Covers that were better than the original song

[Floogal]

The other day, I got a Prince compilation CD. I always liked 'I feel for you' (Chaka Khan), 'Kiss' (Tom Jones), Nothing compares 2 u' (Sinead O'Connor) and 'Why don't you call me?' (Alicia Keys). Never knew they were originally by Prince. Quite Frankly the covers were better

Here are some others:
Step on by Happy Mondays
Wild World by Maxi Priest
Many rivers to cross by UB40 (only better by a margin though).

Don't get your coat. I hear ya!!!! Love WY

Thank you, I didn't know this was missing from my life

Wild Horses by The Sundays is utterly gorgeous and yet was completely unmemorable (to me, anyway) by the Stones.

How Soon is Now - Love Spit Love. To be fair though I really hated The Smiths back then so not surprising I’d prefer someone else's version.

The Days of Pearly Spencer - Marc Almond. Actually pretty much any cover by MA or Soft Cell was better than the original.

Handbags & Gladrags - Stereophonics

Eva Cassidy's version of imagine (probably controversial)

Actually, most Beatles covers - Something covered by Shirley Bassey; Here there and everywhere by Emmylou Harris, Ticket to Ride by the carpenters

The only song I genuinely can’t choose between is ‘Only You’, I love both the Yazoo and Flying Pickets version.

Prince was a musical genius, but Sinead O’Connor’s version of ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ was sublime.

Off to find this - never heard it and can imagine it being amazing....

Ooh can I stay? Cus I find the original so drab and WY's version more upbeat and melodic. Not to mention ,"fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, fire, yuuuh, light my fiyah, light my fiyah, yuuuuh, all you gotta do iiiiis light my fiyaaaaah, ya gotta light it girl, ya gotta liiii-hiiii-hiiiit it, yuhhhh, light, light ,light,.light, light...

With you on The Stranglers' version of Walk on By, it's my favourite cover version, absolutely wonderful.

Skinny Love by Birdy

Maybe not better than the original but David Gray's version of Say Hello Wave Goodbye is good.

Kula Shaker's version of Hush.

Definitely don't agree with this. Roberta Flack singing it is one of my favourite songs. I absolutely hate The Fugees version, they absolutely ruined it

Jada Facer & Dave Moffatt’s cover of The Cranberries ‘Dreams’

Lots of great covers on this thread! My faves:

Madness - It must be love
Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
The Jam - David Watts (not often the Kinks are bested)
Joe Cocker - With a little help from my friends
Amy Winehouse - Valerie

Miley Cyrus Summertime sadness on you tube if anyone is interested. I think it’s fantastic.

Absolutely!

I'll add, "Turn the Beat Around" covered by Gloria Estefan and "Like a Hurricane" covered by Roxy Music.

I love Miley! I like her Metallica cover too

Tina Turner - Proud Mary
Guns n roses - knocking on heavens door

This thread has sent me down so many wormholes of fine music. Thank you so much, everyone.

Hap hap happy.

At last I am free -Robert Wyatt
Shipbuilding -Elvis Costello
Jolene - Queen Adreena
Whipping Post - Frank Zappa
Night and Day - Everything but the Girl
A message to you Rudy - The Specials

Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World
Natalie Merchant - Space Oddity

Stranglers. White Room

Ooo and have just remembered The Civil War's version of Billie Jean. Thank me later!