# Which Song is Better the Original or the Remake? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2000, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018 "2000-11-20T20:06:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/1 "2000-11-20T20:06:07Z")
For these songs and you can add your own if you like. “Pretty Woman”…Roy Orb or Van Halen? “Smokin in the Boy’s Room”…Brownville Station or Motley Crue “I Will Always Love You”…Dolly Parton or (can’t remember her name - someone will help) “Hair of Dog”…Guns and Roses or Nazareth “Live and Let Die”…Paul McCartney or Guns and Roses Well? And like said feel free to add other ones I left off ---
**Author:** ![Spritle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Spritle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spritle)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/2 "2000-11-20T20:25:30Z")
to your question, it was Bobby Brown’s slam, that-dope totin’, court-date-skippin’, Whitney Houston. Now, to the point. We tend to like original tunes more than re-makes solely because we hear them first. This song, melody, rhythm, etc. gets “implanted” in our minds and it becomes the benchmark for all subsequent songs. That said, I challenge anyone to listen to Eva Cassidy and say that she did not do “Fields of Gold” better than Sting could ever have dreamed. Similarly, she does a cover of Cindi Lauper’s “Time After Time” that will make defensive linemen get goose-bumps. I’m no big CL fan, mind you, but that tune (and “True Colors” are reasonable). Alas, there will be precious few new releases from EC as she died in 1996 of cancer at age 33. What a profound loss. Students of singing will do well to give any of her albums a listen. Shawn Colvin has a nice album out called “Cover Girl” which, aptly, contains all covers. She does one hell of a job with Tom Waits’ “Looking for the Heart of Saturday Night” and Roly Sally’s “Killing the Blues” (which had been butchered by the venerable John Prine). ---
**Author:** ![broccoli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@broccoli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/broccoli)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/3 "2000-11-20T20:49:13Z")
uh… Van Halen Motley Crue Neither Guns N’ Roses Guns N’ Roses also: “Take on me” A-ha or Reel Big Fish? “Boys N the Hood” Eazy E (sp?) or Dynamite Hack? “Dancin’ with myself” Billy Idol or Blink 182 “Spiderman Theme” origional or the Ramones? ---
**Author:** ![Wildest\_Bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Wildest\_Bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wildest_Bill)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/4 "2000-11-20T21:00:39Z")
brocolli, First, your user name just cracks me up. Did you pick it from Dana Carvey SNL skit? Second, I don’t care about the middle one (“I will always love you”) either I just through it in to blow peoples minds. 😃 Terrible arn’t I? I did’t know Blink 182 did a remake of “Dancing With Myself” which one was better? It is hard to believe anything could be better than Idol’s versian. Thanks spritle I couldn’t remember her name. You know what’s funny she always looked stoned to me turns out she was. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/5 "2000-11-20T21:01:21Z")
For many people the original single releases are the definative ones but one notable exception has to be Carole King’s - Will you still love me tomorrow? The single was first put out by the Shirelles but Carole’s version, which she wrote in first place, is far better. She wrote many songs that were released by others but hers were nearly always the best like ‘Up on the roof’ I always preferred Ray Steven’s version of ‘Misty’ to the Johnny Mathis one. Nazerath’s version of Joni Mitchell’s ‘This flight tonight’ is in my opinion equal to the original. I’d agree about Eva Cassidy her singing was very personal and intimate, terrible loss. ---
**Author:** ![HalberMensch242](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecb155/32.png) [@HalberMensch242](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HalberMensch242)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/6 "2000-11-20T21:04:13Z")
I got a couple of more for ya: “Blue Monday”-Orgy or New Order? “Sand”-Nancy Sinatra or Einsturzende Neubauten? “stripped”-depeche mode or Rammstein? “get down and make love”-Queen or NIN? “circlin overland”-front242…or VnV nation? ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/7 "2000-11-20T21:33:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by broccoli! \* > \*\*uh… > Van Halen > Motley Crue > Neither > Guns N’ Roses > Guns N’ Roses > \*\* Agree > [@](#): > > \*\* > also: > “Take on me” A-ha or Reel Big Fish? > “Boys N the Hood” Eazy E (sp?) or Dynamite Hack? > “Dancin’ with myself” Billy Idol or Blink 182 > “Spiderman Theme” origional or the Ramones? > \*\* 1. AHA (real big fish sux. They slaughtered gigantic by the pixies) 2. Who’s cares? 3. Billy Idol (Blink 182’s version is on the ‘before you were punk’ cd. Jugheads revenge performs the only decent cover on it which is Rod Stewarts Young Turks) 4. Ramones ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/8 "2000-11-20T21:40:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wildest Bill \* > \*\*For these songs and you can add your own if you like. > > “Pretty Woman”…Roy Orb or Van Halen? > > “Smokin in the Boy’s Room”…Brownville Station or Motley Crue > > “I Will Always Love You”…Dolly Parton or (can’t remember her name - someone will help) > > “Hair of Dog”…Guns and Roses or Nazareth > > “Live and Let Die”…Paul McCartney or Guns and Roses > > Well? And like said feel free to add other ones I left off > \*\* Van Halen. Motley, baby! 🙂 Don’t care; haven’t heard the Dolly Parton one. Haven’t heard either. Probably G N R if I had to choose. Here are some new ones: Knocking on Heaven’s Door- Bob Dylan or Guns N Roses? Turn the Page- Metallica or Bob Seger? Time After Time- INOJ or Cindy Lauper ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/9 "2000-11-20T21:43:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spritle \* > \*\* > > Now, to the point. We tend to like original tunes more than re-makes solely because we hear them first. This song, melody, rhythm, etc. gets “implanted” in our minds and it becomes the benchmark for all subsequent songs. > > \*\* I agree in most cases, with the exception of the Beatles. Their covers almost always replaced the originals as standards. Think “Twist and Shout”, “Money (That’s What I Want)”, "Baby It’s You’, etc. Also, to my knowledge, no one has ever covered an original Beatles song and done a better job. Another example that comes to mind of a better cover version is Husker Du’s “Sunshine Superman”. Blew the hell out of Donovan’s original. ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/10 "2000-11-20T21:48:13Z")
Anything by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes vs. any of the originals. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/11 "2000-11-20T21:49:06Z")
American Woman : The guys who did it first, or Lenny Kravitz? ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/12 "2000-11-20T21:51:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by hypergirl \* > \*\*Anything by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes vs. any of the originals. \*\* GOOD CALL!! I love ‘leaving on a jet plane’ ---
**Author:** ![AETBOND417](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@AETBOND417](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AETBOND417)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/13 "2000-11-20T21:54:43Z")
“American Pie” - Don McLean or Madonna. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monster)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/14 "2000-11-20T22:03:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Cynical \* > \*\*American Woman : > > The guys who did it first, or Lenny Kravitz? \*\* Good God, man. I can’t believe you even asked this. The best part of this song is the beginning, "I said, A-ohh, M-uhh, E-ahh (and so on). And Lenny didn’t even do this. At least not in the radio version. The Guess Who sings it much better! ---
**Author:** ![absoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc8723/32.png) [@absoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/absoul)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/15 "2000-11-20T23:10:48Z")
Ummm, which is better - heroin or crack? Get off both! It’s always, always, always the original! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/16 "2000-11-20T23:51:19Z")
Not always. **The Locomotion** - Little Eva or Grand Funk Railroad? Gotta go with GFR on that one. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/17 "2000-11-20T23:53:34Z")
I have yet to hear a version of Yesterday that compares to the original. “End of the World” - not Gidget (done by same group as the one that did “26 miles”) but . . . crap! Can’t remember, but there are a lot of versions of that out. “Killing Me Softly” - Roberta Flack or Fugees? As for American Pie, don’t insult me with Madonna’s version. McLean did it far better. I’ve deleted Madonna’s version. And anything John Denver did over the remakes. ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2000, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/18 "2000-11-20T23:57:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by AETBOND417 \* > \*\*“American Pie” - Don McLean or Madonna. \*\* Please tell me you’re kidding. The two can NOT be compared. Madonna must die for ruining that song. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2000, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/19 "2000-11-21T04:28:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by absoul \* > \*\*Ummm, which is better - heroin or crack? > Get off both! > > It’s always, always, always the original! \*\* _Ahem!_ “Me and Bobbie McGee,” Kris Kristoferson or Janis Joplin? (For a hint, which version do you hear on the radio?) ---
**Author:** ![PowerpuffKue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@PowerpuffKue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PowerpuffKue)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2000, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018/20 "2000-11-21T04:47:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Batty \* > \*\*Not always. > > **The Locomotion** - Little Eva or Grand Funk Railroad? > Gotta go with GFR on that one. \*\* Didn’t Kylie Minogue (sp.) sing that too? As for “Dancing with myself”, I’d have to say Boomtang Boys did it best, but I never really liked the song in the first place. Here’s a stumper for ya: “What I am” Edie Brickell and the New Bohimians, or Emma B. (That’s Baby Spice) And A few others: “Cruel Summer” Bananarama or Ace Of Base “Across The Universe” Beatles or Fiona Apple “We’re Not Gonna Take It” Twisted Sister or Bif Naked “Never Never Gonna Give You Up” Barry White or Lisa Stansfield “Never Tear Us Apart” INXS or Tom Jones & Natalie Imbruglia “Sweet Child O’ Mine” Guns n Roses or Sheryl Crow “Faith” George Micheal or Limp Bizkit Personal Choices: Baby Spice Ace Of Base Fiona Apple Bif Naked Lisa Stansfield INXS Sheryl Crow George Micheal [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-song-is-better-the-original-or-the-remake/42018.md?page=2)