# Improbable covers that....DIDN'T suck? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2003, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717 "2003-12-18T09:04:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/1 "2003-12-18T09:04:42Z")
Having just seen MTV Icons Metallica I was struck… Avril Levign’s version of Fuel didn’t suck. It was, actually, pretty good. (The band seemed impressed, too.) (I was also surprisingly impressed by Limp Bizkit’s version of Sanitarium.) Speaking of Metallica, [Apocalyptica](http://www.apocalyptica.com/home/), a group of Cellists made a reputation for themselves covering Metallica (though that’s not all they do). And [Angels of Venice](http://angelsofvenice.com/mainframe.html) have a pretty nifty version of Nothing Else Matters. Played primarily on harp. So, this thread is for celebrating, or at least boggling at, the improbable coversongs that just WORKED. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/2 "2003-12-18T09:19:46Z")
Cake, _I will Survive_. Marilyn Manson, _Tainted Love_. Gary Jules, _Mad World_. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/3 "2003-12-18T09:30:01Z")
For Marilyn Manson, I would have picked _Sweet dreams are made of this_. ---
**Author:** ![LorieSmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a587f6/32.png) [@LorieSmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LorieSmurf)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/4 "2003-12-18T11:55:09Z")
I liked Alien Ant Farms cover of_Smooth Criminal_ ---
**Author:** ![katiekilldare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/838e76/32.png) [@katiekilldare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katiekilldare)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/5 "2003-12-18T12:40:37Z")
Bigod 20 did a remake of Madonna’s _Like a Prayer_, and I LOVED it. Very heavy compared to the original. I liked Johnny Cash’s version of NIN’s _Hurt_, but really hated what he did to Depeche Mode’s _Personal Jesus_. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/6 "2003-12-18T13:40:04Z")
Dolly Parton’s cover of both ‘Shine’ and ‘Stairway to Heaven’ are astonishingly good. I prefer Parton’s StH as she almost turns it into a gospel song. This gives it greater meaning than the half-assed mysticalness of the Led Zeppelin version. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/7 "2003-12-18T13:44:26Z")
Avril Levigne’s “Fuel”…?? I was under the coffee table with fingers in my ears when she performed that one. (Of course, Metallica’s original elicits the same reaction…) Speaking of Depeche Mode, **In Flames** did a fantastic cover of “Everything Counts” – doubly impressive due to the fact that nobody knows how to cover Depeche Mode properly. And call me crazy, but I actually liked Dolly Parton’s version of “Stairway to Heaven”… ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/8 "2003-12-18T13:46:36Z")
**J.C.** …jinx. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/9 "2003-12-18T13:51:07Z")
Toad the Wet Sprocket’s version of “Rock and Roll All Nite.” They actually made a Kiss song feel poignant! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/10 "2003-12-18T13:52:16Z")
Sarah Bernhard’s “Maniac Superstar.” I never expeted it to actually be good. ---
**Author:** ![electrozion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85f322/32.png) [@electrozion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electrozion)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/11 "2003-12-18T14:24:30Z")
“My Way” by Sid Vicious. A gazillion times better than the original. but is it really that improbable? ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/12 "2003-12-18T14:26:52Z")
I’m ashamed to admit that I actually like The Cardigan’s cover of “Iron Man.” ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/13 "2003-12-18T14:47:18Z")
U2 did a cover of _Unchained Melody_ as a b-side for one of their singles. They took a song whose definitive version by the Righteous Brothers is a hopeful ballad of maintaining love despite separation and turned it into a raw, desperate plea for forgiveness. I like it. Johnny Cash’s _Hurt_ deserves all the mentions it can get. Hell, I haven’t run across a Johnny Cash cover I didn’t like. Including _Personal Jesus_. The piano riff gets my attention - and I never was that impressed with the original. The Chieftains and Roger Daltrey did a kickass cover of _Behind Blue Eyes_ as an Irish folk song that works in a twisted “ballad that occasionally turns into a reel” sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![Already\_in\_Use](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Already\_in\_Use](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Already_in_Use)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/14 "2003-12-18T14:50:39Z")
Devo’s “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/15 "2003-12-18T14:56:08Z")
Fear Factory’s version of Gary Newman’s _Cars_ kicks ass. Very guitar heavy and cool. Nirvana’s cover of Kiss’s _Do You Love me?_ is way good also. ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/16 "2003-12-18T15:05:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Already in Use \* > \*\*Devo’s “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.” \*\* Or, for that matter, their cover of “Are You Experienced”. Heh. “Not necessarily stoned…but _mutated_.” ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/17 "2003-12-18T15:05:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Annie-Xmas \* > \*\*Sarah Bernhard’s “Maniac Superstar.” I never expeted it to actually be good. \*\* This gave me the picture of Sarah Bernhardt standing on a stage in 1890 belting out “Maniac Superstar.” ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/18 "2003-12-18T15:13:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kilt-wearin’ man \* > \*\*U2 did a cover of _Unchained Melody_ as a b-side for one of their singles. They took a song whose definitive version by the Righteous Brothers is a hopeful ballad of maintaining love despite separation and turned it into a raw, desperate plea for forgiveness. I like it. \*\* Along similar lines, I like U2’s cover of Cole Porter’s _Night and Day_ – a song I usually associate with Fred Astaire in top hat and tails, sighing languidly over thoughts of Ginger Rogers. The U2 version has a raw edge to it, and sounds as if Bono really has been up day and night, night and day, over this obsessive love. ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/19 "2003-12-18T15:57:03Z")
Dynamite Hacks cover of Boyz N The Hood is excellent. ---
**Author:** ![karomon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@karomon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/karomon)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717/20 "2003-12-18T16:17:53Z")
I like the Sex Pistols’ cover of “I’m Not Your Stepping Stone” (was that what it was called … ?) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/improbable-covers-that-didnt-suck/219717.md?page=2)