# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/101 "2003-07-31T05:56:40Z")
**if6was9** wrote > [@](#): > > Wow!!! I never heard of that one. I just bought Sly’s version. What is the name of the Chili Peppers album that has that one? Oh, my brother, you must own a copy of **Freaky Styley**. Make the trip first thing tomorrow morning. I won’t hijack this thread with non-covers on that album, but it’s really excellent. But, speaking of covers, that album also has “Yertle The Turtle” which is a cover of Dr. Seuss, and you can’t go wrong there. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2003, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/102 "2003-07-31T05:59:04Z")
And **if6was9** , your nick reminds me of the excellent If 60s were 90s by Beautiful People (based on if 6 were 9 by Jimi Hendrix) ---
**Author:** ![Bjork](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9de0a6/32.png) [@Bjork](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bjork)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/103 "2003-08-01T04:34:21Z")
Sophie Ellis Bextors cover of Chers - take me home. Dont get me wrong though, I love Cher. ---
**Author:** ![nitroglycerine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nitroglycerine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nitroglycerine)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2003, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/104 "2003-08-02T02:32:49Z")
Did anyone mention Social Distortion’s cover of “Ring Of Fire”? Thats become the definitive version of the song for a lot of people under forty. The version on Live At The Roxy is even better than the studio version. Jon ---
**Author:** ![TeaRoses](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c37758/32.png) [@TeaRoses](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaRoses)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/105 "2003-08-03T08:17:18Z")
> [@](#): > > Did anyone mention Social Distortion’s cover of “Ring Of Fire”? Thats become the definitive version of the song for a lot of people under forty. Well if it beats Wall of Voodoo’s version it must be good… I’ll look for it. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/106 "2003-08-03T12:26:50Z")
**Barenaked Ladies** cover of Public Enemy’s “Fight the Power”!! **Deodato** did an interesting take on Zep’s “Black Dog” (in the album “First Cuckoo”). Also, seconds on Hendrix’s “Watchtower”, EWF’s “Got to Get You Into My Life” and Vaughn’s “Little Wing”. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/107 "2003-08-03T12:54:21Z")
Most of the covers I was going to nominatre have been, ahem, covered, so let me put in a nomination that may sound like blasphemy. Aerosmith’s version of “Come Together” and Earth, Wind, and Fire’s cover of “Got to Get You Into My Life” are both superior to the Beatles’ originals. ---
**Author:** ![Alexnbink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cab0a1/32.png) [@Alexnbink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alexnbink)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/108 "2003-08-03T15:32:56Z")
David Bowie’s cover of The Pixies-“Cactus” ---
**Author:** ![look\_ninjas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@look\_ninjas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/look_ninjas)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/109 "2003-08-03T15:43:44Z")
Does it count as a cover if they keep the melody the same but change 99% of the lyrics? Because if so, it has to be the Violent Femmes’ cover of “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” by Boy George. I’m also partial to both the Radiohead and Rasputina covers of “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. Actually, all three are equally beautiful, just in different ways. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/110 "2003-08-03T16:05:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drm \* > \*\*I like The Ataris version of Boys Of Summer better than Don Henley’s. \*\* But. . . but. . . it’s _exactly_ the same! Except they say “Black Flag sticker” instead of “Deadhead sticker”. If you’re gonna remake a song you should try to add something. Somehow make it your own. Alien Ant’s remake of Micheal Jackson’s Smooth Criminal-- now that’s making it your own (I like both versions just fine.) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/111 "2003-08-03T16:06:58Z")
I didn’t realize this thread was three pages long, so if I repeated somebody-- sorry. ---
**Author:** ![23skidoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f04885/32.png) [@23skidoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/23skidoo)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/112 "2003-08-03T19:08:25Z")
Sex Pistols: Stepping Stone Dead Kennedys: Viva Las Vegas 7 Seconds: 99 Red Balloons ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/113 "2003-08-03T22:03:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Biggirl \* > \*\*But. . . but. . . it’s _exactly_ the same! Except they say “Black Flag sticker” instead of “Deadhead sticker”. > > If you’re gonna remake a song you should try to add something. Somehow make it your own. Alien Ant’s remake of Micheal Jackson’s Smooth Criminal-- now that’s making it your own (I like both versions just fine.) \*\* I agree. That’s why I find the votes for Aerosmith’s “Come Together” so curious. As I recall it’s a very similar arrangement (right down to the little echo/staccato “shoomp!” sound effect), and I like John’s vocal much better. Someone else said it, but if you’re looking for a great cover from that soundtrack, Earth, Wind & Fire had a completely different take on “Got to Get You Into My Life.” Very cool, and not just a slight variation of the original. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/114 "2003-08-03T22:46:27Z")
All of Led Zeppelin and Sublimes covers. Coldplay covered “You Only Live Twice” by Nancy Sinatra (IIRC) and I like that version a lot. Hendrix’s “All Along the Watch Tower,” but its not hard to out-do Bob Dylan. ---
**Author:** ![Qwertyasdfg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ecc23a/32.png) [@Qwertyasdfg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwertyasdfg)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/115 "2003-08-03T22:59:31Z")
I should clarify my last post: All the songs that Led Zep and Sublime covered, not the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![Xander\_Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ce73a5/32.png) [@Xander\_Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xander_Cane)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2003, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/116 "2003-08-03T23:29:07Z")
In “Moulin Rouge” they do a version of The Police’s song “Roxanne”. I love the police but I think Moulin Rouge did wonders with that song. It has more heart and energy. ---
**Author:** ![HookerChemical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@HookerChemical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HookerChemical)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/117 "2003-08-04T04:23:17Z")
**Type O Negative** ’s cover of Summer Breeze is great. I’m also a fan of **Hawkwind** ’s cover of Gimmie Shelter. I don’t like the originals of either song, but I love both covers. I’ll also second **Iron Maiden** ’s cover of Cross Eyed Mary. I’m a huge Tull fan, but I’m going with the cover. I’m just starting to get into **Johnny Cash** , and can see why he’s been mentioned so many times. One of my favorites is We’ll Meet Again. I will, however, give the nod to **Social Distortion** for their previously mentioned cover of Ring of Fire. The horns don’t work for me, Johnny. ---
**Author:** ![Rigel\_Haloran](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rigel\_Haloran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigel_Haloran)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/118 "2003-08-04T07:29:05Z")
“Little Wing” and “Probably Will” covered by Concrete Blonde I know I’m gonna get killed for this but T.A.T.u.'s cover of the Smiths “How Soon is Now”, Mostly because I like the redheads voice. ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/119 "2003-08-04T07:50:12Z")
I’ll take Johnny Cash’s version of “Rusty Cage” over Soundgarden’s any day. He sells those goofy lyrics and sounds like the voice of Doomsday during the second half of the song. Nico’s version of “These Days” is sadder and better than Jackson Browne’s or anyone else’s. John Fogerty’s versions of the traditional “Workin’ On A Building” and the country classic “I Ain’t Never” are the best I’ve ever heard. I’ll take the Sir Douglas Quintet’s cover of “In The Jail House Now” over the classic Jimmy Rodgers original. But I’ll take Uncle Tupelo’s cover of “Give Back The Keys To My Heart” (although it has guest vocals by Doug Sahm) over any version Doug or anyone else ever did. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins is probably the ultimate in making a song his own when he covered it. I prefer his versions of: Perry Como’s “Temptation” Nat King Cole’s “Orange Colored Sky” Gene Autry’s “Take Me Back To My Boots And Saddle” Conway Twitty’s “It’s Only Make Believe” ---
**Author:** ![MemoryGongs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@MemoryGongs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MemoryGongs)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2003, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325/120 "2003-08-04T23:52:10Z")
perhaps blaphemous but…War Pigs by Faith No More…the sabbath is of course a classic but Faith put a new energy into it that just blows me away every time i hear it also anger-inducing for some…dancing days by STP and Misty Mountain Hop by Four Non Blondes on the zep tribute album…not better than originals but done with enough respect, feeling and zest to sound awesome Tainted Love - Marilyn Manson…love the orig but MM kicks it up big time Gold Dust Woman - Hole…not nearly as bad as everyone says it is… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-are-better-than-the-originals/191325.md?page=7)