# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/101 "2003-03-08T03:23:30Z")
My list- Don’t Start Me Talkin’-The New York Dolls We Gotta Get Out Of This Place-Fear Kaw Liga-The Residents War (what is it good for)-DOA (This is awesome-search it out!) Hey Little Girl-Dead Boys Help-The Damned Stepping Stone-Minor Threat and the NUMBER 1 ALL TIME GREATEST COVER SONG EVER IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE… ISTANBUL (not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants. Jon ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/102 "2003-03-08T04:44:34Z")
“Black Rain” redone by Tricky. ---
**Author:** ![xanadu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c4cdca/32.png) [@xanadu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanadu)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/103 "2003-03-08T06:29:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ISiddiqui \* > \*\*Marilyn Manson cover of “Sweet Dreams” originally done by the Eurythemics (or how every you spell it ;)). \*\* I MUST disagree!!! Manson ruined a perfectly good song… I love the Eurythmics. I’d have to agree that Tina Turner’s cover of “Proud Mary” is incredible. I actually saw an interview with John Fogerty where he said that every time he performs the song, he thinks of how good her version was. Best damn cover song there is, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/104 "2003-03-08T15:21:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Convict \* > \*\*I’ll probably get roasted for this one, but I think Stevie Ray Vaughan’s cover of **Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)** is better than Hendrix’s version. > > SRV’s version of **Superstition** by Stevie Wonder is pretty good as well. \*\* You are absolutely correct! SRV’s version _is_ better. Another cover of a Hendrix song that deserves mention is “Little Wing” by Sting. Very good. A few other notable covers: Amazing Grace-- Ani DiFranco Across The Universe-- Fionna Apple Higher Ground–Red Hot Chili Peppers Smells Like Teen Spirit–Tori Amos ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/105 "2003-03-08T15:31:38Z")
Just remembered this one: Dynamite Hack did a cover of NWA’s “Boyz-N-The-Hood” that is hilarious. The video is even better, with preppy white guys walking the golf course while acting like gangstas. ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/106 "2003-03-09T05:31:42Z")
Busta Rhymes’ cover of Johnny Paycheck’s “Take this job and shove it” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Mook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Mr.Mook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Mook)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/107 "2003-03-09T06:20:20Z")
Grateful Dead’s cover of “Not Fade Away” (Buddy) Booby Darin “Beyond the Sea” (Some Fench Guy) Janis Joplin “Me & Bobby McGee” (Kris Kristofferson) and…Best. Cover. Ever.: UB40 “Red Red Wine” (Neil Diamond) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Big\_Cheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8baadc/32.png) [@The\_Big\_Cheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Big_Cheese)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/108 "2003-03-09T12:01:22Z")
‘Superstar’ by **Midler/Carpenters** was redone about 15 years ago by **Luther Vandross**. I love his version of that, so much soul. ‘Tears of a Clown’ by **English Beat** , I prefer it over the original which was good in it’s own right. Ditto on ‘Brand new Cadillac’ and ‘Police and Thieves’ by the **Clash**. I remember when the former came out, reading a review and the reviewer said something like “The Clash have no right to do this song better than…(whoever did it, I can’t remember)” great. ‘Baltimore’. **The Tamlins** redid the **Randy Newman** song, reggae style of course. Probably my favorite reggae song, beautiful voices. ‘I Did It My Way’ was redone by **Gipsy Kings** , and is superior to the **Sinatra** version. ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ by **Nilsson**. I was in a spinning class and the teach played this to cool down. After class I had to ask her who it was, I think it’s in some soundtrack, one of those Hanks-Ryan movies I think. The original was in some soundtrack too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Archergal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Archergal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Archergal)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2003, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/109 "2003-03-09T17:11:08Z")
**Fields of Gold** by **Eva Cassidy**. She took a very good song and turned it into something incredibly beautiful. ---
**Author:** ![Roberta\_Plant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c89c15/32.png) [@Roberta\_Plant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roberta_Plant)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/110 "2003-03-10T19:14:43Z")
Sea of Love by the Honeydrippers ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/111 "2003-03-10T22:54:38Z")
Welcome to the Boards, Marianne! ---
**Author:** ![Bjork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@Bjork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bjork)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/112 "2003-03-11T03:42:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Woeg \* > \*\*The Cure’s “Love Song” covered by Snake River Conspiracy (fantastic!) > > Depeche Mode’s “Stripped” covered by Rammstein > > U2’s “New Year’s Day” covered by Front Line Assembly, with Tiffany on vocals. > > Madonna’s “Material Girl” covered by KMFDM > > Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” covered by The Cure > > Gary Numan’s “Are Friends Electric?” covered by Information Society > > Information Society’s “Closing In” covered by Rosetta Stone > > Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” covered by Cake > > Rolling Stones’ “Painted Black” covered by Mephisto Walz > > The Police’s “Roxanne” by the cast of Moulin Rouge! > > Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “Phantom of the Opera” by Blink 182 > > Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by The Sisters of Mercy > > Just to name a few… > > Did I mention that I collect cover songs? 😃 \*\* I’m sorry, but are you trying to get yourself completely shut down. You do not deserve to be answering these questions, sure one or two answers that you like that may be obscure are acceptable but you make a mocary of original music! Cake is better than Gloria Gaynor? Blink 182 vs ANdrew Lloyd Webber? Jimi Hendrix, Maddona and U2? You are pyscho ---
**Author:** ![Tblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tblue)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/113 "2003-03-11T05:18:20Z")
“Red Red Wine” I much prefer **UB40** doing it to the original by **Neil Diamond**! (So slooooooow!) I also add that I’m quite fond of many cover songs as sung by… **The Muppets**. (While my Guitar gently Weeps; Tenderly; Let’s call the whole thing off; Ipanema) _(but then, I am a huge Muppet fan 😉 )_ And I rather like the \*_Sex Pistols_ version of “My Way”. ---
**Author:** ![Circuit\_Rider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@Circuit\_Rider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Circuit_Rider)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/114 "2003-03-11T05:56:08Z")
- Black Oak Arkansas’ “Jim Dandy”…far superior to LaVerne Baker’s earlier version - Jewel’s “Sweet Home Alabama” over Skynyrd’s original (I KNOW most will disagree, and I love Skynyrd’s version, but she adds plenty to it!!) ---
**Author:** ![yawndave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/43a26b/32.png) [@yawndave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawndave)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/115 "2003-03-11T07:36:28Z")
“Alone Again Or” by UFO. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/116 "2003-03-11T10:12:09Z")
Time by Tori Amos (orginal Tom Waits) Suzanne by Peter Gabriel (original by Leonard Cohen) Blinded by the light by MMEB (original by Springsteen) Song to the siren by This Mortal Coil (original by Buckley) Broken bicycles/Junk by Anne-Sofie von Otter/Elvis Costello (original by Waits and McCartney) ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/117 "2003-03-14T00:20:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yawndave \* > \*\*“Alone Again Or” by UFO. \*\* The Damned does a (Heh)damned fine version of this as well. Speaking of Love…Prong does an interesting version of “7+7 Is”. A cool, kind-of-a-covers/tribute album is The Chesterfield Kings LETS GO GET STONED, an album of a few Stones covers, a few covers of songs that are the type the Stones cover, and a few originals that are written to sound like songs the Stones would have wrote. They do a awesome song in the style of “Sympathy For The Devil” called “Long Ago and Far Away” that might be better than “Sympathy”. They also do a cool country cover (in a Stones style of course) of Merle Haggards (?) “Sing Me Back Home”. If you’re a Stones fan at all, get this record! Jon ---
**Author:** ![SonOfArizona](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SonOfArizona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SonOfArizona)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/118 "2003-03-14T00:49:20Z")
Everclear - Brown Eyed Girl ---
**Author:** ![jehan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f6c823/32.png) [@jehan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jehan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/119 "2003-03-14T03:52:46Z")
Lovers in a Dangerous Time- Bruce Cockburn’s version was good, but the Barenaked Ladies’ version was better. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2003, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-are-better-than-the-originals/159159/120 "2003-03-14T07:03:11Z")
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