# Acoustic version better than regular version **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 4, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947 "2008-05-04T00:26:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/1 "2008-05-04T00:26:51Z")
Seal’s **Crazy** 10,000 Maniacs **Stockton Gala Days** Black Crowes **She Talks To Angels** What else? ---
**Author:** ![Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Intravenus\_De\_Milo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intravenus_De_Milo)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/2 "2008-05-04T00:37:40Z")
I always liked the acoustic version of “Hotel California” by The Eagles (from the live CD _Hell Freezes Over_) more than the original version. A lot of people like the acoustic version of “Layla” by Eric Clapton better than the original. I don’t know, I think the original sounds more…_earnest_, for some reason. The acoustic version is a little too mellow for my taste. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/3 "2008-05-04T01:02:10Z")
Foo Fighters – “Everlong” ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/4 "2008-05-04T01:44:02Z")
[QUOTE=Intravenus De Milo] I always liked the acoustic version of “Hotel California” by The Eagles (from the live CD _Hell Freezes Over_) more than the original version. [/QUOTE] You beat me to it. I never really liked the original until the _Hell Freezes Over_ version was put out-- that’s a wonderful arrangement. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/5 "2008-05-04T01:55:21Z")
The nice acoustic version of the theme to _Star Trek: Enterprise_ (in the early seasons when it just called _Enterprise_) was replaced somewhere along the way by an overdriven synthed-out piece of crap that, combined with the appearance of alien Nazis, caused my last lingering shred of patience to unravel. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Shroud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@The\_Shroud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Shroud)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/6 "2008-05-04T03:40:22Z")
U2’s “Stuck in a Moment” Social Distortion’s “Angel’s Wings” ---
**Author:** ![bufftabby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bufftabby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bufftabby)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/7 "2008-05-04T04:00:31Z")
Stone Temple Pilots, _Plush_. Amen on _She Talks to Angels_. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/8 "2008-05-04T04:05:22Z")
I’ve never heard an acoustic version of _any_ song that sounded better than the “regular” one. Ditto for live music too, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/9 "2008-05-04T04:13:28Z")
Another vote for Foo Fighter’s “Everlong” And Social Distortion - “Ball and Chain” ---
**Author:** ![bufftabby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/77aa72/32.png) [@bufftabby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bufftabby)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/10 "2008-05-04T05:14:02Z")
Stone Temple Pilots, _Plush_. Amen on _She Talks to Angels_. ---
**Author:** ![initech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/439d5e/32.png) [@initech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/initech)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/11 "2008-05-04T06:04:35Z")
Colin Hay, _Overkill_ ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/12 "2008-05-04T16:01:46Z")
[QUOTE=Intravenus De Milo] A lot of people like the acoustic version of “Layla” by Eric Clapton better than the original. I don’t know, I think the original sounds more…_earnest_, for some reason. The acoustic version is a little too mellow for my taste. [/QUOTE] It’s hard to say that the acoustic “Layla” is “better” than an original which is one of the handful of greatest rock songs. But given that the original is a primal scream of desire for a woman that Clapton was then long bitterly divorced from, changing the song so drastically to make it a bittersweet memory and lament was a brilliant move. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/13 "2008-05-04T16:09:45Z")
Although I like both versions a lot, “Brand New Colony” by **The Postal Service** is better acoustic in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/14 "2008-05-04T16:30:21Z")
Nick Cave’s acoustic [Mercy Seat](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNNYNL-n_uU) on the Road to Who God Where vid. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/15 "2008-05-04T17:51:21Z")
[QUOTE=psycat90] Another vote for Foo Fighter’s “Everlong” [/QUOTE] I came in here to vote for that one too. Plus **Chris Cornell’s** version of Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean’. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/16 "2008-05-04T17:57:44Z")
[QUOTE=initech] Colin Hay, _Overkill_ [/QUOTE] Nooooo, I finally heard this the other day on Sirius and wasn’t impressed. It’s ok but the original is a masterpiece. > [@Martini Enfield](#): > > I’ve never heard an acoustic version of any song that sounded better than the “regular” one. Ditto for live music too, IMHO. They’re out there. Sometimes you have to hear them first to like them better. Have you heard Nirvana’s Unplugged album? It’s acoustic _and_ live and one of the best albums ever made IMO, and I’m not a big Nirvana fan. ---
**Author:** ![Mahna\_Mahna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e47c2d/32.png) [@Mahna\_Mahna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahna_Mahna)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/17 "2008-05-04T19:23:50Z")
\*Such Great Heights \*becomes 10x better when done as a soft acoustic piece by Iron & Wine, vs the original electro-indie-pop version by Postal Service. Since it’s a cover rather than an acoustic performance by the same artist, it probably doesn’t count, though. ---
**Author:** ![Shecky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shecky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shecky)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/18 "2008-05-04T19:24:15Z")
Jason Mraz - Remedy 10,000 Maniacs - Candy Everybody Wants Squeeze - Pulling Mussels (the radio acoustic version) Big Country - In a Big Country Bon Jovi - Wanted Dead or Alive ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/19 "2008-05-04T19:27:30Z")
Bruce Springsteen now does an acoustic “Born in the USA” that I don’t know if I’d call _better_, than the original, but it’s very differnt and IMHO just as good. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947/20 "2008-05-04T20:13:01Z")
I like the version of “Just About Glad” on Costello/Nieve better than the one on Brutal Youth. The version of “God’s Comic” he did on that tour also blows away the one on Spike, but it’s never been officially released. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/acoustic-version-better-than-regular-version/447947.md?page=2)