Ok, so this is way out in left field as far as the OP goes, but I really like Claptons remake of Layla. I liked the original, still do, but I’m middle aged now and the ballad version is just great. I mean, I could name The Animals House of the Rising Sun, or Santana’s Evil Ways, but those would be more about context and timing. In my subjective little world, those are the originals so I wouldn’t count them the same.
A few suggestions…
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Rod Stewart did “(I Know) I’m Losing You” better than the Temptations did
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The Rolling Stones did “Not Fade Away” better than Buddy Holly did.
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The Beatles’ cover of “Rock & Roll Music” was better than Chuck Berry’s.
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I prefer Joe Cocker’s version of “The Letter” to the Box Tops’ original.
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Deep Purple’s “Hush” was much better than Joe South’s.
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UB40’s “Red Red Wine” was much better than Neil Diamond’s.
Full agree on Tainted Love, and also have to add Cat’s in the Cradle by Ugly Kid Joe.
Since Woodstockbirdybird and Snooopy haven’t shown up yet, I get to nominate Husker Du’s take on Eight Miles High.
I’ll also nominate Ziggy Stardust as done by Bauhaus. Pretty much a note for note retelling, but the guitar is more potent in the cover.
Mad World originally done by Tears for Fears. I can’t recall who did the cover, but I prefer it.
Most of Leonard Cohen’s stuff. Especially “Hallelujah.” Beautiful song, but Cohen’s version is the worst.
I line Nina Simone’s cover of I Put A Spell On You better than the original by Screamin Jay Hawkins. I also think that the Dead Kennedys version of Viva Las Vegas is much better than the Elvis version.
Gary Jules, for the Donnie Darko soundtrack.
Covering themselves:
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Blue Öyster Cult’s remake of Astronomy is a slight improvement on their original version from 1974.
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John Lee Hooker’s 1974 jazz/blues version pf One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer is better than the Amos Milburn (One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer) 1953 original, Hooker’s 1966 cover of the song & racer72’s George Throrgood preferred version.
Best Cover Version:
¤ John Baldry’s cover Don’t Try to Lay No Boogie Woogie on the King of Rock and Roll - Especially the album version with the spoken-word “Conditional Discharge” introduction, puts the Jeff Thomas original, and the Crow, Kenny Loggin’s Gator Creek covers to shame.
Runner Up:
¤ Black Sabbath’s cover of Warning makes Aynsley Dunbar’s original sound like a weak impersonation.
2nd Runner Up:
¤ Paul Young’s version of I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down is better than Ann Peeble’s original
Sweet Dreams was seriously improved by Marilyn Manson.
Damn you. That was what I was gonna say.
I agree with Soft Cell’s version of Tainted Love.
Every time one of these threads pops up I have my old standards: Siouxsie and the Banshees’ rendition of Dear Prudence is just perfect.
The cover of *Sympathy *by Jane’s Addiction is just plain more evil than the original by the Stones.
Diamanda Galas’ version of My World is Empty Without You is life changing. I saw her last year at Royce Hall and she opened with that - I cried the whole time. Oh! And then she followed with a cover of Padam Padamand I cried through that too - not sure that it was better than Edith Piaf, but it was damn good. I think she should do Ball and Chain. I don’t think she could top Janis, but Diamanda could definitely do her justice.
The Pogues’ "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda. Eric Bogle is a fine songwriter and musician, but Shane makes the cover all the more heartrending.
As a slight hijack, check out Eric Bogle’s “Do You Sing Any Bob Dylan?” for a humorous take on covering Dylan.
And I consider the Dead Kennedy’s cover of “I Fought the Law” as a new song.
Uncle Cecil, grant me the power to ban anyone who says Six Pence None The Richer’s cover of “there she goes”…
How about “I Love Rock & Roll” by Joan Jett? It’s originally by the Arrows.
“My Favorite Things” (from Sound of Music) was a nice ditty but sounds unlistenable after you’ve heard John Coltrane’s version.
“Real Love” (The Beatles) Regina Spektor took a half-assed Anthology 2 track, covered it for the Instant Karma charity album, and created sheer magic.
“Personal Jesus” (Depeche Mode) Sounds too jokey and cold on the original; Johnny Cash’s take plays up the religious overtones while still being light-hearted.
Also got to praise “Superstar” (Sonic Youth over Carpenters), “Jesus Don’t Want Me For A Sunbeam” (Nirvana over Vaselines).
So don’t agree - Cash comes across like a junkie-wino, and not in a good way. It bores me, which the original didn’t do. I’ve never liked that cover (although it seems like I’m the only one - even Trent thinks it’s the shizzle)
My vote for great covers? **This Mortal Coil’**s Song To The Siren and Mr Somewhere.
I think Pat Benatar’s version of John (Cougar, then) Mellencamp’s *I Need a Lover * is much better. The original arrangement had too long of an intro for the type of song it is.
Rolf Harris’ skiffle version of Stairway To Heaven is vastly superior to the one done previously by some band I forget the name of.
Not at all; it’s sufficiently different as to constitute a reinterpretive cover of his own song.
Another interesting choice would be Run-DMC’s and Aerosmith’s cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” I prefer the cover.
Joe Cocker’s version of just about anything, but especially “The Letter,” “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window,” and “Feelin’ Alright” (All of which are great in their original version).
There are dozens of great cover versions of blues songs. The original “Statesboro Blues” is a terrific song, but Taj Mahal, The Allman Brothers Band, and Alice Stuart have done superior ones.
The Bonzo Dog Band version of “Monster Mash” is the definitive version of the song. Period. And their versions of “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” and “The Sound of Music” will ensure you never look at the originals the same way again.
Lyle Lovett does a terrific version of “Stand by Your Man.”
The Roches latest album has two cover versions of songs by a guy named Paranoid Larry – “No Shoes” and “Jesus Shaves” – that are superior to Larry’s originals, mostly because the Roches are better singers (better than practically anyone, of course). They also do a great version of “The Naughty Lady of Shady Lane.”