# 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:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/161 "2010-04-21T12:38:58Z")
> [@Rhodes](#): > > I agree with lots of these. Here’s a few more that I didn’t see on the list: > > “Everlasting Love,” done by U2. > \ Ooh good call. I love that version, too. > [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > \ > One Night in Bangkok. I like the Louise Robey version better than Murray Head. Thanks for that. I had never heard that version, and it definitely brought a smile to my face. Great way to start the morning! ---
**Author:** ![nachtmusick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ac91a4/32.png) [@nachtmusick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nachtmusick)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/162 "2010-04-24T07:53:11Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > **Save Ferris** , a ska band, does a wonderful cover of _Come On Eileen_ that has to be [heard](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKzl_mB-rz8) to believed. This woman’s vocal talent makes the song. Yes. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/163 "2010-04-24T09:19:58Z")
> [@Levolor\_the\_Blind](#): > > almost everything I came to mention has been said except: > > [Tomorrow Wendy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kO6qrtSTkew) (cover, Concrete Blonde) > > [Tomorrow Wendy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZBQGCI2hm0) (original, Andy Prieboy) I would have mentioned that if the thread title had been “Cover songs that are vastly inferior to the original but far better known” The original is awesome, the cover is mediocre. ---
**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:** [April 25, 2010, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/164 "2010-04-25T17:37:18Z")
Slight hijack: I just purchased a book on Barbra Streisand which stated: When Streisand’s magnificent recording of _Memory_ was not a hit, Elaine Paige’s cover hit #1 in the UK charts. Methinks the author needs to verify who’s covering whom. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/165 "2010-08-03T21:01:20Z")
This thread isn’t zombified yet, is it? 😃 Slightly obscure, but I finally got to hear the (original) Bobby Charles’ version of “Tennessee Blues”. Doug Sahm’s version ([Rhapsody link](http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1199801)) is considerably better. ---
**Author:** ![Ninja\_Lauren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/46a35a/32.png) [@Ninja\_Lauren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ninja_Lauren)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/166 "2010-08-09T15:06:50Z")
Five Finger Death Punch covered “Bad Company” and I love it! Granted, you have to like that hard thrashing metal stuff, but it’s good. Plus, they managed to mix in their own feeling along the way, by changing a few lyrics among other things. They sneak in “The Death-Punch sound is our claim to fame.” instead of “Six-gun sound is our claim to fame.” Also, I’m a Nirvana fan, and I never really knew how many songs they did that were covers, like “Lake of Fire.” Who sings that one originally? I’d like to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/167 "2010-08-09T15:46:32Z")
Someone mentioned the Carpenters up the page, and I happened to see them the other day doing their version of “Help!” on a show from 1971. It’s pretty good. While still respectful of the original, it’s a bit slower and more melancholy, which actually seems more appropriate to the song. They do lots of multi-part harmonies and a few little rhythmic changes that are very effective, such as the “I’ve never done before” line. Nice keyboard solo at the end, almost prog-like! [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb-GpvEjxJ8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb-GpvEjxJ8) [edit - song starts at about 0:35] ---
**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/168 "2010-08-09T15:50:54Z")
> [@Ninja\_Lauren](#): > > Also, I’m a Nirvana fan, and I never really knew how many songs they did that were covers, like “Lake of Fire.” Who sings that one originally? I’d like to hear it. Meat Puppets ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/169 "2010-08-09T15:57:59Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Someone mentioned the Carpenters up the page, and I happened to see them the other day doing their version of “Help!” on a show from 1971. It’s pretty good. While still respectful of the original, it’s a bit slower and more melancholy, which actually seems more appropriate to the song. They do lots of multi-part harmonies and a few little rhythmic changes that are very effective, such as the “I’ve never done before” line. Nice keyboard solo at the end, almost prog-like! > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb-GpvEjxJ8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rb-GpvEjxJ8) [edit - song starts at about 0:35] The sadly underrated (outside of Cleveland) Michael Stanley did a very good slower version of Help on his second album ‘Friends and Legends’. Talking about ‘Help’, I have a vague recollection that John Lennon’s original version was much slower, but George Martin convinced him to speed it up. (But I maybe wrong.) ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/170 "2010-08-09T18:18:13Z")
> [@kevja](#): > > jerry lee lewis does the second best version of 'over the rainbow" i’ve ever heard. it’s still judy garland’s song though. With all due respect to “The Killer,” this is the best cover of [“Rainbow”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I) I have ever heard, by “IZ” Kamakawiwoʻole. This was the version played at the end of _50 First Dates_ as Drew Barrymore is waking up on board the boat and watching the video to let her memory play catch-up. I agree with Earth, Wind, and Fire’s "Got To Get You Into My Life, mentioned upthread. Mediocre movie (_Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)_ but first-rate song. I’d like to nominate [“It’s A Heartache”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ9I2BErSwo) by Rod Stewart, a cover of a song by an obscure Welsh female singer.\* \*Just joking about the obscure female singer part. I remember when Bonnie Tyler’s version came out, people compared her to a female Rod Stewart, so it’s only fair that Rod would show what he can do with the song. I also realize Juice Newton recorded this song, too, but Tyler’s version had the higher chart position. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/171 "2010-08-09T20:04:43Z")
> [@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. ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/172 "2010-08-09T21:38:37Z")
> [@NineToTheSky](#): > > > [@Oakminster](#): > > > > Joan Jett’s cover of _Crimson and Clover_ is good, but I dunno who did the original. > > Tommy James and the Shondells. And the original version is a classic. Best psycadelic guitar solo ever! ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/173 "2010-08-09T21:41:41Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > I heard a female version of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” yesterday - don’t know who it was, but I like it a lot more than the original. But the GNR version blows them both away! ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/174 "2010-08-09T22:01:17Z")
\*\* > [@Oakminster](#): > > Janis Joplin’s cover of _Me and Bobby McGee_ beats Kristoferson’s original. I think most people would agree, as well as saying that Johnny Cash’s cover of Kristofferson’s “Sunday Morning, Comin’ Down” is better than the original; but I grew up listening to _Me And Bobbi McGee_ and _Songs Of Kristofferson_, and for me, Kris’ll always have the last word. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/175 "2010-08-10T02:46:42Z")
I actually started a whole thread for this, but I thought it was appropriate to mention here as well. Tonight, after picking **supervenusfreak** up from work, Gilbert O’Sullivan’s “Alone Again, Naturally” came on the radio. For some reason even I don’t remember at this point, I Googled the song after we got home and discovered that Nina Simone had done a…well, not really a cover, because she almost completely rewrote the lyrics. But her version is just incredible. It absolutely transcends the cheesy 70s melodrama of the original. The lyrics she wrote are pretty much a raw, painful, true relating of the death of her father and how it affected her and her family. It’s almost uncomfortable to listen to, it’s so personal. [I really think it blows G O’S away.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FOhboyfn4Q) ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/176 "2010-08-10T07:32:49Z")
I used to feel the same way Whack does, but over the years I have discovered so many wonderful covers that I’ve gotten to the point where I love covers…if the cover artist is good, the cover is likely to be good. Two that pop instantly to mind: Woodstock, Richie Havens - gorgeous Patti Smith’s album “Twelve” - all covers Most recently I’ve been enjoying Sia’s cover of Madonna’s “Oh Father” I never liked that song but I love Sia’s version. For sheer WTF? value, I recommend Bill Parsons’ version of “She Blinded me With Science” It will blow your mind, and show you the power of arrangement. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/177 "2010-08-10T07:34:21Z")
Oh, does anyone know who covered Kate Bush’s song - I think it’s called A Deal with god - I heard a cover on a soundtrack that I just LOVED… ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/178 "2010-08-10T07:51:53Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Oh, does anyone know who covered Kate Bush’s song - I think it’s called A Deal with god - I heard a cover on a soundtrack that I just LOVED… “Running up that Hill” by Kate Bush.. cover by the Chromatics.. BTW.. Utah Saints did a great “cover” remix of “Something Good” which was a Kate song on the same album 'Running up that Hill".. ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/179 "2010-08-10T10:12:48Z")
Don’t know if it’s been mentioned or not - I didn’t know that the Wallflowers’ \*“Heroes” \*was a David Bowie cover. I hate David Bowie, so suffice it to say that I much prefer the Wallflowers version. I had no idea \*Hard to Handle \*by The Black Crowes was originally done by Otis Redding, of all people. I’ve never heard the original… ---
**Author:** ![Add99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Add99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Add99)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505/180 "2010-08-10T21:05:25Z")
Devo - (I can’t get no) Satisfaction [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jadvt7CbH1o/maxresdefault.jpg "DEVO "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" [Official Music Video]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jadvt7CbH1o) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-original/535505.md?page=10)