Are there any songs that you prefer a cover of than the original?

[thebigmaniswatching]

I’ve just been listening to Disturbeds version of Sound of Silence and I have to say I honestly love it more than the original, it nearly brought me to tears this evening and I find it so emotional, however I can’t really think of any other songs where the cover is better than the original, so is there any songs you love more than the original version?

Nirvana ‘the man who sold the world’- takes a fucking lot to better Bowie

Oh! And I almost forgot! Manfred Man's Earth Band's cover of Bruce Springsteen's Blinded By The Light.

I agree, love Adele’s version of feel your love.
Bit random but G4’s covers of some of Josh Grobans songs give me goosebumps

Foxy Music - Jealous Guy. KD Lang - Hallelujah. Travis - Hit Me Baby One More Time. The Fugees - Killing Me Softly.

@Disgrace I had no idea that This Mortal Coil's version wasn't the original!

I don't think it was ever released but Kings of Leon's version of Selena Gomez's Can't keep my hands to myself done for Radio 1's Live Lounge - gorgeous!

Dare I say it, prefer Patti Smith's version of 'When Doves Cry'.

The Killers - Romeo and Juliet (Dire Straits)
Frank Turner - Greatest Day (Take That)

@Gileswithachainsaw - you have excellent taste in music!

Mine are: Marilyn Manson - Tainted Love
HIM - Wicked Game
Nirvana - Lake of Fire
WASP - When the Levee Breaks
Korn - Word up
Marilyn Manson - Personal Jesus
Five Finger Death Punch - Bad Company

Quite a few - which surprises me as generally the originals are better.

Brackets = original (I may be wrong on some of these).

George Michael (admittedly as a huge fan of his I am biased) -

I can't make you love me (bonnie raitt)

As (stevie wonder) - slightdark why you embarrassed to like this? It's a great version

The first time ever I saw your face (Ewan maccoll but I prefer his to roberta flacks version too)

They won't go when I go (Steve wonder)

Roxy music - jealous guy (John Lennon)

Joe cocker - a little help from my friends (Beatles)

Johnny cash - hurt (nine inch nails)
Placebo - running up that hill (Kate bush)

GnR -

knocking on heavens door (Bob Dylan)

Live & let die (wings)

Michael Andrews & Gary jules - mad world (donnie Darko version) (tears for fears)

Soft cell - tainted love (Gloria Jones)

Communards - don't leave me this way (Harold melvin & the blue notes, though the version I and many others know is Thelma houstons Motown cover)

Pet shop boys - where the streets have no name/can't take my eyes off of you (u2/frankie valli)

Whitney - I will always love you (dolly Parton)

Paul Young (almost all his were covers!) -

Wherever I lay my hat (Marvin Gaye - I love Marvin but this version I love)

Both sides now (with clannad) -equal with Joni Mitchell (which weirdly isn't the original either)

Every time you go away (hall & Oates - dreadful version!)

Aretha Franklin - respect (Otis redding

Alanis morisette - crazy (seal)

Everything but the girl - I don't wanna talk about it (rod stewart)

Stereophonics - handbags & gladrags - Mike d'abo (prefer it to the rod stewart version too)

Natalie imbruglia - torn (lis sørensen)

Kim carnes - Betty Davis eyes (Jackie deshannon - dreadful! Don't even google!)

The Beatles - twist and shout (the top notes really truly awful!)

Kirsty maccoll - a New England (billy Bragg)

Sorry to those liking them but I haven't yet heard a cover of a George Michael song that even comes close to how good the originals are. I had high hopes for Michael buble doing kissing a fool as its his genre, but nope! And I live Michael buble he's a lovely guy and a great singer but no it's still George's version that is best.

But my absolute favourite of all time is

Jeff Buckley - hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)

"(can’t believe someone preferred the Alexandra Burke version of this, I think it’s one of the worst covers of all time)" completely agree. I also can't stand Leona Lewis's version of run!

"I also like Alison Krauss's When You Say Nothing At All rather than Ronan Keating's version. Not sure if either of them is the original though" Keith Whitley did the original - it was a country song, I prefer the original here.

Perfect day - again Lou reeds original is the best.

Gloria - Patti Smith
Hurt - Johnny Cash
Dear Prudence - Siouxsie & the Banshees

Having listened to a few of these-

The Dinosaur Jr version of Just Like Heaven is bloody awful- I couldn’t even make it through the first verse

Adele’s version of I Can’t Make You Love Me is too fast

I’m going to assume the person who suggested UB40’s destruction of Purple Rain was kidding- it’s not just bad, it’s an abomination and a crime against music.

Most of my faves have already been said so I’ll just add these-

The Travis version of Hit Me Baby One More Time (and of course the covers of Hurt, Hallelujah, Man Who Sold the World, Nothing Compares to U and Tainted Love as other have said)

Hue and Cry also covered a Kate Bush song- Man with the Child in his Eyes, their version is very good (bit not sure it pips the original)

- Black Crowes ?

Dancing on my own - Calum Scott

@DGRossetti
Didnt think of that one, i agree totally, i love it!
Have you heard the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain doing "Hard to Handle?" It's fantastic IMO

Adele -

Adele -

Another one for Superstar by Sonic Youth. Makes my spine tingle!

Johnny Cash - Hurt
Disturbed - The Sound of Silence
Muse - Feeling Good (although I'll concede that the Nina Simone original is equally fabulous).

Lots of these - plus loads of new ones to check out. I sense a new Spotify playlist.

I also really like Chris Cornell's cover of Billie Jean which I don't think anyone's mentioned yet, and London Grammar's version of Nightcall which is just stunning.

Oh and a cover of Nirvana's Heart Shaped Box by Ásgeir, don't know if it's better but I love it done differently

Sorry, there will never, ever be a better Sound of Silence than Paul Simon's. Nothing else comes near. Heard him sing it months ago in concert and still heart-breaking and spellbinding.

Little bit mean, but there's enough posts here to really justify my stance that any Bob Dylan song by someone other than Bob Dylan is an instant improvement.