# Cover versions we have actually liked **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 5, 2000, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555 "2000-02-05T17:17:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2000, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/141 "2000-02-27T22:59:00Z")
> [@](#): > > According to my old Keener 13 hit charts, Elton John’s version was released in November, 1970. I’ve never heard Three Dog Night’s cover: when was it released? Wow. 😃 Well, Three Dog Night recorded it in March, 1970! It was on _It Ain’t Easy_, Side II, third cut. So that means Elton covered his own song, right?! ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/142 "2000-02-28T02:52:00Z")
OK, two more: **Not Fade Away** - As covered by the Rolling Stones (Orig. by Buddy Holly) **Just My Imagination** - As covered by the Rolling Stones (Orig. by ???) **If You Don’t Know Me By Now** - As covered by Simply Red (Orig. by ???) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/143 "2000-02-28T02:54:00Z")
Uh…I mean **three** more. Math. Not my strong suit. :o ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/144 "2000-02-28T04:23:00Z")
friend spoke, again, you asked: > [@](#): > > Just My Imagination- As covered by the Rolling Stones (Orig. by ???) > > If You Don’t Know Me By Now- As covered by Simply Red (Orig. by ???) just my imagination was originally done by the temptations. if you don’t know me by now was done by harold melvin and the blue notes. great tunes! the covers weren’t bad, but the originals rocked! * * * Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity -Kahlil Gibran ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/145 "2000-02-28T15:01:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Libertarian: > > Well, Three Dog Night recorded it in March, 1970! It was on _It Ain’t Easy_, Side II, third cut. > > So that means Elton covered his own song, right?! It’s very possible: going by release dates only, it’s certainly the case. It’s also possible that John recorded it earlier, but it got no air play until well after Three Dog Night put it on an album. You may recall that Tommy James and the Shondells had a hit with _Hanky Panky_ in 1966, though they actually recorded it about 5 years earlier. So I don’t know – you’d have to ask Elton. At any rate, it was John’s first hit. _It Ain’t Easy_ was also recorded by a few other artists – John Baldry, David Bowie and Mitch Ryder & Detroit come to mind – but nobody was able to make a hit out of it. I prefer Detroit’s version. Three Dog Night made hits off quite a few cover tunes: _Liar_ (Argent) and _Mama Told Me Not To Come_ (Randy Newman) come to mind. And weren’t _One_ and _Easy to be Hard_ from the musical _Hair_? > [@](#): > > Boris B: > “Telegram Sam” as recorded by Bauhaus. The original was either T. rex or The Troggs. Can’t remember which T. Rex. I’d also like to second Burn’s nomination for the Dead Kennedys version of _I Fought The Law_. Spoke, that was originally a Bobby Fuller Four tune. I seem to be losing the debate against Devo’s cover of _Satisfaction_, though. Maybe everyone should listen to it? I realize that music is just a matter of taste, but other than _Whip It_, everything that Devo has done seems wooden, including their cover of _Working In a Coal Mine_. Ok, more favorites: She Came In Through The Bathroom Window – Joe Cocker (Beatles) Honky Tonk Woman – Joe Cocker (Stones) Sympathy For The Devil – Bryan Ferry (Stones) House of the Rising Sun – Frijid Pink, Animals (? – written by Price) My Babe – Foghat (Righteous Brothers) Doing Alright With The Boys – Joan Jett (Gary Glitter) Light of Day – Joan Jett (Bruce Springsten, though I think Joan recorded it first) No Fun – Sex Pistols (Stooges) Do You Wanna Dance? – Ramones, Beach Boys (Bobby Freeman?) Good Morning Little Schoolgirl – Ten Years After (Sonny Boy Williamson?) If You Were Mine – Mitch Ryder (Prince) Woodstock – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Joni Mitchell) Money – Pretenders, Beatles (Barrett Strong) Ain’t That A Shame – Cheap Trick (Fats Domino) _Teaser_ by Motley Crue is a passable cover, but Tommy Bolin’s original is better, IMO. Covers that should never have been recorded: Woodstock – Matthew’s Southern Comfort (Joni Mitchell) You Keep Me Hanging On – Rod Stewart, Vanilla Fudge (Supremes) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/146 "2000-02-28T15:29:00Z")
One great one I can’t leave out: **Midnight Special** - as performed by Credence Clearwater Revival (Orig. by ???) Don’t know who originally wrote/recorded this number, but it is an old song. Heck, there’s even an old episode of the Andy Griffith Show where Andy plays the tune sitting on his front porch. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/147 "2000-02-28T15:42:00Z")
Springsteen, I mean. > [@](#): > > longjohn: > In the Bad category, the really really Bad Category: > Bruce Willis murdering Under the Boardwalk Forgot to mention, he also covered _Respect Yourself_ (Staple Singers), with the help of the Pointer Sisters, I think. While I actually liked that version, I agree that we shouldn’t be encouraging Willis to sing. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/148 "2000-02-28T17:46:00Z")
**John** > [@](#): > > And weren’t _One_ and _Easy to be Hard_ from the musical \*Hair[/]? _Easy to be Hard was_. Not sure about _One_. (Dang, I hope all that UBB made it through!) ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2000, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/149 "2000-02-28T17:49:00Z")
:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2000, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/150 "2000-02-29T13:27:00Z")
> [@](#): > > spoke-: > > **Midnight Special** - as performed by Credence Clearwater Revival (Orig. by ???) Can’t help with the original, but Johnny Rivers recorded an up-tempo version of it a few years earlier on his live album. On the same album, he covered Chuck Berry’s _Memphis_ and the _Secret Agent Man_ theme song. Along with these, add the Blues Brothers version of the _Peter Gunn_ theme to my list of favorites. Lib, the only Three Dog Night album I have is a greatest hits collection, and it doesn’t list any credits. I don’t think _One_ was originally theirs, though. Lots of _Hair_ tunes got covered that year, including the theme song, _Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In_, and _Good Morning Starshine_, and I thought _One_ was the first, and among the best-selling. Maybe somebody with the soundtrack can confirm or refute. ---
**Author:** ![Hoopy\_Frood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoopy_frood/32/8452_2.png) [@Hoopy\_Frood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoopy_Frood)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/151 "2002-08-19T15:48:36Z")
No one’s mentioned Run DMC’s cover of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.” Granted, I’m not a fan of rap, but this is a song that not only helped bring rap into the mainstream, but relaunched Aerosmith’s career after it was all but in the toilet. Another one unmentioned was the Beach Boy’s cover of “California Dreamin’.” And on the bad side, we can’t forget Mariah Carey’s version of “Without You” by Nilsson. ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/152 "2002-08-19T17:33:43Z")
[Moderator Hat ON] Moving to Cafe Society. [Moderator Hat OFF] ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/153 "2002-08-20T02:30:00Z")
Here’s a good one Tina Turner covering John Waite’s “Missing You”. ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/154 "2002-08-20T02:41:07Z")
I forgot one Smashing Pumpkins covering Fleetwood Macs “Landslide” ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/155 "2002-08-20T06:19:31Z")
Is no one going to mention Nirvana’s cover, on the MTV Unplugged album, of Leadbelly’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”? That song, while totally kicking ass in its own right, was also the catalyst that got me to take Nirvana (and Kurt Cobain) seriously, as people who understood the tradition they were coming from. I’d put that at the very top of my list of covers that beat the original. (And incidentally, no cover of any Beatles song even makes the list. There is no point in covering a Beatles song.) ---
**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:** [August 20, 2002, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/156 "2002-08-20T12:34:59Z")
Covers I love, and in all cases improvements on the original (IMHO of course): Peter Gabriel “Suzanne” Carpenters “This masquerade” MMEB “Blinded by the light” Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” Bryan Ferry “Where or when” Tori Amos “Time” ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/157 "2002-08-20T13:15:21Z")
Johnny Winter’s cover of “Highway 61 Revisited” ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2002, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/158 "2002-08-24T02:13:57Z")
I came by this cover by accident. “Cruel Summer” covered by Ace of Base, originally done by Bananarama Also another good cover, When I use to listen to Country Music] “Fancy” covered by Reba McIntire, originally done by Jeannie C. Riley (I think) ---
**Author:** ![fizgig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f04885/32.png) [@fizgig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fizgig)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/159 "2002-08-24T05:19:57Z")
“Walk this way” ~ Leftover Salmon “Helter Skelter” ~ Government Mule “Accross the Universe” ~ Rufus Wainright “Gin N’ Juice” ~ Phish “Head Like a Hole” ~Devo (NIN) “Cinnamon Girl” ~Smashing Pumpkins “Where the Streets Have No Name” ~Petshop Boys Most of Dwight Yoakum’s covers, i.e. “Wichita Lineman,” “Ring of Fire.” These aren’t necessarily better than the originals, but stand on their own as good covers. As far as the carwreck type bad that you can’t look away from: Pat Boone’s entire album “In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy.” ---
**Author:** ![Intaglio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/71e660/32.png) [@Intaglio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intaglio)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2002, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555/160 "2002-08-25T13:52:45Z")
I like Seal’s cover of “Fly Like An Eagle” by The Steve Miller Band [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cover-versions-we-have-actually-liked/17555.md?page=7)