[strike]ETA:[/strike] MTEW: Raguleader, I agree that Vanessa Carlton’s “Paint it Black” is better. I never like that song until I hear her sing it.
And the Indigo Girls butchered “Romeo and Juliet.” They can’t do a love song like the way its meant to be.
What is the strike through code???
{del} delete {/del}, only using brackets.
Sinead O’Conner also does a superb cover of “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.”
And you probably love El Caminos. 
I wonder if Sarah is aware of her ability - “Who is this guy who keeps showing up in my head when I sing?” 
IIRC, it would have been Bruce Wooley and the Camera Club. They did a version of “Video Killed the Radio Star” as well, and at around the same time.
I prefer Sixpnce None The Richer’s version of Don’t Dream It’s Over and also their version of There She Goes.
Roky Erickson and the Aliens covering the Velvets’ Heroin live, on the Gremlins Have Pictures album. Their version spanks the original, eats its lunch, and then rockets that song out into the Van Allen Belt and brings it back home, in just under four-and-a-half minutes.
I can’t believe someone beat me to this one.
Well, if y’all give that a listen and enjoy it, you should check out Hayseed Dixie’s version of “Big Bottom.”
You know, funny you should mention that song. I actually had a friend tell me about the song this past week. And then I had the opportunity to listen to it for myself. Great song.
No - Bruce Wooley was one of the cowriters of the song with Horn and Downes (The Buggles) - He did his own version the same year as The Buggles did (which was 1979 folks - not 1981 when MTV took to the air - it was already a faded hit in the UK). The mangling occurred in the 90’s in some angst ridden teen movie - maybe the amped up ROmeo and Juliet?
Correction- it was ruined by The Presidents of the United States in The Wedding Singer soundtrack !
Some that come to mind…
Sisters of Mercy 1969 was better than The Stooges version.
The Mission Like a Hurricane I liked better than Neil Young’s.
Bow Wow Wow’s I Want Candy blows away the original obscure artist’s version
Camper Van Beethoven’s Pictures of Matchstick Men will always be the definitive version.
My apologies for being stuck in the 80s 
Wild Horses by The Sundays over The Rolling Stones any day of the week. Harriet Wheeler’s voice is so wonderful, you can feel every emotion in her.
its hard to say its “Better” in the same sense as most of these but Joss Stones cover of Fell in Love with a Girl is so transcended from the original White Stripes version its hard to believe they are in fact the same song.
Everyone and their dog seems to think so. Everyone and their dog is wrong. Johnny sounds like a sad wino. The NIN version is better, despite what Trent may say.
I prefer the This Mortal Couil (Cocteau Twins, really) version of Song To The Siren to the Buckley original. Marc Almond does a wonderful version of Jackie. The Bad Seeds do a lovely *All Tomorrow’s Parties
I love the remake of “Killing the Blues”
Even though I love Roy Orbison, I gotta say that Linda Ronstandt’s version of Blue Bayou moves me much more.
Deep Purple’s version of Hush is my #1 knobtwister…
Also, every country band in the world has done Ghost Riders in the Sky, but nobody in the world can top The Outlaws version.
TRUSTcompany’s version of Rock the Casbah blows away The Clash’s version.
ducks and runs