I liked Axel Rose’s version of * Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door * and Toby Keith’s country rendition of Sting’s * I’m So Happy *
“…send lawyers, guns, and money…”
Warren ZevonMarvin Gaye’s remake of “Heard it Thru the Grapevine” beat the hell out of Gladys Knights.
I was always fond of the Pet Shop Boys version of “You Were Always on My Mind.”
Some of the Beatles remakes from the “Sgt. Peppers…” movie soundtrack were pretty good. I liked the Bee Gees version of “Oh, Darlin’” and Aerosmith’s “Come Together.”
Mostly I like remakes that are DIFFERENT than the originals. So many artists remake a song as a tribute or something and make it exactly the same, what the hell for? (Mariah Carey’s “Without You” anyone? Blech!)
OH, and Skee-lo’s version of “Mr. Morton” from the “Schoolhouse Rock Rocks” album is priceless! Ditto for “My Hero, Zero” by The Lemonheads.
I like Joe Cocker’s covers of most everything, starting with “With a Little Help From My Friends”.
Generally, I prefer most anyone’s cover of any Dylan song, except for “Girl From The North County” or is it “Country”?
And I’ll even admit that I prefer Riders In The Sky covers of most any Sons of the Pioneers, Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, etc songs.
Ranger Jeff
*The Idol of American Youth *
Speaking of Joe Cocker, he did a very good cover of Unchain My Heart. The video was very cool too. Ray Charles (no relation) did an earlier version, but I’m not sure even that was the original.
Yes, Joe Cocker’s covers of A Little Help From My Friends and She Came In Through The Bathroom Window are excellent, maybe better than The Beatles originals.
Speaking of The Beatles, I love 'em, but I gotta disagree with pldhennison. Twist And Shout by the Isley Brothers is far superior to the Fab Four’s.
UB40 with Chrissi Hynde did a great version of I Got You Babe (Sonny and Cher).
I like the Guns’n’Roses cover of Heaven’s Door.
I like the Jimi Hendrix cover of All Along the Watchtower.
I like The Byrds’ cover of Mr. Tambourine Man.
I like the Mother’s Finest cover of Mickey’s Monkey.
I like the LeAnn Rimes cover of Unchained Melody.
I like the Juice Newton cover of Angel of the Morning, but it doesn’t beat the original by _________?
The all-time BEST remake ever was Johnny B. Goode done by Peter Tosh…I love ya, Chuck, but P.T. wiped you out on this one!
All these exceptions (and more) aside, I really don’t much care for remakes as a rule. Really.
I can’t believe I’m <grimace> saying this, but C-c-eline <shudder> Dion’s version of <gasp> The Beatles’ “Here, There and Everywhere” is <cough> excellent.
I have to add a third for the Cowboy Junkies. Walking After Midnight is just haunting, as is Sweet Jane.
Sinéad O’Connor’s cover of All Apologies is beautiful.
>^,^<
“Cluemobile? You’ve got a pickup…”
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Jimmy Buffett’s ‘Brown-eyed Girl’
“My Maria” by Brooks and Dunn is probably my favorite. The new “Last Kiss” is pretty good too. Also “Little Sister” by Dwight Yokum.
Dwight Yoakam’s “Wichita Lineman”
blows the original away. I also
slightly prefer his “Crazy Little
Thing Called Love” to Queen’s, but
I’m a sucker for that country twang.
I also like Phil Collins’ “You Can’t
Hurry Love” better than the Supremes’
or the Dixie Chicks’ versions. I
heartily dislike Sinead O’Connor, but
her version of Elton John’s
“Sacrifice” is terrific.
Catrandom
Oh yeah, and Fiona Apple’s rendition of Across The Universe (by The Beatles) is breathtakingly beautiful! Never knew that song could be sexy…
Dream Theater: “Perfect Strangers”
Celtic Frost: “Mexican Radio”
Dokken: “From the Beginning” (yup, the ELP tune… surprisingly good version of it too!)
I’m all about the remake of “Sweet Jane” by the Cowboy Junkies.
Alana Davis’ adaptation of “32 Flavours” (originally by Ani DiFranco) is wonderful.
I’m kinda partial to Tia Carrere
singing “Ballroom Blitz”, that one chick (name, anyone?) who sang “Kung Fu Fighting” for Beverly Hills Ninja, and Tori Amos doing “Smells Like Teen Spirit”… that’s probably just the “anything boys can do, girls can do better” creeping out of me.
I also like (another band name forgotten) the remake of “Come On Eileen”.
The Corrs do a really good job with Stevie Nicks’ “Dreams”.
I’m a Beatles fan, but I love the cover of “Tomorrow Never Knows”, done by Our Lady Peace for The Craft soundtrack. Peter Gabriel’s “I Have the Touch” was covered (also for The Craft) by Heather Nova, and I really like that one, too.
Veni, Vidi, Visa … I came, I saw, I bought.