Cover songs better than the originals

[M-Dent]

A funny story about another song from 1975, ** The Hungry Years. ** I liked the melody. I was not sure of the artist but was convinced it was a female vocalist.

When I heard the cover by Rita Coolidge on the radio the DJ noted the original was by Neil Sedaka. I still feel more comfortable w/ Coolidge’s version. She makes a better female vocalist in my mind! Heh heh

 

[LegoGE1947]

A funny story about another song from 1975, ** The Hungry Years**. I liked the melody. I was not sure of the artist but was convinced it was a female vocalist.

When I heard the cover by Rita Coolidge on the radio the DJ noted the original was by Neil Sedaka. I still feel more comfortable w/ Coolidge’s version. She makes a better female vocalist in my mind! Heh heh

Women do seem to have a knack for that!

 

[migueltojose]

Here’s a strange one… Poco’s cover of a Steely Dan song ‘Dallas’:

youtube.com/watch?v=7MYPjPKAnOU

And being a huge Poco fan I have to say that Poco’s version of Rose of Cimarron is much better than Emmy Lou Harris’. I like Emmy Lou Harris and appreciate that she covered the song but… I really like Poco… I think they are one of the most underrated bands of all time.

Rose of Cimarron:
youtube.com/watch?v=4_I1DNJWIDA

Based on a true story involving outlaws, family, murder… Rose Dunn, Ingalls OK and the ‘Bittercreek’ Newcombe gang.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

I second (and third and fourth) this.

Patty Smith’s Because the Night also runs circles around Bruce’s original.

Joan Jett’s Crimson and Clover improves upon the original, although forget by whom.

I fifth and sixth you, friend.

Patti Smith’s cover of “Gimme Shelter” by the Stones is also awesome. I would also have to give props for Joan Jett’s Cover of “Dirty Deeds (Done Dirt Cheap)” by AC/DC. Don’t know if it’s better than the original, but it’s good.

 

[Arizona_Mike]

A funny story about another song from 1975, ** The Hungry Years**. I liked the melody. I was not sure of the artist but was convinced it was a female vocalist.

When I heard the cover by Rita Coolidge on the radio the DJ noted the original was by Neil Sedaka. I still feel more comfortable w/ Coolidge’s version. She makes a better female vocalist in my mind! Heh heh

I think the Captain and Tennille also did a cover of “The Hungry Years.”

 

[Arizona_Mike]

Great blues cover,

An obscure ballad,

Wild is the Wind - Johnny Mathis (1957)

Wild is the Wind - David Bowie (1976)

I had no idea David Bowie did this song…I had to check it out (always been a Johnny Mathis fan, so I knew this song well). Have to say, I thought Johnny’s original version was much better. Though I usually like Bowie’s music!! With Bowie’s version the “tune” was missing…it was a bit droning, whereas in the Mathis version you can enjoy the melody. Not a musically trained person, so my verbiage is probably not correct…but my ears know what they like. Thanks for posting…it was interesting!!

I now know Mathis did the original (although until looking it up on Wikipedia, I didn’t know it was the theme song to a movie), but I had always thought Nina Simone did the original version. Her version is probably my favorite (youtube.com/watch?v=CiVDzTT4CbE), but I like the weirdness of the Bowie version.

We could probably do a whole spin-off thread of “Songs you thought were recorded by someone else”, but for years I thought the song “A Girl Like You” was by Bowie. (It was actually by Edwyn Collins, who just sounds like Bowie in the 1994 song youtube.com/watch?v=iYFz4pKclyA) .

 

[Phemie]

Joan Jett’s Crimson and Clover improves upon the original, although forget by whom.

Tommy James and the Shondells.

I was ready to argue with you about this one. Then I went to listen to Jett’s version. Yes, it’s better but I must admit I missed TJ&S’s weird little choppy vocals at the end.

 

[M-Dent]

We could probably do a whole spin-off thread of “Songs you thought were recorded by someone else”, but for years I thought the song “A Girl Like You” was by Bowie. (It was actually by Edwyn Collins, who just sounds like Bowie in the 1994 song youtube.com/watch?v=iYFz4pKclyA) .

Sure could. Heh

I suppose you could add fantastic tribute bands?

For example, a Steely Dan tribute band I found to be very good.
Hank Easton group really “pegs” the guitar solo’s and his band Steely Damned I enjoy listening to. There’s also a few Pink Floyd tribute bands that are entertaining.

 

[christofirst]

Sure could. Heh

I suppose you could add fantastic tribute bands?

For example, a Steely Dan tribute band I found to be very good.
Hank Easton group really “pegs” the guitar solo’s and his band Steely Damned I enjoy listening to. There’s also a few Pink Floyd tribute bands that are entertaining.

I’ve never gone out of my way to see a lot of tribute bands, but some of their names give me a laugh. One of my favorites was the Rolling Clones.

 

[LegoGE1947]

Sure could. Heh

I suppose you could add fantastic tribute bands?

For example, a Steely Dan tribute band I found to be very good.
Hank Easton group really “pegs” the guitar solo’s and his band Steely Damned I enjoy listening to. There’s also a few Pink Floyd tribute bands that are entertaining.

When I first heard Dire Straits “Sultans of Swing” I thought it was Eric Clapton:shrug:

 

[k5rakitan]

I think that “Warrior” by Ke$ha was much better when someone else sang it. Actually, I can’t stand pretty much anything sung by Ke$ha in the first place.

 

[migueltojose]

Treading on sacred ground here but…

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix is a great cover. I always thought of it as more like a prayer offering than an homage…

youtube.com/watch?v=An4uDegHB8s

 

[M-Dent]

** The song I wish the writer didn’t try and sing**,

Neil Young - Lotta Love (writer)

The late Nicolette Larson did it much more vocal justice

Lotta Love - Nicolette Larson

Three dog night did mostly covers but this is a great one.

One by Harry Nilsson

One - Three dog Night - a classic.

Another great cover,


“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” by Brenda Holloway

“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” Blood, Sweat & Tears Cover

 

[M-Dent]

Treading on sacred ground here but…

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix is a great cover. I always thought of it as more like a prayer offering than an homage…

youtube.com/watch?v=An4uDegHB8s

SRV did an incredible version all while showing tribute to an influence of his.

I like bold and surprising covers.

A guitarist I much enjoy listening, Joe Bonamassa did a cover of the song Prisoner (from soundtrack of Eyes of Laura Mars) sung by Barbra Streisand. It makes it the guitar track it should have always been.

Barbra Streisand: Prisoner

Joe Bonamassa - Prisoner

 

[John_Lazarus]

Patty Smith’s Because the Night also runs circles around Bruce’s original.
.

Patti and Bruce co-wrote the song, and although he recorded it first, she released hers first. I don’t think he ever released a studio version of it, and it didn’t appear on vinyl at all until Live/1975–85 (1986). So, I think he technically covered her, as she released it almost 10 years earlier.

 

[John_Lazarus]

How about the same artist’s live recording versus their studio recording of the same song? Normally, I almost always prefer the polished studio version, but a few exceptions come to mind:

One is Bob Segar’s Travelin’ Man/Beautiful Loser off of Live Bullet, which for me has a lot more energy than the original studio recordings of either song, but still has a finished sound.

Another are the three big hits off of Cheap Trick’s *Cheap Trick At Budokan *release; *I Want You to **Want Me, Ain’t That a Shame *(itself a remake of the Fats Domino hit) and Surrender

Same goes for most of the hits off of Frampton Comes Alive! * by Peter Frampton, especially Do You Feel Like We Do,* which also has the quality sound of the studio but with a lot more energy and spontaneity than the original.

This, definitely.

Frampton Comes Alive and At Budokan were iconic albums of the 70s. The live versions have more energy, you can feel the chemistry with the audience.

But some groups just really bite live, as noted below.

Soundwise - studio music just sounds a lot better… sometimes the emotion from a live recording comes across…

Paul McCartney’s live version of “Maybe I’m Amazed”

Bruce Springsteen’s live version of “Jersey Girl”

Sometimes live versions just downright stink.

I saw Led Zeppelin in 1974 and they were pretty bad. What a shame. You’d think it would’ve been the prime time to see them… but no… maybe they just had a bad night… I heard Jimmy Page was a heroin addict at the time… that might’ve had something to do with it…

Possibly. I am only familiar with The Song Remains The Same and the live version of “Stairway to Heaven” – “Does anybody remember laughter?”

I must agree with you on Maybe I’m Amazed.

The Stones, too, in their live recordings often disappoint me. I don’t know what kind of vocal range Mick has, but in live recordings it really seems like he is trying to save his voice.

Or he just does not have the same range jumping around on stage as he does in a studio where he can do thirty takes. And the older he gets, the worse it gets.

 

[John_Lazarus]

This one’s strange, but it works:

The Song: DIAMONDS
Original Artist: Rihanna (2012)
Cover Artist: Steam-Powered Giraffe (2013)

I generally don’t like Rihanna’s music, but I actually like this song. I like the key(s) it’s played in, the arrangements, etc. I like her live versions better than the original studio version, mainly because I really don’t like the sneery, nasal “Shine bright like a diamond” line. Which is why I’m delighted with the version by Steam-Powered Giraffe, a steampunk-influenced pop group of, um, “robots”. The vocals are primarily done by the character The Spine (David Michael Bennett), who sings the lyrics in two separate registers – a deep, masculine bass/baritone, and an almost delicate tenor. And he imitates Rihanna’s styles and inflections. It’s funny, but it’s also really good.

 

[Bobby_Jim]

Here’s a slightly obscure one:

Song: “Griselda”
Original: (Un)Holy Modal Rounders (album: Have Moicy!)
Better Cover: Yo La Tengo (album: Fakebook)

 

[Edmundus1581]

Treading on sacred ground here but…

Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix is a great cover. I always thought of it as more like a prayer offering than an homage…

youtube.com/watch?v=An4uDegHB8s

Thanks, but I’ll stick with Hendrix.

 

[LegoGE1947]

This one’s strange, but it works:

The Song: DIAMONDS
Original Artist: Rihanna (2012)
Cover Artist: Steam-Powered Giraffe (2013)

I generally don’t like Rihanna’s music, but I actually like this song. I like the key(s) it’s played in, the arrangements, etc. I like her live versions better than the original studio version, mainly because I really don’t like the sneery, nasal “Shine bright like a diamond” line. Which is why I’m delighted with the version by Steam-Powered Giraffe, a steampunk-influenced pop group of, um, “robots”. The vocals are primarily done by the character The Spine (David Michael Bennett), who sings the lyrics in two separate registers – a deep, masculine bass/baritone, and an almost delicate tenor. And he imitates Rihanna’s styles and inflections. It’s funny, but it’s also really good.

Ever heard of a song called “Diamonds” that featured Herb Alpert with Janet Jackson? This was from the late 70s or early 80s sometime after the Tijuana Brass had run their course.