# Covers of songs that were better than the original? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2002, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530 "2002-05-06T13:08:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MachV](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@MachV](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MachV)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/21 "2002-05-06T16:21:19Z")
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned **Joe Cocker** yet. His remake of _With a Little Help From My Friends_ (Beatles) was superb! And after that would be his rendition of _The Letter_ (The Box Tops, I believe) I also loved **Johnny Cash** doing _Rusty Cage_, originally a throwaway cock-rock song done by **Soundgarden**. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/22 "2002-05-06T17:03:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > **(Hit Me Baby) One More Time by Travis** I prefer the Fountains of Wayne version, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Futile\_Gesture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f05b48/32.png) [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/23 "2002-05-06T17:28:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KXL \* > \*\*Prince’s version of “Kiss” sucked (IMHO), but the version by **Art of Noise with Tom Jones** rocked! \*\* You’ve got that completely the wrong way around. Nothing against Art Of Noise, but Tom Jones hasn’t covered anything that he hasn’t inflicted criminal bodily harm on. There should be a law against it. Prince’s ‘Kiss’ is a nice wedge of funk. Tom Jones’ version is a over-wraught lardy vomit by comparison. But I think I’ve mentioned this before. Come the revolution, Tom Jones is one of the first against the wall. My own suggestion: Red Hot Chilli Pepper’s version of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground”. I’m not much of a fan of their other stuff, but this version is great. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/24 "2002-05-06T21:11:47Z")
Judas Priest’s cover of Diamonds and Rust is tons better than Joan Biaz’s. I actaully heard Biaz’s version once and almost didn’t recognise it but I knew I knew it. The funny thing is I saw a band do a cover of the Priest version and they said it was a Priest song! ---
**Author:** ![Tennessee\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@Tennessee\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tennessee_Ben)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/25 "2002-05-06T21:17:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Edward The Head \* > \*\*The funny thing is I saw a band do a cover of the Priest version and they said it was a Priest song! \*\* A friend of mine said that he was at a Phish show where they covered “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Reportedly, the stranger standing next to him said, “Duuuude! This must be some of their new stuff!” Guh. ---
**Author:** ![Ferrous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Ferrous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferrous)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/26 "2002-05-06T21:21:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by G.B.H. Hornswoggler \* > **All Along the Watchtower** by Jimi Hendrix (even Dylan admitted it) I think pretty much every cover of a Dylan song was better than the original. He was a great songwriter, but only a mediocre performer, IMO. The Birds did several covers that were much better than the originals. And the Red Hot Chili Peppers version of Subterranean Homesick Blues kicks ass. ---
**Author:** ![Grelby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Grelby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grelby)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/27 "2002-05-06T21:32:58Z")
The \*\* Indigo Girls\*\* cover of _Tangled Up In Blue_ (Dylan) was a lot better, tone and instrument-wise than Dylan’s. Still, I hold a special place in my heart for the original - it has a certain nice simplicity to it. I like the **Corrs** (with Bono) cover of _Where the Stars Go Blue_ (Ryan Adams). Don’t get me wrong, the original is beautiful, but I like the cover. Other than that, I haven’t heard a damn thing by the Corrs :p. ---
**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/28 "2002-05-06T21:56:26Z")
Jesus and Mary Chain’s version of _Who Do You Love?_ is sooo much better than George Thoroughgood’s. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/29 "2002-05-06T22:23:02Z")
I think that (about to get yelled at for this) No Use for a Name’s cover of **Fairy Tale of New York** is better than The Pogue’s, but that’s just me. Oh, and They Might Be Giants cover of **New York City** is also better thanb whoever did the orginal (I don’t know the name, but I heard it once and didn’t like it.) And I think that most of the covers Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies do are better. ESPECIALLY **One Tin Soldier** , cause the original is Hell to listen to, but their’s is nice sounding…just ignore the lyrics! ---
**Author:** ![Hodge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Hodge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hodge)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/30 "2002-05-06T22:54:19Z")
I agree that Hendrix’s _All Along the Watchtower_ is far superior to the original. So, to even the odds, I’m going to nominate Stevie Ray Vaughn’s cover of Jimi’s _Little Wing_ which blows the original out of the water. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@The\_Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tim)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2002, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/31 "2002-05-06T23:00:43Z")
I liked the Nine Inch Nails cover of “Metal” (Gary Numan) as much as the original. I also like NIN cover of “Get Down, Make Love” more than the original. Oh and Britney’s cover of “Satisfaction” simply brilliant. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/32 "2002-05-07T00:41:40Z")
George Harrison’s cover of Dylan’s “If Not For You”. Nothing wrong with the original, but the Harrison version is one of the great love songs, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/33 "2002-05-07T00:56:54Z")
Gary Jules did a gorgeous, non-80s version of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World”. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/34 "2002-05-07T01:06:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \* > \*\*Jesus and Mary Chain’s version of _Who Do You Love?_ is sooo much better than George Thoroughgood’s. \*\* The original was by Bo Diddley…it was covered 100s of times; by the Band, Thorogood, Seger and the J&MC to name a few ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/35 "2002-05-07T01:14:01Z")
Gary Jules did a gorgeous, non-80s version of Tears for Fears’ “Mad World”. ---
**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:** [May 7, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/36 "2002-05-07T01:23:20Z")
Not mentioned yet (I think): Song to the siren - This Mortal Coil (orig Jeff Buckley) Time - Tori Amos (orig Tom Waits) Bonnie and Clyde 97 - Tori Amos (orig Eminem) Suzanne - Peter Gabriel (orig Leonard Cohen) She’s not there - Santana (orig Zombies) Torn - Natalie Imbruglia (or some Danish outfit) Jealous guy - Roxy Music (orig John Lennon) and The whole As time goes by CD by Bryan Ferry ---
**Author:** ![riserius1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@riserius1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/riserius1)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/37 "2002-05-07T01:32:36Z")
I’ll probably get flamed for this, but so be it: I’ve always thoguth the original Righteous brothers version of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” was lethargic, overwrought, and otherwise, pretty much unlistenable. Hall and Oates’ version ROCKS, though!!! Chris W ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/38 "2002-05-07T04:41:35Z")
“Gin and Juice” by The Gourds. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kuroashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9a140/32.png) [@kuroashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kuroashi)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/39 "2002-05-07T05:30:29Z")
Iggy Pop did “Shakin’ All Over” on his brilliant Avenue B album. I’ve never heard anyone do it like that before or since. Kind of an old song though, obscure now, but he breathed new life into it. Allman Brothers Band version of “One Way Out” is a rock version of a blues song by Sonny Boy Williams (Williamson?), so can’t really say it’s better, but it definitely has a bit more toe-tappability. Van Halen’s “You Really Got Me.” 'nuff said. ---
**Author:** ![J\_String](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@J\_String](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_String)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/40 "2002-05-07T05:49:51Z")
Dylan’s “Times They Are A Changin’” performed by Blackmore’s Night (Ritchie Blackmore and Candace Night) definitely beats the original version–like most Dylan covers it seems. Also, “Folsom Prison Blues” makes for a pretty good punk song (obscure band by the name of Two-Bit Thief). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530.md?page=3)