Song Covers that are better then the original?

[Ekit]

 

[repeating integers]

Are covers of poetry counted?

<youtube=zlWb1BV4Qmw>

 

[anthony87]

This thread needs moar Shatner!

 

[greyscarf]

I'd have to say Thom Yorke's cover of Roxy Music's "2HB." Don't get me wrong, I worship the original but Bryan Ferry's vocal sounds, well, a little goofy. Thom Yorke's voice has the whole spooky/seductive vibe down.

Also Elliot Smith's cover of Big Star's "Thirteen" is impressively sweet & vulnerable. But I don't know if I could say I love it better than the original.

 

[Spakka]

Brothers Johnson, Strawberry Letter 23!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC1TBxflN2I

 

[Kinitawowi]

Word up, y'all!

Cameo's original:

And the greatest cover ever, as brought to you by Gun:

Korn's version was worse than Melanie G's.

Northern Kings' cover of Frank Sinatra's My Way.

I will see your Northern Kings and raise you Sid Vicious.

 

[Signa]

Technically not a cover but:
it is based off the original in at least one way, but I think it's way better.

 

[snappydog]

Jack Savoretti's version of Ring of Fire is in my opinion better than the original, as is Mike Tompkin's version of Paradise by Coldplay and Sam Tsui's of Somebody I Used To Know, both of which are a cappella versions. (Walk Off The Earth's version of the latter is also fantastic.)

snip

I must know where your avatar is from :3

 

[Kenbo Slice]

These two.

 

[Quazimofo]

I have difficulty picking any one of the covers this man and his associates has done. So many great video-game ones to chose from!

http://www.youtube.com/user/SongeLeReveur/videos?flow=grid&view=0

one of his most recent though, a classic of mario fame.

Spoiler

[youtube]youtube=knrwfTiN6mc[/youtube]

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

First, can people with Youtube embeds put them in spoilers? They are making the page very slow to load.

On-topic, these three. First two are embeds in spoilers, last one is the artist.

[spoiler="Mercy Seat" by Johnny Cash (original by Nick Cave)][/spoiler]

[spoiler="Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley (original by Leonard Cohen)][/spoiler]

Third, anything by 311Erock on Youtube.

 

[Poetic Nova]

Dog Day Sunrise, originally by Head Of David and I like it but Fear Factory did an amazing cover of it that I like more.

Spoiler

 

[Vigormortis]

I can think of seven off the top of my head:

Spoiler: Paradise Circus

Here's the original by Massive Attack:
Here's the amazing cover/remix by Gui Boratto:
Both version are incredible, but there's just something about the Gui Boratto version that resonates with me more.

Spoiler: All Along the Watchtower

This is the original by Bob Dylan, of which is still as impactful as it was in years past:
However, both the Jimi Hendrix and the Bear McCreary versions added more emotion and more grandness to the already great song:

Spoiler: World on Fire

Original by Sarah McLachlan:
Cover/remix by Tom Holkenborg:

Spoiler: Mad World

Original by Tears for Fears:
Gary Jules cover:

Spoiler: Hurt

Nine Inch Nails original:
Johnny Cash's absolutely immaculate cover:

Spoiler: My Body is a Cage

Arcade Fire's original version:
Peter Gabriel's dark, grandiose cover:
Peter Gabriel's version still gives me shivers. No matter how many times I hear it.

Spoiler: Nothing Else Matters

Metallica original:
Apocalyptica's cover, which just speaks to my soul:

 

[Dr. Doomsduck]

Take on me by the Northern Kings, basically anything these guys make is both hilarious and good to listen to.

 

[MrGrey]

This is just because I'm more into rock than jazz but Foo Fighter's cover of Baker Street in easily one of my favorite songs. The original is by Gerry Rafferty.

Spoiler: Foo Fighters Cover

Spoiler: Original I think

 

[mechashiva77]

I've got two for you. One is an actual cover. There's a guy that does songs with JUST his voice. He does a little editing for the bass, but that's about it.

Spoiler: Original by Coldplay

Spoiler: Cover by Mike Tompkins

And in lieu of the Bad Lip Reading someone posed earlier, I like his version of "Boom Boom Pow" by the Black Eye Peas. It brought me to tears I was laughing so hard.

 

[SonOfVoorhees]

Johnny Cash's Cover of Nine Inch Nails "Hurt". That cover is amazing, and so much better. But it is Johnny Cash so of course it is.

I prefer the original, but Cashs version was awesome. Mostly because he relates to the song to his life.

 

[Courier_87]

For me it's:

Emily Browning's version of Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) from the Sucker Punch soundtrack
Lacuna Coil's covers of Enjoy the Silence and Losing My Religion
Rammstein's cover of Kraftwerk's The Model and Depeche Mode's Stripped
Reel Big Fish did a fantastic ska/punk version of Take On Me
Johnny Cash's version of Personal Jesus, the gravel in his voice just fits the song for me

 

[mateushac]

Live and Let Die cover by Guns n' Roses (Axl's voice was tailored for this tune!)

Spoiler: the original by Paul McCartney (which is by no means bad)

Spoiler: GnR's cover

Granted there isn't that much of a difference between the versions, I just like axl's voice better in this one.