# Covers/cover bands you like better than the original **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 11, 2009, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758 "2009-01-11T03:38:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Clare\_de\_Loone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/clare_de_loone/32/3407_2.png) [@Clare\_de\_Loone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clare_de_Loone)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/21 "2009-01-11T15:19:48Z")
“Pink Cadillac” by Aretha Franklin is full of fun and energy. Bruce Springsteen’s is draggy and almost unintelligible. I have nothing against The Boss in general, but yuk! ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/22 "2009-01-11T15:49:29Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > No, it’s because people really do think it’s a much better treatment of the song. In contrast, for example, I really don’t care for Cash’s version of “The Mercy Seat”. I think Cash kills Cave on that song but I don’t really like either version of \*Hurt \*all that much. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/23 "2009-01-11T17:42:17Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > You mean the Lotte Lenya version? I strongly disagree. Unless you’re speaking of the Bobby Darin cover version. The [Brecht version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QXJ3OXWaOY). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/24 "2009-01-11T17:49:34Z")
Ah. Now that I hear it, [Lotte Lenya](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPG9GcykPIY) is definitely better. (But she was a professional singer.) ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/25 "2009-01-11T18:24:07Z")
Gary Jules’ version of “Mad World” by Tears for Fears … as it appeared in _Donnie Darko_. It’s got such sad lyrics, and Tears for Fears recorded with this upbeat tempo as kind of an irony … peppy beat, miserable lyrics. But Jules did it basically as a dirge and it come across very powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/26 "2009-01-11T18:43:32Z")
> [@Hunter\_Hawk](#): > > No, it’s because people really do think it’s a much better treatment of the song. In contrast, for example, I really don’t care for Cash’s version of “The Mercy Seat”. > > Speaking of Nick Cave, He does a great version of “Mack the Knife” that I prefer to the original. > > And Motorhead’s cover of “Motorhead” is better than the original version 😉 Heh, I was going to post the Cash cover of “The Mercy Seat” as my example. 😃 I think it is absolutely haunting. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/27 "2009-01-11T19:17:41Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > STP did a cover of Led Zep’s ‘Dancing Days’. I think it’s much, much better. They changed the tempo and the whole feel of the song. It’s one of my favorite songs, STP, Zep or anyone. Agreed. I heard this version before the original and thought the original wasn’t even close to STP’s version. **Jack Batty** , I think the original is much better than the Jules version. I think there’s a subtext that goes with the synthy-upbeat TFF version that his version misses. But it’s a good take, and probably got those guys a nice wad of cash, so it’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/28 "2009-01-11T19:20:21Z")
Warren Zevon’s cover of Dylan’s **Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door** brimmed with emotion–he was recording, as he knew all too well, his last album. His vocal gives the song a special urgency. Patti Smith’s cover of Van Morrison and Them’s **Gloria** has real power–almost majesty. The Beatles, with Lennon’s enthusiastic vocal made the Isley’s **Twist and Shout** their own. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/29 "2009-01-11T19:35:07Z")
Rage Against the Machine’s _The Ghost of Tom Joad_ is better than Springsteen’s Manfred Mann’s Earth band’s _Blinded by the Light_ is better than Springsteen’s Springsteen’s _Jersey Girl_ is better than Tom Waits’ Jimi Hendrix’s _All Along the Watchtower_ is better than Dylan’s Janis Joplin’s _Bobby McGee_ is better than anyone else’s ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/30 "2009-01-11T20:07:26Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > And to go in the other direction, Jim Capaldi recorded a nice, mellow version of ‘Love Hurts’ (the Nazareth hit featured lots of moaning and groaning and always sounded to me like they were having a painful bout of constipation). Of course, Nazareth’s version was also a cover (of Roy Orbison). ---
**Author:** ![Vox\_Imperatoris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Vox\_Imperatoris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vox_Imperatoris)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/31 "2009-01-11T22:26:58Z")
Oh, I can’t believe I forgot Madison Park’s [cover](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnR5AF73zyQ) of Roxy Music’s “More Than This”. Great song; much better than the original. Valete, Vox Imperatoris ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/32 "2009-01-11T22:46:53Z")
Speaking of versions that people argue about, Jeff Buckley’s version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, I think, is the best one. Granted, I’ve only ever heard Rufus Wainwright’s version, but I like Buckely’s better. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/33 "2009-01-12T01:31:28Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Speaking of versions that people argue about, Jeff Buckley’s version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, I think, is the best one. Granted, I’ve only ever heard Rufus Wainwright’s version, but I like Buckely’s better. I own Jeff Buckley’s, Rufus Wainwright’s, k.d. lang’s (on the recommendation of an old thread), and have heard John Cale’s, U2’s, and the Leonard Cohen original, at least. I’m going to throw my vote (again) behind Jeff Buckley, though k.d. lang brings something quite beautiful to the song. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/34 "2009-01-12T02:17:30Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Speaking of versions that people argue about, Jeff Buckley’s version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah”, I think, is the best one. Granted, I’ve only ever heard Rufus Wainwright’s version, but I like Buckely’s better. I mentioned that in the very first reply. I’ve a good dozen or more covers of the song by a wide variety of artists, and Buckley’s is near the bottom. The original, by Cohen, \*is \*the bottom. My favorite version is by Allison Crowe. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/35 "2009-01-12T02:25:18Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > This is eventually going to get me to start a thread one day, if I see it a couple dozen more times. For the record I am a WAY bigger Johnny Cash fan than I am a NIN fan (have loved JC my whole life; mildly liked NIN for a couple years in the mid-90s), but NIN’s version of that song is about 100 times better than Johnny’s. I wonder if a lot of the love he got for that song was because he was dying, or maybe just because it’s a lot cooler to like Johnny Cash than it is to like NIN these days. It was not a good cover, IMO. QFT. I also don’t understand the public’s infatuation with **Hallelujah** by Jeff Buckley. I don’t like the original much, but find Buckley’s version borderline unlistenable. The best cover of all time is **Last Caress** by Metallica. Does what every good cover should: takes an underrated song and brings attention to it while simultaneously making it 10x better. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/36 "2009-01-12T02:56:08Z")
Prince’s “I can’t make you love me” over Bonnie Raitt’s. The Beatles “You’ve really got a hold on me” over the Miracles. Blur’s Maggie May over Rod Stewart’s No Doubt’s “It’s my Life” over Talk Talk’s. I thought that one was an original until after Cold Case played the first version. Janis Joplin’s “Maybe” over the Chantels. Not better, but Seal’s “A Change is Gonna Come” is just as good as Sam Cooke’s. ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/37 "2009-01-12T03:05:30Z")
Zwan’s cover of Iron maiden’s Number of the beast is better than the original. [Original](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHe6FMs46o) [Cover](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSVEKxFIl5U) ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/38 "2009-01-12T03:24:20Z")
Pretty much anything written by Bob Dylan sounds better when recorded by other people. But I gotta say that Alison Kraus’ version of Baby, Now That I’ve Found You beats the socks off the original version by The Foundations. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/39 "2009-01-12T03:26:19Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > Zwan’s cover of Iron maiden’s Number of the beast is better than the original. > > [Original](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mHe6FMs46o) > [Cover](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSVEKxFIl5U) Uhhg! No way! Maiden’s Number of the Beast is _epic_. It’s one of the best - if not the best - popular metal songs ever. I’ve been seeing - not just in this thread, but for a couple years now, online and off - that any old schmendrik with a guitar and a microphone can take a good song, slow it down and play it acoustically, and people will think it’s profound. If someone says Dynamite Hack’s version of Boyz in tha Hood over Eazy E’s, my head is gonna explode. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758/40 "2009-01-12T03:35:38Z")
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: William Shatner’s version of _Common People_ is way better than Pulp’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-cover-bands-you-like-better-than-the-original/480758.md?page=3)