covers we [b]DO[/b] like

[crackwise]

Okay, so Madonna has screwed the pooch. How about a list (some of you have mentioned it once in the American Pie thread) of the covers that have done justice or at least stand pretty well on their own.

My vote:

Jane's Addiction : "Sympathy for the Devil"



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Never give a sword to a man who can't dance.
-- a Celtic motto

[Brood McEto]

Deftones 'The Chauffeur'
Lenny Kravitz 'American Woman'
Urge Overkill 'Girl, you'll be a woman soon' (If that's the name of it)
Billy Idol 'Mony Mony'
Cake 'I Will Survive'

I'm sure I could think of some more, but they'd probably be a little obscure.


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"Rolling with the dopes you know. Rolling with the wrong gun on you"
"I dream that she aims to be the bloom upon my misery"
- I Miss The Girl Soul Coughing

[The Asbestos Mango]

OK.

The Nazareth version of "Love Hurts" I think is better than the Everly Brothers original, and, God help me, I loved the Doctor and the Medics version of "Spirit in the Sky"


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The trouble with Sir Launcelot is by the time he comes riding up, you've already married King Arthur.

"All Along the Watchtower"

done by U2

Of course you cannot deny that the Dave Matthews Band finishes all of their live shows with this song, and have at times outdone U2.

But the U2 version kicks ass, and I am a Hendrix fanatic.

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"A single lifetime, even though entirely devoted to the sky, would not be enough for the investigation of so vast a subject." - Seneca

This is also being covered at http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/001194.html

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"If you're so pro-life, do me a favor: don't block medical clinics, lock arms and block cemeteries." -- Bill Hicks (http://www.billhicks.com/darktimes/index.html)

[hightechburrito]

I like all of the covers done by Stone Temple Pilots. Let's see if I can rattle them off.

Dacin' Days-Origionally by Led Zeppelin
Christmas Time is Here-From the Charlie Brown Christmas Special
Andy Warhol
Time of the Season-Not really STP, but Scott Weiland is the singer.

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The facts, although interesting, are irrelevent.

[Coldfire]

I'm not a cover-fan usually, but Tori Amos has some gems. Notably her versions of:

Smells like Teen Spirit (Original by Nirvana)
Angie (Original by the Rolling Stones)
I'm on fire (Original by Springsteen)

Her voice sends the chills down your spine.... beautiful.

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Coldfire
________________________________
"You know how complex women are"
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)

[Doobieous]

Well, one of my favorite covers was done by Jodeci of the song "Lately" by Stevie Wonder. The Original is beautiful, but i've heard Jodeci's version more, and I think they did a good job on it.

Also: "Wishing on A Star" - cover by the Cover Girls. Rose Royce did a good job on it, and the two almost sound the same, but the cover was done nicely.

And: "I'm Going Down" - Cover by Mary J Blige. Her version (originally done by Royse Royce) actually introduced me to the original version. The thing I like was the cover stuck true to the original song. Same with "Wishing on a Star".

[SwimmingRiddles]

I'm a fan of the Cake "I Will Survive." Mostly because they did it because they LIKE the song.

I have also been told of U2 (or maybe just Bono, I don't know...) covering "Dancing Queen." This amuses me to no end.

My dad is the biggest Dylan fan ever, so I am by default. So I like any Dylan cover other than "Stuck in the Middle." It's been DONE, people. Watchtower is always cool.

The Fugees "Killing me Softly" is cool.

Off to get coffee...

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Habit rules the unreflecting herd. - Wordsworth

[RealityChuck]

"Monster Mash" -- Bonzo Dog Band By far the superior version.



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"What we have here is failure to communicate." -- Strother Martin, anticipating the Internet.

www.sff.net/people/rothman (http://www.sff.net/people/rothman)

[Ukulele Ike]

The Young Fresh Fellows' version of The Kinks' "Picture Book."

Aretha Franklin's take on The Band's "The Weight."

Wicked Wilson Pickett doing Randy Newman's "Momma Told Me Not to Come."

The Jerry Garcia Band on Dylan's "Tangled up in Blue." Jer always ripped ass on that one.

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Uke

[Finagle]

Originally posted by crackwise:
Okay, so Madonna has screwed the pooch.

If I remember the publicity about her Sex book, you ain't just speaking metaphorically.

The Indigo Girls did an amazing version of Paul Simon's An American Tune at the Newport Folk Festival six or seven years back. It's on the CD for that year, but the recording is a pale imitation of the live experience.

[TheUnforgiven]

Metallica's versions of Breadfan(Budgie) and Turn the Page(Bob Seger).

Of course I could list anything off of Garage, Inc...

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"The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents."
-H.P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"

[MadPoet]

Bangles - "Hazy Shade of Winter"

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http://www.madpoet.com
Clerks - Just because they serve you doesn't mean they like you.

[Padeye]

Originally posted by Finagle:
<reference to "screwing the pooch" deleted>...If I remember the publicity about her Sex book, you ain't just speaking metaphorically.


Ewww! I thumbed through it when I ran across a copy in a used bookstore but I must have fortunately missed that page.

[rubes]

Flipp doing "My Generation"
and
Pseudo Echo's "Funkytown"

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Nothing is so bad that it can't get worse.

[rackensack]

The O'Jays' "Backstabbers" covered by Elvis Costello on the tour supporting Punch the Clock (I think -- might have been the Goodbye Cruel World tour).
"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding", also covered by E.C., written by Nick Lowe, and originally appearing on Brinsley Schwarz's unjustly ignored 1974 disc New Favourites of . . . .
Kirsty MacColl's covers of Billy Bragg's "A New England" and Ray Davies' "Days"
Practically any of the covers on the two Robert Gordon/Link Wray collaborations in the late '70s, Robert Gordon with Link Wray and Fresh Fish Special, but especially Jack Scott's "The Way I Walk", "Five Days, Five Days", Eddie Cochran's "Twenty Flight Rock", and Springsteen's "Fire" (in its first appearance on vinyl).
The Rezillos' take on The Dave Clark Five's "Glad All Over"
"One More Time" and "Party Doll", both lifted from Buddy Knox, on Joe "King" Carrasco[b]'s eponymous debut LP.
"[b]B-A-B-Y", the Isaac Hayes/David Porter Memphis R&B classic originally done by Carla Thomas, as covered by Rachel Sweet
Alex Chilton's "September Gurls" and John Fogerty's "Almost Saturday Night" on the Searchers's eponymous 1979 release (1981 as Play for Today on Sire in the US).
Ray Davies' "Til the End of the Day" by Alex Chilton/Big Star on Third/Sister Lovers
Tav Falco & Panther Burns' cover of Clint Miller's "Bertha Lou"

[Studi]

Get Down Make Love by Queen, covered by Nine Inch Nails.

Rock and Roll Nigger by Patty (or is it "Patti"?) Smith, covered by Marilyn Manson.

Studi

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When I grow up, I want to be the Minister of Silly Walks.

[Dirty Devil]

The Grateful Dead doing Kristofferson's "Me And Bobby McGee" and Dixon's "Wang Dang Doodle"
Joe Cocker doing Dylan's "Just Like A Woman" and "A Little Help From My Friends"
Bruce Springsteen doing Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land" and Dylan's Chimes Of Freedom"
Jimi Hendrix doing Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower"
Elvis Costello doing Springsteen's "Brilliant Disguise"
Lyle Lovett doing The Dead's "Friend Of The Devil"
Jane's Addiction doing The Dead's "Ripple"
George Thorogood doing Hooker's "One Burbon, One Scotch, One Beer"



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Free beer is ALWAYS a good thing. - Falcon

[Lute Skywatcher]

I like Manfred Mann's "Blinded by the Light" much better than Springsteen's.

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"Age is mind over matter; if you don't mind, it don't matter." -Leroy "Satchel" Paige

[ThisYearsGirl]

I know the song is so already so associated with her, but Patsy Cline's "Crazy" kicks ass. And as much as I hate to admit this, I kinda enjoy Duran Duran's cover of "Success," which was originally Iggy Pop's.

[Guy Propski]

I love covers, as long as they're done with some class and intelligence. The best collection I've come across is "Rubyiat"; it was Elektra Records 35th anniversary CD, and contained covers of Elektra artists by other Elektra artists. Some of my favorites:

Hello, I Love You--the Cure
Hotel California--Gipsy Kings (in Spanish!)
Tuxedo Moon--Kronos Quartet
Born in Chicago--Pixies
You're So Vain--Faster Pussycat
Kick Out the Jams--Metallica
One More Parade--They Might Be Giants

Oh, and I love TMBG's cover of the Allman Bros "Jessica." It's on the CD single "Why Does the Sun Shine?"

[Coldfire]

I went to a Tea Party concert last week, and right in the middle of their (brilliant!) song Sister Awake, they inserted an almost integral and VERY cool version of Bowie's Heroes. The place went apeshit, I'll tell you that :D

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Coldfire
________________________________
"You know how complex women are"
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)

[TwistofFate]

I went to see Red Hot chili Peppers about 3 years ago, and Moby was playing support.
Halfway through his set, Moby stopped and said, "Heres a song by a dead guy from Seattle" He then started into "Smells Like Teen Spirit", by Nirvana.
After the opening chords, he stopped and said,
(and this will go down as one of my favourite
quotes of all time)

"Oops, wrong dead guy"

and then played "Purple Haze" by the one and only Jimi Hendrix.


Rock and Roll

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J
"Attemptedmurder? pah, you dont get the Nobel Prize for Attempted Chemisty"
Homer Simpson

[Coldfire]

Good one, Johnny.... reminds me of a Queensryche concert I went to in, say, 1994 or so - it was at the top of Nirvanas fame. The concert starts, the band plays the first song. After it, singer Geoff Tate introduces the band:

"Good evening Rotterdam, how'ya doin'?? We're Queensryche. We're the other band from Seattle!

It's especially funny knowing that Queensryche was founded in 1981 and is still 'alive' today :D

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Coldfire
________________________________
"You know how complex women are"
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)

Here are the best remakes, ever:
I name the cover bands, YOU name the original artists!

I Got You Babe UB40, with Chrissie Hynde

All Along the Watchtower Jimi Hendrix

Money (That's What I Want) The Flying Lizards

Green Door The Cramps

Unchained Melody (Time Goes By) LeAnn Rimes

Johnny B. Goode Peter Tosh

Surfin' Bird The Ramones

A Little Help From My Friends/She Came In Through the Bathroom Window Joe Cocker

Proud Mary Ike and Tina Turner

Across the Universe Fiona Apple

Mr. Bojangles The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Viva Las Vegas! The Dead Kennedys

You Never Can Tell John Prine

Angel from Montgomery Bonnie Raitt

Breathe The Austin Lounge Lizards

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Aretha Franklin

[Coldfire]

OK, TennHippie, I'll give it a go.

I Got You Babe UB40, with Chrissie Hynde
Original by Sony and Cher

All Along the Watchtower Jimi Hendrix
Original by Bob Dylan

Money (That's What I Want) The Flying Lizards
No clue

Green Door The Cramps
Ditto

Unchained Melody (Time Goes By) LeAnn Rimes
Righteous Brothers

Johnny B. Goode Peter Tosh
Bill Haley?

Surfin' Bird The Ramones
Beach Boys?

A Little Help From My Friends/She Came In Through the Bathroom Window Joe Cocker
The Beatles

Proud Mary Ike and Tina Turner
Creedence Clearwater Revival?

Across the Universe Fiona Apple
Nope

Mr. Bojangles The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Blank

Viva Las Vegas! The Dead Kennedys
Elvis Presley

You Never Can Tell John Prine
No idea

Angel from Montgomery Bonnie Raitt
Sorry

Breathe The Austin Lounge Lizards
Floyd?

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Aretha Franklin
Is this a COVER?


Hmmmm..... no cigar for me, I guess ;)


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Coldfire
________________________________
"You know how complex women are"
- Neil Peart, Rush (1993)

[JamesCarroll]

I've always been fond of the lemonhead's version of mrs robinson and tesla's fences. but the best has to be robin williams doing elmer fudd doing bruce springsteen doing i'm of fire. Classic.

[crackwise]

JamesCarrol, you're right, great version.
But it think you mean "I'm ON fire."


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I am large,
I contradict myself,
I contain multitudes.
~Walt Whitman

[Lexicon]

Well, when Orgy redid "Blue Monday" I thought it was pretty cool.

Everything Adam Sandler did in the Wedding singer was kick ass.

Love Spit Love did a pretty good job of the Cure's "How soon is now?"

Red Hot Chili Peppers did a good job with "Girl (you really got me)"



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how did it start? well i don't know i just feel the craving. i see the flesh and it smells fresh and it's just there for the taking...
VvvV

Answers:

yes.
yes.
Money(That's What I Want)...The Beatles did it, but the original was by....The Isley Brothers? I'm really not sure.
Green Door...I want to say Bobby Darrin but I'm not at all certain.
yes.
Johnny B. Goode...Chuck Berry
Surfin' Bird...The Trashmen
yes.
yes.
Across The Universe...The Beatles
Mr. Bojangles...Arlo Guthrie
You Never Can Tell...Chuck Berry
Angel from Montgomery...John Prine
yes.
Natural Woman...Carol King

[SwimmingRiddles]

Guys, you know what I think we forgot? The greatest cover of all time, Respect. Ottis Redding wrote it, Aretha MADE it.

But what the hell does "Take care, TCP" mean?

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Habit rules the unreflecting herd. - Wordsworth

[G.B.H. Hornswoggler]

They Might Be Giants covered Why Does The Sun Shine? and Istanbul (not Constantinople) with wonderful verve, but the originals are so obscure they really don't count.

Some more of my favorites:
Judybats doing the Kinks' Animal Farm
Sinead O'Connor on Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U
Guns 'n Roses blowing away Wings' Live and Let Die
...and the #1 cover of all time: The Clash rampaging through I Fought the Law

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...but when you get blue, and you've lost all your dreams, there's nothing like a campfire and a can of beans!

[pluto]

Is Istanbul (not Constantinople) a cover? I used the tune for a camp song last year and looked and looked for an original artist (I thought it sounded like Cole Porter). As far as I could tell it's their (TMBG) original composition. Do you know different?

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If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

[pluto]

Joe Cocker covered Van Morrisons's "Into the Mystic". I can't say he did it better -- both versions are great and surprisingly distinct.

Best cover of all time, IMHO, is Richie Haven's doing "Here Comes the Sun".


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well well said the royal desiccation my political opponents back home always maintained
that i would wind up in hell and it seems they had the right dope
Don Marquis
archy interviews a pharaoh

TennHippie:

Money(That's What I Want)...The Beatles did it, but the original was by....The Isley Brothers? I'm really not sure

This was one of the first Motown singles to hit the charts, originally done by Barrett Strong.

SwimmingRiddles:
Guys, you know what I think we forgot? The greatest cover of all time, Respect. Ottis Redding wrote it, Aretha MADE it.


Covered here: http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/005211.html

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"If you're so pro-life, do me a favor: don't block medical clinics, lock arms and block cemeteries." -- Bill Hicks (http://www.billhicks.com/darktimes/index.html)

[G.B.H. Hornswoggler]

Originally posted by pluto:
Is Istanbul (not Constantinople) a cover? I used the tune for a camp song last year and looked and looked for an original artist (I thought it sounded like Cole Porter). As far as I could tell it's their (TMBG) original composition. Do you know different?


According to the ever-helpful All Music Guide, Istanbul (Not Constantinople) was written by two chaps named Kennedy and Simon. The original version appears to have been recorded by a combo called The Four Lads, though it also appears to have had a shadow life in the '60s lounge music and jazz arenas.

(My father-in-law actually claims to know the original -- evidently it was a minor novelty hit in the '50s.)

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...but when you get blue, and you've lost all your dreams, there's nothing like a campfire and a can of beans!