Covers that are better than/you like better than the originals.

SubJeff on 3/8/2011 at 18:36

So I was listening to some 80s stuff the other day (I have a couple of playlists with stuff that brings back memories) and Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush came on.

Thing was, I have the Placebo cover on another playlist I listened to not so long ago. And you know what? I realised that I prefer the Placebo pace and instruments. His voice is nowhere near as good but still, it's a good cover - it had something good to work with mind.

Oh, and there's this: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0f2aZgttpk)

Fast forward a day or so and Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics was on. I prefer the Manson version because a.it's more polished and more importantly b.it's darker. The original was pretty dark but he seems to have enhanced it to where it should have been.

And yesterday I was listening to Type O Negative and remembered how awesome the Summer Breeze cover was.

So, enlighten me - what covers do you think are better or, if you accept they aren't actually better, do you just like.

I kind of dig the Far Corporation cover of Stairway to Heaven. don't hurt me

Briareos H on 3/8/2011 at 18:48

Think I already posted (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=542wz4eC9nU) that here (cover of Bowie's Space Oddity).

Syndy/3 on 3/8/2011 at 20:15

Quote Posted by Subjective Effect

Fast forward a day or so and Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics was on. I prefer the Manson version because a.it's more polished and more importantly b.it's darker. The original was pretty dark but he seems to have enhanced it to where it should have been.

Go wash out your mouth you filthy little liar. That hollow poser takes whatever he can get and turns it into poprock while desperately trying to keep up his façade of being some kind of dark tormented soul. Evidence B: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfsLZIh34yI) Working Class Hero by Manson

Sweet Dreams when it came out was so far ahead of its time with its relentless electro beats, the androgynous Ms Lennox and cows! Not even Manson can destroy that. Just because he caters to your feeble 90s crossover heart doesn't mean you're allowed to slander this pure and holy 80s anthem that gave birth to whole new genres of music, while Manson yet has to create anything remotely as good or important himself. Go now. There's nothing to talk.

N'Al on 3/8/2011 at 20:31

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcSSST3PYWs) Dancing in the Moonlight - Smashing Pumpkins (not Thin Lizzy)

Purgator on 3/8/2011 at 20:41

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucOjx01zwrE) José González - Put Your Hand On Your Heart.
I don't even like Kylie, but this is pretty damn good.

demagogue on 3/8/2011 at 21:09

If I have to pick one, Van Zandt's version of the Stone's Dead Flowers for the credit roll for The Big Lebowski.

Edit: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBwC7Qzljso) link

(Putting aside the version of "I get by with a little help from my friends" at the start of Wonder Years, which gets demoted for the association with Fred Savage.)

Some others...

Uncle Tupelo's version of Dylan's Moonshiner, I posted somewhere not too long ago. (edit: Google tells me this is an old folk song, so scratch that I guess).

Ray LaMontagne's version of Gnarl's Barkeley's Crazy is really good, though I don't want to say one is better than the other.

Same with Gary Jules cover of Mad World, but that was one of my favorite tracks from the Tears for Fears album that goes way back with me, so I can't say it's "better".

Kuuso on 3/8/2011 at 21:33

I Started a Joke by Faith No More is a fantastic cover, not quite unsure if better than the Bee Gees' classic, but damn near anyways. Both have their own flair, which only proves that it's an effective cover. All in all, I shed a tear, when I saw this live two years ago.
Bee Gees:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRNTQvXSsfA)
Faith No More:
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4J-9k13zWLQ)

SubJeff on 3/8/2011 at 21:55

Quote Posted by Syndy/3

Go wash out your mouth you filthy little liar...

Hey, I know it's not popular to like the newer stuff but I like what he did with it.

Yeah, dema, I really like that Ray LaMontagne cover, and Gary Jules one. Once again with Mad World, cool as the original is I like the Gary Jules one a little better because it's so much more melancholy, which suits both the music and the lyrics so well.

Surprised I haven't been chewed out over Zeppelin.

nbohr1more on 3/8/2011 at 22:03

I love Van Morrison's (or should I say Them's) cover of Bob Dylan's "It's all over now, Baby Blue"

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_All_Over_Now,_Baby_Blue)

I have been wishing for a double-cover:

Take Jimi Hendrix's version of "Can you please crawl out your window" and replace the vocals with Van Morrison's from the Them era.

In fact, get a Jimi impersonator and Van impersonator and cover all the notable Bob Dylan tunes.

Add harpsichord ala "Everyone Everyone"

Also, Metallica's "Am I Evil" is better than Diamond Head's version.

Ween's cover of Crosby Stills Nash and Young's "OHIO" is fantastic!!!!

Syndy/3 on 3/8/2011 at 22:26

Mmkay, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFpke-KqGFo) Robyn's version of (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9rZ4fOHReo) Prince's When doves cry is tighter than the original, more pronounced and danceable, less jazzy. Basically a stripped down to the bare essentials cover that works.

+1 for Townes van Zandt's Dead Flowers
And making good covers of Dylan songs has always been easy.