What songs have had covers that were better than the original?

[Gaiseric]

Mr Sandman by Blind Guardian(original artist The Chordettes)

Deliver the Goods by Iron Savior(original artist Judas Priest)

 

[ninja51]

Say what?! Ram Jam's Black Betty is a classic, its freaking awesome!

As to the question, ive got two off of the top of my head. Both are live covers, but they are truely truely fantastic



Of course this one had to have a bunch of obnoxious pricks talking in it, but its very in the background thankfully

 

[Doitpow]

right I got a couple,

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[Caligulove]

Brazilian artist Seu Jorge did a whole bunch of David Bowie covers in Portugese, I think some of them are better than the originals, or at least bring a little bit more beauty to them. Bowie himself said that he's glad that Seu Jorge did the covers, as they lead to his own greater appreciation and confidence in his own aging work.

Spoiler: Life on Mars by Seu Jorge

 

[ms_sunlight]

This!

 

[WishThisWasIGN]

IMO; A Static Lullaby's cover of 'Toxic' by Britney is far better. I admit, I actually, objectively, like the original just... ASL are more up my street.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xwXOj55nIY

 

[Con Carne]

This post was done in February, so I just went digging through the archives so I could copy and paste my previous answer.
Careless Whisper done by Seether.
Smooth Criminal done by Alien Antfarm.
War Pigs, I Will Survive and Never Gonna Give You Up all done by Cake.
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. done by Disturbed.
I know there are a few more that are coming to mind at the moment.
Breed by Otep
Bad Company by 5 Finger Death Punch
Rebel Yell by Dope
Spin Me 'Round by Dope
In the Air Tonight by Nonpoint
Faith by Limp Bizkit
Electric Avenue by Skindred (I did notice someone say it however)
Let the Good Times Roll by Powerman 5000

I know there are more that I can't quite think of right now.

 

[Nuds1000]

much respect to Son House and his version of Death Letter Blues
http://youtu.be/8jN5vqEyV7g
but then the White Stripes got their hands on it and well this happened...
http://youtu.be/-t1_ETuWIbE

also nirvana with this gem that they covered from Leadbelly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6yCEsDsGx4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pBrDjSFT_E&feature=related

 

[ChocoFace]

Disturbed's covers:
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Land Of Confusion

I can't really recall any more right now as it's 4 AM.

I really liked that Mr. Sandman one someone mentioned here.

 

[Merkavar]

Toxicity with electric violins

Spoiler

 

[SeriousIssues]

"Heartless" By Kayne West was covered by the Fray.
I think it turned out great, even better. It sounds a lot more sad than Kayne's version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OyN7PM6Uh4

 

[Sacman]

Breed by Otep

ok most of those I can agree on but this one... I've listened to it before and it's pretty much the same song but it undermines the minimalistic production approach that made the original great and adds stuff that IMO doesn't really need to be there and sort of distracts and diminishes just what's good about the song... just my opinion anyway...<.<

 

[Ninmecu]

Behind Blue Eyes covered by Limp Bizkit, The Who (afaik) are the original singers, felt like it had no emotion, wasn't being sung so much as being...I dunno, uttered?

 

[elvor0]

I consider this....
To be an improvement on this.

I'd say they were both equally as good in their own way, I prefer the Priest version because of my guitar fetish, but Joan's is obviously more personal because it's about her life.

That and this version of Diamonds and Rust that Priest did is great too, depends on what mood I'm in but they both equally kick ass.


Plus this live version of it with Joan playing is blinding:

 

[instantbenz]

Anberlin - True Faith

New Order's version is great and all, but I think there's more passion in the Anberlin cover.

 

[Con Carne]

Breed by Otep

ok most of those I can agree on but this one... I've listened to it before and it's pretty much the same song but it undermines the minimalistic production approach that made the original great and adds stuff that IMO doesn't really need to be there and sort of distracts and diminishes just what's good about the song... just my opinion anyway...<.<

I won't disagree with your points. I just don't like Nirvana. I also like the heaviness of Otep's version.

 

[Sacman]

also nirvana with this gem that they covered from Leadbelly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6yCEsDsGx4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pBrDjSFT_E&feature=related

not to say it's a bad song because it's one of Nirvana's best performances ever... but it's not really Leadbelly's song... it's just an old Folk song with no real author that's been performed for ages... like The House of The Rising Sun...<.<

 

[halomech15]

Judas Priest's covers of Diamonds and Rust (which was mentioned above), and of The Green Manalishi. But not of Johnny B. Good. That was absolutely terrible.

 

[elvor0]

Judas Priest's covers of Diamonds and Rust (which was mentioned above), and of The Green Manalishi. But not of Johnny B. Good. That was absolutely terrible.

Their Green Manalishi cover kicks metallic arse. The Johnny B Goode cover is awful, but I love it all the same, just because it's so funny to listen to, which I think was the point, just them pissing about, like CoB covering Brittany Spears Oops I did it again

 

[Acier]

I second the Mad World and Superstar covers.

But it's an absolute crime no one has mentioned this yet.


I mean, have you even heard the original? You just can't top that girl's growl.