Cover versions of songs

[hangrylady]

Just a lighthearted musing! I was listening to the radio earlier and they played Baby Can I Hold You by Boyzone. An absolute abomination when compared to the original by Tracy Chapman. The only example of a cover that I think is better than the original is Only You by Yazoo, which is far superior to the weird Flying Pickets version. Can anyone think of any more songs where the cover is better than the original?

Both The Stone Poneys and The Lemonheads covers of Different Drum are absolutely banging and way superior to the original.

Make You Feel My Love - Adele version miles better than Bob Dylan

I prefer the following:
Nirvana's Love Buzz
Judas priests Diamonds and Rust
HIM - wicked Game (although I do like the original) same with Turn the Page, I love Bob Segar but Metallica's is great.

I prefer the Beatles cover of Twist and Shout.
Gone away by 5 finger death punch. I'm not an offspring fan!
It's a draw for Ride like the wind between Christopher Cross and Saxon!
Also prefer Led Zep doing
Bring it on home
I prefer Black sabbath's cover of Warning.

Also Joan Jett doing I love rock n Roll is much better than the original.
Nearly all of Bob Dylan songs are better covered.
I cant make my mind up about jealous guy!! Maybe another draw!
Madonna's Ray of Light is better IMO than the original.
I also prefer Stevie Wonders cover of Superstition.
I much prefer Alice Cooper covering 'Seven and Seven is'

So many good songs.
One song that is not strictly a cover but very heavily sampled is The Fall doing Sister Sledges Lost in Music.
Maybe not for everyone but I love it!!

Johnny Cash covered so many songs but my favourite is Ring of fire

My most hated is Disturbed doing Sound of Silence. Over Produced nonsense. Ruined a perfectly good song.

Practically any cover of Bob Dylan is better than the original in my opinion
The Beatles version of ‘Twist and Shout’

Cross post!

Tainted Love by Soft Cell is miles better than the original

One I haven't seen mentioned yet is The Pointer Sister's version of Bruce Springsteen's song, "Fire".

@Stygimoloch

I’ve always preferred The Stereophonic’s version of Handbags and Gladrags compared to Rod Stewart’s (I think there may have been an earlier version too).

I wouldn't say I prefer it, but I like the Stereophonics' version of Boys of Summer equally to Don Henley's.

@Mochudubh

Practically any cover of Bob Dylan is better than the original in my opinion.

I came on to say this - have loved All Along the Watchtower since I first heard it (the Hendrix version) - didn't know for ages it was even a Dylan song.

The Joe Jackson and William Shatner version of Common People is brilliant and even though I love Pulp I do prefer the cover.

Bad Guy by The Interrupters. Amazing.

The Flying Lizards - Money. Definitely my favourite version.

Korn's version of another brick in the wall and their version of Metallica's One. Also their version of kidnap the sandy claws.
This one isn't better than but it is as good as, The Hollywood Vampires version of Heroes by David Bowie.

How about if you loved them all?

Gotta Learn How to Dance by the Fatback Band is a cracker but spawned the equally cracking -

Streets of New York by Kool G Rap & DJ Polo
and
My Friend by Groove Armada

@BasicBiscuit

Both The Stone Poneys and The Lemonheads covers of Different Drum are absolutely banging and way superior to the original.

I was just coming on to say the Lemonheads version of Different Drum!

@CaveMum

Not exactly high calibre, but I never knew that "Reach For the Stars" by s Club 7 was a cover of a Carpenters song! Having heard the original in more recent years I have to say I prefer the much more upbeat cover version!

Nope, it was written by Cathy Dennis! Have you maybe heard the Harriet cover version - she sounds quite like Karen Carpenter? I think it was from a live thing for Radio 2

Radio 6 did a whole show of cover versions the other week. On a Sunday night. Tom Robinson.

One song that is not strictly a cover but very heavily sampled is The Fall doing Sister Sledges Lost in Music.
Maybe not for everyone but I love it!!
Totally agree - I miss The Fall

I prefer Marilyn Mansons version of Tainted love personally. I also prefer his version of Sweet Dreams.
Also the pentatonix versions of Hallelujah and Bohemian Rapsody.

I know that Light My Fire by the Doors is a classic but I much prefer the disco version by Aimee Stewart. Also, I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down by Elvis Costello. Also agree that The Pointer Sisters did the best version of Fire by Bruce Springsteen.

The Byrds version of Mr tambourine man.
The dead south do a cracking 'You are my sunshine'

Take That's version of the Beegees How deep is your Love didn't cut it for me. I'm never keen on covers of Beegees or ABBA, as they have such a unique sound

@Georgeskitchen

Take That's version of the Beegees How deep is your Love didn't cut it for me. I'm never keen on covers of Beegees or ABBA, as they have such a unique sound

I prefer the Teddy Bears remix of Stayin Alive - probably not strictly a cover.

I'm also partial to the Fratellis version of Yes sir, I can boogie (although you really cant beat the original!)

I Can't Make You Love Me - George Michael

I like Dixie Chicks' version of Landslide better than Fleetwood Mac's. And I prefer Rufus Wainwright's version of Hallelujah.

@Squidlette

The Byrds version of Mr tambourine man. The dead south do a cracking 'You are my sunshine'

I love The Dead South's covers.

Also The Blanks cover of Hey Ya and Fall Out Boy's cover of Beat It.