# 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:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/81 "2002-05-09T15:34:52Z")
> [@](#): > > Manfred Mann covering Springsteen’s For You Damn, did Manfred just cover the whole damn _Greetings from Asbury Park_ album? (Oddly enough, I was planning to do just that. I’m working on being able to do a solo acoustic version of the whole of _Abbey Road_, and when I’m done, I was planning to start in on _Asbury Park_. I promise no extraneous “Chopsticks” in my verson, though.) Dr. J ---
**Author:** ![tourbot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@tourbot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tourbot)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/82 "2002-05-09T16:55:19Z")
> [@](#): > > I prefer the Save Ferris version of **Come on, Eileen** to Dexy’s Midnight Runners, which shouldn’t be demographically possible since I graduated high school in 1983. I also graduated high school in 1983, and am of the firm opinion that this is hands down the worst song of all time. It shouldn’t have been remade, it should have been unmade. ---
**Author:** ![MeanJoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanjoe/32/5693_2.png) [@MeanJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanJoe)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/83 "2002-05-09T17:25:27Z")
Favorite Cover: **Janes Addicion - Sympathy for the Devil** cover of the Rolling Stones classic. Favorite Cover no one is going to recognize: **Seanchai - Fields of Athenrye** cover of the trad song (not sure who wrote the original) MeanJoe ---
**Author:** ![sonicsink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@sonicsink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sonicsink)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2002, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/84 "2002-05-09T23:19:59Z")
Spirit in the sky by Dr. and the medics (orig. by Norman ?) John Barleycorn by traffic (their version of the old folk song) ---
**Author:** ![tisiphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tisiphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tisiphone)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/85 "2002-05-10T00:00:13Z")
**Carry On My Wayward Son** - Yngwie Malmsteen and Ronnie James Dio **Dream On** -Yngwie Malmsteen and Ronnie James Dio **High School Confidential** - Rough Trade **White Riot** -London Punkharmonic Orchestra (What happens when the London Symphony transcribes punk classics for a full orchestra…) ---
**Author:** ![Rubicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Rubicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubicon)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/86 "2002-05-10T00:09:12Z")
Spirit in the Sky is Norman Greenbaum. Mannfred Mann : Bruce :: The Monkees : The Beatles Covers I like better than the originals: Lemonheads, Mrs. Robinson (Simon and Garfunkel) [Anyone seen that Evan Dando guy lately? Did he die or something?] Led Zeppelin, Travellin’ Riverside Blues (Robert Johnson) War, Bruce Springsteen (Edwin Starr) L.A. Woman, Jane’s Addiction (The Doors) ---
**Author:** ![DPWhite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d26b3c/32.png) [@DPWhite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPWhite)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/87 "2002-05-10T01:12:57Z")
Booker T and the MGs already covered Abbey Road accoustic. ---
**Author:** ![A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@A\_wizard\_song\_for\_thee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A_wizard_song_for_thee)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/88 "2002-05-10T05:57:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nightime \*\*\* > > Cat Power - I Found A Reason (Velvet Underground) > \*\* Hmph. And I thought one of the written laws of the Universe was that you couldn’t improve on a **VU** song. You can do it justice ( **Cowboy Junkies** , **Nick Cave** , **Tori Amos** ), but you can’t improve on it. I’ll echo the semtiment that _any_ **Dylan** song is better than the original, but I’ll put in a special mention for **P.J. Harvey** ’s “Highway 61 Revisited.” Love punk Dylan. And if we can consider new artists doing traditional songs, I’d like to strongly endorse “Bonny Portmore,” by **Loreena McKennit**. Ooo, ooo, ooo, I just thought of a new one, too! Has anyone else heard **Cassandra Wilson** do “Last Train to Clarksville,” from her _New Moon Daughter_ album? She turns **The Monkees** ’ fluff into a song that actually sounds like it means something… Oh, and **Gov’t Mule** ’s “John the Revelator” is at least as good as, if not better, than **Son House** ’s. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2002, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/89 "2002-05-10T07:49:41Z")
Another one I just ran across (after watching **Donnie Darko** …interesting movie): **Mad World** (Tears For Fears I believe) by Gary Jules and Michael Andrews. ---
**Author:** ![tetsusaru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f14d63/32.png) [@tetsusaru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tetsusaru)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2002, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/90 "2002-05-10T14:21:07Z")
Cowboy Junkies doing Springsteen`s "State Trooper", on Whites Off Earth Now!, which is still the best Cowboy Junkies album - they get feedback for the first, last and only time. Their cover of "Sweet Jane" was good. but for VU covers, you can`t go past Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds "All Tomorrow`s Parties". I`ll also throw in the New York Dolls` “Stranded In The Jungle”. ---
**Author:** ![JohnBckWLD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JohnBckWLD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnBckWLD)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/91 "2002-05-11T03:40:52Z")
[ul][_]Black Sabbath’s version of “Warning” by Aynsley Dunbar[_]George Thorogood’s version of “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” by Amos Milburn[_]Paul Young’s version of “I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down” by Ann Peebles[_]ELP’s versions of “Fanfare for the Common Man” and “The Peter Gunn Theme”[_]Blue Oyster Cult’s own remake of “Astronomy” (with the Steven King intro)[_]Howlin’ Wolf’s psychedelic (self-proclaimed dogshit) versions of “Back Door Man”, “Taildragger”, “Little Red Rooster” and “300 Pounds of Joy” et al[/ul] ---
**Author:** ![xanadu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c4cdca/32.png) [@xanadu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanadu)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2002, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/92 "2002-05-12T16:45:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Legomancer \* > \*\* > > Nope. Wonder : Higher Ground :: Winwood : Higher _Love_. \*\* Note to self: Read things _very_ carefully before posting. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/93 "2002-05-13T00:06:24Z")
Hooked On A Feeling, Blue Swede’s version is better than the original. I personally perfer Holly Cole’s version of I Can See Clearly Now, but it is a very close call… ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/94 "2002-05-13T00:34:58Z")
I prefer the Ray Charles version of “Eleanor Rigby” to the Beatles original. His voice has just the right tone of sadness for the lyrics, and I always found the strings on the original distracting. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Ash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b3f665/32.png) [@Dragon\_Ash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Ash)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/95 "2002-05-13T01:03:30Z")
I’m not a Wallflowers fan, but I prefer their version of We Could Be Heroes. And I also prefer the Bangles version of Hazy Shade of Winter, Arken; no need for secret shame! Me First and the Gimmie Gimmie stuff gets old after a bit - but I did like their version of Wild World… ---
**Author:** ![easy\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/eb8c5e/32.png) [@easy\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/easy_e)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/96 "2002-05-14T03:40:02Z")
Such great timing. Last week **Crooked Fingers** put out an EP of nothing but cover songs. I love that version of “When You Were Mine” far better than Prince’s. If you’re not familiar with the Fingers, the music tends to be angst-ridden and depressing, which fits the lyrics of the song far more than Prince’s poppier version. ---
**Author:** ![Sephiroth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@Sephiroth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sephiroth)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530/97 "2002-05-14T07:32:07Z")
I second those who said NIN’s version of Numan’s Metal, U2’s take on Happiness is a Warm Gun (finally got a copy of that a week ago. Damn, that’s some good stuff), and the anything Stevie Ray Vaughan covers comment. I absolutely love what he did with Voodoo Chile. I’d also like to add: Dave Matthews Band: All Along the Watchtower. For all the people that submitted the Hendrix version, I gotta say, the DMB is my favorite. Tori Amos - Strange Little Girl. I forget who did the original, although now that I think about it, the word “Stranglers” keeps appearing in my head. I heard this one first, though, and was disappointed when I heard the original. Metallica - Am I evil (Live Version). An obscure Diamond Head cover. Metallica’s studio version sounds a little weak, but the live one outdoes even DH’s version in terms of heavy. NIN - Suck. Yeah, I know Trent Reznor sang leads on the original Pigface version, but compared to the NIN version, that one sounds like they had some great lyrics they wanted to get down before they forgot them and so they quickly came up with a basic backing track that fit the mood. I’d also like to point out that, while it wasn’t better than the original, hearing U2 perform “What’s Going On” in concert (University of Notre Dame, 8-10-01) was really damn cool, partially because it was the first time ever that they had played it at any concert (at least as far as I know). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-of-songs-that-were-better-than-the-original/107530.md?page=4)