Covers that are better than the original

[Worgen]

As the topic says, what are some cover versions of songs that are better than the original song.

I'll start wtih the Robyn Adele Anderson version of numb

Then lets do some Within Temptation doing a over of Radioactive

And finish with a RichaardEB metal cover of Bad Apple!!

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

I think the best covers are the ones that are transformative in nature, and not just in style or sound. Hence:
A cliched choice perhaps but while Reznor's original is great, the song's lyrics take on a completely new and poignant meaning when sung by Cash, a visibly and audibly frail old man on his way out who is acutely aware of that fact.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Charly Garcia's 1990 rendition of The Byrds' 1965 "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better".

 

[Silvanus]

Harry Nilsson's version of Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'". Its almost certainly the most widely recognised version.

 

[Elfgore]

snip

Oh yeah, this is a popular one right here. I enjoy both versions of this, but it's a good showing of a theme change as well as style change.

First choice and only choice for now, Earfquake by Tyler the Creator, covered by Galleons. The original is OK, this one just has more energy to it my mind. Plus it's in a genre I enjoy.

 

[Trunkage]

I think the best covers are the ones that are transformative in nature, and not just in style or sound. Hence:
A cliched choice perhaps but while Reznor's original is great, the song's lyrics take on a completely new and poignant meaning when sung by Cash, a visibly and audibly frail old man on his way out who is acutely aware of that fact.

+1

Another transformative one, and a tribute to Bennington


Happy but sounding exactly like John Butler. Sorry, it takes a minute to get started


Kasabian going Insane

 

[EvilRoy]

I'll go a weirder route and suggest Personal Jesus as covered by Marilyn Manson


He takes a song that's generally pretty good, with a side of "I'm a sex symbol", and takes it a couple steps further, which seems to be all that needed to happen for it to go to creepy town.

 

[BrawlMan]

Duran Duran's Ordinary World done by The Hit House



Subhuman, Little V version.


In The Bar (Streets of Rage Remake)

 

[09philj]

Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush is, secretly, a brilliant punk rock anthem.

 

[Worgen]

Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush is, secretly, a brilliant punk rock anthem.

Thats pretty good but I think this is a better cover of it.

It needs that Jimmy Urine touch.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

How is there no mention of All Along the Watchtower yet? Jimi's version is one of the best songs ever and it's a cover.


VS

 

[the December King]

I always thought the cover of The Boys of Summer by the Ataris was waay more energetic and manic than the original by Henley. The original is still a great song, though.

...

When I listen to Set the World On Fire by Fun, I add in the tune from The Blood Of Cu Chulainn (2010) during the refrain. It (and the rum, obviously,) makes me feel immortal.

I like to dance when drinking.

It's the bulk of my exercise.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Down with the Sickness - Richard Cheese

Somebody That I Used to Know - Walk off the Earth

Bohemian Rhapsody - Weird Al Yankovic
[sub][sup][sub]Okay, maybe not but I love it anyway![/sub][/sup][/sub]

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Here's a few more:

Scott Pilgrim's version of Black Sheep:

Postmodern Jukebox has, obviously, quite a few great covers, my favorite is easily Haley Reinhart's Creep:

Shiina Ringo does an amazing job transforming The Beatles 'Yer Blues' akin to what Jimi did with All Along the Watchertower:
https://mp3.pm/song/21855959/Shiina_Ringo_-_Yer_Blues_The_Beatles_Cover/

I really like this Doctor Who cover of Don't Stop Me Now:

And, of course, Led Zeppelin has a bunch of amazing "covers".

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

It's hard to say what is and isn't a cover sometimes, but these are the ones I know.

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And I don't know if this counts, but I'll add it anyway.
More of a remix maybe..

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[twistedmic]

I think the Alien Ant Farm cover of 'Smooth Criminal' is far superior to the original
And the metal covers done by Leo Moracchioli of Frog Leap Studios on youtube https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=frog+leap+studios are better than the originals.
The man made 'Barbie Girl' not only tolerable, but enjoyable.

 

[Trunkage]

How is there no mention of All Along the Watchtower yet? Jimi's version is one of the best songs ever and it's a cover.


VS

Clearly that's the wrong answer. This is the best version. Intro goes for 2.5 mins. But I like the intro. I will say that the titular sentence in this version is worse


OT: I also remembered this one. Also very different from the original

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Hm, transformative is best when provided, but no hard lines drawn if it done good enough. There's probably too many to pick from Postmodern Jukebox, as adding skilled soul and/or jazz kinda makes music of any quality good and any already good music marginally better.

Spoiler: Not enough to avoid trying tho

Ah fuck, YouTube no worky in spoiler still? Well I tried!

(Am counting this as better than original solely because Mario cannot tapdance, the uncultured swine!

-

Sorry, moving on...a kinda DnB cover of Foo Fighters;


A kinda triphop cover of Joy Division;


Chill The Prodigy cover, perhaps only better cause have heard the original so many times anything fresh about it is good enough

Brass Against (the machine) wake up, not sure if better or just different yet. Know your enemy is also alright

The Pot, Toolio

Honourable mentions to others already mentioned, as well as a few Marilyn Manson tracks, some other more popular choices like Jeff Buckley, Cash etc. List is already too long damnit

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

How is there no mention of All Along the Watchtower yet? Jimi's version is one of the best songs ever and it's a cover.


VS

Clearly that's the wrong answer. This is the best version. Intro goes for 2.5 mins. But I like the intro. I will say that the titular sentence in this version is worse

Good gravy I cannot disagree more strongly with that All Along the Watchtower cover.


I don't know if this song was a hit for Bryan Adams, but its just....awkward sounding. To slow in the tempo, the lyrical delivery is stilted a little.


Okay I'll dock a point because of just how many insufferably generic Anime AMVs this song aided in the creation of but I cannot truly blame the artist for blasphemies committed by the listeners. This is honestly the more natural sounding rendition of the song, hell when I first heard it I thought it was DJ Sammy's song.

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

I'll start wtih the Robyn Adele Anderson version of numb

Not a huge Linkin Park fan, and I usually don't bother commenting when I see something like this, but I am truly in awe of how absolutely fuckin' horrible this was. How can anyone prefer this to the original is beyond me. It's boring, lazy and pathetic in every way imaginable. Completely misses the point of the original. All they did was sing a boring version of the song. No effort whatsoever into crafting something unique. Any talentless hack with rudimentary musical skills could have accomplished the same thing.

I always thought that Bruce Springsteen's "Jersey Girl" was superior to Tom Waits' original:

No such list would be complete without Jimmy Hendrix's version of "All along the watchtower". It's so famous, most people don't even know that it's originally Bob Dylan's song:

How is there no mention of All Along the Watchtower yet? Jimi's version is one of the best songs ever and it's a cover.


VS

Ah hell, I got ninja'd!

But as much as I love Hendrix, possibly the best cover/adaptation of any song ever is Sinead O'Connor's rendition of Nothing Compares 2U. Original version is by Prince.