@The_Asbestos_Mango (The Asbestos Mango) posted a new topic, subject "Covers that were better than the original". It read:

   OK, we've done covers that we like, that suck, that were maybe as good as the original, but, hey let's face it…
    
    Sometimes a cover comes along that is _better_ than the original.
    
    It's rare, but it happens.
    
    Cases in point:
    
    “Diamonds and Rust”- Judas Priest. Sorry, but Joan Baez's voice is just sickeningly pretty. Rob Halford and Company set that song ablaze for me.
    
    “Love Hurts”- Nazereth. In a lot of old '50's and '60's songs, the melodies don't quite lay right on the rhythm of the song, and the Everly Brother's version of this song is a major victim of this phenomenon. Also, the lyrics just fairly cry out for the heavy-metal ballad treatment.
    
    “My Way”- Sid Vicious. Ol' Blue Eyes just didn't have the vocal power or attitude to carry this one off. Plus, Sid's own lyrical interpolations (I've heard that he didn't actually know all the words, so he made up a few of his own) are downright hilarious. Sounds especially great coming from the tape deck in Spke's De Soto…
    
    “I Wanna Be Your Man”- the Beatles. OK, technically not a cover, since the Beatles recorded it before the Stones did, but still a Jagger/Richards composition.  
    OK, next…
      *[Ghost]: “I

@astro (astro) replied

    Joe Cockers - She came in through the bathroom window - Better than the Beatles version
    
    Tony Bennet - On the sunny side fo the street - Better than Sinatra's version - don't know if Sinatra was the original on this one though
      *[Ghost]: “I

Then @Sam_Stone (Sam Stone) said

    “Twist and Shout” by the Beatles is FAR superior to the original, by (I think) the Isley Brothers.
    
    In fact, many of the songs the Beatles covered were the definitive versions.
    
    “Blinded by the Light” by Manfred Mann is better than Springsteen's original. And I like the original.
      *[Ghost]: “I

Then @Crusoe (Crusoe) said

    _Always On My Mind_ by the Pet Shop Boys is at least as good as the original.
      *[Ghost]: “I

Then @Cartooniverse (Cartooniverse) said

    **Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young** didn't write **“Woodstock”** , but their cover of it is the defining version.
    
    It beats the hell out of Joni's…
    
    **Yes** covered **Simon & Garfunkel's “America”**, and I happen to adore that harder edged version.
    
    Cartooniverse
      *[Ghost]: “I

To which @bibliophile (bibliophile) replied

    Jeff Buckley's cover of Hallejuah [sp?] never fails to make me cry. You don't get much better that that in my book.
      *[Ghost]: “I

After which, @TridCloudwalker (TridCloudwalker) added

    Hendrix's cover of Dylan's “All Along the Watchtower”
    
    Failure's cover of Depeche Mode's “Enjoy the Silence”
    
    and believe it or not,  
    Snake River Conspiracy's cover of The Cure's “Love Song”
    
    runners up:  
    Catherine Wheel's cover of Sebadoh's “Willing To Wait”  
    Type O Negative's cover of ???'s “Summer Breeze”  
    Nirvana's cover of Leadbelly's “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?”  
    Slowdive's cover of Nancy Sinatra's “Some Velvet Morning”
    
    oh…  
    and Blind Melon's cover of School House Rocks' “Three is a Magic Number”
      *[Ghost]: “I

Then @TridCloudwalker (TridCloudwalker) said

    > *Originally posted by bibliophile *  
    >  **Jeff Buckley's cover of Hallejuah [sp?] never fails to make me cry. You don't get much better that that in my book. **
    
    John Cale's version isn't bad, but Buckley's is definatley the best…though it's hard to be the man Leonard.
      *[Ghost]: “I

Then @grendel72 (grendel72) said

    **Bongwater** 's version of The Porpoise Song is much better than the **Monkees** version, which was the original recording. It was written by Carole King, but I don't think she ever recorded it.
      *[Ghost]: “I

After which, @grendel72 (grendel72) added

    > *Originally posted by TridCloudwalker *  
    >  **oh…  
    >  and Blind Melon's cover of School House Rocks' “Three is a Magic Number” **
    
    But **De La Soul** 's version is even better.
      *[Ghost]: “I

So @Mr.Blue_Sky (Mr. Blue Sky) replied

    “Everlasting Love” by Carl Carlton is head and shoulders above all other versions: Robert Knight's original and later versions by Gloria Estefan and Rex Smith/Rachel Sweet.
    
    Ditto “Blinded by the Light” & “All Along the Watchtower”
    
    IIRC, even Dylan admited that Hendrix' version was superior to his own.
      *[Ghost]: “I

Then @Neurotik (Neurotik) said

    Hello?!
    
    The obvious one.
    
    Aretha Franklin's **Respect** beats out the original by Otis Redding. Hell, even Otis Redding says so.
      *[Ghost]: “I

After which, @Squish (Squish) added

    > *Originally posted by TridCloudwalker *  
    >  **Type O Negative's cover of ???'s "Summer Breeze"**
    
    Seals and Croft did the original, and yes, I ADORE Type O's cover. I also like their cover of Sarah McLaughlin's “Possession” better than the original.
    
    For my money, Gene Loves Jezebel's cover of “All the Young Dudes” (on ‘Goth Oddity') beats Mott the Hoople's into the asphalt.
      *[Ghost]: “I

So @sleestak (sleestak) replied

    A band named Sanctuary covered “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane and it totally rocked. Dave Mustain played lead on it.
    
    Ozzy and Deweezil Zappas version of “Stayin Alive”.
    
    Slee
      *[Ghost]: “I

@Ludovic (Ludovic) replied

    led zep's Dancing Days cover by STP.  
    dont cry for me argentina by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.  
    You can go your own way by NOFX.
    
    > *Originally posted by TridCloudwalker *  
    >  and believe it or not,  
    >  Snake River Conspiracy's cover of The Cure's “Love Song”  
    >  **
    
    i DO find that hard to believe, HATED their redundant remake of 8b7c:f320:99b9:690f:4595:cd17:293a:c0698b7c:f320:99b9:690f:4595:cd17:293a:c069gurgle, cringe, cant mention it8b7c:f320:99b9:690f:4595:cd17:293a:c0698b7c:f320:99b9:690f:4595:cd17:293a:c069 I even gave em benefit of the doubt and listened to one of their CDs and hated every track.
      *[Ghost]: “I

After which, @Iguana_Boy (Iguana Boy) added

    > *Originally posted by Thea Logica *  
    >  [B"My Way"- Sid Vicious. Ol' Blue Eyes just didn't have the vocal power or attitude to carry this one off. Plus, Sid's own lyrical interpolations (I've heard that he didn't actually know all the words, so he made up a few of his own) are downright hilarious. **
    
    Billy Connolly says that it is rather ironic that of all the people to sing that song, Sid Vicious is the only one that actually did it _his_ way!
    
    I like **Dave Lee Roth's** versions of **Louis Prima's** “Just A Gigolo”, and **Sinatra's** “That's Life” better than the originals, but then I am a huge **DLR** fan!
      *[Ghost]: “I

To which @Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker (Earl Snake-Hips Tucker) replied

    Marvin Gaye in 1968, a year after it had become a million seller for the first time by Gladys Knight and the Pips.
      *[Ghost]: “I

After which, @jackelope (jackelope) added

    The first one that leapt to my mind when I saw the thread title was “I Fought the Law” by the Clash. I loved the original, but a rebel-song like that one needs Joe Strummer's voice kicking it through your skull.
    
    “Sweet Jane” by Cowboy Junkies. Lou Reed said he wished he'd done it that way.
    
    “Baker Street,” Foo Fighters. Again, I liked Gerry Rafferty's original, but putting the flute bit onto an overdriven guitar really makes it.
    
    And let's not forget “That's All Right (Mama),” which Elvis transformed from a fairly sweet bluegrass song to the proto-rocker that first got him noticed.
    
    **TridCloudwalker** , very good call on Nirvana's “Where Did You Sleep Last Night?” That version showed a lot of people (including myself, I must admit) that Kurt Cobain wasn't just some ignorant punk with a guitar and shredded vocal chords.
      *[Ghost]: “I

To which @Sam_Stone (Sam Stone) replied

    How about BJ Thomas's cover of “Hooked on a Feeling”, which is EXACTLY like the original, except that this love song now has a chorus of background singers going, “OOGAH CHAKA OOGAH OOGAH OOGAH CHAKA”
    
    And of course, it was a monster hit while the original one wasn't.
      *[Ghost]: “I

@Mr.Blue_Sky (Mr. Blue Sky) replied

    > *Originally posted by Sam Stone *  
    >  **How about BJ Thomas's cover of “Hooked on a Feeling”, which is EXACTLY like the original, except that this love song now has a chorus of background singers going, “OOGAH CHAKA OOGAH OOGAH OOGAH CHAKA”
    > 
    > And of course, it was a monster hit while the original one wasn't. **
    
    I think you've got your versions mixed up. BJ Thomas did the original in 1969 which went to #5. Blue Suede, a Swedish band, did the remake with the OOGA CHAKA bit in 1974 and hit #1.
    
    Side note: Blue Suede also did a fast-paced version of “Never My Love”.
      *[Ghost]: “I

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )

( there was a missing post )


{'source': 'discourse', 'url': 'https://boards.straightdope.com/t/covers-that-were-better-than-the-original/117651', 'title': 'Covers that were better than the original', 'views': 2506, 'has_accepted_answer': False, 'word_count': 5510, 'like_count': 0, 'reply_count': 75, 'participant_count': 57, 'posts': 76, 'tags': '', 'author': '@The_Asbestos_Mango (The Asbestos Mango)', 'participants': '@The_Asbestos_Mango (The Asbestos Mango), @astro (astro), @Sam_Stone (Sam Stone), @Crusoe (Crusoe), @Cartooniverse (Cartooniverse), @bibliophile (bibliophile), @TridCloudwalker (TridCloudwalker), @grendel72 (grendel72), @Mr.Blue_Sky (Mr. Blue Sky), @Neurotik (Neurotik), @Squish (Squish), @sleestak (sleestak), @Ludovic (Ludovic), @Iguana_Boy (Iguana Boy), @Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker (Earl Snake-Hips Tucker), @jackelope (jackelope)', 'image_url': [None], 'created_at': '2002-07-06T18:03:26.000Z', 'last_posted_at': '2002-07-12T17:05:43.000Z'}