# Cover songs that are better than the original **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 9, 2010, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505 "2010-04-09T08:50:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Kilmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a6a055/32.png) [@Kilmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilmore)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/181 "2010-08-11T09:07:07Z")
The Top Notes’ “Twist and Shout” as covered by the Beatles Ritchie Cordell’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” as covered by Tiffany Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust” covered by Judas Priest ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/182 "2010-08-11T10:37:20Z")
I have to say I like Metallica’s version of “Whiskey in the Jar” over The Dubliner’s version. I also like They Might Be Giant’s version of Istanbul (Not Constantinople) over The Four Lads version. Oh and Pearl Jam doing Last Kiss the right way, all mournful and sad, not peppy and dance-to-itiveness like J. Frank Wilson And The Cavaliers. Way to be cavalier about killing your girlfriend in a car wreck! ---
**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:** [August 11, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/183 "2010-08-11T13:33:01Z")
Tom Paxron admits he likes the Fireballs’s hard rocking version of his “Bottle of Wine” better than his own golk verson. ---
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/184 "2010-08-11T14:04:14Z")
Timeless (Korean cover) - by Zhang Liyin and Xiah Junsu Timeless (English) - by Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini ---
**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:** [August 11, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/185 "2010-08-11T14:12:31Z")
If we’re including foreign language covers, you have not heard the best version of New York New York until you hear Dudu Fisher’s Hebrew version. ---
**Author:** ![Supdog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Supdog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Supdog)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/186 "2010-08-11T15:00:41Z")
Jeffrey Gaines’ version of Peter Gabriel’s _ **In Your Eyes** _. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WtavVdBCk&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WtavVdBCk&feature=related) I love the original, but the acoustic version is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/187 "2010-08-11T15:06:16Z")
> [@Supdog](#): > > Jeffrey Gaines’ version of Peter Gabriel’s _ **In Your Eyes** _. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WtavVdBCk&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WtavVdBCk&feature=related) > > I love the original, but the acoustic version is amazing. Thank you! Enjoying it right now. ---
**Author:** ![Crazy\_Canuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazy_canuck/32/5282_2.png) [@Crazy\_Canuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazy_Canuck)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/188 "2010-08-11T19:40:47Z")
Lots of good ones I agree with upthread. I’ve been raving about K.D. Lang’s version of Hallelujah long before she did it for the olympics. I have to chime in with the people on Johhny Cash’s version of hurt, which I like a lot more, even though in general I prefer NIN to Cash’s music. Though Cash did do an awesome version of [God’s Gonna Cut You Down](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJlN9jdQFSc) The one I didn’t see that simply blew me away was Tori Amos’ cover of [Smells Like Teen Spirit](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcHNZVrxEts) by Nirvana. Of couse, I also preferred [Wierd Al’s parody](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FklUAoZ6KxY&feature=av2e) so maybe I’m a bit biased. 🙂 She also did a wicked cover of [Famous Blue Raincoat](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgLQ5LSWC-Q) that was [originally done by Leonard Cohen](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aRKZFR5imM). As much as I think Cohen was a genius of a writer, as a performer … I’ve heard a lot of covers of his stuff that I like better. And someone mentioned Eva Cassidy upthread, she did a cover of [Time After Time](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyWg4eIsn04) that I loved. Also, Sarah McLachlan’s version of [Dear God](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGKb1YpGMjQ) was better IMO than [the original by XTC](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hk41Gbjljfo) And [Sarahs’ cover](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulr7MPyhPaY) of [Joni Mitchell’s River](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpFudDAYqxY) is my favorite Christmas song of all time. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/189 "2010-08-11T19:57:19Z")
> [@Supdog](#): > > Jeffrey Gaines’ version of Peter Gabriel’s _ **In Your Eyes** _. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WtavVdBCk&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7WtavVdBCk&feature=related) > > I love the original, but the acoustic version is amazing. This song just seems to work as a solo acoustic thing. I was once in a coffee shop while a young woman was playing a guitar. I don’t think it was either an official “open mike,” nor a scheduled performance. There was no evidence of either. It seemed more like she was just a friend of somebody, had her guitar, and somebody suggested she play a few tunes. There were several people in the shop and nobody was visibly paying her any attention at all. Truth be told, she wasn’t particularly great in the first few tunes while I was there. Then she played this song. I recognized it at the first notes, and between that moment and the end of the first lyric, the place hushed, and everybody listened. It wasn’t perfect, but somehow it was very affecting. Everybody applauded, and she blushed. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kivick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/65b543/32.png) [@Kivick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kivick)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/190 "2010-08-18T18:35:33Z")
[Far covers Ginuwine’s song “Pony”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26oYJ0ta3iw) ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/191 "2010-08-20T02:35:13Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > > [@StusBlues](#): > > > > I’ll take Van Halen’s version of “You Really Got Me” over The Kinks’. > > This is what I came to say. Van Halen took cover songs, made them sound like Van Halen songs and kicked their asses. Except for California Girls. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/192 "2010-08-20T02:38:40Z")
Rogers & Easton We’ve Got Tonight \> Cocker ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/193 "2010-08-20T02:41:06Z")
Metalheads on here might hate me, but The Cardigans cover of “Iron Man” was really cool. It was a completely different feel from Black Sabbath, but it’s got this cool, breezy feel to it. I prefer it. ---
**Author:** ![Saitou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Saitou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saitou)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/194 "2010-08-20T12:14:50Z")
I prefer Joan Osborne’s version of [What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbjDNGfIHMw) to the original.[Jimmy Ruffin’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zCz8SKmGek) version always sounds so flat. [heresy] David Ruffin’s version of [I Want You Back](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccs1-TSQ4BQ) is better than the original [/heresy] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/195 "2010-08-20T12:32:58Z")
Jimi Hendrix’s version of Wild Thing. It’s even more successful than All Along the Watchtower in that I think people forget it’s a cover. The Troggs’ version (not the original, as it turns out) has an ocarina solo. How were they supposed to compete with Jimi Hendrix? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505.md?page=9)