# Songs you prefer in their acoustic versions **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567 "2003-01-19T01:37:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/1 "2003-01-19T01:37:54Z")
Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus” sounds better to me done acoustically; it sounds more haunting and melancholy that way. Your preferences? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/2 "2003-01-19T04:06:12Z")
I won’t say I prefer it to the Allman Brothers (or Taj Mahal) version (I like them all), but Alice Stuart has a terrific acoustic version of “Stateboro Blues.” ---
**Author:** ![Tree\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9dc877/32.png) [@Tree\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tree_Boy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/3 "2003-01-19T05:42:42Z")
She Wolf by Megadeth ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/4 "2003-01-19T05:44:27Z")
Ani diFranco has two versions of Out of Range on the same album, and the acoustic version is many magnitudes better. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/5 "2003-01-19T05:55:18Z")
The Pernice Brothers had a pretty good song on their first album called “All I Know.” As re-released on their all-acoustic “Australia 2002” ep, it’s probably the best thing they’ve ever done. ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/6 "2003-01-19T07:11:48Z")
U2 has a studio mix of “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” that features a strong acoustic guitar line. It’s far superior to the version found on _Achtung Baby_, IMO. I also prefer Gomez’s acoustic version of “Rhythm and Blues Alibi”. ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/7 "2003-01-19T07:13:04Z")
I like “All Apologies” better on the Unplugged album, though I like the original too. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/8 "2003-01-19T07:15:10Z")
Layla. The acoustic version Clapton did a few years ago was incredible. ---
**Author:** ![Keith\_Berry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/22d042/32.png) [@Keith\_Berry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keith_Berry)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/9 "2003-01-19T08:51:24Z")
“Like Suicide” by **Soundgarden**. Acoustic version tops the electric, though the electric is still very fine. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/10 "2003-01-19T09:27:41Z")
“Name” by the Goo Goo Dolls. The electric version has clunky drums. ---
**Author:** ![Reuben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/54ee81/32.png) [@Reuben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reuben)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/11 "2003-01-19T11:16:50Z")
I prefer Noel Gallagher’s recording of Slade’s “Merry Xmas Everybody” to the original. Just him and an acoustic guitar, the tempo slightly slower, and it works very well. ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/12 "2003-01-19T11:41:48Z")
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter In A Small Town by Pearl Jam I’ve Been High by REM Special Ones by george ---
**Author:** ![AchimbaProphet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2bfe46/32.png) [@AchimbaProphet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AchimbaProphet)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/13 "2003-01-19T12:33:40Z")
5 great ones that I can think of immediately (unsorted) Hide Your Love Away - Either the Eddie Vedder version or the Elvis Costello & Paul McCartney one If You Could Only See - Tonic Pardon Me - Incubus Shimmer - Fuel My Favourite Game - The Cardigans ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/14 "2003-01-19T16:29:26Z")
I once heard (on TV, as a background song in a drama) a slow, acoustic version of Elvis Costello doing “What’s So Funny About Peace, Love, and Understanding” that was incredibly poignant. If anyone knows if this came from a CD or what, I’d love to track down a copy of it. ---
**Author:** ![aaaaaarrgg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@aaaaaarrgg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaaaaarrgg)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/15 "2003-01-19T16:38:40Z")
everything by dashboard confessional before the crappy band showed up. his best is all just songs with him and his guitar. i second clapton’s layla. it blows the the original out of the water. also jeff gaines did a fabulous acoustic version of peter gabriel’s ‘your eyes’ ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/16 "2003-01-19T20:35:47Z")
Sarah McLachlan’s “Ice Cream” is a good song either way, but much better as an acoustic version (as heard on _The Freedom Sessions_). Also while it’s not exactly acoustic, Peter Gabriel’s softer version of “Steam” (called “Quiet Steam” as a single B-side) is _such_ an improvement. ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/17 "2003-01-19T20:58:23Z")
“Nutshell” and “Brother” by Alice in Chains. Especially “Brother,” because the album version sounds awful. I once heard an acoustic version of “Learn to Fly” by the Foo Fighters that kicked butt. The acoustic version of “The Four Horsemen” from Metallica’s radio special is pretty cool too. ---
**Author:** ![Gerome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Gerome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerome)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/18 "2003-01-20T02:48:49Z")
Ben Harper did an acoustic version of The Verve’s “The Drugs Don’t Work” that I thought was pretty amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/19 "2003-01-20T03:20:13Z")
—Elderly Woman Behind the Counter In A Small Town by Pearl Jam— But that was acoutstic in the original wasn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567/20 "2003-01-20T03:33:18Z")
Damn, **AchimbaProphet** , I was all ready to come in here and name Incubus’s _Pardon Me_, thinking no one else would have thought of it. Guess I was wrong. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-prefer-in-their-acoustic-versions/149567.md?page=2)