# Cover songs that missed the spirit of the originals? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 4, 2018, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543 "2018-12-04T09:27:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2018, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/61 "2018-12-04T23:50:49Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I had no idea that Big Brother & the Holding Company was _not_ the original. Ignorance fought. > > I’m sure we can agree that Faith Hill’s version sucks, though. 🙂 I just have to add that Dusty Springfield also made a [great cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIaPiw4p234). Produced by John Paul Jones. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/62 "2018-12-05T01:18:40Z")
Not a cover (I think they used the original CCR version), but some commercial used the opening of Fortunate Son my Creedence Clearwater Revival to promote patriotism and American pride in their product (I think a car). “Some folks are born made to wave the flag Ooh, they’re red, white and blue” I’d love to see the faces of those who listened to the rest of the song and heard: "And when the band plays “Hail to the chief” Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, son It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no fortunate one, no " I also heard the _Volunteers of America_ part of _Volunteers_ by Jefferson Airplane used in commercial to promote their American made product. Uhhh…do the ad writers listen to the whole song? ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/63 "2018-12-05T01:20:11Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > Madonna’s version of [American Pie](https://youtu.be/X4RDB-mMDJg) is a dreadful, dreadful trainwreck. When that song came out, DJs were bombarded with requests to NOT play it. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/64 "2018-12-05T01:27:44Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I’m not aware of it ever being on the radio or even included on an album, but Miley Cyrus covered “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” You can find it on youtube. Those words; Miley and Cyrus and Smells Like Teen Spirit all in one sentence just…I don’t know…something has gone wrong. [Tori Amos covered the song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaAI3jI7uCc), and while Tori can bring the rage, she doesn’t bring it in this cover: it’s gently melancholy and weirdly hot. Absolutely a different spirit from the original, but I kinda like it :). ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/65 "2018-12-05T02:06:48Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > My favorite Who song is “[Behind Blue Eyes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMrImMedYRo)”. It lives by its tension in the lyrics and the dynamics in the arrangement and recording. You know, it starts slowly, acoustic, but brooding and in the end explodes when Moon’s drums and Townshend’s mighty riffing set in. It’s always cathartic for me to hear this song. Then bloody Limp Bizkit did this: > > They left out the exploding, orgasmic part and decided to add instead some of their own puerile lyrics to the acoustic part, which they played utterly bad. > > What a travesty. I don’t consider Limp Biskit to have missed the spirit of the original. It’s more like they defecated on, sodomized, and murdered it. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/66 "2018-12-05T02:14:02Z")
> [@Ponch8](#): > > I don’t consider Limp Biskit to have missed the spirit of the original. It’s more like they defecated on, sodomized, and murdered it. I didn’t want to put it so drastically, but yeah, you’re right ;). ---
**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:** [December 5, 2018, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/67 "2018-12-05T02:36:24Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Boy oh boy do I disagree with all of this. There is no way a song describing the night of a boyfriend killing his girlfriend in a car accident can be anything but sad. The original version makes absolutely no sense as the peppy 60s beat. Pearl Jam nailed it. > > I can’t say the same for the subtext or whatever about Disturbed’s version of Sound of Silence other than it takes the original’s creepy vibe and makes it more powerful. Agreed. I grew up listening to Simon and Garfunkel, and am a big fan of Paul Simon. And very much _not_ a fan of metal. But Disturbed’s “Sound Of Silence” absolutely nailed the song’s outrage at the alienation and isolation it’s describing. It’s a powerful cover of a powerful song. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/68 "2018-12-05T03:50:02Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > Had her and had done with her. Clapton and Patti Boyd divorced in 1988 and the acoustic version of Layla was recorded in 2004. That’s kinda the point ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/69 "2018-12-05T04:20:33Z")
> [@LoneRhino](#): > > That’s kinda the point Honestly, as much as I admire Clapton (particularly him, Jack and Ginger playing with Cream), I suspect he knew when he redid Layla he could never surpass the original recording fueled by unrequited love and drugs, so rearranged it. I haven’t seen him play Layla in a while, but I’ve noticed he started to pass on some of the playing to other members of his band… In an interview, he said he had listened to some Cream bootlegs and was impressed he was able to play how he did. When the interviewer asked him if it was because he couldn’t play like that anymore, Clapton said something like: “I didn’t say I couldn’t play like that anymore, I was just impressed by my playing back then”. I’m just glad for Cream bootlegs which caught him at his best!😃 ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/70 "2018-12-05T06:20:16Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > Club mix of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car”. Jonas Blue, I think. Just So Wrong on every level. “Fast Car” should in no way be a boppy upbeat “club” song. Don’t think you can ever accuse [Xiu Xiu of doing (anything) upbeat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHgKGDlBGjc). > [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Recently, Weezer did a totally lifeless remake of Toto’s “Africa.” If you’re going to do a remake, at least make an effort to add something to it. I don’t care whether they did a good job or not so much. That song bothers me more because they’re middle aged men capitalizing on a brief resurgence of a meme. > [@CarnalK](#): > > The Monkees. You are saying the Monkees did a gritty earnest version. [Neil Diamond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_a_Believer), though the Monkees certainly popularized it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/71 "2018-12-05T13:16:34Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > Can we add his “You Can’t Hurry Love”? Yeah, add it to the list! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Me](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mr.Me](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Me)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/72 "2018-12-05T13:27:16Z")
Laibach’s cover of [War](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm3LaqO-lAA), in which they list all of the things war is actually good for. ---
**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:** [December 5, 2018, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/73 "2018-12-05T13:57:21Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > However big a hit it was, Whitney Houston’s [cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JWTaaS7LdU) of “_I will Always Love You_” completely misses the bittersweet breakup song that Dolly Parton originally wrote and [sang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDqqm_gTPjc). > [@Aspidistra](#): > > Oh wow. Thankyou for posting that second link. I never even knew that song could actually be _good_. I know most people only associate Dolly Parton with Dollywood, big hair, and big breasts. But she’s a highly talented singer and songwriter; it wasn’t her boobs that made her a legend of country music. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/74 "2018-12-05T16:29:12Z")
> [@Mr.Me](#): > > Laibach’s cover of [War](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qm3LaqO-lAA), in which they list all of the things war is actually good for. That’s intentional. Also their cover of Queen’s One Vision makes the original lyrics seem creepy and fascist in retrospect. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/75 "2018-12-05T16:49:10Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > [Neil Diamond](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I%27m_a_Believer), though the Monkees certainly popularized it. They popularised it because they were the ones who recorded it. I was about to say Diamond only wrote it but looking more closely at the wiki article, he also apparently played some guitar on their recording. Eta: I stand slightly corrected, Diamond did record it but his was released after the Monkees. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/76 "2018-12-05T17:32:47Z")
Joyce Cobb’s cover of [Walking in Memphis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uw6AlQmwQg) really pisses me off. After the lyrics “But do you really know the way I feel?”, she inserts, “I feel okay. I feel all right. I feel okay.” For god’s sake, girl, the song is in your repertoire. Have you never actually listened to it? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/77 "2018-12-05T18:43:43Z")
Worst example I ever heard was _Blinded By The Light_ covered by Manfred Mann and his Earth Band. He even tweaked the lyrics, making his cover a laughing stock. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/78 "2018-12-05T18:52:19Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > [What do I win?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye3ecDYxOkg) Sweet Jesus… ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/79 "2018-12-06T18:57:35Z")
> [@XOldiesJock](#): > > Recently, Weezer did a totally lifeless remake of Toto’s “Africa.” If you’re going to do a remake, at least make an effort to add something to it. > [@LLCoolL](#): > > When I heard about this, I figured that Weezer would totally make fun of the song. But instead they went for a respectful, note-for-note cover. Maybe they really \*like \*the original? Who’d a thunk it?.. When I first heard it, I wondered, what is _that_ station (DC101) doing, playing Toto? Even now, having known for months that it’s Weezer, I can barely tell the difference. Which really took Weezer down a few notches in my estimation. I’ve got a lot more respect for artists that try to do something different with a cover, and fall flat on their faces with it, than artists who don’t do anything different other than what’s inevitable because it’s a different group with a different sound. And in this case, you don’t even get that. ---
**Author:** ![Brayne\_Ded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Brayne\_Ded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brayne_Ded)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/80 "2018-12-06T21:14:20Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Oh, and an easy nominee here is the recent cover of “Sound of Silence” by Disturbed. It’s a good performance, fun to sing to, but it totally misses the point of the song. I found it interesting Bad remakes: at the moment somebody has done a remake of “Tell it to my heart”. Don’t know the name of the artist, but they might prefer to remain anonymous. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543.md?page=5)