Of course this will just be a matter of opinion. But I wanted to express my admiration both for the original song composers and the artists who interpreted them even better. 
These three really moved me.
Please feel free to add yours.
(P.S. This thread was inspired by watching a documentary on Johnny Cash on UK TV today.)
‘Hallelujah’ by Leonard Cohen, covered by Jeff Buckley.
‘Mad World’ by Tears for Fears, sung by Adam Lambert.
‘Hurt’ by Nine Inch Nails, covered by Johhny Cash.
There are some I know of but almost none where I heard the original first: they tend to stick with you and the artist usually puts their own mark on the song and with the originally intended emotion that it’s hard to top. Sometimes the original is better though, even if I hear the cover first.
The one exception I can think of is Busy Bodies by Fastball, a cover of Elvis Costello. I just don’t think that most of the songs on Armed Forces were arranged that well, a stab at poppy without being the full blown baroque of Imperial Bedroom. In fact, I prefer Costello’s own out-takes of many of the songs on that album (for instance Green Shirt and Big Boys,) so if there is a version of Costello covering his own Busy Bodies in the same slightly-more-harder-produced way tha Fastball does, I’d probably prefer it to the Fastball.
I like Bryan Ferry’s cover of Jealous Guy better than John Lennon’s original.
I like the Tremeloes cheery cover of Cat Steven’s Here Comes my baby.
& Soft Cell’s Tainted Love rather than the original (I think its by Gloria Jones)
& I like all the originals - just prefer the covers.
I love Prince as an artist and a songwriter.
Nothing compares to u http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kyANY6hER8&feature=related
I feel for you
Kiss http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iw3so6ClU9I
I hope I won’t be murdered for this opinion, but … almost anything written by Bob Dylan and covered by anyone else. Man can write, but I’m not nuts about his voice. (Note the almost, too - there are exceptions.)
Joe Cocker “With a little help from my friends.”
I don’t think that’s disrespectful - Dylan is a genius at composing, but other (better) singers are inspired by his work.
I prefer all Joe Cocker’s Beatles covers to the original, also his cover of Ray Charles’ “Unchain My Heart.” I’m not a huge Joe Cocker fan, but he really nails those particular songs.
I like the Spock’s Beard cover of George Harrison’s Beware Of Darkness.
I like the Leon Russell version, too.
While I like the original of I Can See Clearly, I think Holly Cole’s version is better.
Much more than that. And it’s always Hurt and With a Little Help From My Friends.
Yawn
Am I the only one who prefers the Tears for Fears “Mad World” and the Leonard Cohen “Hallelujah”? I guess I find the other versions kind of schmaltzy.
My nomination for this is always the Ike and Tina Turner version of “Proud Mary.” Just seems to have more life and excitement than the original which is an okay song but never felt like anything special to me.
Fiona Apple’s cover of “Across the Universe” - liquid lithium
Taco’s"Putting on the Ritz"
GG Allin’s cover of “The Highest Power”
and of course J.J. Milteau’s definitive version of Shortnin’ Bread
I prefer TFF. I think their version is not well known. Curt Smith has a great voice.
I remember really hating the cover when I saw Donnie Darko because it was so damned whiny but when I realized there was an original version, I preferred that.
I tried to do a search, but the Dope first reported an error message, then said I had to wait nearly 5 minutes to do another search.
After waiting that time, it crashed again :smack: … so I just took a chance.
I perfer Beth Orton’s version of **Sisters of Mercy **to Leonard Cohen’s original.
