius.

[DT]

Joe Cocker - With a little help from my friends

Jeff Buckley - Lilac Wine and Hallelujah

[Total Longo]

Stairway to Heaven - Rolf Harris.

 

And you say I've got no taste?

 

David Watts by The Jam. The Kinks original? - Pah!

 

;)

[Guest Gazmo25]

No-one beats the Ella Fitzgerald version of "Night and Day". Whilst we're on Bacharach and David, the Bomb the Bass version of "Say a Little Prayer" is ace - clearly not better than Aretha's definitive version, but still ace.

 

Cover versions are so variable. If nothing new is brought to the song, it will invariably be shite. However, if (like Johnny Cash) the covering artist takes the tune in a bizarre new direction, there's a great chance of genius.

 

Never heard the Ella version Paul, will have to try and dig it out. In terms of variation, that's why I like The Specials version of Maggies Farm, well sang, good backing and good variety in the tune.

[Paul]

Never heard the Ella version Paul, will have to try and dig it out. In terms of variation, that's why I like The Specials version of Maggies Farm, well sang, good backing and good variety in the tune.

It's on the Cole Porter Songbook album.

[Remmie]

Lemonheads - Luca/Mrs Robinson

Oasis - I am the Walrus

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane

The Sundays - Wild Horses

The Walkmen - Mother Sky

 

Cannot agree with the Oasis vewrsion of I am the Walrus- just sounds nasal and dull. The Beatles version was so much better

[cochcaer]

Tatu - How Soon Is Now?

 

It's not as bad as you'd expect... honest!

[Guest Gazmo25]

Tatu - How Soon Is Now?

 

It's not as bad as you'd expect... honest!

 

Seriously! For fucks sake!

[Total Longo]

Joe Cocker - With a little help from my friends

 

Frantically trying to think of someone doing a beatles cover that is better than the original and just can't. The Banshees version of Dear Prudence was pretty good but i don't think it was actually any better.

 

Joe Cocker murdered that tune, though.

[MLB]

Ben Folds does a good cover of "Golden Slumbers" on the I Am Sam soundtrack. Not sure it's better than the original though.