Songs where the cover is better than the original - Page 9 - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

Not better than the original but still good:

Warren Haynes - One
http://lala.com/zbu2

---Hope people don't mind the lala.com links. I think you have to register but the site is ridiculously awesome so worth registering.

Warren covers Radiohead's Lucky on the same ablum
http://www.lala.com/#album/937030197947834220

Last edited by Unregistered; 08-03-2009 at 10:32 AM.

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08-03-2009 , 11:01 AM

#202

amoeba

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Not sure if this qualifies since the songs are quite different but

Joan Baez original : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eCNLY7ezJo

Better Led Zeppelin version IMO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R20sleJxr4

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08-03-2009 , 11:06 AM

#203

dasein

journeyman

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 321

Social Distortion - Ring of Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucYodg5DFSE

Monkees - I'm a Believer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfuBREMXxts

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08-03-2009 , 11:06 AM

#204

Dids

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Quote:

Originally Posted by DaExMan

Really? it maybe my passionate hate for 80's synthpop or the affiliation of the Gary Jules version to one of my favorite movies but I really like the cover more

I like Tears for Fears and synthpop a lot, but the Jules version godbodies this so hard it's ridic.

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08-03-2009 , 11:07 AM

#205

otnemem

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Quote:

Originally Posted by nath

Except they've made a career of this gimmick.

This isn't really true. They were all from mostly successful bands - NOFX, Lagwagon, Foo Fighters, etc.

Anyway, I should have learned years ago that I pretty much never share musical preferences with men with long hair (that's not an insult).

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08-03-2009 , 11:11 AM

#206

Dids

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Quote:

Originally Posted by TheUntouchable

I'm sorry, but Johnny Cash's hurt is awful. I get it that it's cool he covered a modern song at 100 years old but there's nothing actually good about the song except for the nostalgia aspect. I like Johnny Cash, but so many people picking this song is a little tilting.

The amount of facepalm gifs required to respond to this post would destroy the internet.

1- regardless of which version, it's just a fantastic song.
2- Cash's voice adds a ****load of pathos to the song.
3- The fact that Cash was like dying at the time gives it an extra bit of emotional sledgehammer.

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08-03-2009 , 11:28 AM

#207

GeraldGiraffe

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Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 1,139

Quote:

Originally Posted by private joker

and to continue the Johnny Cash list,
"I See a Darkness."

I was going to post this, but I genuinely can't decide whether I like his version better than the original. Regardless of that, it's still excellent.

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08-03-2009 , 11:35 AM

#208

Kneel B4 Zod

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grunch:

there is a lot of Dylan here, b/c as a songwriter he is unmatched by literally anyone, but as a singer he....can leave something to be desired.

another example is Masters of War / Eddie Vedder

we should all be glad that guys like Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Vedder are/were massive Dylan fans

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08-03-2009 , 11:36 AM

#209

dmisfh1

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Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 5,408

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheUntouchable

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08-03-2009 , 12:21 PM

#210

ohead

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Gelin1

I guess it's not better than the original, but she's definitely good and very cute:

Hayley Legg - Ring of fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qwkF98i__E

that isnt even hayleys best cover, this is by far the best one and its 100x better than the original.

Hayley Legg - I will follow you into the dark

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08-03-2009 , 12:29 PM

#211

SoloAJ

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Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNoodleMan

I'm not sure which is worse, the misuse of penultimate or the random mash of letters masquerading as an acronym.

I'm quite sure many posters know what I was typing since it comes up all too frequently. I might even guess that you knew, too. Either way, I have no problems admitting that I'm far too lazy.

Move along.

Actually, in catching up with the whole thread, my misused shorthand seems pretty intelligent compared to some of the stupid being showcased itt.

Last edited by SoloAJ; 08-03-2009 at 12:35 PM.

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08-03-2009 , 12:30 PM

#212

It's Brandt

old hand

Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,625

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobbo

Big Yellow Taxi.

Joni Mitchell version.

However my favorite version is the Counting Crows version.

lol rusrius?

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08-03-2009 , 12:40 PM

#213

Jack Bando

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Paint it Black
--------
Original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP2VyquMAaM

Vanessa Carlton's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFxUipbGTUY

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08-03-2009 , 12:41 PM

#214

foobar

old hand

Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,506

Old and In the Way - Wild Horses.

Dinosaur Jr - Quicksand

Wilco - Thirteen. Nothing on Youtube.

Seu Jorge - Life On Mars

The Clash - Police and Thieves. No chance the Clash didn't record the definitive version of this song.

Uncle Tupelo - Blue Eyes. Nothing on youtube.

Jeff Tweedy - James Alley Blues. This version kind of sucks, but it's what's on youtube. There are some other verions of Tweedy solo that are ridiculously good.

Townes Van Zant - Dead Flowers. Close call, but arguably better depending on how many drinks you've had and how late at night you're listening.

Also, second whomever said Built to Spill - Cortez the Killer

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08-03-2009 , 12:56 PM

#215

Unregistered

grinder

Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 409

Dinosaur Jr. - Just Like Heaven (Cure cover)
http://lala.com/z4ea

Blind Melon - Schoolhouse Rocks Cover
Three is the Magic Number - http://lala.com/z81I

Not better than the originals but respectable:
Mike Doughty - King of Carrot Flowers (Neutral Milk Hotel)
http://lala.com/zIfe
Mike Doughty - The Gambler
http://lala.com/zecI

Last edited by Unregistered; 08-03-2009 at 01:10 PM.

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08-03-2009 , 01:00 PM

#216

catmiami

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Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 542

Midnight Oil did a cover of the seminal "We Gotta Get Outta This Place"
by the Animals. Peter Garret even managed to throw in a political comment in the middle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybm1e...rom=PL&index=4

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08-03-2009 , 01:11 PM

#217

Autocratic

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Quote:

Originally Posted by cables

Lifetime achievement award for worst cover goes to the producers of the "Punk Goes Pop/Crunk/Country/etc" series, those compilations are basically the direct opposite of art.

Unless their goal was to expose the hypocrisy of 16 year old anti-pop punk kids who would have their heads bopping to the same exact tunes that they'd deride as they watch it on MTV.

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08-03-2009 , 01:18 PM

#218

Duke

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Quote:

Originally Posted by otnemem

Anything done by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Examples:

Where Do Broken Hearts Go?

Goodbye Earl

I assume you'll get a lot of crap for this (probably already did, since I haven't read the other 9000 posts), but I typically like their versions as much as the originals despite being completely different.

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08-03-2009 , 01:21 PM

#219

Unregistered

grinder

Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 409

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobrakai111

Not sure if its better but Built to Spill does an amazing version of Cortez the Killer. Doug martsch channels all his inner neil young for this one.

Cortez is covered by so many bands. I like the Gov't Mule version myself.

Built to Spill: http://lala.com/zbKS
Gov't Mule: http://lala.com/zVV4
The Church: http://lala.com/zLO2
Matthew Sweet : http://lala.com/z4C2
Dave Matthews Band: http://lala.com/zsC2

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08-03-2009 , 01:35 PM

#220

rubixxcube

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Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,649

I love The Gourds Version of Snoop Dogg's Gin and Juice Hard to beat the Snoop Dogg version but i really like this cover.

I also like 311's acapella cover of Sublime's What I Got

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08-03-2009 , 01:36 PM

#221

Hey_Porter

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Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 5,896

Quote:

Originally Posted by It's Brandt

Jesus Christ this has to be a level. Of course, hardcore DMB fans can be pretty ******ed. By far the worst post in this thread. Congrats.

I consider myself a hardcore DMB fan, and recognize that not a single one of those songs are even close to being as good as the originals.

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08-03-2009 , 02:35 PM

#222

otnemem

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke

To be fair to most people's musical tastes, the majority of punk covers are not very good. Me First and the Gimme Gimmes happen to do them very well - and pick songs that go a little deeper than something like punk goes pop.

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08-03-2009 , 02:57 PM

#223

Trikkur

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Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 896

Quote:

Originally Posted by cables

Lifetime achievement award for worst cover goes to the producers of the "Punk Goes Pop/Crunk/Country/etc" series, those compilations are basically the direct opposite of art.

I actually enjoyed one of them from Punk Goes Pop.

Rufio - Like a Prayer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vMEC-PFuHc