Covers that are better than the original...

cj66cj66
edited January 2017 in Other music
... at least in the posters opinion of pop or rock.

Something really obvious like Soft Cells cover of Tainted Love (written by Ed Cobb & first recorded by Gloria Jones) immediately springs to mind.

How about some more, possibly less obvious;

Donvans "Lalena" by Deep Purple



Crowded House's "Better Be Home Soon" by Andrea Zonn



Plus a gaggle of Bob Dylan songs!


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Comments

  • cj66cj66
    I forgot two huuuuuuuuge ones...

    Joan Baez's "Babe I'm gonna leave you" by Led Zep

    Prince's "Nothing compares to you" by Sinaed O'Conner
  • uglymusicuglymusic
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Better than the Gillian Welch/David Rawlings original.



    I also prefer this live version to the one on the album.
  • Suzy6toesSuzy6toes
    Hm, not a sophisticated choice, but it's part of my heritage, so here it goes.... Seven Bridges Road Eagles
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Suzy6toes said:
    Hm, not a sophisticated choice, but it's part of my heritage, so here it goes.... Seven Bridges Road Eagles
    Can I add my ignorance to your lack of sophistication? :-)

    I don't know that song at all. What was the original?
  • uglymusicuglymusic

    or


  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Thanks for those guys.
    Enjoyed them all.
    When done well, a good cover makes me feel the safety of the familiar with the excitement of the new.

    I always think of this one (especially the NWA "Straigh Outta Compton" bit...)



    From this compilation album which is one of the best I've come across (possibly the only one ;-) ). Be assured, most all of the other covers are not comical!

    image
  • Suzy6toesSuzy6toes

    uglymusic said:
    Suzy6toes said:
    Hm, not a sophisticated choice, but it's part of my heritage, so here it goes.... Seven Bridges Road Eagles
    Can I add my ignorance to your lack of sophistication? :-)

    I don't know that song at all. What was the original?
    Steve Young  and there's also a warble version by Joan Baez if you're up for it Chris!  The Eagles used it initially as a pre-gig warm up.

    Love, Dave, that you're straight back at ya with Coltrane !!

    Ok, my next offering...... Dear Prudence    (reminded of this this morning)


    B-) B-) :D
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Suzy6toes said:

    uglymusic said:
    Suzy6toes said:
    Hm, not a sophisticated choice, but it's part of my heritage, so here it goes.... Seven Bridges Road Eagles
    Can I add my ignorance to your lack of sophistication? :-)

    I don't know that song at all. What was the original?
    Steve Young  and there's also a warble version by Joan Baez if you're up for it Chris!  The Eagles used it initially as a pre-gig warm up.

    Love, Dave, that you're straight back at ya with Coltrane !!

    Ok, my next offering...... Dear Prudence    (reminded of this this morning)


    B-) B-) :D
    Thanks for the link to Steve Young. Somehow, he passed me by :-)

    Sorry, had to do the Coltrane!

    I'd forgotten the Siouxsie. What a great version!
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Docfoster said:
    Thanks for those guys.
    Enjoyed them all.
    When done well, a good cover makes me feel the safety of the familiar with the excitement of the new.

    I always think of this one (especially the NWA "Straigh Outta Compton" bit...)



    From this compilation album which is one of the best I've come across (possibly the only one ;-) ). Be assured, most all of the other covers are not comical!

    image
    Snort, giggle :-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Or, to upset any Queen fans around here, may I suggest another Dadaist effort by the aforementioned Bad Plus?


  • cj66cj66
    edited February 2017
    Some really good ones in there, Souxsie! Essential cover.

    The Bad Plus doing Iron Man, surprisingly OK. That reminds me of 2Cellos covering "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, excellent.
    Some more;

    Cat Steven's (edit) Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the cradle" by Ugly Kid Joe



    Fleetwood Mac's "Black magic woman" by Santana

    Re Joan Baez, not really a fan of her singing but Diamonds & Rust is a wrencher which has been much covered but not equalled.
  • Suzy6toesSuzy6toes
    God, Ugly Kid Joe, there's a blast from the past!! Just forwarded it to my little brother for a similar shot of pure nostalgia!!
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    How about:



    ?
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    From:

    John French, Fred Frith, Henry Kaiser and Richard Thompson - Live, Love, Larf and Loaf

    comes this wonderful cover:

  • cj66cj66
    A bit of fun there! I actually have this album, not sure why and have to admit I only ever liked the second side of the round, black & grooved thingy.


  • DocfosterDocfoster
    uglymusic said:
    From:

    John French, Fred Frith, Henry Kaiser and Richard Thompson - Live, Love, Larf and Loaf

    comes this wonderful cover:

    Nice example of the juxtaposition of the familiar, the unexpected and the humorous that a good cove can provide.
    :-)
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    uglymusic said:
    How about:



    ?
    For me (and I imagine I'm on my own here) I'm grateful for Bowie's existence but don't really take any enjoyment from his music.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    cj66 said:
    Some really good ones in there, Souxsie! Essential cover.

    The Bad Plus doing Iron Man, surprisingly OK. That reminds me of 2Cellos covering "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC, excellent.
    Some more;

    Cat Steven's (edit) Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the cradle" by Ugly Kid Joe



    Fleetwood Mac's "Black magic woman" by Santana

    Re Joan Baez, not really a fan of her singing but Diamonds & Rust is a wrencher which has been much covered but not equalled.
    Woah! Nostalgia / flashback warning.
    Great stuff! :-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    cj66 said:
    A bit of fun there! I actually have this album, not sure why and have to admit I only ever liked the second side of the round, black & grooved thingy.


    I thought I knew the album, but when I played it on Tidal earlier, I don't think I've ever heard it before. But there is some good silliness on those intangible 1s and 0s, for sure :-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Docfoster said:
    uglymusic said:
    How about:



    ?
    For me (and I imagine I'm on my own here) I'm grateful for Bowie's existence but don't really take any enjoyment from his music.
    I must admit that it's only since his death that I've become a real fan. I quite liked Low and Heroes in the late 70s/early 80s, but Bowie's genius of having a jazz drummer and a funk bassist underpinning his rock band for years sells him to me now. They give his mid 70s to early 80s albums an amazing feel.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    edited June 2017
    Kings of Convenience [& Roma crowd] "Free Falling"

  • DocfosterDocfoster
    Aretha Franklin "Bridge over troubled water"

  • cj66cj66
    That one had me thinking who did El Condor Pasa originally?

    I had assumed Paul Somon's lyrics were a rough translation from the original Spanish language but how wrong was I?!

    Anyway, it appears there is no original as it's an old traditional song. However the following is very nice indeed and gives S&G's version a pretty good run!




  • rvareyrvarey
    Vanessa Fernandez' album of acoustic Led Zeppelin covers - When the Levee Breaks
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    rvarey said:
    Vanessa Fernandez' album of acoustic Led Zeppelin covers - When the Levee Breaks
    That's much better than I feared :-) Although I think I prefer the Zep versions (some of which are various degrees of cover, of course).
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Here's one I'd forgotten. Away with the original's sickly sweetness, and in with:



    Archie Shepp - The Girl from Ipanema
  • cj66cj66
    That's a nicely wazzed-up version.

    Add a bit more and you have...




    >:)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    WTF????
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Time to revive this thread, with this!


  • MartinTMartinT
    Good as ABBA's Winner Takes It All is (almost a perfect song), the cover by Beverley Craven is superb.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    MartinT said:
    Good as ABBA's Winner Takes It All is (almost a perfect song), the cover by Beverley Craven is superb.
    Is it on YouTube?
  • MartinTMartinT
    It's on Spotify, not sure about YouTube.  Can I post Spotify links here, do they work?
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    You can, but they only work for Spotify subscribers, which is why we tend to have a look at YT and paste it from there.

    It's up to you what you do.
  • MartinTMartinT
    Found it!



    spotify:track:4qsjr2H2vM49i7wZYqzrje
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Ooh. It's gone all reggae!
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    No one listened to the old guy with the harp, a few posts back?

    I played it to my wife without the preamble last night, and she was in stitches.
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    uglymusic said:
    No one listened to the old guy with the harp, a few posts back?

    I played it to my wife without the preamble last night, and she was in stitches.

    It was worth his having a go.
    I'll give him that much. 
  • DocfosterDocfoster
    MartinT said:
    Found it!



    spotify:track:4qsjr2H2vM49i7wZYqzrje
    Thanks for digging out the YouTube link Martin.
    I like that she's made it just different enough, and without a harp in sight.

  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Docfoster said:
    uglymusic said:
    No one listened to the old guy with the harp, a few posts back?

    I played it to my wife without the preamble last night, and she was in stitches.

    It was worth his having a go.
    I'll give him that much. 
    I liked it!
  • cj66cj66
    edited January 2018
    uglymusic said:
    Time to revive this thread, with this!


    That was quite surprisingly ok but left me wanting a more full on treatment of gravelly voice over folky tones a la Mark Lanegan or Johnny Cash or Van da man or Joe Cocker or...... I'll stop harping on there ;)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    cj66 said:
    uglymusic said:
    Time to revive this thread, with this!


    That was quite surprisingly ok but left me wanting a more full on treatment of gravelly voice over folky tones a la Mark Lanegan or Johnny Cash or Van da man or Joe Cocker or...... I'll stop harping on there ;)
    You know you liked it, really :-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    May I commend this to you, my friends?



    Name that toon!
  • MartinTMartinT
    White Light / White Heat is a Velvet Underground song.
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Of course, it is! You win a beer next time I see you ;-)
  • uglymusicuglymusic
    Good version, I thought.
  • cj66cj66
    It passed rather well methinks.
  • MartinTMartinT
    It is rather good!
  • PaulDPaulD
    Diana Krall’s version of Temptation is sublime and so much better than the original.
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