We have gotten this far without mentioning Motley Crue’s version of Smoking in the Boy’s Room. First off if you cover a song make sure you cover a good one, and secondly there is a harmonica solo there that is hysterical to listen to, they actually have to slow down the tempo of the song cause the harmonica player can’t play that fast.
Another sucky cover is whomever has the new version of ** Heaven** by Bryan Adams…great Idea, let’s make a dance version of a ballad…and slow down to half tempo for the chorus(I think), I was so horrified I couldn’t remember if it was the chorus or the verse that was done at half tempo.
AHHH!! I’m sorry, but Sheryl Crow’s sins don’t stop with “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” “D’Yer Mak’r” was horribly bad as well. And basically any cover where they throw in a new “supa-cool and hip” rap section in the middle blows too.
This is what I don’t like about covers in general. If the intent is to make them sound faithful to the original then I don’t see why artists bother with it. On the other hand, once I hear a song in its original version I find it hard to accept listening to any other adaptation of it. About the only time I really like to listen to cover tunes is when they take a song I thought sucked to begin with (i.e. Limp Bizkit’s take on George Michael’s “Faith”) and purposefully bastardize it.
I’m glad someone mentioned Billy Idol’s horrific rendition of “Mony Mony” since I was about to mention it myself. I can’t stand Billy Idol anyway.
I find it appalling that anyone attempts to do Led Zeppelin covers. They are an institution that should never be adulterated.
I have to go with Madonna’s version of American Pie.
I was in Vegas last year staying at the Hard Rock Hotel and they actually played this as part of the casino play list (talk about hell). Not even knowing it was Madonna I hated it. Finding out it was Madonna only helped substantiate my dislike for the version.
A close second is Lame Buttocks - Wish You Were Here. Not only did Fred Douche have the nerve to cover a great song he actually tried to sing as well. Then to top it off he has the audacity to incorporate his own lyrics into the song. One can only hope LB’s fifteen minutes are up.
There’s NSYNC doing “More Than A Feeling.”
I always thought Annie Lennox’s cover of “Train in Vain” was awful.
The Revolting Cocks’ cover of “D’Ya Think I’m Sexy,” however, rules.
Another vote for Madonna’s American Pie here. For some reason she trimmed the song in half, thereby eliminating half the lyrics and a lot of the meaning of the song, but saving me 3+ minutes of pain.
Personally, I think a lot of the covers I hate are by bands I like covering songs I like- Jane’s Addiction’s Ripple for one.
Crispin Glover. “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’”. 'Nuff said.
Those of you who have heard this mess, my sympathies. Those who haven’t, be grateful. Those who would like to know what the hell I’m talking about can find a link in the Jason X thread, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I would have to add most of Tori Amos’s new album, exept for Happiness is a Warm Gun. In her version of 97 Bonnie and Clide, she sounds like she needs some chicken soup and a nice nap, or something.
There are two songs I have to turn off the second I hear the opening notes: When a Man Loves a Woman squealed by Michael Bolton and Harry Nillson’s Without You, massacred by Mariah Carey. Also, Gloria Estefan seems to be remaking songs from the '70s that are practically note-for-note duplicates, only not as good. Gloria–stop it already.
basically all covers released as singles suck in my book. especially lead-off singles for previously unknown bands.
taking a song that’s already a proven hit and rehashing it is so amazingly insipid, but the masses fall for that pap and it makes artists and labels millions.
on the other hand, the afghan whigs used to do amazing covers that really didn’t sound so much like the original, and place them on b-sides or on ep’s. i love to hear covers that change the song’s meaning just by the way it’s sung. but too often it’s a note-by-note replaying of a song. that just seems exceedingly lazy to me.
I’m glad I didn’t buy this one, just borrowed it to listen to. I usually love her music (and own every other cd of hers) but the only one I really liked on this one was “heart of gold.” It’s nothing like the orginal, but it’s still appealing…
I’m surprised that no one has mentioned Billy Idol’s remake of L.A. Woman. You really shoudn’t remake Doors songs.
A more recent remake that I personally despise is that remake of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”. I think it was to good a song to remake even if it was for a good cause.
One of the few covers that I really like if Frank Sinatra’s remake of “Leaving on a Jet Plane”. I hate John Denver but for some reason Sinatra can make almost anything sound good.
