cover songs that were better than the original

[Deleted Member 1156]

Ann & Nancy Wilson; Stairway to Heaven. Beats the original hands down, as endorsed by the 3 surviving members.

Sorry Rich but I just can't let you away with this. Having seen Led Zep perform this track live at Knebworth it is without a doubt in my all time top 3 concert memories. But it is a cracking cover attempt

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Robson & Jerome anyone?


🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

(Only kidding)

Not my cup of tea at the time but now I'll happily defend it as a great song, Take That, Could it be Magic. Original by Barry Manilow. Both versions are excellent but different and Take That elevated the song. People can by snobby about both but I don't care.

 

[Beedee]

I'm a fan of both performers, but Rod Stewart's version of 'Have I Told You Lately' is a step up from Van Morrison's original version - which was damn good in the first place.

tbh I'd say just about every song that Van Morrison ever wrote. Great songs, just can't stand the singer. Actually the same would go for Bob Dylan as well.

 

[chrisd]

Lord no, that cover is one of the worst songs of all time

Cant help your lack of taste 😉😉😉

 

[Pin-seeker]

Robson & Jerome anyone?


🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

(Only kidding)

Not my cup of tea at the time but now I'll happily defend it as a great song, Take That, Could it be Magic. Original by Barry Manilow. Both versions are excellent but different and Take That elevated the song. People can by snobby about both but I don't care.

“But I don’t care” 😂😂😂🤪

 

[Fromtherough]

Mrs Robinson by the Lemonheads.
Leaving on Jetplane by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes.
I want you to want me by Letters to Cleo

 

[patricks148]

Step on happy mondays cover of John Kongos song.

nothing compares to you, Sinead O'connors cover of the Prince song

Age of chance cover of Kiss ... again of Prince song

 

[USER1999]

Amy Stewart, light my fire. Very different to The Doors.

 

[Rlburnside]

Adeles cover of Dylan's Make You Feel My Love is far better than the original.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Love the original, and even though he co wrote it with Don Henley (and payed the piano on the original), the Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers live cover of End of The Innocence is amazing.

Can't believe that this hasn't been listed already either, the Johnny Cash cover of Hurt is something else

 

[rudebhoy]

Agree re Patti Smith version of Because the Night

Not really sure this qualifies - Smith released the original version. Springsteen had been working on it for a while but wasn't satisfied with the lyrics, so gave it to Patti who rewrote a chunk of them. Think the Bruce studio version was only released on a compilation album about 25 years after Smith's hit single.

However, since we are on the subject of Patti Smith, I'll vote for her version of Gloria (another Van Morrison cover).

 

[Duckster]

George Michael's live version of Somebody To Love. Probably the only time I thought someone sang a Queen song better than Freddie.

 

[Orikoru]

Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams

Can't believe that this hasn't been listed already either, the Johnny Cash cover of Hurt is something else

It's definitely not better than the original though. His version is nice but it lacks the energy that Trent Reznor gave it.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Didn't like either of the orginals but think these remakes are really good

 

[chrisd]

Adeles cover of Dylan's Make You Feel My Love is far better than the original.

To be fair, my cat could sing any song better than Dylan 👍👍

 

[Hacker Khan]

Can't believe that this hasn't been listed already either, the Johnny Cash cover of Hurt is something else

is the right answer.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams

It's definitely not better than the original though. His version is nice but it lacks the energy that Trent Reznor gave it.

Is the wrong answer. Cash's version was so emotional as him and his wife were effectively dying and him and Rick Rubin re-imagined the song as a look back on his life. The video is one of the most powerful videos there has been. To quote Trent himself

'I pop the video in, and wow... Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps... Wow. [I felt like] I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn't mine anymore... It really made me think about how powerful music is as a medium and art form. '

 

[Orikoru]

Is the wrong answer. Cash's version was so emotional as he was effectively dying and he re-imagined the song as last will and testament. The video is one of the most powerful videos there has been.

To me it just sounds like an old man singing it in a deep voice. In the original Reznor actually sings it with feeling.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Jeff Buckley's version of Hallelujah!

 

[Pathetic Shark]

This started in our office and turned into a "which version of Don't stop believing is better" - Steve Perry or Arnel Pineda.