Yet Another Cycling Forum
Off Topic => The Pub => Arts and Entertainment => Topic started by: pcolbeck on 19 December, 2008, 12:07:47 am
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Prompted by the Hallelujah Wars thread lets make it more general. Which cover versions do you think are better than the original ?
To start with I'll lead with the BeeGee's "To love somebody" bettered by:
Janis Joplin (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fkGUt4QYc08&) - nicely overwrought
Damien Rice & Ray LaMontange (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=oNJwBaYAtcM&feature=related) - stripped down
Nina Simone (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=_OaNzoqSo4g=) - funky !
but this one is just wrong
Bonnie Tyler (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XSJMsRGh5H4&feature=related) - aargh
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Just to be really obvious:
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
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Just to be really obvious:
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
I must beg to differ. Both versions are excellent in their own way.
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Also see
Favourite/unexpected cover versions (http://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3429.0)
I vote for FGTH's "Born To Run".
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Just to be really obvious:
Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
I must beg to differ. Both versions are excellent in their own way.
Bob Dylan reckons Hendrix' version is better than his own. By my reckoning it's only you and Noel Redding who have ever thought otherwise ;D
Additional: Half Man Half Biscuit's version of Tim Buckley's "Song To The Siren" is brillsticks.
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Hendrix so much owns that song that for a while I thought Dylan's was a poor cover... :-[
While we're on the subject of Hendrix, he brilliantly transformed:
Star Spangled Banner
Red House
God Save The Queen
Wild Thing
Johnny B Goode
and probably loads more I can't recall right now.
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The (old) Human League's cover of You've Lost That Loving Feeling
Bauhaus's Ziggy Stardust
Motorhead's cover of Hawkwind's "Motorhead" ;)
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Summer Breeze,
The Isley Brothers.
Damon.
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IGMC (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgsH1pdWJ84)
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Hendrix also did a great version of Gloria, though Patti Smith's is spellbindingly, astonishingly, magnificently, fabulous.
Nazareth, incongruously, outclassed the originals with
This Flight Tonight
Rock'n'Roll Star (Patti did this too)
Love Hurts
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Oh - and, somewhat undermining his message, there is the occasion when the Experience were on the Lulu show, when, having heard that Cream had split up, they stopped their planned track (Red House?), and launched into a cover of 'Sunshine of Your Love' that completely outclassed Cream themselves.
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The Beatles and their cover version of Pinky and Perky's Yellow Submarine.
I was very upset at the age of 7 to discover that the Beatles had dared to cover one of Pinky and Perky's greatest hits.
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Sonic Youth's version of Superstar
Richard Thompson's "Oops I Did it Again"
Flaming Lips' "Can't Get You out of My Head"
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White White Stripes' cover of Death Letter
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Richard Thompson's "Oops I Did it Again"
Flaming Lips' "Can't Get You out of My Head"
+1 on both of those. Totally unexpected, and yet right.
Similarly, Will Young (yes, I know) did a cover of the Pussycat Dolls' Doncha for Radio 1. It was terrifically torchy, and I loved it. Not released on any of the Live Lounge compilations AFAIK. :(
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At risk of repeating myself:
The Witch's Promise by All About Eve orig. Jethro Tull
Song to the Siren by This Mortal Coil (Cocteau Twins) orig. Tim Buckley
David Watts by The Jam orig. The Kinks
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Talking of Tull...
Joe Bonamassa does a pretty good version of New Day Yesterday. (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-gBrLKFoTPo)
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Strange Affair (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WVFpMLE6WIo) June Tabor - orgionaly Richord Thompson
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William Shatner/Joe Jackson - Common People.
YouTube - william shatner-common people (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SRPa0GhxGUs)
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Hendrix so much owns that song that for a while I thought Dylan's was a poor cover... :-[
While we're on the subject of Hendrix, he brilliantly transformed:
Star Spangled Banner
Red House
God Save The Queen
Wild Thing
Johnny B Goode
and probably loads more I can't recall right now.
Hendrix was indeed a master of covers. He did quite a few Beatles covers - all of which were brilliant.
Red House is not a cover, btw :P
I really like Radiohead's cover of "Nobody does it better". The original is of course excellent, but I kinda like the way they rock it up a bit.
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<pedant> Red House may have been - ahem - 'inspired' by Muddy Waters & Willie Dixon...</pedant>
Ken Bruce has just played 'You Ain't Seen Nothin Yet' by Bachman Turner Overdrive, which reminds me what a 'different' experience John Otway's version is.
Similarly, his approach to 'House of the Rising Sun' is quite unique. But Nina Simone does it better.
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Similarly, his approach to 'House of the Rising Sun' is quite unique. But Nina Simone does it better.
House of the Rising Sun - my favourite version is by Frigid Pink
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Every Beatles song Joe Cocker ever did is better than the original.
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Summer Breeze,
The Isley Brothers.
That's so definitive I didn't even realise it was a cover!
I nominate the Fatima Mansions' version of Bryan Adams' (Everything I Do) I Do It for You - ultra-sentimental gooey love song reimagined as utterly terrifying stalker nightmare. Pure genius.
d.
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White White Stripes' cover of Death Letter
A tribute band?
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William Shatner/Joe Jackson - Common People.
YouTube - william shatner-common people (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SRPa0GhxGUs)
I love this cover because it made me listen to the lyrics properly for the first time.
Also, Bob Dylan songs are always better covered by someone else imo (I just can't stand his dreadful nasal monotones and "police-car-siren" harmonica playing).
Back on subjet
"Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails) by Johnny Cash is simply remarkable and made even more remarkable when you watch it in the kowledge that he knew he didn't have long left.
Hurt (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go)
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Calling Occupants - Carpenters (original by Klaatu)
Soft Cell - Tainted Love (Gloria Jones)
Byrds - Mr Tambourine Man (Dylan)
My Way - Sid Vicious (Paul Anka)
Mr Bojangles - Nina Simone (Jerry Jeff Walker)
Hazy Shade of Winter - Bangles (Paul Simon & Art Garfunkel)
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Back on subjet
"Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails) by Johnny Cash is simply remarkable and made even more remarkable when you watch it in the kowledge that he knew he didn't have long left.
Hurt (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go)
+1
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Summer Breeze,
The Isley Brothers.
That's so definitive I didn't even realise it was a cover!
People are dimly aware that it was a folk-rock close harmony song and often ascribe it to Crosby Stills and Nash, Actually Seals and Crofts.
YouTube - SUMMER BREEZE/SEALS AND CROFTS (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=yDpwaj213tI)
It's interesting how much slower the Isley's take it.
Damon.
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With all the hoo ha about laughing lens' marvellous "Hallelujah" being the xmas #1 my favourite version is probably kd langs (http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=P_NpxTWbovE)
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Easy - Faith No More (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5VPXlalP2YU)
I Will Survive - Cake (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=10C68Gzd5GM)
House of the Rising Sun - my favourite version is by Frigid Pink
The Be Good Tanyas version in very good.
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One Isley Brothers song that is just too slow is 'Work to do',
YouTube - WORK TO DO - ISLEY BROTHERS (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=noVoYX5QJqU)
which is better at the higher tempo that the Average White Band take it.
YouTube - average white band work to do (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4w8wEuqhf_8)
Damon.
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Calling Occupants - Carpenters (original by Klaatu)
The Klaatu version must have been fkin shite
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Queen don't often get covered, but this,
YouTube - Laibach - geburt einer nation (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1YE_j0xIsJA)
is better than 'One Vision'
Damon.
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Johnny Cash's version of "One" by U2.
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Johnny Cash : Hurt
YouTube - Johnny Cash Hurt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go)
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The cover versions I have used in videos.
Stairway to Heaven, Frank Zappa.
Across the Universe, Laibach
Hurt, Johnny Cash.
I used the first two in my DVD of LEL 2005
The Johnny Cash version of Hurt was used in the video of the Bryan Chapman in 2007, after Many Rivers to Cross
YouTube - Bryan Chapman Treatment 1 (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AuZiRgPYKl4)
Damon.
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Queen don't often get covered, but this,
YouTube - Laibach - geburt einer nation (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1YE_j0xIsJA)
is better than 'One Vision'
Damon.
One Vision was always a bit dodgy, but done by neo-fascists?
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Always on my mind- Pet Shop Boys
Take on the world - Human League
Where did Our love go? - Soft Cell
nothing by the Communards
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Oooh the Pet Shop Boys.
The cover of U2's Where the Streets Have No Name, that so irritated the saintly Bono :)
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An unusual cover, in that it included the original artist, but Marc Almond & Gene Pitney's Something Got A Hold Of My Heart is enchanting
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Zappa's cover of "Tied to the Whipping Post" is awesome. It's on a video, "Does Humo(u)r Belong in Music?"
And an odd one: Loreena McKennitt doing what she describes as a Tom Waits version of Greensleeves.....
And Ten Years After, with Alvin Lee, de-Bowdlerising "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl"
Martin Simpson's "Masters of War"
What does get up my nose is when I hear a covers band say something like "We'd like to do a Guns'n'Roses track...." when it's by Dylan.
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What does get up my nose is when I hear a covers band say something like "We'd like to do a Guns'n'Roses track...." when it's by Dylan.
Isn't that surely better than doing a Guns 'n' Roses track ???
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Marc Almond's version of Aznavour's "What makes a man a man..."
(http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sSKfR_Cz7UE)
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Manic Street Preachers - Suicide is Painless
Manic Street Preachers - Charles Windsor
There's no point in in doing a cover version unless it is played as if you wrote the song yourself - Manics are good at this IMO.
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Queen don't often get covered, but this,
YouTube - Laibach - geburt einer nation (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1YE_j0xIsJA)
is better than 'One Vision'
Damon.
One Vision was always a bit dodgy, but done by neo-fascists?
I like a cover version which explores the meaning inherent in a song. The Laibach cover conflates the fascistic verbal imagery of 'One Vision' with elements of 'Triumph of the Will', much as Queen used elements of Fritz Lang's Metropolis in
YouTube - Queen - Radio Ga-Ga [HQ] (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rBUr1pSWTVI)
which also had fascistic overtones. Laibach always excite controversy, as the context they grew out of is forgotten. This is a typical analysis.
Laibach's venture into some of the language of western pop culture, mixed with the eastern totalitarian references, in many ways mirrors Irwin's retro-principle, except that it is much more accessible and powerful than Irwin's paintings and western pop music always had a very strong identity with freedom and individuality (on the surface at least), and this a strong opposition to totalitarian systems. Thus the Laibach (and NSK) paradox: seemingly totalitarian messages through a seemingly anti-totalitarian medium. So which is subverted, the message, or the medium? On first look it seems that the medium, pop/rock music, is subverted. The tradition is taken by Laibach and turned against itself, or at least what it claimed to be. The Beatles, Queen and the Rolling Stones, icons of the rebellious, free youth of the West, twisted into sinister songs of repression with blurred socialist/fascist undertones but obvious militaristic intent.
NSK (http://homepage.tinet.ie/~peterc/a/nsk.html#2)
Damon.
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Johnny Cash : Hurt
YouTube - Johnny Cash Hurt (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go)
Worth mentioning again in case people had forgotten about it since I posted that same day.
8)
Rogerzilla went with 'One' by JC already so I'll add "Your Own Personal Jesus".
Actually I think Mary J Blige does a brilliant cover of "One".
Paul Anka's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is bordering on genius it's so left field. Sort of terrible and sort of great. I find myself clicking my fingers in an "Old Blue Eyes" swingy sort of way.
"Load up on guns and bring your friends.."
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One
YouTube - Mary.J.Blige.(feat.U2).ONE (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=be0j4PbrQOI)
Does this qualify as a cover? Since it features the original artist?
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'I fought the law' The Clash.
My top tune of all time!
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Just in case no-one knows what these sound like, can I recommend the excellent and almost certainly illegal creation b3ta music search (http://www.b3ta.cr3ation.co.uk/site/music-plus)?
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G 'N' R's version of "Live And Let Die", which eliminates the cheesiness of the Wings original.
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The Clash 'I fought the law'
Plenty of youtube versions but 'if' you fancy covering it yourself this is a starting point.
Intro:
Chords: D D G A
Chords: D D A G F#m D
That repeats twice, then:
D D G D
Breakin' rocks in the hot sun
D D G D
I fought the law and the law won
D D A D
I fought the law and the law won
D D G D
I needed money 'cause I had none
D D G D
I fought the law and the law won (twice)
G
I left my baby and it feels so bad
D
Guess my race is run
G
She the best that I ever had
D G D
I fought the law and the law won
D A G F#m D
I fought the law and the law won
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One
YouTube - Mary.J.Blige.(feat.U2).ONE (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=be0j4PbrQOI)
Does this qualify as a cover? Since it features the original artist?
Yes, because it's not the original
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We ought to try IFTLATLW and post our efforts :)
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Here's another one, mainly included because she defines the pixie-faced brunette:
YouTube - Natalie Imbruglia - Torn (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aTod6ecTzUg)
This video got played about every 2 hours on MTV in the mid-1990s.
Wait for the student-style dancing at 3:30!
It's not widely recognised that it's a cover version, but I have seen a clip of the original and it is truly awful.
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Independent Woman covered by Elbow (http://www.rathergood.com/independent_woman)
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Cause we've ended as lovers (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=D3H1XDswBBA) Jeff Beck's performance of the Stevie Wonder tune
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A pub classic but none the worse for that. Chantel - Stormy Monday (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBp53TdYvQI)
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I mention this every time there's a thread like this, but this is the definitive version of this song. The original album version from 'Play Misty for Me'. it just shades the circa 4 minute version released as a single. largely because of the heartbeat effect of the bass.
YouTube - First time ever i saw your face by Roberta Flack (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0b83VKvbkGA)
Damon.
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Marilyn Manson's version of Tainted Love is far darker (and better!) than the original.
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I mention this every time there's a thread like this, but this is the definitive version of this song. The original album version from 'Play Misty for Me'. it just shades the circa 4 minute version released as a single. largely because of the heartbeat effect of the bass.
YouTube - First time ever i saw your face by Roberta Flack (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0b83VKvbkGA)
Damon.
If you need a reason to find Celine Dion annoying, click here (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MqsRE4PPiEU&feature=related).
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Marilyn Manson's version of Tainted Love is far darker (and better!) than the original.
Yeah, but so is Soft Cell's.
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I mention this every time there's a thread like this, but this is the definitive version of this song. The original album version from 'Play Misty for Me'. it just shades the circa 4 minute version released as a single. largely because of the heartbeat effect of the bass.
YouTube - First time ever i saw your face by Roberta Flack (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=0b83VKvbkGA)
Damon.
If you need a reason to find Celine Dion annoying, click here (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MqsRE4PPiEU&feature=related).
I think Celine does quite a good job. The problems she has stem from her not being a professionally trained singer steeped in the gospel tradition and the cadences of the King James Bible. So she uses the virbato typical of her country tradition and has that strange 'sh' sound on the sibilants.
Singers should try to tackle the classics, and this is certainly one, Celine prefaces her performance by mentioning Roberta Flack and emphasises its emotional significance to her and the husband she nursed through cancer. A lot of people empaphise with Celine because she hasn't had an easy ride, not my cup of tea, but she has got a hell of a lot of power in that voice.
Damon.
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Not a popular statement coming.
I like the Mark Ronson version of the Smith's song, 'Stop Me' a lot more than the original.
Runs for cover from the spitting
H
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Marilyn Manson's version of Tainted Love is far darker (and better!) than the original.
agreed. personal jesus is good too. not sure if the depeche mode version was the original or a cover too.
I like the Mark Ronson version of the Smith's song, 'Stop Me' a lot more than the original.
agreed
imho, the metalica version of whiskey in the jar is a bit so-so. but it seems the thin lizzy version was kind of a cover (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiskey_in_the_Jar) too, as it was originally a folk song.
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Not a popular statement coming.
I like the Mark Ronson version of the Smith's song, 'Stop Me' a lot more than the original.
Runs for cover from the spitting
You, sir, are worse than Hitler.
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Yeah, but so is Soft Cell's.
Cheesy electropop over classic Northern Soul? I don't think so.
The Soft Cell version has also been ruined by overexposure.
d.
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'Imagine' by Perfect Circle
'Suicide is Painless' by Manic Street Preachers
'Man who sold the world' by M. Cobain
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Have we had "Respect" Aretha Franklin yet ? Original was Ottis Reading.
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Manic Street Preachers - Suicide is Painless
Manic Street Preachers - Charles Windsor
There's no point in in doing a cover version unless it is played as if you wrote the song yourself - Manics are good at this IMO.
See also their cover of "We are all Bourgeois now". I wish they would record the entire Mcarthy catalogue as it happens (great songs, terrible production)
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G 'N' R's version of "Live And Let Die", which eliminates the cheesiness of the Wings original.
One of my (many) favourite bits in the film 'Grosse Pointe Blank' is the bit where the G'N' R version of "Live and Let Die" is playing, then when Martin Blank walks in to the Ultimart, a Muzak version of the same song is playing at the exact point where the other left off.
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I never noticed that! What a great excuse to watch the film again ...
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Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb by the Scissor Sisters. Not just to annoy the people who think it is blasphemy, but actually I do think it is a hell of a lot more enjoyable than the turgid ego-belch of The Wall.
In a similar vein, I like some of Nouvelle Vague's covers - in particular their version of Depeche Mode's I Just Can't Get Enough, though they do get a bit wearing after a while.
On a seasonal note, I also think that Kylie Minogue's Santa Baby is really rather good, and on CD at least better than the more famous Eartha Kitt version, even though I have no doubt that Eartha Kitt (RIP) could have eaten Kylie alive.
IMHO, the best ever cover version however is without doubt Love's mid-60s garage-punk stomp through Bacharach's Little Red Book.
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The version of 'Raspberry Beret' that Warren Zevon recorded with members of REM (recording as 'The Hindu Love Gods').
Edit: And the Pixies version of the WV song 'Ain't that pretty at all' on the tribute album 'Enjoy every sandwich'
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even though I have no doubt that Eartha Kitt (RIP) could have eaten Kylie alive.
I should imagine that you would have found a good number of people prepared to pay serious money to watch that.
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Weird al Yankovic's cover of star wars episode one.
It's not better than the original song, it's better than the film!
YouTube - Star Wars: The Saga Begins ('Weird Al' Yankovic) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSwwa9RqyQU)
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I'm not sure if this has been done before (on this forum anyway)... But I'd love to put a playlist together of songs where a cover version absolutely, indisputably knocks spots off the original, to the extent that we think it's the covering artist's own...
Track 1) Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Track 2) Hurt - Johnny Cash
Track 3) ?
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How about Joe Cocker's 'With a Little Help From My Friends' ?
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Perfect addition!! Thank you!!
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Flaming Lips version of Can't Get You Out of My head? Or Sonic Youth's version of Superstar?
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I think this is the oldest merge topics I've ever done. Almost 3 years.
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Forever Young : The Pretenders, is much better than the original
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The version of 'Raspberry Beret' that Warren Zevon recorded with members of REM (recording as 'The Hindu Love Gods').
Heard that on Planet Rock the other day, 'tis rather good indeed. :thumbsup:
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Forever Young : The Pretenders, is much better than the original
No it isn't (though I confess to not having heard The Pretenders version)!
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I think this is the oldest merge topics I've ever done. Almost 3 years.
Felt sure it would have been.... Should have searched - didn't ... sorry .... thanks!
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Flaming Lips version of Can't Get You Out of My head? Or Sonic Youth's version of Superstar?
Better than the Carpenters version but not better than the origional:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA7tR9vUuew&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aA7tR9vUuew&feature=related)
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A cover version that's maybe not that different from the original, but possibly had everything to do with who was singing it 8)
The Photos' (featuring Wendy Wu) version of "Just don;t know what to do with myself" ;D
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I'm a huge fan of the Stones' original but Melanie Safka makes Ruby Tuesday her own. Her version always sends shivers down my spine…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9alAuYr2g_8
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I'd forgotten about t hat version. My sister used to have a Melanie album with that on when we were kids and I always liked it.
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How about Joe Cocker's 'With a Little Help From My Friends' ?
Please tell me this is a joke... The only thing worse than Cockup's version of this song is watching a video of him performing it while fending off invisible wasps.
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I'm not sure if this has been done before (on this forum anyway)... But I'd love to put a playlist together of songs where a cover version absolutely, indisputably knocks spots off the original, to the extent that we think it's the covering artist's own...
Track 1) Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Track 2) Hurt - Johnny Cash
Track 3) ?
Nope. A match, yes, John made it his own & it's superb...but self and every other NIN fan would say no way it 'knocks spots off the original'.
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In a similar vein to Johnny Cash doing NIN, here's Glenn Campbell doing the Foo Fighters…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBlJ325lgYk
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Anything, really, by this lot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6DP1aFeHbs
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Matthews Southern Comfort's version of Joni's 'Woodstock'
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I think this is the oldest merge topics I've ever done. Almost 3 years.
Er, I have a vague memory of starting a "Great Cover Versions" thread as well, about a year ago. Sorry.
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So, here's a sample from my "great cover versions" playlist on the ipod... I wouldn't say that all of these are necessarily better than the originals, just different, but I have marked with an asterix a few that I think of as being the best version so far.
Peace Train - 10,000 Maniacs
I scare myself - Thomas Dolby
Song to the Siren - This Mortal Coil
Black Magic EWoman - Santana
Giving it all away - Roger Daltry*
Thin Line Between Love and Hate - Pretenders
The First Cut is the Deepest - Martin Simpson
Wonderful World - Otis Redding
Another Saturday Night - Cat Stevens
This Flight Tonight - Nazareth
From a Distance - Nanci Griffith (covering Julie Gold, not Bet Midler!)*
Song from Under the Floorboards - My Friend The Chocolate Cake
Can't Stand the Rain - Lowell George
Glory Box - John Martyn*
Oh Well - Joe Jackson
Bird on a wire - Jennifer Warnes*
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley*
One Love - Jason Mraz
Summer Breeze - Isley Brothers*
Love the one you're with - Isley Brothers
Walk on by - Isaac Hayes
Suspicious Minds - Fine Young Cannibals
Cocaine - Eric Clapton
Say hello, wave goodbye - David Gray
I will survive - Cake
Guitar man - Cake*
Twist and Shout - The Beatles*
Blinded by the light - Manfred Mann's Earthband
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...I scare myself - Thomas Dolby...
I didn't know that was a cover - cracking track :thumbsup:
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I'd forgotten about t hat version. My sister used to have a Melanie album with that on when we were kids and I always liked it.
My dad put it on one of his holiday compilation tapes for the long car journey down to southern France one year. It became a bit of a family favourite, not least because my sister's pet hamster at the time was called Ruby. I'm not sure if I can judge the song at all objectively, since it has such Proustian resonances for me.
d.
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Two potentially controversial borderline ones
"Viva las Vegas" -- Dead Kennedys
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLNI0AND4rU
"The Model" -- Big Black
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP3ge9DGsKU
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All Along the Watchtower - in fact anything written and recorded by Zimmerman which is then covered by someone else.
Except 'Mike Flowers Pops' cos that's just shite.
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How about Joe Cocker's 'With a Little Help From My Friends' ?
Please tell me this is a joke... The only thing worse than Cockup's version of this song is watching a video of him performing it while fending off invisible wasps.
I agree that Joe Cocker screwed up "With a Little Help From My Friends", but his version of "Long As I Can See the Light" is much better than the original John Fogerty/Creedence Clearwater Revival version.
Janis Joplin's rendition of "Me and Bobby McGee" is far better than any other version, including Kristofferson's.
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...I scare myself - Thomas Dolby...
I didn't know that was a cover - cracking track :thumbsup:
The original is by Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks - well worth seeking out
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Redlight, the John Martyn Glory Box---thank you!
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Hang on, I'm a NIN fan and I totally rate the Cash version of Hurt. Because Trent sounds like a whiney little snit when he goes on about his empire of dirt. Cash, there's time and pain and love and loss going back decades and it comes out in the breaks in his voice. Man-tears are shed.
On which note, we've done Marilyn Manson's Tainted Love, yes? Takes the sterility of the original and just turns it to pure snarling poison. Delicious.
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the sterility of the original
Er, presumably you mean the sterility of the Soft Cell version? The Gloria Jones original is far from sterile.
d.
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Matthews Southern Comfort's version of Joni's 'Woodstock'
The Matthews Southern Comfort version was number one in the hit parade when I was born.
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Biggest surprise for me so far, learning that "I fought the law" as played by The Clash is a cover...
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the sterility of the original
Er, presumably you mean the sterility of the Soft Cell version? The Gloria Jones original is far from sterile.
d.
Drat.
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Jolene, White Stripes.
Everything by Me First and the Gimmees.
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Hang on, I'm a NIN fan and I totally rate the Cash version of Hurt. Because Trent sounds like a whiney little snit when he goes on about his empire of dirt. Cash, there's time and pain and love and loss going back decades and it comes out in the breaks in his voice. Man-tears are shed.
Fair enough, I stand corrected....
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw8ZDwdyHJQ&feature=player_detailpage
This and most others they do ,ifts already been posted then sorry.
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That reminds me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ENUFuv7yPA
Actually, I love the original.
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Jolene, White Stripes.
Plus teir version of I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself like, totally rocks d00d.
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the clash I fought the law far better than the original :thumbsup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16u0wwCfoJ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPXnoLAEUSQ
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the clash I fought the law far better than the original :thumbsup:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16u0wwCfoJ4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPXnoLAEUSQ
Bobby Fuller's isn't the original: it was written by Sonny Curtis and released by his group The Crickets on their first album, which came out just after Buddy's death (I think). So, I suppose it's possible Fuller's version was out first but I think of the Crickets as being the original. Try and hear it - not only do they get the words right but the tune as well! I liked the "idea" of the Clash but never understood why the chose the worst vocalist in the group to be lead singer!
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Moby Grape - M'cycle Irene.
Browsing and following unlikely links through Spotify is probably the single greatest benefit of thinterweb.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhIMEMDYxZE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhIMEMDYxZE)
Modified, I posted the wrong link :-[
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I liked the "idea" of the Clash but never understood why the chose the worst vocalist in the group to be lead singer!
It worked for Oasis
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I liked the "idea" of the Clash but never understood why the chose the worst vocalist in the group to be lead singer!
It worked for Oasis
;D I thought very briefly that Noel set everything too high just to make life even more difficult for Liam (no tune, daft words and too high) then I quickly realised Liam only plays easy (mostly nut) chords so that's why things are in those keys!