# Cover Songs Better Than The Original **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 28, 2007, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764 "2007-09-28T02:36:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Incensed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Incensed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incensed)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/81 "2007-09-28T18:12:24Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] …Live’s version of Johnny Cash’s standard “ **I Walk the Line** ” is better, IMO… [/QUOTE] I disagree, but I like Cash. I like Live as well, but that cover just didn’t do it for me. I guess it just depends on what side your bread is buttered on. As stated upthread, Cash’s versions of **Hurt** and **Personal Jesus** were far superior to the originals, IMO. And I’m not saying someone can’t cover his songs and improve them; a number of the songs on the Cash tribute album, _Kindred Spirits_, were improvements, including Hank Williams Jr.'s take on **Big River** , Springsteen’s rendition of **Give My Love to Rose** and Steve Earle’s cover of **Hardin Wouldn’t Run**. Now for a couple of controversial picks: I prefer Metallica’s version of Seger’s **Turn the Page** , and Shinedown’s cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s **Simple Man** to the respective originals. May not spark much furor around here, but if I made that statement (especially the latter half) in my home town, I’d probably be punched in the mouth, no questions asked. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/82 "2007-09-28T18:16:03Z")
“Hurt” by Johnny Cash was pretty badass…hard to say if it was better than NIN’s. I also liked “Blue Monday” by Orgy “Whiskey in the Jar” by Metallica “Stone Cold Crazy” by Metallica I have tons, just no others come to mind right now. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/83 "2007-09-28T18:21:39Z")
“In the Pines” on Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York was origionally a Leadbelly tune, Kurt does it better. Nelly Furtado’s version of “crazy” was pretty badass. The opening for Donnie Darko has “Mad World” that’s better than the Tears For Fears version. ---
**Author:** ![zyzzyva](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@zyzzyva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zyzzyva)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/84 "2007-09-28T18:35:17Z")
Kinda surprised no one’s mentioned it, but Johnny Cash & Joe Strummer’s cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” is absolutely chilling. Already a great song to begin with, but they took it to the next level. Especially freaky given that it was recorded _weeks_ before they both died, and released posthumously. For covers that fall into the “as good but completely different” category, I nominate the Ramones’ version of Tom Waits’ “I Don’t Wanna Grow Up.” While the original sounds like depressed dread of the inevitable (the kind that’s fun to wallow in during those “I hate my life” moments), the cover is positively defiant: they could’ve changed “don’t wanna” to “ain’t gonna” and it would’ve been the same. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/85 "2007-09-28T19:01:28Z")
Dan Barta’s Czech version of “Superstar” is so much better than any other version in any other language. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/86 "2007-09-28T20:05:39Z")
[QUOTE=Sitnam] “In the Pines” on Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York was origionally a Leadbelly tune, Kurt does it better. [/QUOTE] First all the dissing of Dolly. Then someone asserting that Nirvana’s version of “In the Pines” is better than Leadbelly’s (whose version is superbly chilling). I despair of the lot of you! ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/87 "2007-09-28T20:12:54Z")
I don’t have any particular problems with The **Greatfull Dead** ’s version of _Ripple_. It’s a perfectly decent song if that’s the sort of thing that you like. On the otherhand **Janes Addiction** launched that song into the stratosphere as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/88 "2007-09-28T20:42:37Z")
I prefer Dave Edmunds’ version of “Girl Talk” to Elvis Costello’s, but just barely. Have you ever heard the soundtrack to **Mona Lisa Smile**? Modern artists covering old pop standards from the late 40s, for the most part. Some standouts include Tori Amos’ “Murder He Says” and the Trevor Horn Orchestra’s remakes of “Istanbul Not Constantinople” and “Life Would Be a Dream.” Of the million versions of “Santa Baby,” my favorite so far is Maria Muldaur’s. ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/89 "2007-09-28T20:55:20Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] The Firebirds cover of Tom Paxton’s “Bottle of Wine” was a hard rocking hit! [/QUOTE] It was actually the Fireballs (previously Jimmy Gilmer & the Fireballs of “Sugar Shack” fame). ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/90 "2007-09-28T21:01:08Z")
[QUOTE=Sophistry and Illusion] What’s with all the hate for Dolly Parton? First she is judged inferior to Whitney Houston, and now to Jack White. Dolly has a fantastic and expressive voice. She’s the goods. [/QUOTE] I agree. Her duet with George Jones on “Blues Man” is one of the all-time greats, as are her songs with Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris on the Trio albums and the Kenny Rogers duet, “Islands in the Stream.” She is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/91 "2007-09-28T21:07:16Z")
Cassandra Wilson’s version of the Son House song “Death letter” is also outstanding and, I think, better than the White Stripes. ---
**Author:** ![rhythmonly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rhythmonly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhythmonly)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/92 "2007-09-28T21:14:46Z")
“Man with Money” by The Crybabies. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/93 "2007-09-28T21:23:11Z")
[QUOTE=Sitnam] “In the Pines” on Nirvana’s Unplugged in New York was origionally a Leadbelly tune, Kurt does it better. [/QUOTE] Nitpick: It was a cover when Leadbelly did it. [The song has been around since at least the 1870s.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_Did_You_Sleep_Last_Night) ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/94 "2007-09-28T21:26:34Z")
Similar to “anyone covering Bob Dylan” is “anyone covering the Grateful Dead”. My favorites from Deadicated: Dwight Yokum - Truckin’ - he makes it an AWESOME country song, with twang and steel guitar. Indigo Girls - Uncle John’s Band - absolutely beautiful. From some pure random fun: Tom Jones, Reload. Full of covers done in partnership with some good bands. Mama Told Me (Not to Come) with the Stereophonics is great fun. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/95 "2007-09-28T21:29:02Z")
[QUOTE=spoke-] Nitpick: It was a cover when Leadbelly did it. [The song has been around since at least the 1870s.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_Did_You_Sleep_Last_Night) [/QUOTE] Well, if we’re going to talk about really old songs, the Animals cover of [House of the Rising Sun](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_House_of_the_Rising_Sun) is definitely the best. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/96 "2007-09-28T21:34:44Z")
Don’t know if they’re available on records, but **Heart** ’s live covers of _Battle of Evermore_ and _Misty Mountain Hop_ are better than Led Zep’s. It helps to have two singers to choose from, and they absolutely **nail** the voices when the wailing really gets going in both songs (which is why I’m pretty sure, even though I never saw Zep live, that even Zep live would be inferior in Battle of Evermore since Sandy Denny is sadly unavailable.) There’s no other way to explain it except that they sing the notes that Plant was _trying_ to sing. Think him but %50 better. On the downside, though, they don’t have the quickie drum solo in MMH that’s the highlight of the song and really adds to its atmosphere and character, although they might be able to if they put it to vinyl, and of course the harmony on BoE is not _quite_ as good. I wish Heart would do a song-for-song cover album of Led Zep IV. I bet they’d do **Four Sticks** and **Levee** better as well (their version of Black Dog is slightly worse, and I think Rock n Roll and Stairway would be worse as well.) ETA: according to wikipedia, they did release a cover of BoE as the Lovemongers. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/97 "2007-09-28T21:35:04Z")
[QUOTE=Algher] Similar to “anyone covering Bob Dylan” is “anyone covering the Grateful Dead”. My favorites from Deadicated: [/QUOTE] Yes that album was gold. Don’t forget Lyle Lovett’s _Freind of the Devil_. The Greatful Dead’s version of that is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Euryphaessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Euryphaessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euryphaessa)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/98 "2007-09-28T21:45:50Z")
I’m prefer Pearl Jam’s cover of Love Reign O’er Me to the original by The Who. And Nouvelle Vague’s cover of The Dead Kennedys’ Too Drunk to F\*\*\* is quite special. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/99 "2007-09-28T21:54:04Z")
[QUOTE=Ludovic] Don’t know if they’re available on records, but **Heart** ’s live covers of _Battle of Evermore_ and _Misty Mountain Hop_ are better than Led Zep’s. [/QUOTE] “The Battle Of Evermore” was available by The Lovemongers on a CD single (EP), but it’s out of print now. That doesn’t mean you can’t still find it for cheap on the net. I’ve got one, and you’re right, it _is_ awesome! Heart cut their teeth doing Zeppelin covers. I’ve got a bootleg of them playing in a bar right around the time they got their first recording contract, and three of the songs are Zep. They kicked ass on all of them! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764/100 "2007-09-28T21:55:06Z")
I like the **Talking Heads** cover of _Take me to the River_ better, but not by a lot, than the **Al Green** original. I think that the **Missy Elliott** pseudo-cover of _I Can’t Stand the Rain_ is as good as it is different from the **Ann Peebles** original. My old RA in college said that **Frankie Goes to Hollywood** did _Born to Run_ the way it was supposed to be done. FTR, this was in 1985, when Bruce ruled America. While I love **The Wolfgang Press** and wonder why most of their catalog is out of print, I have to say that their cover of _Momma Told Me Not to Come_ is not as good as the **Three Dog Night** version. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-better-than-the-original/420764.md?page=6)