Songs that are better as covers

[Kieran McConville]

In the spirit of recent threads, this one occured to me. Pretty fucking imaginative eh. What songs are in fact better in the hands of another artist?

I can think of a few:

Jeff Buckley does Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah
Catpower does the Stones' Satisfaction
Sinead O'Conner does Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U

 

[~LadyLemon~]

*Blue Suede Shoes-Elvis (carl perkins)
*Twist and Shout--The Beatles (isley brothers)
*Respect--Aretha Franklin (otis redding)

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Just as you find me
Always I will be
A little bit too free
With myself


[This message has been edited by ~LadyLemon~ (edited 04-12-2002).]

 

[brettig]

jimi hendrix does all along the watchtower

 

[The Wanderer]

Debbie does Dallas!

 

[Calluna]

Sky Cries Mary does 2000 Light Years From Home by the Rolling Stones.

it's so very lonely....

 

[Saracene]

I absolutely adore Neil Finn's acoustic take on "Billy Jean".

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

One of the all time best has to be Manfred Mann's cover of Springsteen's "Blinded by the Light"

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

Originally posted by Kieran McConville:

Catpower does the Stones' Satisfaction

I respectfully disagree here

 

[Clark W. Griswold Jr]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:
Debbie does Dallas!

Yes, if Jenna Jamison "covers" that one someday it will be a good thing!

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Run-DMC - Walk This Way
I prefer this over the Aerosmith original even though Aerosmith was featured in the song.
The Clash - I Fought the Law

 

[foray]

From the Tribute to John Lennon concert earlier this year, Sean Lennon & Moby & Ed Harcourt's rendition of 'Across The Universe'. It was beautiful!

Any cover of Cohen's Hallelujah (save Bono's) sounded better than the original.

As a matter of interest, has anyone attempted to cover Bjork? I can't imagine how it could be done successfully.

foray

 

[GrampsMagee]

Alvin and the Chipmunks' cover of Achy Breaky Heart. It is among my apey favorites.

*banana of music*

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"You might say I'm the 'top banana'!" ~ myself

 

[Mirrorball Man]

Ray of Light - Madonna
Emma - The Sisters of Mercy


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Rain from Heaven.

"You really shouldn't be doing that and you know it."

 

[Ace Rimmer]

Originally posted by brettig:
jimi hendrix does all along the watchtower

I agree, awesome.. easliy better than Dylans and U2s


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Smoke me a kipper
Ill be back for breakfast

 

[Saracene]

Originally posted by foray:
As a matter of interest, has anyone attempted to cover Bjork? I can't imagine how it could be done successfully.

foray

I don't know, I could see someone attempt to cover "Oh So Quiet".

 

[z edge]

Cars, released a couple of years ago by_____? I dunno who, but it rocked.

 

[zooropamanda]

I caught a glimpse of this movie recently where a bunch of school kids did just that, saracene. I have no idea what the film was, but it made me stop and watch because this group of 7 year olds were doing a dance number in tap shoes to "Oh so Quiet". BIZARRRRRE.

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*I am a cowgirl of funk*

 

[Lise]

Zooropamanda, I saw that movie too and it's called "Happy Texas". That was a bizarre movie.
I really like Ryan Adam's "When The Stars Go Blue" but I love Bono and The Corrs cover of that song.

[This message has been edited by Lise (edited 04-13-2002).]

 

[OzAurora]

Originally posted by Calluna:
Sky Cries Mary does 2000 Light Years From Home by the Rolling Stones.

it's so very lonely....

I aint never heard of Sky Cries Mary, but I would love to hear their take on this song- its one of my fave Stones songs

 

[OzAurora]

Originally posted by Mirrorball Man:
Ray of Light - Madonna

who originally did Ray of light????

 

[Angela Harlem]

Mrs Robinson-the Lemonheads

 

[Mirrorball Man]

Originally posted by OzAurora:

who originally did Ray of light????

I don't know the name of the group, but I've heard a bit of the original. I think it's a song from the 60's or early 70's. Madonna has changed some the lyrics but the writing credits are - Madonna, William Orbit, Clive Muldoon,Dave Curtis and Christine Leach.



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Rain from Heaven.

"You really shouldn't be doing that and you know it."

 

[Mirrorball Man]

I've just found out the original version is by Curtiss & Maldoon and is called 'Sepheryn'.

 

[Not George Lucas]

How can you say the Lemonheads' version of Mrs. Robinson is better? They totally ruined that song!

Back to the topic at hand, I think Jane's Addiction's version of Sympathy for the Devil is better than the Stones'.

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Truth is offensive.
I'm morally opposed to rape, and I would never rape anyone, but I think, ultimately, it's up to the rapist and no one else.

 

[dizzy]

Alana Davis' version of 32 Flavors (orig. by Ani di Franco)
The Corrs' Dreams

 

[oliveu2cm]

Originally posted by Kieran McConville:

Jeff Buckley does Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

Bono does Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

 

[Salome]

personally I'm waiting for Radiohead to cover the entire Zooropa album

that would make me weep from joy

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Salome
Shake it, shake it, shake it

 

[Angela Harlem]

Originally posted by Not George Lucas:
How can you say the Lemonheads' version of Mrs. Robinson is better? They totally ruined that song!

Back to the topic at hand, I think Jane's Addiction's version of Sympathy for the Devil is better than the Stones'.

Haha taste is indeed a weird thing. I dunno George, when I hear the Lemonheads version, I just hear the whole meaning thing a little better. Its weird. I really love the song though in general.

And um, I dont believe anyone can do a Stones song, esp Sympathy, better than the Stones themselves

 

[Hewson]

Originally posted by z edge:
Cars, released a couple of years ago by_____? I dunno who, but it rocked.

Fear Factory...of course featuring Gary Numan, who did it originally.


As for covers better than original:
U2's version of Dancing Barefoot
Manfred Mann's version of Springsteen's "For You"(Manfred made a living off the Boss, also covering Spirit in the Night, but he fell way short of Bruce on that one)
Van Halen's "You Really Got Me".
Pearl Jam's version of the Deadboys' "Sonic Reducer".
Hendrix' version of Watchtower is the quintessential cover song.

 

[Lemon Meringue]

As for covers better than original:
U2's version of Dancing Barefoot

[/B]

yes, yes....I LOVE this one!!!!!