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Great Covers of Great Already Songs

Melrose

Melrose

Suspended
Original poster
Dec 12, 2007
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I've been hooked on Shiny Toy Guns' cover of Peter Schilling's Major Tom [link] - the original was awesome, but this version is excellent too... and I very rarely end up liking any song other than the original; unless it's so different it kind of becomes a whole new song.

What other covers are as good or better than the originals?
 
Thea Gilmore did a cover of the entire John Wesley Harding album of Bob Dylan. I was surprised that I really liked so many of her takes on the songs. I too am not generally fond of covers, especially if I really liked the original and played it so much I wore it a groove in my brain.

Gilmore really goes for Dylan, I believe she recently did a concert in honor of his 70th birthday...
 
For starters, better than the original...

  • Aretha Franklin's version of Otis Redding's Respect
  • Jimi Hendrix's cover of Bob Dylan's All Along The Watchtower
  • The Byrds' take on Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man
  • Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt
  • Elbow's interpretation of Destiny's Child's Independent Woman

...and I enjoy Soft Cell's take on Tainted Love almost as much as Gloria Jones' original, the same is true to of Madness' cover of Labi Siffre's It Must Be Love.
 
Jaffa Cake said:
For starters, better than the original...

  • Aretha Franklin's version of Otis Redding's Respect
  • Jimi Hendrix's cover of Bob Dylan's All Along The Watchtower
  • The Byrds' take on Bob Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man
  • Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt
  • Elbow's interpretation of Destiny's Child's Independent Woman

...and I enjoy Soft Cell's take on Tainted Love almost as much as Gloria Jones' original, the same is true to of Madness' cover of Labi Siffre's It Must Be Love.
Click to expand...

Hurt by Johnny Cash was a whole lot better than the original, I thought.

...and Respect and Tambourine Man were like the only versions that charted, weren't they? :confused:
 
LizKat said:
Thea Gilmore did a cover of the entire John Wesley Harding album of Bob Dylan. I was surprised that I really liked so many of her takes on the songs. I too am not generally fond of covers, especially if I really liked the original and played it so much I wore it a groove in my brain.

Gilmore really goes for Dylan, I believe she recently did a concert in honor of his 70th birthday...
Click to expand...

Wow, that's one of my favorite Dylan albums. I'll have to check that cover out. Thanks for posting!:)

Speaking of Johnny Cash, his album Unchained is full of amazing covers.
 
Mary Lee's Corvette covered the entire Dylan album Blood on the Tracks and it's well worth a listen, just playing the songs and doing a good job of it.
I've played it a lot.

Claudia Bettinaglio did an album of Tom Waits covers called Saving All My Love and every note she sings puts a shiver on me.
If you like Tom Waits' lyrics but need a change from his style of delivery then check it out for an enjoyable listen.
 
Melrose said:
I've been hooked on Shiny Toy Guns' cover of Peter Schilling's Major Tom [link] - the original was awesome, but this version is excellent too... and I very rarely end up liking any song other than the original; unless it's so different it kind of becomes a whole new song.

What other covers are as good or better than the originals?
Click to expand...

Bad Company - 5 Finger Death Punch (Bad Company)
The wizard - Black Label Society (Black Sabbath)
Tie Your Mother Down - Lynch Mob (Queen)
Mr Crowley - Judas Priest (Ozzy solo)
Cat Scratch Fever - Pantera (Ted Nugent)
LA Woman - Billy Idol (Doors)
Helter Skelter - Motley Crue (McCartney)
 
^^^^Proof at how subjective this topic can be. :p;)


Rowf said:
Mary Lee's Corvette covered the entire Dylan album Blood on the Tracks and it's well worth a listen, just playing the songs and doing a good job of it.
I've played it a lot.
Click to expand...

Same here. That's a great one.
 
Surely said:
^^^^Proof at how subjective this topic can be. :p;)



Sorry I only listen to classic rock, 80's glam rock, and some metal so I don't know a lot of other covers. I do know that when Sheryl Crow (sp?) covered Sweet Child O' Mine I threw up in my mouth lol

My future wife say's I live in a hole...
Click to expand...
 
Melrose said:
What other covers are as good or better than the originals?
Click to expand...

Not *really* a cover, since it's an old gospel song, but Johnny Cash made an excellent recording of "God's Gonna Cut You Down" (aka "Run On") - anyone that tries to record it again is going to have a very tough act to follow.

I thought Duran Duran did a great job with Grandmaster Flash's and the Furious Five's "White Lines."
 
Motliest Crue said:
Sorry I only listen to classic rock, 80's glam rock, and some metal so I don't know a lot of other covers. I do know that when Sheryl Crow (sp?) covered Sweet Child O' Mine I threw up in my mouth lol

My future wife say's I live in a hole...
Click to expand...

No apology needed. It really is a vey subjective topic. What you find good, I might not, and vice versa.


See:

Signal-11 said:
There's not a lot Dylan material that doesn't sound better sung by someone other than Dylan.
Click to expand...

Disagree.

/shrug
 
Clix Pix said:
Susan Boyle's amazing cover of the Rolling Stones' (Mick Jagger and Keith Richards) "Wild Horses."
Click to expand...

I will definitely check that out later. I love her voice but cant imagine her doing a Stones song.
 
Signal-11 said:
Bob Dylan's singing makes me want to stab a fork in my ear. Incredible lyricist. Terrible singer.
Click to expand...

.....in your opinion. Not as a universal truth.;)

I happen to like his voice*. It also really depends on the song/album/era.


*except for the way it sounds in the past few years. At this point, I think he should retire.
 
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