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AIBU?

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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???

OP posts:
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23
Pashazade · 11/07/2024 20:26

Live and Let Die, Guns and Roses, as good as the original and possibly better depending on my mood.

Notmycatonmysofa · 11/07/2024 20:23

Lots of good ones on here, I’d like to throw in Dear Pudence - siouxsie and the banshees, must better than the Beatles

Topoftheflops · 11/07/2024 20:15

MysticCT · 11/07/2024 16:46

Guns N Roses Live and let die
Metallica Whisky in the jar
Ghost If you have ghosts/It's a sin/We don't need another hero
Volbeat Don't tread on me

Came on to say the guns n roses live n let die!! It's awesome.

Also agree with muse version you mentioned@needhelpwiththisplease it's heaven.

Appalonia · 11/07/2024 20:14

Wonderwall23 · 11/07/2024 19:47

Mariah's Without You
Whitney's I Will Always Love You
Adele's Make You Feel My Love
Eva's Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Amy's Valerie

Hadn't realised Aretha's RESPECT and Marvin's Heard it Through the Grapevine are also covers until recently.

I love the Fugees Killing me Softly as well if that counts.

Edited

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

fromthegecko · 11/07/2024 20:09

Love is all around - Wet Wet Wet

littleburn · 11/07/2024 20:02

Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah is technically a cover of a cover. It's based on John Cale's interpretation, which has a different composition and lyrics to Leonard Cohen's original.

Probably already mentioned, but Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails is heartbreaking.

Itsallfunngamesuntil · 11/07/2024 19:53

Whiskey in the jar by Metallica (the original ny thin lizzy is fantastic too)

DanielGault · 11/07/2024 19:52

WeirdButFuckingBeautiful · 11/07/2024 19:51

William Shatner doing Common People

Great but batshit!

WeirdButFuckingBeautiful · 11/07/2024 19:51

William Shatner doing Common People

darksigns · 11/07/2024 19:50

Chris Cornell - Billie Jean

Enoughwiththisshit · 11/07/2024 19:50

@25thCenturyQuakerOohand how about Bowie's cover of Let's Spend the Night Together, and Eric Clapton covering Cocaine?

DarcyProudman · 11/07/2024 19:50

Everything But The Girl - I Don’t Want To Talk About It. Also perfection!

Needhelp101 · 11/07/2024 19:50

Not the BEST cover but I do like Travis doing Hit Me Baby, One More Time.

Wonderwall23 · 11/07/2024 19:47

Mariah's Without You
Whitney's I Will Always Love You
Adele's Make You Feel My Love
Eva's Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Amy's Valerie

Hadn't realised Aretha's RESPECT and Marvin's Heard it Through the Grapevine are also covers until recently.

I love the Fugees Killing me Softly as well if that counts.

25thCenturyQuaker · 11/07/2024 19:46

murasaki · 11/07/2024 16:23

Nooooo to Hendrix and All Along the Watchtower.

I've seen Bob doing it live and it was awesome. Also showing my age, though several decades less than his...

Show quote history

In fairness I'm talking about Dylan's original acoustic version of the song. This is what Wikipedia has to say about Dylan's live versions:

"Dylan first played the song live in concert on the Bob Dylan and the Band 1974 Tour, his first tour since 1966. His live performances have been influenced by Hendrix's cover, to the extent that they have been called covers of a cover. The singer has performed the song live more than any of his other ones, with over 2,250 recitals."

I'd also add, cos I forgot it the first time round, The Byrds cover of Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man.

Bob Dylan and the Band 1974 Tour - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Dylan_and_the_Band_1974_Tour

Nix99 · 11/07/2024 19:43

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.

Came here to say exactly this. I love disturbed's music anyway but this is next level beautiful music.

taxguru · 11/07/2024 19:39

Olivia Newton John's cover of Jolene is absolutely awesome, better than Dolly Parton's original. They did a duet of it shortly before ONJ died.

FrivolousKitchenRollUse · 11/07/2024 19:38

DanielGault · 11/07/2024 19:34

Well you've ruined it for everyone now 😂

Show quote history

Weird AF to hear it in a male voice and sans technobeat.

Although the Billie Joe Armstrong cover with his sons is great.

I Think We`re Alone Now - Tommy James & The Shondells

Tommy James & The Shondells only scored 2 chart hits in the UK -1966 Hanky Panky # 381968 Mony Mony #1In the USA their hits included - 1966: "Hanky Panky" (#...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkMFLUXTEwM

Needhelp101 · 11/07/2024 19:37

I haven't even read the whole thread yet but just wanted to say thank you for so many great songs that I'll be listening to tonight (and am also ashamed that I didn't realise a lot of these were covers!)

Sugarsnapper · 11/07/2024 19:35

LeFromage · 11/07/2024 15:33

Cake’s cover of Gloria Gaynor’s I will survive -makes the lyrics and the strength in the song come alive for me

One of my favourite covers too

DanielGault · 11/07/2024 19:34

FrivolousKitchenRollUse · 11/07/2024 19:33

The Dan Band - Total Eclipse of the Heart

(Once down a youtube rabbit hole I was shocked that "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany was a cover and the original version sung by four blokes in the 60's came across a bit creepy)

Well you've ruined it for everyone now 😂

Enoughwiththisshit · 11/07/2024 19:34

25thCenturyQuaker · 11/07/2024 16:18

Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
Four Tops - Walk Away Renee
David Bowie - Sorrow
Siouxie and the Banshees - Dear Prudence

Jesus, I'm showing my age now...

I had to scroll down a surprisingly long way before finding All Along the Watchtower and Sorrow! Very much looking forward to listening to your other recommendations.

bythere · 11/07/2024 19:33

Spiderbait covering "Black Betty" by Ram Jam.

FrivolousKitchenRollUse · 11/07/2024 19:33

The Dan Band - Total Eclipse of the Heart

(Once down a youtube rabbit hole I was shocked that "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany was a cover and the original version sung by four blokes in the 60's came across a bit creepy)