What Covers of Songs Do You Prefer Rather Than the Original?

[FunkEngine12]

The Ewan McGregor cover of Elton John's "Your Song" from Moulin Rouge.

Don't get me wrong, I love me some Elton John, but McGregor's voice in this song is phenomenal, and it seems to me like it has more range and is just more dynamic than the original.

 

[AD-Stu]

Metallica's cover of Am I Evil stands out for me - hell, the fact that a lot of people think it is a Metallica track speaks volumes.

Other favourite improvements include any Dylan cover that Hendrix did, Stevie Ray Vaughan's covers of Voodoo Chile and Little Wing (and most of his other covers too, now that I think about it), Napalm Death's cover of Nazi Punks F&*k Off and yeah, like a lot of other people I'm quite partial to Killswitch Engage's cover of Holy Diver.

 

[Lunar Templar]

Disturbed - Shout
Disturbed - Land of Confusion
Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal
Johny Cash - Hurt

with a special nod to ..
Korn - The Wall part 1, 2, an 3
for not so much being better, but doing really well

snip

as some one who likes that cover, the actual video, sucks, and sucks hard

 

[Jordan Snidal]

anything made by me first and the gimme gimmes is better than the original

 

[thatgeekbronnie]

I really love Tool's cover of No Quarter.

 

[SolanumX2]

Lights did a cover of Behind Blue Eyes by The Who. It's the greatest cover of anything in the history of everdom.

 

[Warforger]

I keep seeing it and I can't stand it! Heavy metal and screaming absolutely destroys the sublime sounds and message of "Land of Confusion"! The official music video with its creepy puppet representations of Ronald Reagan and his wive, major celebrities and leaders in the '80s, and of course Collins, Banks, and Rutherford, should cinch its place in music history and make it ten times better than a cartoon black-hooded creature punching an overweight man representing banks a-la the Disturbed version's music video.


There is a version out there with sound effects (marching feet, individuals speaking during the guitar solo, etc.), but I couldn't find it. If you find it, please post it.

Yah Disturbed aren't the brightest members of society and their music tends to be really generic. While I'd say this is a good cover of an old song that was only 3 stanza's and was made out of haste for a forgotten movie with Keira Knightly.

 

[Kushin]

A cover of a song so manly that every woman who listens to it becomes pregnant and even some men too, somehow...

Masaaki Endoh with Sorairo Days.

 

[maturin]

Hurt, by Nine Inch Nails, covered by Johnny Cash, is probably the biggest overshadowing by a cover in the history of music.

 

[AdumbroDeus]

Imagine by a perfect circle

Beetle's version was obviously awesome, but I think the contemplative mood of the cover better suited the themes.

 

[RichardThompson]

Hinder - Thunderstruck

 

[Pharsalus]

Save Ferris's cover of "Come on Eileen". Oh and Sonata Arctica's cover of "The Wind Beneath My Wings."

 

[WalkableBuffalo]

...
Wish there wasn't so much hate for these guys

So glad that SOMEONE posted Five Finger Death Punch, I love them so much, I've never seen any hate for them, though none of my friends really like them anyway...

OT: AAF-Smooth Criminal
Metallica-Whiskey In The Jar
Gary Jules-Mad World
Korn-Word Up
Five Finger Death Punch-Bad Company

Don't think I like any that people haven't said yet though

 

[TheLoneBeet]

"Bad Company" by Five Finger Death Punch. The original is by a band called Bad Company. I'll post both videos. You'll all see why.

Spoiler: Bad Company version.

Bad Company version.

Spoiler: Five Finger Death Punch version.

Five Finger Death Punch version.

 

[Wuggy]

Definitely this:

Opeth - Soldier of Fortune (Original by Deep Purple)


The thing is that Åkerfeldt has a way better voice than Coverdale.

 

[darkcalling]

Pretty much every cover on Metallica's "Garage Inc." album. Especially "Turn the Page".

Though to be honest I had barely heard of most of the bands who played the originals when it came out.

 

[I am only a man]

Elton John- Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds (originally by The Beatles)
The Bad Plus- Everybody Wants to Rule the World (originally by Tears for Fears)
Hanson- Optimistic (originally by Radiohead; yep, THAT Hanson, just listen to it)
Maynard James Keenan- 21st Century Schizoid Man (originally by King Crimson)