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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The best cover of a song is..............

415 replies

houseworkneverends · 11/07/2024 15:22

They wont go where I go - original Stevie Wonder, covered by George Michael. It's just perfect in every single way.

AIBU or do you think there is a better cover???

OP posts:
Thread gallery
23
GoodHeavens99 · 11/07/2024 17:09

GiveMeSpanakopita · 11/07/2024 15:26

Natalie Imbruglia's cover of Torn

I also prefer Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah to Leonard Cohen's

I love all the heavy metal and trap versions of Sweet Dreams, they really bring out the darkness in that song

Finally, not exactly a cover, but Hit Me Baby One More Time was originally written for TLC but they rejected it because they hated the undertones of domestic violence. Britney got it instead and I'm glad she did because TLC would've done it in RnB style whereas I think it works really well as a dance pop song. It was very rare at that time for a dance pop song to be in a minor key and I think it worked really well.

I thought 'hit me/that' was pretty well known American slang for sex.

Which TLC would surely have known?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 11/07/2024 17:09

Walk Like an Egyptian - Eureka Machines.

Always28 · 11/07/2024 17:09

My favourites are

With a Little Help from my Friends - Joe Cocker

You Got the Love - Florence and the Machine

GoodHeavens99 · 11/07/2024 17:10

CurlewKate · 11/07/2024 15:30

KDLang Halllujah.

That is 👌🏼

Boogiemam · 11/07/2024 17:10

CassTheFox · 11/07/2024 17:04

Lots of these. Definitely Jeff Buckley.

More of a mash up than a cover but Freak Like Me by Sugababes is such a cool pop gem.

i also have a fondness for Joss Stone’s version of Fell In Love With a Girl,

A lot of people don’t realise you don’t actually need permission to release cover versions, from either the original artist or the songwriters. As long as you don’t change the lyrics or arrangement, you can cover what you like.

For the longest time I thought Joss Stone was the original song and WS covered it! I was obsessed with Joss when I was a teenager though.

GoodHeavens99 · 11/07/2024 17:10

2023Tobeornottobe · 11/07/2024 15:32

You were always on my mind - Pet Shop Boys

The Willy Nelson version is lovely.

He has a vulnerability that Elvis never had.

AuntieMarys · 11/07/2024 17:11

Sound of silence by Disturbed

Rumplestiltz · 11/07/2024 17:11

2023Tobeornottobe · 11/07/2024 15:32

You were always on my mind - Pet Shop Boys

agree!

Bobbotgegrinch · 11/07/2024 17:11

Jonny Cash - Hurt
Placebo - Running up that hill

Boogiemam · 11/07/2024 17:11

The Baseballs cover of Rhiannon's Umbrella is so fun. I love covers that are vastly different to the original.

StoatofDisarray · 11/07/2024 17:12

Pinkybike · 11/07/2024 15:55

Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
surfin USA by the Jesus and Mary Chain

Noooooo! The Beach Boys' original is superior!

JAMC also did an awesome cover of Vegetable Man but again, the original was better...

GoodHeavens99 · 11/07/2024 17:12

anothertediousquestion · 11/07/2024 15:33

Ziggy Stardust (Bauhaus). So much better!

Always reminds me of Karl Pilkington.

GoodHeavens99 · 11/07/2024 17:12

AffIt · 11/07/2024 15:36

The Arctic Monkeys' cover of Girls Aloud's 'Love Machine'.

Wonderfully bonkers.

It works though!

SinnerBoy · 11/07/2024 17:14

JKnight09 · Today 15:37

Metallicas cover of whiskey in the jar...

It's not really a cover, it's a 200 year old folk song, other bands recorded it before Thin Lizzie. The Dubliner's version has quite different lyrics.

NotSorry · 11/07/2024 17:15

Moonshiners · 11/07/2024 15:41

I can't believe everyone likes the Disturbed version I found it so shit!
But I also prefer Leonard Cohen's version of hallelujah. I love his raspy voice.

Glad it’s not just me - the shouty vocals make me turn it off the radio if I’m unlucky enough to be listening to it when it comes on

thomasinacat · 11/07/2024 17:15

AffIt · 11/07/2024 15:36

The Arctic Monkeys' cover of Girls Aloud's 'Love Machine'.

Wonderfully bonkers.

oh yes, also love their cover of 'Baby I'm Yours'.

UrsulaBelle · 11/07/2024 17:15

anothertediousquestion · 11/07/2024 15:33

Ziggy Stardust (Bauhaus). So much better!

You beat me to it! I listened to the Bauhaus version so much at uni in the 1980s that the original Bowie one sounds weak in comparison.

ToBeOrNotToBee · 11/07/2024 17:16

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Sara Barielles.

Far, far better than the original

GiveMeSpanakopita · 11/07/2024 17:16

GoodHeavens99 · 11/07/2024 17:09

I thought 'hit me/that' was pretty well known American slang for sex.

Which TLC would surely have known?

Show quote history

I'm just going by what Chilli and T-Boz said in an interview with MTV. They said that TLC presented itself as a strong independent group and they would never want TLC singing a song that went 'hit me baby'.

Here's the NME's reporting of that interview: https://www.nme.com/news/music/tlc-5-1240311

TLC explain why they turned down Britney Spears' '...Baby One More Time'

'Was I going to say 'hit me baby one more time'? Hell no!' says TLC's T-Boz

https://www.nme.com/news/music/tlc-5-1240311

midgetastic · 11/07/2024 17:16

Scissor sisters comfortably numb

SinnerBoy · 11/07/2024 17:16

FlipFlops4Me · Today 15:25

Disturbed's cover of Simon & Garfunkel's Sound of Silence.

Bit of a different take....

Manteiga · 11/07/2024 17:19

Patti Smith's cover of Van Morrison's Gloria

BearPear · 11/07/2024 17:19

anothertediousquestion · 11/07/2024 15:33

Ziggy Stardust (Bauhaus). So much better!

I had this on 12” picture disc, ah the 80s!

AnaVanda · 11/07/2024 17:21

Sinead o Connor and Terry Hall singing 'All kinds of everything'