Walk Away, by the James Gang.
I saw John Hiatt this past summer, and a lot of his stuff sounds better live. “Tennessee Plates,” in particular was outstanding. I was passingly familiar with the song, but it never really did much for me. Something about the tone of Sonny Landreth’s guitar on the studio version doesn’t quite work for me. Whoever was doing guitar duty in the road band had a deeper, more growling tone, and it really helped the song. The end result was a bit looser, and just more fun.
The Police, “Message in a Bottle” and “Driven to Tears.”
The Go-Go’s, “Vacation.”
Si Kahn, “Send Me Back to Georgia.”
Saw them live once, at UVa ca. 1983, and it was pretty unexceptional compared to the recorded versions. Including “Burning Down the House.” They played it, but they didn’t, at least not that night.
Any Harry Chapin song.
Dire Straits and Sting - “Money for Nothing” from Live Aid.
All music if performed by competent musicans and singers is better live.
For a very good example I’d use Maiden’s The Trooper
Bit weedy recorded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTaD9cd8hvw
Lots of balls live http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSSHk0U9gv4
I nearly wore the groves down on my Live after Death.
Wow. This thread has more replies as a zombie than it did in its original incarnation.
Go zombie go!
“I’m So Afraid” - Fleetwood Mac. The live version really lets Lindsey stretch out and wail on guitar.
Most stuff by Dashboard Confessional.
Dire Straits “Telegraph Road” from the live album “Alchemy” is much better than the original.
Mark Knopfler agrees.