I’m listening to my mp3 player the other day, and “Love Roller Coaster” came on-the Red Hot Chili Pepper’s version. I adore that song, but having heard the original, I wasn’t too crazy about the latter.
I feel the same way with the Beatles’ version of “Roll Over Beethoven”, and for that matter, Joe Cocker’s cover of “A Little Help From My Friends.”
And while I’m not too enthused over the original “Wild Horses”, the Sundays’ version is one of my favorite songs.
What remakes do you prefer?
The first one that comes to mind is “Land of Confusion” by Disturbed; it’s a bit more hard rock than the original by Genesis, and it works. The Todd McFarlane animation in the video also works well, tying the 80s lyrics to the present day.
I don’t remember who did it, but there was a hard rock/punkish cover of Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer” a few years back that was pretty good, too.
Elton John’s version of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” is better than the Beatles’ version. And Sinead O’Conner’s version of “Sacrifice” is better than Elton John’s version.
The Ataris. I prefer Henley’s version myself, having played “Building the Perfect Beast” over and over on auto-reverse for about a month.
Electric Light Orchestra has the best, and almost certainly longest, cover of “Roll Over Beethoven.” And to fit within the O.P., I do prefer it to Chuck Berry’s original.
Wilson Pickett owns “Hey Jude.”
Lots of older rock songs convert really well into modern rock. Alien Ant Farm did some great Michael Jackson remakes, and Genesis songs are particularly good when modernized by a hard rock band like Disturbed or Nonpoint.
The song I came in here to mention was the Chili Peppers version of Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder. I didn’t have any opinion of the song at all before I heard it on the hard rock station, and it took me a second to realize that this great sound came from such a mediocre original.
Reel Big Fish’s version of Hungry Like The Wolf. They give a sort of ska-punk-lounge singer vibe, and it just works. Plus the spoken intro is hilarious.
The Clash’s version of “I Fought the Law”
Holly Cole’s version of I can see clearly now. Although I like the original very much too.
It may be blasphemy, but I really like Hall & Oates’ recording of “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling.”
And I like Elton John’s version of “Pinball Wizard” better than the Who’s
Also the Beach Boys’ recording of “Crocodile Rock.” But I’ll give it to the Who for their cover of Eddie Cochran’s “Summertime Blues.”
From an Elton John/Bernie Taupin tribute album:
Bruce Hornsby: “Madman Across The Water”
Phil Collins: “Burn Down the Mission”
Oleta Adams: “Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me”
Roger Daltrey’s version of the last from the <i>The Lost Boys</i> soundtrack is also superior to Elton’s version IMO.
The Spinners: “Working My Way Back to You” rules next to Frankie Valli’s version, and yes, I DO dig the disco beat.
Local band Fighting Gravity does a KICKIN’ version of “Godzilla.”
I like both Soft Cell’s and Marilyn Manson’s versions of Tainted Love better than that original by Gloria Jones.
I like Manic Street Preachers’s version of “Umbrella” a lot - and I hate that song.
Anyone who has any interest whatsover in covers must go to Coverville and spend roughly 600 hours listening to the episodes.
I tend to like whichever version I heard first. After that, another version (whether or not it was made first of not) seems like a bad cover.
The one exception is when Mariah Carey butchered Nillsen’s “Without You”. I later learned that it is actually a good song. But then, I hate Mariah Carey.
I like the A*Teens’ remakes much better than the Abba originals. They did a full album of Abba covers.
Also, Tiffany’s cover of “I Think We’re Alone Now”, original by Tommy James & the Shondells.
*** Ponder
Both Sides Now: Joni Mitchell’s pensive 2000 recording, with symphony, over her 1969 recording.
Higher Ground: Red Hot Chili Peppers over Stevie Wonder.
Blinded by the Light: Manfred Mann’s Earth Band over Bruce Springsteen.
Fire: The Pointer Sisters over Bruce Springsteen.
I feel obliged to bring up Hendrix’s cover of “All Along the Watchtower.” That’s kind of the standard case of the cover beating the original.
I like Sparklehorse’s cover of “Wish You Were Here” (sung by Thom Yorke of Radiohead, over the phone from a hotel with the TV on in the background) better than Pink Floyd’s original.
Nina Simone’s version of “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free” is great, but in the hands of the Derek Trucks Band it’s probably my favorite song, period.
Sublime did a ton of great covers.
Steppin’ Razor
Hope
We’re Only Gonna Die From Our Own Arrogance
Smoke Two Joints
Rivers of Babylon
Scarlet Begonias
All better than the originals.
. . . ok, maybe not Scarlet Begonias :).
I like the Bauhaus cover of David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” better than the original.
Gog Help Me, I prefer the Pet Shop Boys version of “You Are Always On My Mind”.
Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”.
Electric 6’s “Radio GaGa”