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?

@DinosaursEatMan

To add to *@MrsRussell* with The Sisters ‘Jolene’ (also rate the White Stripes cover) they also have a cracking cover of ‘Gimme Shelter’. Though Clan of Xymox do ‘Alice’ better, IMHO.

I’ll go back under my rock now…

And, er, "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)" but apparently goths lack a sense of humour. (James Ray's Gangwar's version of My Coo Ca Choo is best left alone.)

Guns n Roses - Live and Let Die
Travis - Baby One More Time
Ike and Tina Turner - Proud Mary
Metallica - Stone Cold Crazy

I think most of the other ones I rate have been mentioned already.

I like Bad Wolves version of Zombie better than the original.

I prefer Paloma Faith's Never Tear Us Apart to the INXS one.

I much prefer the Flying Pickets version....and I don't think that anybody can beat Leonard Cohen

Red red wine - ub40 better than Neil diamond.

@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

Although Al Green’s version of ‘How Do You Mend a Broken Heart’ is superior to the BeeGees’.

Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
I Heard it Through the Grapevine - CCR
Proud Mary - CCR
Land of Confusion - Disturbed
Sound of Silence - Disturbed (special mention to the Conan O’Brien live version)
Live and Let Die - Guns and Roses
Knockin on Heavens Door - Guns and Roses
Running up that Hill - Placebo
Hurt - Johnny Cash
Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica
Tuesdays Gone - Metallica

There’s a few of my faves.

Hayseed Dixie's version of the Ace of Spades.
Dollie Parton's version of Stairway to Heaven (ok, maybe not better than the original but great in its own way).

Born to run - Frankie goes to Hollywood
Rolling in the deep - Go Radio
Drops of Jupiter - Boyce Avenue
Band on the run - Foo Fighters
Ace of Spades - Rebecka Sandberg

A few other faves have already been mentioned but these are worth a listen if you've never heard them 😁👍

Can't believe no-one has mentioned Gun's version of Word Up yet - way better than the original!

I've never understood all the love for Disturbed's Sound Of Silence, it's very overwrought and I just don't like the sound of the singer's voice. I just listened to the Pentatonix one someone mentioned above and that's much better! Still prefer the original though

@JuliaSways my BIL thinks the same. It was hilarious watching his reaction when I made him listen to it!

I'm also going to throw in Roberta Flacks "The first time ever I saw your face".

It's been covered many times by many people but I love the Stereophonics version.

Hallelujah- I prefer both Jeff Buckley’s and k.d. lang’s versions to the original

Best version of all is the one by John Cale. I can't believe the Velvet underground had Lou Reed as the singer when they had John Cale in the band.

I think Leonard Cohen falls into the same category as Bob Dylan - both truly outstanding songwriters, but should have left the singing to somebody else.

Marvin Gaye - Abraham, Martin & John - so beautiful, Dion's original was just dull and unforgettable in comparison.

Meat Loaf - Martha.

Carter USMs cover of This is How it Feels

I also loved their interpretation of The Impossible Dream.

notacooldad wow, I stand corrected! Mind blown!!!!!

Captain Sensible's version of Happy Talk from South Pacific.

Prefer The Ramones to The Ronettes version of Baby I Love You.

The first time ever I saw your face
Johnny Cash

Say My Name (Destiny's Child) - Hozier
As (Stevie Wonder) - George Michael and Mary J Blige
Much prefer Dolly's I Will Always Love You to Whitney's version
George Michaels I Cant Make You Love Me as good as Bonnie Raitt

Dr and the medics spirit in the sky better than Norman Greenbaum.

Fyfe dangerfield She’s always a woman better that Billy Joel.

Dusty Springfield Anyone Who Had a Heart better than Cilla.

Kylie Locomotion better than Little Eva.

I once heard the most amazing version of Tainted Love by a female singer, but have never head it again and no idea who it was.

Whiter Shade of Pale by Annie Lennox

I only like Bob Dylan singing his songs, I do not want to hear people like Adele screeching Make you feel my love

@Blert

I once heard the most amazing version of Tainted Love by a female singer, but have never head it again and no idea who it was.

You don't mean the 60s original by Gloria Jones do you, it was very big in the 70s at Northern soul discos

I like ‘Sound of Silence’ by Disturbed.