Cover Versions that are better than the Original?

[U2Man]

mary j. blige: one

 

[corianderstem]

'Rockin' in the Free World' by Pearl Jam

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Without a doubt, the best cover is...

Whiskey In The Jar...Metallica

Thin Lizzy's version is good.

Metallica's is a 10!!!

do interpretations of traditional irish music really count as covers?

 

[Popmartijn]

'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' by U2
'Stand by Me' by John Lennon

I can't agree with these two. The originals are still the best (the combination of Darlene Love and Phil Spector is unbeatable ). As for covers being better than the originals:

I second the ones of The Jimi Hendrix Experience with All Along The Watchtower (though I disagree with their version of Like A Rolling Stone being better) and The Beatles with Twist And Shout.

Some other suggestions:
The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
Jasper Steverlinck - Life On Mars (and also his cover of The Chemical Brothers' The Golden Path)
Elvis Presley - Love Me Tender
Aretha Franklin - I Say A Little Prayer (although it's a very close call with the original one by Dianne Warwick)
Joss Stone - Fell In Love With A Boy
Guns 'n Roses - Knockin' On Heaven's Door
Joan Osborne - Man In The Long Black Coat
Emmylou Harris - Every Grain Of Sand

 

[the rockin edge]

Got Itunes and an email?

The original is lightyears better btw.

shortofcash@gmail.com

thanks Brau!

 

[UberBeaver]

Ripple by Jane's Addiction.

 

[Zoots]

Guns 'n Roses - Knockin' On Heaven's Door

Hell yeah!

I don't like the Dylan version.

mary j. blige: one

Oh no you did not!

 

[LMP]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

well atleast the one with Bono.

I really like the Neil Young version too.

Guns N Roses - Sympathy For The Devil

I think I just vomited in my mouth a little.

 

[meegannie]

also the sundays 'wild horses' is one of my favourites.

 

[Dalton]

also the sundays 'wild horses' is one of my favourites.

That's my nomination.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Antony's cover of If It Be Your Will.

 

[the rockin edge]

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

i like the original song fine, but i much prefer the Pearl Jam version. something about eddies vocals, and the guitar.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Respect - Aretha Franklin

 

[love_u2_adam]

i found that u2s version of can't help falling in love is better then the Elvis version..please don't bitch me out

 

[circa1992]

'Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)' by U2

I was gonna say that!

 

[starsgoblue]

The obvious choice: "With A Little Help From My Friends", Joe Cocker

 

[corianderstem]

Ooh, a good one! I LOVE the backup singing on that track, especially going into the last chorus. Good stuff.

 

[Utoo]

Like everyone else said: Johnny Cash - 'Hurt'


And this one's not better than the original, but it's pretty damn close:

'Love Is Blindness' -- Tresspassers William

The 'Please' snippet is

 

[corianderstem]

I haven't heard Trespassers William's cover of LIB, but I absolutely love their cover of Suzanne Vega's "Left of Center."

 

[Bonos_Lemon]

Any cover done by Richard Cheese

 

[tonyhotland]

Teddy Thompson -- Tonight Will Be Fine (Leonard Cohen)
Mariah Carey -- Without You (forgot who sang this first)
Dixie Chicks -- Landslide (Stevie Nicks)
Stevie Wonder -- Redemption Song (Bob Marley)

oh, I really must say P. Diddy's (Puff Daddy? Pimp Daddy?) cover of The Police's Every Breath You Take....

 

[got_edge]

José González's cover of Heartbeats (The Knife).

 

[maynard]

NIN's Hurt is wayy better than cash's cover...

 

[HeartlandGirl]

Any cover done by Richard Cheese

His cover of "Down with the Sickness" is breathtakingly rad.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Re: Re: Cover Versions that are better than the Original?

Bruce Springsteen - Jersey Girl (fits Bruce like a glove)

It's a close call but I have to go with Tom Waits. Bruce's is great, but Tom Waits' is brilliant.

 

[WinnieThePoo]

Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys

 

[perrypickwick]

night and day - U2.

and
Helter Skleter from Rattle and Hum

 

[Hewson]

The correct answer is Hendrix' "All Along the Watchtower"

Runners up:
"You Really Got Me" Van Halen
"Sonic Reducer" Pearl Jam
"For You" Manfred Mann (Sorry Boss fans)
"Never Let Me Down Again" Smashing Pumpkins (not "Landslide")
"Dancing Barefoot" U2 ( how has this thread reached 4 pages with no mention of this?)
"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" Marilyn Manson

 

[The OOTS]

NIN's Hurt is wayy better than cash's cover...

 

[MacPhistoPT]

Pearl Jam - It's ok (Dead Moon)
Pearl Jam - Crown of Thorns (Mother Love Bone)
Pearl Jam - Crazy Mary (Victoria Williams)
Nirvana - The Man who sold the world (David Bowie)
Rage Against the Machine - Kick out the jams (MC5)

Hmm I like the Scissor Sisters' version of 'Comfortably Numb',

I also disagree with who said that Ryan Adam's Wonderwall is better than the Oasis version... Ryan Adams just made a watered down, boring, cheesy version of it...