Cover versions shouldn't be direct copies of the originals?

[WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll]

They keep playing Sam Smith's new version of Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' on Radio 2. What on earth is the point of it? Why did anybody (I think I can guess who) see the need for Sam to go to the trouble of recording and releasing a song that sounds pretty much identical (albeit not as well sung) as the original? Even the instrumentation sounds very much like a direct copy.

Surely a cover version is meant to be a different interpretation of a song, isn't it? At least bring a little something extra or alternative to the table?

Like them or not, I'm thinking of meaningful and well thought-out covers such as:
Cyndi Lauper vs. Roy orbison with 'I Drove All Night'
Dolly Parton vs. Whitney Houston with 'I Will Always Love You'
Dougie MacLean vs. Amy Macdonald with 'Caledonia'.
Prince v.s Sinead O'Connor with 'Nothing Compares To You'

If it's a tribute act/show or local karaoke/soundalike competition, then all well and good; but if it's just a commercially-released song that is available to buy/listen to in exactly the same places as the identical original version??? Is it just me?!

Oi WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll, are you living in my phone? I watched that Mike Flowers video last night just before 10pm. Stop spying on me or you'll die of boredom.

'Rent' by Carter USM.

So glad this got mentioned!

(And I agree with the poster about Atomic Kitten's apalling cover of Eternal Flame and would like to add All Saints cover of Under the Bridge.)

Hayseed Dixies do amazing bluegrass covers of songs from any genre. So clever and very talented

A cover is a replica of the original song, just sung by someone else and may use different instruments. A remix (or refix) is the artist’s version of the original song

@nononever - I always liked Lulu's cover of The Man Who Sold the World - probably not a popular opinion, but I thought she did a good job of it.

Cover versions I've enjoyed over the years - Cats in the Cradle - Ugly Kid Joe, the Abbaesque EP by Erasure, Always on My Mind , Pet Shop Boys and Green Door - Shakin' Stevens (I know, I know!). Also, quite liked Kylie's version of Tears on My Pillow and Jason' Donovan's Happy Together - but that's probably more to do with being in my teen years and a bit Kyle and Jason obsessed at the time!

I agree. I thought exactly the same when I heard an almost identical version of Joni Mitchell’s River last week (Ellie Goulding?).

Sam smiths cover ... I’m with you on that. Even more surprised to see it was Disclosure that helped “produced” it
(Blatantly copy and pasted it more like)

I agree, OP, I prefer a cover if it reinterprets and adds. A straight copy is usually pointless.

May I offer -
Don't Leave Me This Way - from Harold Melvin to Thelma Houston to The Communards.

Party Fears - from The Associates and Heaven 17 - I find this very sad when I listen to this quite sad-toned cover and think about the original vocalist's fate.

Many of the American black soul singers lost pout financially when British covers were released in the sixties and seventies before their originals could sell well - I'm not sure but I got the impression this included:
Bessie Banks - Go Now and the Moody Blues
Dionne Warwick - with Burt Baccharach's? and Hal David's songs covered certain UK singers.

I found it interesting to see which of the Blues Brothers and Commitment's 'sort of covers' were covered and evolved over the years. Land of a Thousand Dances and some of the others evolved through several covers.

I don't want to hijack but I'm surprised when I find out there was an original behind what in my ignorance I didn't realise was a cover - Shocking Blue - Venus before Bananarama and It's Oh So Quiet before Bjork.

And Neil Diamond's original of Red Red Wine before Tony Tribe. The less said about the UB40 version compared with the 'original' ska version the better.

Tina Turner's lively Proud Mary after CCR's.

Depends on the song and artist.

What grips my shit, are wanky slowed down acoustic cover versions

Happy Mondays - Step on

I like covers that do something slightly different.

For instance, Mumford and sons song 'I will wait' was covered, in my opinion, absolutely beautifully by little mix. The arrangement is different to the original and personally, I think little mix did the song far more justice.

Some covers are just cringeworthy though! I always cringe when I hear the Westlife cover of Bonnie Tyler's total eclipse of the heart. Westlife all have nice voices but that song just doesn't sound right without Bonnie singing it.

I love a Bastille cover and I'm partial to the Give a little respect cover from Wheatus. I always feel a cover should be different enough that you can love both versions because they bring something different.

Sam Smith is just boring and derivative - much like his personality.

@Cantspellwontspell I love Wheatus’ version of A Little Respect too, it has a real purity about it. But I also adore the original Erasure version!

I love a few covers such as Muse’s - Feeling Good, and Blow Monkeys - You Don’t Own Me.

I don't know the Sam Smith version, but I agree with you. If you're going to do a cover of a song, put your own twist on it.

Being a longtime fan of Bob Dylan, some covers of his songs are tremendous. Starting with Jimi Hendrix's version of All Along The Watchtower. After hearing it Dylan has only played the song in an electric rock version. Wheels on Fire by Brian Auger was another cracker. Mind you, I get annoyed every time I hear someone on the X Factor say they are going to sing an Adele song and then launch into Make You Feel My Love, with the originator not getting a mention.

Aw- Bastille covers are BRILLIANT!

Generally despise covers however one i do like is amy Winehouse doing valerie. Different enough than the zutons but similar enough that i recognised it.

Also i didnt know that soft cell - tainted love was a cover. Every day is a school day.

Tainted Love, originally by Gloria Jones. Another Soft Cell hit, 'What', was originally recorded by Judy Street. Both popular Northern Soul numbers.

Gloria Jones was driving the car in the crash that killed Marc Bolan.

I don't mind a cover, the Silence family have spent some happy car journeys discussing good covers and how I Put a Spell on You can be so different between Screaming Jay Hawkins and Nina Simone. But this cover just makes me wince because all it does is showcase how much better Donna Summer's voice was. It's a pound shop version. He needed to bring something new to it rather than draw attention to the difference in their voices at that range.

I Put A Spell On You will always be best done by the Sanderson Sisters...

I'd like to hear Vic & Bob do a cover of Lindsey Buckingham's 'Trouble'. They'd show him how you REALLY club-sing at the very beginning!

In fact, they (or was it just Vic?) and the Wonderstuff covered Tommy Roe's 'Dizzy' and that was a very different interpretation.

This chap does absolute KILLER versions of any song he covers.

Ah, sorry, I actually meant he kills them stone dead....