Perhaps the ultimate example of this: The Grateful Dead. While they did make some great records, their live show took on a life of it’s own and it’s still going strong.
Paul Simon’s “American Tune” sung by him and Garfunkel on The Concert in Central Park. The harmonies and arrangement aren’t as polished as they would have been had it been a genuine S & G studio recording, but it’s just great to hear Artie on that one.
Parliament’s live “Do That Stuff” from the P Funk Earth Tour is the definitive version fo me.
Imo, all of the performances on Billy Joel’s Songs in the Attic beat the studio versions, especially “She’s Got a Way,” “Everybody Loves You Now,” “Los Angelenos,” and “Miami 2017.”
Just had to register to say I would have thought someone would have said: Peter Frampton and the songs from “Frampton Comes Alive”. Whether you liked his music or not, without a doubt, most people readily recognize at least one of these songs “Baby, I Love Your Way”, “Show Me the Way”, and/or “Do You Feel Like We Do”, from this live album, and many have never even heard the studio releases.
Plenty of songs by the Ramones.
I want you to want me Cheap Trick
“Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band
Dude, WMA at Madison Square Garden last year (complete with a backup choir) was the highlight of the night!! I’m pretty sure you meant to say EXAMPLE.
I had no appreciation for Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis & Chloe until I saw it live last month (performed by the Julliard Orchestra). That’s one ballet that’s meant to be enjoyed live, not coming out of speakers.
Free Bird!!! (holds lighter aloft)
mmm
Diamonds and Rust and Green Manalishi, Judas Priest.
Do You Feel Like We Do, Peter Frampton
Desperado by the Eagles
Ha ha. Funny.
Free Bird!!! <also holds lighter aloft>
Yes. I had been to a live “performance” of that piece years ago, and I couldn’t agree more.
And to answer the OP: Just about anything symphonic.
This may just be a case of preferring the first version that one hears of a song, but when I finally got around to hearing the studio version of Big Star’s “September Gurls,” it seemed kind of stiff to me. It just did not grab me the way that the live version I had been enjoying for years did. I was really surprised. I would have thought I’d have liked the studio version of the song even better than the live one.
← Immediate FOOCL (Falls Out Of Chair Laughing)
The Late Greats by Wilco.
“Midnight Rambler” by the Rolling Stones. The live version on Get Your Ya Yas Out totally smokes the studio version.
Most of Ministry’s stuff up through at least 1990, whether in concert or on a live album. The live version of “Stigmata” on In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Showing Up is still one of my favorite tracks, while the album version on The Land of Rape and Honey sounds really dated.
I’ve noticed that I tend to prefer live versions of singer/songwriter material, in general.
Amazing Journey by The Who is far better on Live at Leeds than it is on Tommy.
Also the solo at the end of Sympathy for the Devil.