# covers that are better than the originals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 27, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325 "2003-07-27T22:54:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![konspiration](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@konspiration](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/konspiration)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/1 "2003-07-27T22:54:19Z")
It’s very rare, but sometimes the cover is actually better than the original. For example: Tainted Love. Originally recorded by Soft Cell, covered by Depeche Mode (amongst others) with fantastic results. More examples, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/2 "2003-07-27T23:16:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by konspiration \* > \*\*It’s very rare, but sometimes the cover is actually better than the original. > For example: Tainted Love. Originally recorded by Soft Cell, covered by Depeche Mode (amongst others) with fantastic results. > > More examples, anyone? \*\* ‘Tainted Love’ was originally recorded by Gloria Jones… nothing I’ve heard beats (IMO) her version. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/3 "2003-07-27T23:34:58Z")
You can make a superior cover in your own garage! Ingredients: A decent band that can handle more than 3 chords A song by an act that was better regarded for songwriting than performance (e.g., Dylan, the Beatles) Practice, play around with it, jam a bit, perfect it, and record! ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_Pittiful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Brad\_Pittiful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_Pittiful)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/4 "2003-07-27T23:47:44Z")
“Head On” redone by the Pixies i think it sounds much better than the orginal by Jesus and Mary Chain ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/5 "2003-07-27T23:58:53Z")
Every cover of 'Me and Bobby McGee" is better than Kris Kristofferson’s original. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/6 "2003-07-28T00:02:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mascaroni \* > \*\*‘Tainted Love’ was originally recorded by Gloria Jones… nothing I’ve heard beats (IMO) her version. \*\* I concur. I found an original 12" on Tamela(a division of Motown). It’s priceless. ---
**Author:** ![konspiration](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@konspiration](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/konspiration)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/7 "2003-07-28T00:07:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mascaroni \* > \*\*‘Tainted Love’ was originally recorded by Gloria Jones \*\* I apologise for my lack of education. I blame the public school system.:smack: ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/8 "2003-07-28T00:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by konspiration \* > \*\*I apologise for my lack of education. I blame the public school system.:smack: \*\* I think it was freebasing all those pixy stix. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/9 "2003-07-28T00:16:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by konspiration \* > \*\*I apologise for my lack of education. I blame the public school system.:smack: \*\* Don’t apologise… find it and listen to it… The OP is good though, Tomorrow I’ll come up with loads of covers that were better than the original versions… For now: Gerry & The Pacemakers - You’ll Never Walk Alone. ---
**Author:** ![biqu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@biqu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/biqu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/10 "2003-07-28T00:28:41Z")
[BNL] It’s all been [done](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=181427) [before](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=167329), [/BNL] but I wasn’t registered when those threads graced page 1 of Cafe Society, so here’s my input: A1 – Take On Me (techno cover of 1985 hit by A-Ha, with better hooks and bridges than the original) ---
**Author:** ![kubi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f04885/32.png) [@kubi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kubi)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/11 "2003-07-28T00:35:40Z")
Hello everyone. Great topic! Here’s one you just have to listen to… Johnny Cash singing U2’s _ONE_. Actually, Cash’s entire _American III - Solitary Man_ CD is very good. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/12 "2003-07-28T00:51:16Z")
Jimi Hendrix doing “Like A Rolling Stone” by Dylan (like **foolsguinea** said…) Even Dylan said Jimi’s version was better ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/13 "2003-07-28T00:57:29Z")
Jimi Hendrix doing “Like A Rolling Stone” by Dylan (like **foolsguinea** said…) Even Dylan said Jimi’s version was better. VanHalen’s cover of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” Even when I hear the Kinks version, I still mentally insert Eddie’s guitar fills. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/14 "2003-07-28T01:00:06Z")
sorry about the (almost) double post. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/15 "2003-07-28T01:33:06Z")
Somebody else will say it if I don’t: Pet Shop Boys - Always on my Mind Originally done by Elvis Presely. Otherwise, it never happens. ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/16 "2003-07-28T01:34:39Z")
> [@](#): > > VanHalen’s cover of The Kinks’ “You Really Got Me” Even when I hear the Kinks version, I still mentally insert Eddie’s guitar fills. I like the Van Halen version better also, but I like the Oingo Boingo version the best. I also have this weird affection for the Bangles cover of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Hazy Shade of Winter.” Maybe because I heard it first and somehow thought of it as a fast song? ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/17 "2003-07-28T01:57:59Z")
I like The Ataris version of Boys Of Summer better than Don Henley’s. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/18 "2003-07-28T01:58:48Z")
It’s sort of obscure, but the Lazy Cowgirls cover of “Reborn” a song about Larry Flynt, was better than the original version by a band called The Shitbirds. I post this, because this was one of my favorite Cowgirls songs, and I never knew it was a cover untill today when I heard it for the first time! “Strychnine” by The Cramps was just a hair better than the Sonics’ original. The Dickies version of “Nobody But Me” is totally insane, and is way better than teh original. “Slow Death” by the Dictators takes the Flaming Groovies classic to new heights and is one of the best covers ever, and the same goes for the MC5’s “Looking At You” by The Damned. The Cynics version of Roky Erickson’s “She Lives In A Time Of Her Own” is believe it or not, better than the original. I also gotta say that nothing beats Gloria Jones’ “Tainted Love”. The originial version of that rocks. Jon ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/19 "2003-07-28T02:17:03Z")
Well, when this question comes up, I always have to mention **Aerosmith** ’s cover of **Come Together** , which squashes the Beatles original like a grape. And then of course there’s **Aretha Franklin** ’s cover of **R-E-S-P-E-C-T**. She kicked Otis Redding’s ass, which ain’t easy to do. I also think the **Cowboy Junkies** version of **Dreaming My Dreams** beat the Waylon Jennings original (which is quite good itself). ---
**Author:** ![Fujerica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@Fujerica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fujerica)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/20 "2003-07-28T03:18:59Z")
“Astronomy Domine” by Pink Flyoyd (of course)… was covered by Voivod, and it is wayy better than PF’s, imo and also “Interstellar Overdrive” was covered by Camper Van Beethoven and it is awesome too… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325.md?page=2)