# 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:** 16\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2018, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/101 "2018-12-09T00:07:18Z")
> [@stillownedbysetters](#): > > I am sad that I am only now learning of this version. It is lovely, and does read 100% “been there, felt that” authentic. It was written by Chip Taylor, Jon Voigt’s brother. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2018, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/102 "2018-12-09T00:40:52Z")
My entry to the sweepstakes is…Jose Feliciano’s insipid cover of _Light My Fire_. ---
**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 9, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/103 "2018-12-09T03:25:40Z")
It may not meet the subtext of the OP, which seems to be “covers that suck”, but Janis Joplin’s version of _Me And Bobby McGee_ is a bluesy rock ballad. It’s a great cover, but Kris Kristofferson’s original is a country song; he points this out in a spoken intro to his version: “If it sounds country, man, that’s what it is; it’s a country song. Alright then; one, two, three…” [http://https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G-J7mLyD3yc](http://https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G-J7mLyD3yc) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/104 "2018-12-09T03:44:00Z")
This is _really_ old, but Barbra Streisand’s version of Stoney End. Awful. Shlocky. 5th rate Vegas-y crap. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2018, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/105 "2018-12-09T03:58:01Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > It may not meet the subtext of the OP, which seems to be “covers that suck”, but Janis Joplin’s version of _Me And Bobby McGee_ is a bluesy rock ballad. It’s a great cover, but Kris Kristofferson’s original is a country song; he points this out in a spoken intro to his version: “If it sounds country, man, that’s what it is; it’s a country song. Alright then; one, two, three…” > > [http://https](http://https)://m.youtube.com/watch?v=G-J7mLyD3yc As the OP, I don’t think that there’s a subtext of “covers that suck.” In fact, I specifically said that I wasn’t looking for covers that suck. Just versions that were lacking something vital to the original. ---
**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 9, 2018, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/106 "2018-12-09T04:35:52Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > As the OP, I don’t think that there’s a subtext of “covers that suck.” In fact, I specifically said that I wasn’t looking for covers that suck. Just versions that were lacking something vital to the original. Ah, sorry. Seems like most posters are talking about covers they don’t like, rather than just covers that miss something vital to the original. “Covers that don’t suck but are missing something from the original” describes Joplin’s version of “Me And Bobby McGee” nicely, I think. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2018, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/107 "2018-12-09T06:10:39Z")
> [@txjim](#): > > [Sorry, you have to beat this to declare victory](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lul-Y8vSr0I) Oh, that’s how you want to play it, huh? Okay, if you’re going to play the Shatner card, I call and raise you with his Twilight Zone. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DeBhLrwkpx4/maxresdefault.jpg "Twilight Zone") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeBhLrwkpx4) ---
**Author:** ![boson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boson/32/11407_2.png) [@boson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boson)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2018, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/108 "2018-12-09T07:09:45Z")
Cry Me a River has been sung well by many – notable by Julie London and Ella Fitzgerald. But it is Barbra Streisand’s version (first album, first song no less) that inserts righteous anger at the right moment. To paraphrase-“So you wanna come back, do you? Well cry me a friggin river ‘cause I have!” Julie and Ella missed that point. Check it out on Spotify. ---
**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 9, 2018, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/109 "2018-12-09T14:38:44Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > Fast forward to 1994, and the very same song was covered by [Toad the Wet Sprocket](https://youtu.be/3em45zhVQ1E). > > I’m not calling the TtWS version bad, per se. But it’s so vastly different from the original that there’s no drive to it. There’s no energy. It’s completely stripped of all of the power that made the original so great, and the Poison version at least decent. Another one with a similar vibe change is [Aztec Camera’s version of Van Halen’s “Jump.”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COtZZmWKcRI) I think it’s a great cover, personally, but it definitely at least changes the feeling of the original. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/110 "2018-12-10T01:42:51Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > Any version of “Angel of the morning”. > > All the versions you’ve heard, including Juice Newton, play the song as an adult women. So the implication is that it’s a one night stand, or it’s a doomed relationship for some other reason. > > But in 1967, Billie Davis, then only 21~22, sang it as a teenager in love with an alder man. As she had been at 17. There’s an underlying background of naive innocence and trust and hope that just doesn’t exist in the later well known versions. > > [Angel of the morning](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXZqdEAPR9U) I believe[this is actually the first recording](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drm29EmXjW0), but only recieved a very limited release at the time. I’d put it somewhere in between the Billie Davis and Juice Newton versions, emotionally speaking. I’d not heard any Bille Davis before today, I’ll definitely listen to some more. ---
**Author:** ![backsidejohnny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/backsidejohnny/32/280_2.png) [@backsidejohnny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/backsidejohnny)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/111 "2018-12-10T02:33:05Z")
> [@boson](#): > > Cry Me a River has been sung well by many – notable by Julie London and Ella Fitzgerald. But it is Barbra Streisand’s version (first album, first song no less) that inserts righteous anger at the right moment. To paraphrase-“So you wanna come back, do you? Well cry me a friggin river ‘cause I have!” Julie and Ella missed that point. Check it out on Spotify. Julie London and Ella Fitzgerald tell a sad story. it’s real, you can feel it. They didn’t miss a thing. Barbra emotes. if you want anger, Joe Cocker’s version is the real deal. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHA2afBxmbs) ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/112 "2018-12-10T03:28:40Z")
[Eleanor Rigby, Aretha Franklin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8NQ8YJj8N8). Yes it’s early 70s Aretha so it’s awesome. But there’s something odd about such an uptempo cover of a song so full of defeatism. [The Brady Bunch cover of “American Pie”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7peFHjFoblk). I’m not sure if this is a desecration of a rock classic, a hilarious deconstruction of Boomer pretension, just a good slice of Sunshine Pop, or all of the above. And the turd in the punch bowl, [Linda Rondstadt’s cover of the Elvis Costello classic “Alison”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHkv0JOe3dw). Let’s take a male sung song full of barely contained anger, and gut it of all meaning while not even bothering to change the gender. And that’s before the sax break(!). ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/113 "2018-12-10T03:39:50Z")
How about “songs that missed the spirit of the original–and were better for it”. [Here’s Helen Shapiro’s original version of “It’s My Party”.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMH-5tU_lgE) It totally nails the spirit of the lyrics–so much it comes off as morbid. And why on earth does Miss Shapiro sound like a 60 year old guy? [Now here’s Lesley Gore’s cover.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDT_KSrWGuw) Way too bouncy for the lyrics. (Maybe she secretly wanted to be rid of Johnny.) But with a record this joyous sounding who cares? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/114 "2018-12-10T04:52:01Z")
> [@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’m going to strongly disagree with you here. I loved the remake, I’ve had it on heavy rotation on my phone and it comes up often on the jukebox at my favorite bar. And, then, Toto covered Hash Pipe which I also like. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/115 "2018-12-10T05:09:19Z")
The original by Badfinger was good, and Nilsson’s cover of it was great, but Mariah Carey’s take on “Without You” was lousy. ---
**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 10, 2018, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543/116 "2018-12-10T05:09:37Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’m going to strongly disagree with you here. I loved the remake, I’ve had it on heavy rotation on my phone and it comes up often on the jukebox at my favorite bar. > > And, then, Toto covered Hash Pipe which I also like. Nah. It’s a useless, completely unnecessary cover. The only saving grace is Weird Al in the video. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-songs-that-missed-the-spirit-of-the-originals/825543.md?page=5)