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Original poster

The best cover of a song is..............

415 replies

houseworkneverends · 11/07/2024 15:22

They wont go where I go - original Stevie Wonder, covered by George Michael. It's just perfect in every single way.

AIBU or do you think there is a better cover???

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23
tunainatin · 11/07/2024 22:14

StarsBeneathMyFeet · 11/07/2024 16:02

I love ‘I won’t back down’ by Johnny Cash. Even Tom Petty said it was great!

Travis were live on Chris Moyles show back in the late 90s/early 90s and they did an acoustic version of ‘Hit me baby one more time’, it was brilliant, they got the giggles!

I came on to Travis's version of hit me baby one more time. Glad I didn't dream it!

LimeShaker · 11/07/2024 22:12

Miles Cyrus - Don’t let the sun go down on me
Amy Winehouse - Will you still love me tomorrow?
The Killers - Romeo and Juliet

Also find a lot of the Kelly Clarkson covers (Kellyoke) amazing - she does a great cover of Billie Elilish’s Happier Than Ever and The Dance by Garth Brooks

DanielGault · 11/07/2024 22:11

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 11/07/2024 22:01

Elvis Costello cover of Nick Lowes what's so funny bout peace, love and understanding.
Kirsty Macoll Days.

Both great 👍

GanninHyem · 11/07/2024 22:05

plainjayne8282 · 11/07/2024 17:55

Strongly disagree with this one. The original is fantastic. I don't see what AAF have done really other than turn it into their style. I don't see that they've added anything to it.

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Isn't that the point? Lmao it's not a cover if you're adding to it. What did Whitney add to IWALY?

SlightlygrumpyBettyswaitress · 11/07/2024 22:01

Elvis Costello cover of Nick Lowes what's so funny bout peace, love and understanding.
Kirsty Macoll Days.

GentianCoffee · 11/07/2024 21:58

Nazareth This Flight Tonight

Mapletreelane · 11/07/2024 21:55

Pet Shop Boys - Always on my mind
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Joe Cocker - With a little help from my friends
Snead O'Connor - nothing compares 2 U

Possibly the worse ever: All Saints - Under the Bridge. Just no.

Woahtherehoney · 11/07/2024 21:45

Woahtherehoney · 11/07/2024 21:42

Also disagree, especially Red Red Wine.

Soft Cell’s cover of Tainted Love is quite possibly one of my favourite songs of all time.

Jimi Hendrix’s cover of All Along The Watchtower is also sheer perfection.

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Oh and I promise I have nothing against Bob Dylan but Guns N’ Roses cover of Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.

StitchVic · 11/07/2024 21:43

2023Tobeornottobe · 11/07/2024 15:32

You were always on my mind - Pet Shop Boys

Agree! The best covers (in my opinion) are ones that sound different from the original, and the end result is two really good versions of the same song.
On the other hand, nothing more annoying when a cover sounds almost identical to original. It’s just lazy (looking at you, Take That on ‘How Deep is your Love?’)

Woahtherehoney · 11/07/2024 21:42

DanielGault · 11/07/2024 21:39

Completely disagree.

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Also disagree, especially Red Red Wine.

Soft Cell’s cover of Tainted Love is quite possibly one of my favourite songs of all time.

Jimi Hendrix’s cover of All Along The Watchtower is also sheer perfection.

HernameisRio80s · 11/07/2024 21:40

I really love Japan's version of Smokey Robinson's 'I Second That Emotion'. David Sylvian's voice suits it so well.

Kirsty McColl's 'New England' is so much better than Billy Bragg's.

I'd say Siouxsie and the Banshees 'Dear Prudence' is better than the Beatles version.

The Lemonheads 'Mrs Robinson' is very different to Simon and Garfunkel's version and I prefer it.

The Arctic Monkeys 'I Wanna Be Yours' takes the John Cooper Clark original to a different level.

Franz Ferdinand's 'Call Me' is as good as Blondie's. Would struggle to choose a favourite version.

But Bryan Ferry's 'Jealous Guy' doesn't match the Lennon original.

DanielGault · 11/07/2024 21:39

skippy67 · 11/07/2024 21:37

Both absolutely awful.

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Completely disagree.

skippy67 · 11/07/2024 21:37

NewName24 · 11/07/2024 15:33

Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You

UB40's Red Red Wine

Both absolutely awful.

xsquared · 11/07/2024 21:21

StripedPiggy · 11/07/2024 16:52

Cover versions should be a distinctively different take to the original, rather than just a clone which is why I love Word Up by Gun. Hip hop has borrowed so much from rock, so it was great to hear a rock band borrow something back & absolutely smash it.

I agree. Good cover versions shouldn't sound as if the the cover artist is doing karaoke, and I was also going to offer Gun's "Word up" as my contribution.

Out of Eden did a great version of Bill Withers' Lovely Day, so 90s!

I can't help falling in love with you - UB40

Pippa246 · 11/07/2024 21:20

Stereophonics Handbags and gladrags
Depeche Mode Personal Jesus
Freemasons Uninvited (although Alanis Morissette when I’m having the blues!)

DanielGault · 11/07/2024 21:13

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 11/07/2024 20:53

Prelude's a capella version of Neil Young's "After the Goldrush"

That's brilliant! It really works with the song. They didn't actually have to do too much with it.

plainjayne8282 · 11/07/2024 20:59

Sheryl Crow does a great cover of The First Cut is the Deepest

AmaryllisNightAndDay · 11/07/2024 20:53

Prelude's a capella version of Neil Young's "After the Goldrush"

Purplebunnie · 11/07/2024 20:48

Appalonia · 11/07/2024 20:14

Respectfully disagree with you about Without You by Harry Nilsson c.f. Maria Carey. To me, the original version is so full of authentic pain it just hits you in the stomach but Maria's version just feels like she's showing off her vocal gymnastics and lacks honesty ( ie it's just a song to her, she's not really feeling it )
m.youtube.com/watch?v=G-ZDKirjQgM&pp=ygUZd2l0aG91dCB5b3UgaGFycnkgbmlsc3Nvbg%3D%3D

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Harry Nilsson was a cover in the first place. Originally written by Badfinger although never released as a single appears on their 1970 album No Dice

Mairzydotes · 11/07/2024 20:44

CassTheFox · 11/07/2024 18:08

It’s a mash up - Adina Howard and Gary Numan

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It's a mash up of a song previously released by another artist. It isn't an original song mashed up with a sample of another like Rihanna's Sos or Jamelia's Beware of the dog.

Elodie9 · 11/07/2024 20:44

Kelly Jones First time ever I saw your face is great but I adore Amy Winehouse (with Paul Weller and Jools Holland) singing Don't go to strangers come to me.
Epic.

Moonshiners · 11/07/2024 20:36

MoveToParis · 11/07/2024 20:32

I also prefer Cohen’s Hallelujah, but the Handsome Family singing Famous Blue Raincoat (especially the Live version is phenomenal).

I would love to hear a dark dark version of Who’s afraid of little Ol me.

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Oh I will have to check it out. That's one of my favourites Cohen songs.

MoveToParis · 11/07/2024 20:32

Moonshiners · 11/07/2024 15:41

I can't believe everyone likes the Disturbed version I found it so shit!
But I also prefer Leonard Cohen's version of hallelujah. I love his raspy voice.

I also prefer Cohen’s Hallelujah, but the Handsome Family singing Famous Blue Raincoat (especially the Live version is phenomenal).

I would love to hear a dark dark version of Who’s afraid of little Ol me.

ScottBakula · 11/07/2024 20:27

FlipFlops4Me · 11/07/2024 15:25

Disturbed's cover of Simon & Garfunkel's Sound of Silence. Incredible and brilliant. Even Paul Simon contacted Disturbed to say how good he thought it was.

I was going to say this too, I am not keen on Disturbeds own stuff but Sound of silence is amazing .