What cover of a song is as good as or better than the original?

[notafanofsugar]

Had a really enjoyable family day out which ended in an evening at the pub today. We discussed which cover songs are better than their originals?

For me it’s got to be Soft Cell - Tainted Love which was originally by Gloria Jones! Love that song.

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

Jealous Guy by John Lennon, Roxy Music did a great cover of it.

John Lennon's version.

 

[JTL]

NICK CAVE - Leonard Cohen's Suzanne​

 

[JTL]

Cake - War Pigs (Black Sabbath)​

 

[JTL]

Little Red Rooster covered by The Rolling Stones.
LittledRooster covered by The Rolling Stones
"Little Red Rooster" (or "The Red Rooster" as it was first titled) is a blues standard credited to arranger and songwriter Willie Dixon. The song was first recorded in 1961 by American blues musician Howlin' Wolf in the Chicago blues style.

 

[JTL]

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower​

Bob Dylan - All Along the Watchtower​

 

[JTL]

Jerry Lordan - Apache (1960)​

 

[Administrator]

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower​

Bob Dylan - All Along the Watchtower​

Jimi Hendrix's version is on another level!!

 

[Antje77]

Jimi Hendrix's version is on another level!!

I'd choose Dylan over Hendrix any day but I can't disagree on this one!

In Dylans favour I'd like to mention two of my favourite but underrated albums: Good as I been to you and World gone wrong, both albums of only covers.
But then Stack a Lee comes to mind, covered by Dylan on World gone wrong but also covered by Nick Cave as Stagger Lee in a much more impressive way!
(Please don't post a link to this version, it doesn't comply with forum rules on language at all!)

Spent some time today thinking about the best covered song by Bob Dylan but there was too much to choose from.
So I'll give you this cover instead, original by Townes Van Zandt and famous by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard.
While I like Willie Nelson, and I'm happy to have seen him live once, this duet clearly shows he's in a different league from Dylan. The song is good until Dylan joins in, and then it's instant goosebumps.

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

I have mentioned Simon and Garfunckle's "Sound Of Silence" before being covered bt "Disturbed".

I first heard it in a episode of 'Blacklist", unreal.

 

[Antje77]

covered bt "Disturbed".

Wow!

 

[Deleted member 565502]

Some really good tunes here

 

[JTL]

Johnny Cash - Hurt​

Originally by Nine Inch Nails who have said this is no longer their song after hearing this!
One of the most painful songs/videos I ever saw/heard.

 

[JTL]

 

[JTL]

Is that Benny Hill conducting the Red Army Choir?

 

[JTL]

I think this is possibly the most covered Beatles song by top artists. No that would be Yesterday.
This effort by Elvis seems pretty grim...

 

[JTL]

Julian sings one of his dads...

 

[Jaylee]

Cake - War Pigs (Black Sabbath)​

This is great. Have you heard their cover of “I will survive?

I’m more into pop tunes rocked up heavier? (A good tune is still a good tune.)

& these guys are just outrageously hilarious…

 

[zand]

I have mentioned Simon and Garfunckle's "Sound Of Silence" before being covered bt "Disturbed".

I first heard it in a episode of 'Blacklist", unreal.

There's some great covers on this thread, but IMO this one is by far the best. Thank you for sharing it.

 

[Riva_Roxaban]

Browsing through another forum reading a long standing thread regarding the fighting in Ukraine.

Came across this cover of Don McLean's American Pie, called Ukrainian Pie.