# Cover songs that are better than the originals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159 "2003-03-05T03:00:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/81 "2003-03-06T14:16:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rubystreak \* > \*\*P.S.: Whoever does that godawful cover of Springsteen’s “Blinded By the Light,” who sounds like he’s saying “wrapped up like a douche,” should be shot. \*\* Wasn’t the original Manfred Mann? I don’t recall who did the original, but Flack’s \* Killing Me Softly With His Song. \* I read she heard it on an airplane, loved the song, and got the rights. They played the orignal once on an oldies show. Not bad, but not as good. ---
**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:** [March 6, 2003, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/82 "2003-03-06T14:33:31Z")
\*\* Me First and the Gimme Gimmes \*\* also did a CD of covers of various songs from musicals (MFATGG are a Drag). It’s hard to find, and musical lovers will rip your eyes out for a copy. Peter Paul and Mary’s “Leaving on A Jet Plane.” ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/83 "2003-03-06T17:02:27Z")
I’ll second Fiona Apple’s cover of **Across the Universe**. I love _The Velvet Underground_, but I think that David Bowie did a much better job with **Waitin’ for the Man**. I prefer Natalie Merchant’s **Space Oddity** to David Bowie’s. And Stan Getz did a much better job with **Misty** than Erroll Garner (I _think_ Erroll Garner did the original on that one.). That was a song that cried out to be played on the sax. ---
**Author:** ![Violin\_D\_Ingrate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/898d66/32.png) [@Violin\_D\_Ingrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violin_D_Ingrate)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/84 "2003-03-06T17:23:24Z")
I prefer Whitney Houston’s **I Will Always Love You** to Dolly Parton’s. I also prefer Ike and Tina’s **Proud Mary** to CCR’s. ---
**Author:** ![doverpro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@doverpro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doverpro)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/85 "2003-03-06T17:35:20Z")
**Summertime Blues** by The Who on the Live at Leeds album ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/86 "2003-03-06T17:50:37Z")
Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love” is actually a cover. Notice how you never hear the original anymore? Rasputina’s cover of M. Manson’s “Tourniquet” is a lot better than the original. Collide’s cover of Devo’s “Whip It” begs to be heard. Same with Devo’s cover of NIN’s “Head Like A Hole”. Amorphis did a cover of “Light My Fire” that, while arguably not better than the original, is still _very_ interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Maci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Maci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maci)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/87 "2003-03-06T18:50:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lurkernomore \* > \*\*I don’t recall who did the original, but Flack’s \* Killing Me Softly With His Song. \* I read she heard it on an airplane, loved the song, and got the rights. They played the orignal once on an oldies show. Not bad, but not as good. \*\* Does Hugh Grant singing _Killing Me Softly_ in _About a Boy_ count as a cover? I busted a gut on that one. **X** with _Breathless_ ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/88 "2003-03-06T22:26:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Scrivener \* > **I prefer Talking Heads’ cover of “Take Me To the River” to Al Green’s original, but I heard the Head’s version first (by many years).** This was what I got on the thread to mention. I’m a huge Talking Heads fan, but I’m not sure if I’d say theirs is _better_, exactly. It’s one of their best, but it is so different from Al Green’s that the two can hardly be compared. It’s the same deal with Iggy Pop’s take on Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Real Wild Child”. I agree with the Clash’s “I Fought the Law” being better than the original, but I’ll even go so far to include “Police and Thieves” (gasp!) being better than the Junior Murvin original. I don’t usually like This Mortal Coil’s stuff, but Kim Deal singing Chris Bell’s “You and Your Sister” is absolutely stunning. I also like Robyn Hitchcock’s covers, especially of the Psychedelic Furs’s “The Ghost in You”. I like Nirvana’s “The Man Who Sold the World” better than David Bowie’s. Ditto The Pixies version of “I Can’t Forget” by Leonard Cohen. This will get me in a lot of crap, but I prefer Kelly Osbourne’s “Papa Don’t Preach”. It’s an awful song anyway. Probably the best cover ever is The Raincoats doing “Lola” by the Kinks. Imagine an all-female avant-garde punk band beautifully harmonizing with jangly guitars and primal drums. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/89 "2003-03-07T00:00:20Z")
Bruce Springsteen wrote “Blinded by the Light” and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band mangled, I mean, covered it, and somehow took it to #1. How anyone can prefer the MMEB’s version to Bruce’s is beyond me. MMEB also covered “Spirits in the Night” and “For You,” of which I was blissfully ignorant until now. ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/90 "2003-03-07T00:08:47Z")
Ruby, Don’t recall ever hearing Bruce’s version. The only one I recall hearing was Mann’s. Chalk yourself up one for fighting ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/91 "2003-03-07T00:37:17Z")
99 luft baloons as covered by **Goldfinger** , originially done by **Nena**. Video killed the radio star, any version, originially done by the **buggles** Ugh, ugh the originial version is just horrible. Somehow every cover of this song is incredibly better than the originial. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/92 "2003-03-07T03:14:32Z")
I really like the Alien Ant Farm version of “Smooth Criminal;” I especially like the video. Runner-up favorite cover song: **Helter Skelter** by the accapella group The Bobs All-time fave: **Light My Fire** by the Lettermen. Must be heard to be believed! (For the full effect, dim the lights and don a smoking jacket. Don’t forget the martini!) ---
**Author:** ![Mamapotomus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/94ad74/32.png) [@Mamapotomus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mamapotomus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/93 "2003-03-07T04:43:19Z")
**Eddie Vedders’** cover of **You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away** on the I Am Sam soundtrack is amazing. The **Beatles** version was just another pop song, Vedders’ voice gives it depth (and pain) that make the song truly emotional. I second the **Rufus Wainwright** version of **Across The Universe** as well. Someone already mentioned **Hole** ’s cover of **Gold Dust Woman** from the **Crow 2** soundtrack- but it also has an awesome version of **I’m Your Boogieman** by **Rob Zombie** that is much better than the original (in an evil kind of way). ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/94 "2003-03-07T05:44:58Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Annie-Xmas \* > \*\*\*\* Me First and the Gimme Gimmes \*\* also did a CD of covers of various songs from musicals (MFATGG are a Drag). It’s hard to find, and musical lovers will rip your eyes out for a copy._\* Really? The local Best Buy had two or three copies of it just now; I was picking up “Blow in the Wind”. And it’s [available on amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00000IPAQ/ref=pd_sim_music_1/002-5294805-1103200?v=glance&s=music). (In case you were talking from personal experience & someone is there threatening to claw your eyes out…) ---
**Author:** ![MissBungle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@MissBungle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissBungle)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/95 "2003-03-07T12:03:36Z")
OT (sorry) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rubystreak \* > \*\* Tori also does an incredible cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide” (which I heard live last Saturday) \*\* I went to check and see if you lived in Portland, Maine (cause of the Tori gig you saw)…but all I saw was a song by Slayer. You in maine? ---
**Author:** ![pezboy2u](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@pezboy2u](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezboy2u)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/96 "2003-03-07T14:51:31Z")
I love Morrissey’s cover of the Jam’s “That’s Entertainment” ---
**Author:** ![Coilean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Coilean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coilean)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/97 "2003-03-07T19:37:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ender\_Will \* > \*\*Oh yeah, the Pennywise version of both “Hotel California” and “Brown Eyed Girl” are OK…the change of pace from the originals is quite a shocker. \*\* I got tenner that it was actually Lagwagon, not Pennywise, that covered Van. Of course, I’m sure a lot of people have coverd this song, but I’d be surprised if two _very_ similar bands were to ccover the same song. I’ve got a version of Jonny Cash doing “Cat’s in the Cradle” that’s damn good. Mightn’t be better than Chapin, but it is just as good. I also like the Jane’s Addiction version of “Rock and Roll” and “Sympathy for the Devil.” Again, these we both great songs originally and I don’t think JA necessally improved on them, but they did do nice versions. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2003, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/98 "2003-03-07T23:06:34Z")
I’m not the biggest fan of the over-synthed “More Than This” by Roxy Music, but Robyn Hitchcock’s cover is great. ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/99 "2003-03-08T00:06:08Z")
**Sunday Morning Coming Down** originally by Kris Kristofferson done better by the Handsome Family **Eep-Epp-Ork-Uhh-Uhh** originally on the Jetsons TV show… done better by The Violent Femmes A couple of songs that I don’t think were done _better_ than the originals… but were done so differently that it was like hearing the song for the first time (and loving it) **Summertime Blues** original good version by Eddie Cochrane, done great by Blue Cheer **California Uber Alles** couldn’t be done better than by the Dead Kennedys, but totally nailed by The Disposable Heroes of Hiphopricy Jumping on the Stranglers appreciation bandwagon… they do a fine cover of **96 Tears** too. Finally, there’s a pretty cool web site called [The Covers Project](http://www.coversproject.com/) that is building a database of cover songs with the intention of creating cover “chains.” A cover chain is a set of songs in which each song is a cover of a song by the band who covered the preceding song. ---
**Author:** ![lightingtool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/57b2e6/32.png) [@lightingtool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lightingtool)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/100 "2003-03-08T03:13:01Z")
Johnny Cash covering U2’s “One” The best cover ever. Also, Johnny cash covering Tom Petty’s “I won’t back down” with Tom Petty singing backup. That’s about it for me. I’m not a big fan of covers. Write your own music, people! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159.md?page=6)