[tomcrocus]

Hi,
    this is the first time i've asked a question in the bar.
I've just posted a reply in the lyrics section of the forum,
the band THE SWEET were mentioned,anyway it got me thinking
about the bands and songs i was listening to back in the seventies
when i was a kid.
CUM ON FEEL THE NOISE by SLADE was and always will be imo an
awesome song,OASIS done a great cover version but for me you just
can't beat the original.
So the question i'm asking is,can anybody come up with a cover version
that they consider to be better than the original song,or even what do you
consider to be a great cover version,
                                                   just wondering, Tom.

[Boydie]

Great topic!

The first song I learnt on guitar was LaBamba and the film of the same name about the life of Ritchie Valens was my favourite film when I was younger and sparked the dream of being involved in music

The band "Los Lobos" re-recorded Ritchie Valens' songs for the soundtrack and I absolutely LOVE these cover versions

I would also really suggest people check out THE DAN BAND, who do covers of songs in their own style - often inserting swear words in in-appropriate places, which I find really funny!

[pompeyjazz]

Robert Wyatt's version of Shipbuilding was pretty awesome, although the Elvis Costello version wasn't too bad either 

[PaulAds]

Great thread, Tom...

I reckon The Damned's cover of the 60's Paul and Barry Ryan hit "Eloise" takes some beating.

[tboswell]

Robert Wyatt's version of Shipbuilding was pretty awesome, although the Elvis Costello version wasn't too bad either 

Well, strictly Robert Wyatt released this before Elvis Costello did I believe...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r0g4h

I reckon The Damned's cover of the 60's Paul and Barry Ryan hit "Eloise" takes some beating.

No way! the Barry Ryan version is a just insane in the most awesome way!

I would say maybe Harry Nilsson's cover of Without You saved that song. I love Badfinger but their original version is a just pants compared, they bottle the chorus:

Tom Waits singing Somewhere from West Side Story is a dirty, broken and heavenly thing too.


 

[PaulAds]

Way.

Also - Frankie goes to Hollywood did a great (though pointless) version of "born to run" as did def leppard with the kinks "Waterloo sunset"

[shadowfax]

Joe Cockers version of 'With a little help from my friends'   the only cover of a Beatles song that is actually better than the original..IMHO

[PaulAds]

George Michael knocked "the long and winding road" out of the park at the "concert for Linda" a few years back.

[shadowfax]

Stings version of “Lieutenant Kijé” by Sergei Prokofiev wasn't bad,  he wrote lyrics to the tune..does that count as a cover or does it count as nicking a tune? the tune is out of copywrite I think so maybe it doesn't count as nicking any more.. I'm digressing int I..this isn't a cover in the tech sense of the word is it.?
sorry bout that..

[PopTodd]

The Bangles' version of "A Hazy Shade of Winter" turned the song into the rocker that I think the Simon & Garfunkel song was always meant to be.

Also, for obvious ones: Aretha Franklin's version of Otis Redding's "Respect."

And, also I really, really dig the complete transformation that Sly & The Family Stone made to "Que Sera, Sera."

[tone]

I think cover versions are often way better than the original version, especially when the song is by Bob Dylan Hendrix's All along the watchtower, and Adele's Make you feel my love are just 2 examples.

Also, I think Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah justifies everything that's deeply unpleasant about listening to Leonard Cohen, regardless of how well written his songs might be...

[tboswell]

Also, I think Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah justifies everything that's deeply unpleasant about listening to Leonard Cohen, regardless of how well written his songs might be...

I love Leonard Cohen but what Jeff Buckley did with that is amazing. The classic case of a song being transformed and made something more by a cover. Though some of that credit goes to John Cale, cos Jeff heard Cale's cover and worked on his from that one.

[Bill Saunders]

+1 for Hendrix all along the watchtower. However, left of centre I nominate Lick the Tins' version of I Can't Help Falling In Love.

[hardtwistmusic]

So many:   Alexandra Burke's cover of "Hallelujah" is far better (to my ears) than Leonard Cohen's.  
K.D. Lang's cover of Cohen's song is (likewise) better by far than Cohen's version. 

Judy Collin's cover of Cohen's "Jo Anne" (I think that's the name of the song) is far superior to Cohen's.

The Byrds covers of "My Back Pages" and "Mister Tambourine Man" are far superior to Bob Dylan's Versions.  

Joan Baez's version of "Fountain of Sorrow" is far superior to the original by (I forget).  

Three Dog Night's version of "Heaven is in your mind" is superior to Steve Winwood's version.  
Three Dog Night's version of "It's for you" is superior to the Beatles version.  Better arrangement and better harmonies (which is rare - few people can cover a Beatles song and improve it).  

Three Dog Night's version of "The Loner" is superior to Neil Young's version.  
Three Dog Night's version of "Lady Samantha" is superior to Elton John's version.  

Three Dog Night's version of "Sunlight" by Jesse Colin Young is superior to the original.
Three Dog Night's version of "Eli's Coming" by Laura Nyro is better (by a little) than Nyro's version.  

Three Dog Night's version of Paul Williams's "Cowboy" is far better than William's version.  
Ditto their version of Williams's song "The Family of Man."  

Marty Robbins's version of "Singin the Blues" is by far the definitive version of that song which was thirty years old or more when he covered it.  

The definitive version of Louie Louie by the Kingsmen is a cover.  

Richie Valens's version of "La Bamba" is a cover of a 150 year old Mexican Folk Song.  

The Righteous Brother's version of "Unchained Melody" is a cover.  

Any modern version of "Freedom For the Stallion" is a cover of a 1950s song.  

Pete Seger's version of "Guananamero"  

Eddie Albert's Version of  "Wayward Wind"  first recorded by Gogi Grant.  

Nazareth's version of the Everly Brothers's "Love Hurts" is better than the original.  

Rod Stewart's Version of "Reason to Believe."  
Rod Stewart's Version of "I don't wanna talk about it" is better than Tim Hardin's version.  

Gary Puckett's cover of "Kiss Me Goodbye" is better than the original by Petula Clark.  

Perhaps my all time favorite is Hoyt Axton's song "Snowblind Friend" and the cover version by Steppenwolf.  Absolutely stunning, and far better than Hoyt's version.  

Which makes me think of Hoyt Axton's song "Never Been to Spain" by Three Dog Night.  

Ann Murray's version of "Son of a Rotten Gambler" written by Chip Davis and first released by The Hollies. 

Unless I'm mistaken, someone else recorded "The Air that I Breathe" before the Hollies did.  But the version by The Hollies is the best (imo.) 

I could go on forever without stopping.  Chances are, I've got some author's of the original songs wrong btw.  So sue me.  'o)  

[Wicked Deeds]

Shawn Colvin - 'Every Little Thing She Does Is a Magic' it really is!