AIBU to think that some recordings are so perfect and iconic that they should not ever be covered by anyone else?

[2stepsonthewater]

In this case, 'River' by Joni Mitchell.

If I ruled the world there would be no cover versions by breathy singers accompanied by piano AT ALL

Some cover versions are acceptable though but there should be a vault of iconic songs that no one can cover

Yanbu. 'The power of love' by Frankie goes to Hollywood is one such song that shouldn't be covered by anyone else.

YY to awful breathy cover versions being no more. Aside from those, I don't mind them.

In this case, 'River' by Joni Mitchell

And certainly not by Ellie Golding

Hmmm, some are awful I agree - but other iconic songs have been (in my humble opinion) made better by covers. Always On My Mind and Tainted Love spring to mind.

YANBU! I was bloody raging when I heard that godawful EG version on the radio the other day. She’s a crap singer at the best of times, what the hell made her think she could improve on Joni Mitchell?!

If anyone even tries to cover Friday by Rebecca Black, it will be a dark dark day.

YANBU loads of covers of Frankie, Queen, and more I can't remember right now, I'm just wtf

Think maybe 80s music is long ago enough to cover and also long ago enough it's come back round again or something... Terrible though.

My Heart Will Go On
Anything by Queen

Yanbu, also some films.

Yes, I was saying this the other day

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah for me. I'm aware it is a cover itself but it's better than the original and I just don't think it will ever be bettered, especially by X Factor contestants 😩

I meant yes I agree with you, not that YABU, YA definitely NBU!

Yes, we're on the second cover of Valerie by The Zutons and it's some breathy, powerless little girl voice version. Ugh. I don't like the Amy W version either but she at least had some oomph to her output.

AngeloMysterioso: what the hell made her think she could improve on Joni Mitchell?!

Exactly!

I blame the millennials who've never heard of the original.

Good cover versions are when they've made the song sound very different and created something with some originality, Like 'Mad World' by Gary Jules (originally Tears for Fears of course)

I really loathe and detest the covers of Hallelujah like Leona Lewis'.

I absolutely love certain songs and believe they are perfect in that particular incarnation, but it’s all subjective isn’t it? A song I love someone else might hate, but they might then love a different version. For example I am not keen on Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah but I love Jeff Buckley’s - however I’m sure some people think I’m a philistine for that it’s all relative. I do think that bad covers don’t take anything away from the version you love though - same with films, I just think of it as a different adaptation.

@sockittome123. Dragonforce, a power metal band, does a mind blowing cover of My Heart Will Go On!! Lol

Ha! Cross post with polkadotpixie re Hallelujah! Agree re Jeff Buckley.

Kate Bush did a brilliant cover of Elton's 'Rocket Man'.

Nah, I completely disagree. I roll my eyes at crap covers, but I'd allow a million of them for one Hurt by Johny Cash.

I do enjoy comedy covers too. Richard Cheese's Only Happy When It Rains is a work of genius.

I'm not saying cover versions are bad in general. Just that there a few tracks that cannot be improved on. Of course that's subjective.

I also came here to say The Power of Love by FGTH. Travesty.

Yes op, yes! Yanbu. A case in point is Sam.Smith's cover of "i feel love". Ok some might say the original us throwaway pop but I disagree I think it's perfectly formed and definitely iconic. Sam has literally ripped it off. It's like a karaoke version he has added nothing to it. Grr.

Sorry, but Robert Downey Jnr did an absolutely wonderful cover of River. It's on the Ally McBeal Christmas album.

Sorry for typos written in haste while cooking.

I clicked on this to reply “River by Joni Mitchell” so, yeah, totally agree!