# Covers of songs that elevate the original by changing tempo, genre, time signature, etc **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [March 30, 2025, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349 "2025-03-30T17:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2025, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/121 "2025-04-03T04:57:24Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qVF3PzJcmWc/maxresdefault.jpg "Father John Misty - Welcome To New York (in the style of Velvet Underground)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVF3PzJcmWc) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/122 "2025-04-04T01:58:05Z")
Linda Ronstadt had a huge hit covering _Heat Wave_ I like Martha and the Vandellas original. But, it doesn’t rock as hard. The Vandellas take away the raw energy of a single vocalist. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/123 "2025-04-04T02:03:10Z")
Wow, what a performance [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/S6nEK7RgDsI/hqdefault.jpg "Linda Ronstadt - Heat Wave (1976) Offenbach, Germany") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6nEK7RgDsI) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/124 "2025-04-04T02:19:17Z")
A 1965 cover version of _Heat Wave_ from an up and coming group [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Xt-LaMmKRec/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBg4KmORkMsJjj_OYahBSc1v6q6Cg "The Who - Heat Wave ("Les Mods", 1965)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt-LaMmKRec) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/125 "2025-04-04T02:54:09Z")
My favorite example of this is “Jolene” by Dolly Parton - with the elevated version being “Jolene” by Dolly Parton. Somebody noticed the song worked better if you played it at 33 rpm. [Dolly Parton - Jolene (33rpm slowed down digital version)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMrfM711vXI) ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/126 "2025-04-04T12:34:41Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Somebody noticed the song worked better if you played it at 33 rpm. It sounds like Tracy Chapman. > [@MyFootsZZZ](#): > > [Flagpole Sitta](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_ovC-Vtp20) This seems like a good example of [the hyper-annoying, indie-girl singing style](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-name-for-this-hyper-annoying-singing-style/677704). That affected vocalizing is like nails on chalkboard. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/127 "2025-04-04T17:39:02Z")
Then you might like the original better: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/wYsMjEeEg4g/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHOBYAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gOiguMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAPKiFNRDRULy2DDpIrmx0o0fc_gA "Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitta (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYsMjEeEg4g) ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/128 "2025-04-04T18:39:35Z")
More than a hundred posts down the road, and no-one has mentioned Marianne Faithfull? [Dr. Hook’s “Ballad of Lucy Jordan”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0NxhFn0szc) [John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbbPAuAtSAA&pp=0gcJCdgAo7VqN5tD) ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/129 "2025-04-04T18:42:23Z")
I can’t say I like either of those. Wow, surprised you think they’re better than the originals. At least Ballad is close. But on Hero, very inferior. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/130 "2025-04-04T19:03:10Z")
Let’s agree to disagree. IMNSHO Marianne gives an extra dimension to those tunes. John’s “Working class hero” is downplayed bitter, Marianne’s version takes the bitterness out into the open. Dr Hook’s “Lucy Jordan” never touched me, Marianne’s version puts the disheartenend middle-aged housewife world into stark perspective. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/131 "2025-04-04T20:15:38Z")
There’s Joe Cocker’s cover of the Beatles “With A Little Help From my Friends”. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/132 "2025-04-04T20:18:56Z")
That is pretty great. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eXV4WyQMHFM/maxresdefault.jpg "With A Little Help From My Friends") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXV4WyQMHFM) Even the [John Belushi version of it is](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmjWO7oY8LU). ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/133 "2025-04-04T20:46:19Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > > [@veryfrank](#): > > > > Kinda cute back in 1999, but the joke of whiter-than-white bro-dudes casually dropping the N-bomb in a joke song has never quite sit well. > > I eventually came around to the same take on Nina Gordon’s bit. If you like hearing very white people doing ironic folky covers of popular Rap or Hip Hop songs, but _don’t_ like the controversial aspect of hearing white folks dropping N-bombs, there’s always Baby Got Back by Jonathon Coulton: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/He5TN5Qc6O8/maxresdefault.jpg "Baby Got Back") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He5TN5Qc6O8) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/134 "2025-04-04T20:55:30Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eMjWQLCffyU/maxresdefault.jpg "Sissy Bar - Gin and Juice") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMjWQLCffyU) ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/135 "2025-04-04T20:57:20Z")
I’m honestly not sure how I forgot one of greatest conversions of a song ever, Coltrane covering “My Favorite Things”. The original is good, but not this good: [My Favorite Things](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqpriUFsMQQ) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/136 "2025-04-04T21:13:47Z")
_ **Good** _ call. I love Coltrane’s cover of “My Favorite Things”. Even though the original song is mostly associated with Christmas time, I think of the Coltrane version as a perfect song to play on a rainy day. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/137 "2025-04-04T23:31:46Z")
… I mean, I was obviously aware of the original. sorry. I missed the post above this. ---
**Author:** ![MyFootsZZZ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/myfootszzz/32/12580_2.png) [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/138 "2025-04-04T23:37:21Z")
You don’t like the sound or you think it’s too easy a sound to produce, so don’t have respect for it? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/139 "2025-04-04T23:38:17Z")
_Home_ was written and released by Michael Buble in 2005. Blake Shelton covered _Home_ in 2008 I really like Blake’s version. It’s one of his best top 5 hits. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/kkoT1nZOexY/maxresdefault.jpg "Blake Shelton - Home (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkoT1nZOexY) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2025, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349/140 "2025-04-04T23:44:59Z")
Buble’s original is very,very good. Blake brings his natural Oklahoma twang to the song. Buble and Blake have performed it together. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lbSOLBMUvIE/maxresdefault.jpg "Michael Bublé - Home [Official Music Video]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbSOLBMUvIE) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-elevate-the-original-by-changing-tempo-genre-time-signature-etc/1016349.md?page=8)