Which songs do you prefer a cover version to the original?

[BeardySchnauzer]

I’ll start with Phil Collins version of True Colors

and the teenager in me loved Guns and Roses version of Live and Let Die!

Ben Howard’s live lounge cover of Call Me Maybe is incredible.

Some of the covers are so iconic it can be hard to remember they’re a cover - like Whitney’s I will always love you

Lay Lady Lay by Magnet. Far better than the Bob Dylan version.

Walk Off The Earth's cover of Happy.

Eight Miles High - Husker Du

Prince wrote it, Sinead O'Connor covered it.

Their harmonising on the chorus is wonderful, wow 🤩

But it's still this version I'm in love with 😍

Don't leave me this way by The Communards rather than the dirge like original.

Tainted Love by Soft Sell (not sure who did the original)

KD Lang's rendition of Hallelujah gets me in a way Leonard Cohen's original doesn't

Yes - but his version was rubbish!

Came here to say this, my very first thought on reading the thread title. It’s epic. I love seeing it live too. His voice is unique.

Really still like that Tainted Love / Where did our Love go 12"

Any cover of a song originally sung by Bob Dylan is likely to be an improvement.
I like Cher's version of Fernando better than the original.

‘Nocturnal me’ by Ghost

Ooh have Spotify open and adding things to listen to later. Mine is Johnny Cash The Mercy Seat. I’m a big Nick Cave fan but there’s just something about this cover that gets me.

The Beatles version of Twist and Shout and Lily Allen’a version of Naive by the Kooks. I’m sure there are more but I’ll read all of yours for inspiration.

Love Steve Harleys' version of 'Here comes the Sun as opposed to the Beatles original.
Also prefer Elton John's version of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
Other excellent cover versions (in my opinion), are Can't take my eyes off you, by the Boys Town Gang, and Midnight at the Oasis by the Brand New Heavies.

Pet Shop Boys, Go West

Back to Phil Collins - his version of Groovy kind of love

there’s a lot of songs where the club remix is better than the original (does that count if it’s the same artist)

Disturbed - Land of confusion

OMG Dolly’s original can never be beaten.

Glen Hansard and Eddie Vedder Drive all night absolutely magic.

I couldn’t even remember it was Dolly! As much as I love her music this song is Whitney’s!!

Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Dave Gahan - Nothing Else Matters
Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Nine Inch Nails - Physical
Nightwish - High Hopes, equals the Pink Floyd original in a very different way, imo.

Olivia Rodrigo’s cover of CMATs When a Good Man Cries is transcendent