# Covers better than the original **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2014, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781 "2014-12-20T23:58:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/41 "2014-12-21T23:33:19Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > I think these songs sound much better being sung by a woman. > > [Sixpence None The Richer - There She Goes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMfXeuv4kZE) > > [No Doubt - It’s My Life](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubvV498pyIM) Ugh. No. At least on the Talk Talk song. Speaking of well received covers that I hate…Tori Amos. She doesn’t even seem to understand that Joe Jackson song she sings. Personally, I’ve never thought she was any better than that ‘Chopping Broccoli’ guy that Dana Carvey played. As for superior covers, William Shatner/Ben Folds/Joe Jackson doing Pulps " Common People" ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/42 "2014-12-21T23:40:10Z")
> [@Jumpbass](#): > > Satisfaction by Devo is one of my favorites. Nothing like the original, but oddly funky. > > Got To Get You Into My Life by Earth Wind & Fire. Tough to find covers of Beatles songs that are better than the original, but I love this one. Also a contender is Aerosmith’s version of Come Together, but maybe the original edges it out. Aerosmith certainly pack the sleaze onto it, though. As much as I idolize the Beatles, [Pomplamoose did this version of Come Together](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW7evu7SJBA&spfreload=10) that I cannot stop listening to. Note the “Hey Jude” nod at the end of the song. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/43 "2014-12-21T23:43:03Z")
[Alana Davis, Don’t Fear The Reaper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbJq5lqBdCA) [Richard Thompson, Oops I Did It Again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAS4ltt7DzI) Also seconding Hazy Shade Of Winter by the Bangles and All Eva Cassidy covers, [Fields Of Gold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DWg7zNOyK8) being my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/44 "2014-12-21T23:49:57Z")
Ooh, also:[Andrew Bird covering Jim Hensen/Kermit the Frog’s **“Bein’ Green.”**](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMlGoPp8FDQ&spfreload=10) Bird’s cover captured the the doubt, vulnerability, and self-acceptance from the original and added an extra degree of color and texture that is nothing less than sublime ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2014, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/45 "2014-12-21T23:59:49Z")
[Superstar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y21VecIIdBI) by Sonic Youth. Originally by the Carpenters? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/46 "2014-12-22T00:25:44Z")
Does it count as a cover if it’s your own song? Because when Megadeth redid A Tout Le Monde as a duet with a female singer taking over part of the song, it was much better than the original where Mustaine was the sole singer (and I don’t intend that as a knock on his singing). ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/47 "2014-12-22T03:21:51Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > [_**Turn, Turn, Turn (To Everything There is a Season)**_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4): I like The Byrds’ version better than all earlier ones. All be darned. I didn’t know their version was a cover. > [@TBG](#): > > Does it count as a cover if it’s your own song? Because when Megadeth redid A Tout Le Monde as a duet with a female singer taking over part of the song, it was much better than the original where Mustaine was the sole singer (and I don’t intend that as a knock on his singing). I totally agree. And in the world of easy listening Neil Diamond sang “You Don’t Bring me Flowers” by himself on one album, and then in the famous duet version on his next album. ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/48 "2014-12-22T10:17:15Z")
Even though he treats the song a tad disrespectfully, tossing out riffs like they were a dime a dozen, Billy Mure’s version of [Hawaiian War Chant](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELzk7S-nZ2g) utterly _destroys_ every previous (and subsequent) version. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/49 "2014-12-22T10:27:12Z")
I adore the Young People’s Chorus of NYC’s cover of [“Whatever”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVA2c1R5Y00) - Oaisis’s original is OK, but doesn’t blow me away. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/50 "2014-12-22T10:32:52Z")
The Ramones’ Baby I Love You. Because The Ramones. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/51 "2014-12-22T12:15:13Z")
Most people would say the version of **Woodstock** by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young is superior to the original recorded by Joni Mitchell. I disagree, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![CGav8r](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/34f0e0/32.png) [@CGav8r](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CGav8r)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/52 "2014-12-22T15:48:42Z")
Santana’s “Oye Coma Va” is pretty high on my list of covers. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/53 "2014-12-22T16:31:54Z")
I like Fiona Apple’s [_ **Across the Universe** _](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ5WPXxNzPU) better than the Beatles version. I don’t know if it counts as a cover, since it wasn’t released as an actual song, but this youtube _a capella_ version of _**[Call Your Boyfriend](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQoCEvVL57E)**_ blows Robyn’s version away, I think. The harmonies ring, and the singers seem to understand what it’s like to be dumped. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/54 "2014-12-22T18:02:13Z")
Rod Stewart’s version of the Temptations’ “(I Know) I’m Losing You.” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/55 "2014-12-22T18:03:40Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > _With a Little Help from My Friends_ – Joe Cocker I could name several Joe Cocker songs that were better than the originals. Especially his cover of Dave Mason’s ‘Feelin’ All Right." ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/56 "2014-12-22T18:04:52Z")
I liked Santana’s cover of the Zombies’ “She’s Not There.” ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/57 "2014-12-22T18:06:14Z")
Linda Ronstadt’s cover of Betty Everett’s “You’re No Good.” The Rolling Stones’ cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away.” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/58 "2014-12-22T18:12:21Z")
Gary Jules cover of [Tears for Fears’ Mad World](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4) ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/59 "2014-12-22T18:25:19Z")
Can’t link because Work blocks YouTube but… I like the Cowboy Junkies’ version of “Sweet Jane” better than the original. The Art of Noise (feat. Tom Jones) rocks the HELL out of Prince’s “Kiss”. I mean, Prince is awesome, but I don’t like the falsetto that he uses on that particular tune - and Jones performs it perfectly. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2014, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781/60 "2014-12-22T18:47:17Z")
[Relevant sad thread about Joe Cocker.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744259) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-better-than-the-original/707781.md?page=4)