Maybe a sacrilege for some especially in lieu of Entwhistle’s recent death, but W.A.S.P.’ s “The Real Me” is better than than the Who’s (Whos’? Whose?). Scorpions also outdid Townsend and Co. with “Can’t Explain.”
If you wanna see three more pages of opinions, KXL did a “Covers of songs that were better than the original?” thread back in May.
jjimm, I agree with you on both points, although the song Alien Ant Farm covered was Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” not “Annie Are You OK.”
I’ll nominate three Guns N’ Roses covers (and probably get smacked for at least one of them) : McCartney/Wings’ “Live and Let Die,” Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,” and Nazareth’s “Hair of the Dog” all rock a lot harder than the originals, IMHO.
[shameless plugs]
At the only gig my band from high school ever had, we did a cover of Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take it Anymore,” featuring Yours Truly on vocals. And local band Hoser (then known as B.R.U.C.E.) - featuring Little Brother Earthworm on guitar - did a cover of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right (to Party)” at one of their very first shows. It was cool.
[/shameless plugs]
-Dirty
Eric Clapton’s unplugged version of Layla was much better than his original.
I agree that Fountains of Wayne do a good version, but the best version has to be by Travis. Frannie’s voice in his version is so heartfelt, it makes the song almost beautiful.
On another note,
How about Superchunk’s “Slack Motherf@#*er” as performed by fIREHOSE? It slays me every time.
:eek:
Blasphemy, sir. Utter blasphemy.
Besides, that’s not a cover, but a rearrangement. 
I’ll toss in “I Want You to Want Me” by Letters to Cleo (featured on the 10 Things I Hate About You soundtrack). The original by Cheap Trick is really very good, but there’s just something so peppily pleading in the Letters to Cleo version.
But, um…blasphemy, huh? Awwwwriiight! I kinda like the sound of that. “Blasphemous SkipMagic, you’ve got me on my knees…”
Well, it’s got a beat, but I’m not sure I can dance to it. Besides, at least with the…ahem!..rearranged version I finally understood the lyrics for the first time. 
Janice Joplin’s version of “Me and Bobby McGee” is light-years ahead of the original by Kristofferson.
I also prefered her version of “Summertime”
Yeah, it cries out…for mercy when it comes to Nazareth’s sledgehammer savaging of one of the best songs of the pre-Beatles era.
I do agree with you that neither the Everly Brothers’ nor Roy Orbison’s original versions quite tap the song’s potential, but Nazareth’s version is sheer torture.
Surprisingly, the best version of “Love Hurts” I’ve ever heard is by an artist known primarily for his original songs…Jim Webb. Beautifully arranged, sensitively sung…plus he puts in a passing chord at the second “to take a lot of pain” that’s not present in any of the other versions. This subtle change really makes all the difference in the world.
Hoo-boy!
George Thorogood is a bar band hack. If he had confined himself to playing clubs on weekends I would have no complaint…after all, there are guys all over the world who do what he does as well or better.
But instead he somehow parlayed this into a national recording career – how I’ll never know.
You’re to be congratulated for at least knowing who John Lee Hooker is…but the fact that most Thorogood fans have little or no appreciation for the artists he stole his entire schtick from really galls me. While Thorogood lines his pockets by virtue of his clumsy rip-off of “Who Do You Love,” Bo Diddley still has to work shitty clubs to make a living, as he can’t get royalties from his original recordings.
Hey BigStar303, I’ve met the Hook several times, interviewed him once, seen him live a half a dozen times. Had a weekly blues show on college radio for 5 years. Regardless, I prefer Thorogood’s version of an awful lot of the covers he does. Thorogood’s version of Who Do You Love is also better than Bo’s original and the two times I’ve seen Bo live. I don’t think Thorogood can write originals worth crap.
I would point out that an awful lot of people became blues fans or at least came to appreciate blues through the likes of George Thorogood, especially people that started listening to music in the 1980’s.
Finally, I can’t believe no one has mentioned Hendrix and the Star Spangled Banner
I’m sorry Sam, but have you heard Ella do it or Carmen McRae? I love Joplin and she adds a soulful aspect to the song but it is far from better than either of those two.
Any cover of any Dylan song is better than the original.
(d&r)
I liked “Come on Eileen” by Save Ferris, better than the original. Probably just opinion though, I doubt a lot of other people would.
Metallica’s cover of “Last Caress” by The Misfits is the best cover I’ve ever heard. Took a good song and made it fantastic.
I also love Captain Beefheart’s cover of “I’ve Grown So Ugly” by Robert Pete Williams. The original is kinda bland, but Beefheart really spiced it up and made it great.
Bite your typing fingers!!!
I hated ** hated * hated*** the unplugged version of “Layla”!!! It has had all the fire, all the passion and all the je ne sais qua torn right out of it, and as soon as I’m done reading the rest of this thread, I’m going over to the “covers that should be shoved so far up the artists ass” thread and saying so.
Um, so, how 'bout that Dead Kennedeys version of 'Viva Las Vegas" (which I have gained a whole new appreciation for since moving here)
or is it quoi?
unplugged version of 'Layla" indeed.
shudder
Bracket covering “867-5309”
Class of 99 covering “Another Brick in the Wall part 2”
Pseudo Echo covering “Funky Town”
Letters to Cleo covering “I Want You to Want Me”
Pearl Jam covering “Last Kiss”
Mest covering “I Melt With You”
Including Rod Stewart’s versions of Only a Hobo and Tomorrow is a Long Time…
I also prefer Matthew Sweet’s cover of Walter Egan’s Magnet and Steel.