Best Cover Versions

by **DerekF** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 10:36 am

What cover versions are better than the original? Inspired by the Pixies music in the excellent Thomson "Time for a holiday" advert.

A few that came to mind....

.... and many many more.

by **nigelblake** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 11:10 am

Marillion (Steve Hogarth singing, not Fish) cover of Radiohead's "Fake plastic trees"

by **DanO1978** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 11:36 am

The White Stripes cover of Dolly Parton's Jolene:

by **DanH** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 11:43 am

The Muse cover of Feeling Good, and Metallicas version of whiskey in the jar spring to mind. Special mention goes to Johnny Cash covering Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.

by **Wes_Howes** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 11:43 am

just to flip it a bit, one of the worst covers I heard was on Radio 2 yesterday, Marcus Collins' cover of The White Stripes, Seven Nation Army :mad:

Anyway, back on track

by **Hatstand** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 1:36 pm

This is something I have often considered. Because I am of the semi-serious view that it might be better if great songs, once they have sold x copies, were to become "listed" (like listed/protected buildings etc). After that nobody would allowed to create new recordings of them, sample them, remix them, or $%^& them up in any way. Not even the original artist. People could only mess with them in live performances. This would hopefully:
a) Kill the industry built on disposable no-name no-talent nobodies ripping the soul out of great old songs, and basically murdering them.
b) Especially, kill X-Factor etc
c) Prevent people stealing bits of great songs, looping them, talking fast over them, and calling it a song.
d) Promote bands who can cut the mustard in a live performance
e) Encourage creativity

Having come up with this idea, I then had to ask myself if the world would be a better place without both the multitude of crap covers AND the small minority of great covers. So I had to think of what covers I considered better than the originals, and whether I would be prepared to "sacrifice" them "for the greater good". So here's a few I prepared earlier:

Jimi Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower" (Bob Dylan)
Jimi Hendrix's "Hey Joe" (The Leaves)
Roxy Music's "Jealous Guy" (John Lennon)
Judas Priest's "Diamonds and Rust" (live) (Joan Baez)

Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" (Leonard Cohen). I don't care what anyone else says, or who came up with that arrangement. As far as I'm concerned, This Is The One. His vocals and guitar are sublime.

The Byrds' "Mr Tambourine Man" (Bob Dylan)
The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" (Dunno who recorded it first, but it wasn't The Righteous Brothers)
Dusty Springfield's "24 Hours From Tulsa" (Gene Pitney, but written by Burt Backarackarackaraaaaaaaa)
Eva Cassidy's "Fields of Gold" (Sting)

There were more but I don't remember them right now. And yes, I'd sacrifice them all...

DanH wrote:Metallicas version of whiskey in the jar

Hmm. I just can't agree with that one... :-/

by **nigelblake** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 1:42 pm

Judas Priest's "Diamonds and Rust" (Joan Baez)

Yes indeed, what a great cover that is!

by **aceyone** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 2:16 pm

Barclay James Harvest's Poor Mans Moody Blues ,I know technically it's not a cover but as a parody it's superb :smile:

Eva Cassidy's " Songbird " ( Fleetwood Mac )

by **Dragon Rapide** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 2:26 pm

Undoubtedly this - Hendrix's take on Dylan's great original.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTUCkyMR_Kk

by **maltwoser** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 4:26 pm

The Raconteurs - Rich Kid Blues

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NskSnQIPBBM

by **andyxh558** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 4:34 pm

WASP's version of Locomotive Breath is pretty good

Trivium's version of Metallica's Master Of Puppets is brilliant!

Nikleback's version of Sharp Dressed man by ZZ Top isnt too bad

Now you know i love queensryche's music but there are things that should never be covered and its anything that Freddie Mercury and queen sings apart from George Micheal doing Someone to love, this version of innuendo is awful!!! :oops:

However...... MTV Unplugged

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mwt4SP5BnZ8&feature=related[/youtube]

by **psquiddy** on Sat 28 Jan 2012, 6:43 pm

Also from Unleashed in the East - Fleetwood Mac's Green Manalishi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRW-qrEHZjE

Slayer doing Iron Butterfly's In a Gadda Da Vida

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPARMVSopUM

by **DanH** on Sun 29 Jan 2012, 2:08 am

I thought of a couple more this evening. The Animals version of House of the Rising Sun...

And Orgy's cover of Blue Monday...

by **Red Dragon** on Sun 29 Jan 2012, 3:04 am

Wes_Howes wrote:Anyway, back on track

Good call there Wes, even my girlfriend (a deadicated Thin Lizzy fan) loves this!!!! :clap:

by **DerekF** on Sun 29 Jan 2012, 10:35 am

The Animals House of the Rising Sun was probably the definitive version but how about this?

The genius that is John Otway.

by **ArabJazzie** on Sun 29 Jan 2012, 10:48 pm

As much as i like a bit of Iron Maiden, i think this just edges it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLmlJT-kc1g

For me, you just cant beat this Johnny Cash cover of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McV7pjwV ... re=related

And an all time favourite of my family!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR9JU9TxLd4

Arabest,
Geoff.

by **tomcatforever** on Mon 30 Jan 2012, 3:20 am

One of my favourite covers

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Trapped (Live in Hyde Park) a Jimmy Cliff cover

Also always liked this

Megadeth - No More Mr.Nice Guy

by **stratocaster** on Mon 30 Jan 2012, 9:49 am

Not really a fan of covers,however I do prefer Kirsty McColl's version of Billy Braggs' "New England".

by **Dragon Rapide** on Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:08 am

That was my initial thought, too until I started to consider it and realised that there are quite a few that I really prefer, or like as much as the originals. I posted Hendrix's version of Dylan's All Along the Watchtower and I am starting to feel a list coming on! A very good thread!! :smile:

by **PeteM** on Mon 30 Jan 2012, 10:47 am

I love Hendrix and this is a close call but I think I prefer Stings version of 'Little Wing':
http://youtu.be/BLQjVvDTRPQ

by **stratocaster** on Mon 30 Jan 2012, 11:16 am

PeteM wrote:I love Hendrix and this is a close call but I think I prefer Stings version of 'Little Wing':
http://youtu.be/BLQjVvDTRPQ

Do you still have the "Nothing like the sun" album of his which that track is on? My copy got binned years ago due to it being scratched and never managed to find a CD.Very good album though. :biggrin: