Cover Tunes

[papayahed]

Speaking of music, are cover songs ever better than the originals?

Who did good jobs with covers?

I'd say:

Smash mouth - I'm a believer
Scorpians - I can't explain

Did we have this conversation already?

[Jay]

Don't think so

I usually don't like covers, but some are better than originals, just don't ask for examples, can't think of any now :p

[ihrocks]

There was a time when some people wrote songs and other people sang them and songs were "covered" over and over, but that's for us old geezer people.

Usually, covers don't live up to the original, but I do have an example of a cover that worked beautifully: Joey Ramone's (bless ya, Joey) version of "What a Wonderful World."

[Isagel]

I do not like plain copies but I love covers when they are made like a personal tribute from one artist to another, or a tribute to a certain piece of music. They can be such a wonderful work of creativity, where musicians seem to be free to be playful. I also think a good cover somtimes can make you appreciate the old song in a new way. Marianne Faithfull charcoal black version of A working class hero is something to be, by John Lennon is a good example. Faithfulls´ voice, and way of delivering the song, gives it a whole new meaning.

Speaking of Ramones ihrocks - I love Tom Waits cover of I don´t wanna grow up, and Rob Zombies version of Bliztkrieg bop.

Hey, ho let´s go!

[ihrocks]

This thread is giving me the Jones for "Road to Ruin" on original vinyl.

[Basil]

I submit three:

Superstar - Sonic Youth (originally by The Carpenters)
Crazy - R.E.M. (originally by Pylon)
Lust for Life - Yo La Tengo (originally by Iggy Pop)

[Helga]

Halleluja by Leonard Cohen is much better in Jeff Buckley's version

[Bongitybongbong]

Speaking of music, are cover songs ever better than the originals?

Who did good jobs with covers?

Bodom did a good job doing Ace's High(originally Iron Maiden)

[Koa]

I love Placebo's version of Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush, though I'm not sure I'd call it better than the original... Just good in a different way.

[ihrocks]

I did think of another!

The Clash's version of "I Fought the Law."

That's two.

[imthefoolonthehill]

Nirvana's song.. don't remember the title...lake of fire or something like that

where do bad folks go when they die, they don't go to heaven where the angels cry, they go to a lake of fire and fry...

it was originally by someone called the meatpuppets i think.

[subterranean]

Nine Inch Nails' Another Brick in The Wall..previuosly by Pink Floyd

[ihrocks]

Nine Inch Nails' Another Brick in The Wall..previuosly by Pink Floyd

Better than the original????

That's a bold statement!

[Scheherazade]

Better than the original????

That's a bold statement!

I second that.

[Isagel]

Has anyone heard the cover band "Nine Inch Elvis" ? They do Elvis covers nine inch nails style. I think their version of Heartbreak Hotel is better than the original.

[Scheherazade]

I know many don't agree with me but I really like HIM's cover of 'Wicked Game'.

[papayahed]

Nine Inch Nails' Another Brick in The Wall..previuosly by Pink Floyd

NIN covered Floyd??? and there's a band called Nine inch Elvis??? I need to get out more..

[papayahed]

oh and I don't know if this would be considered a cover, but I saw audioslave in concert and they did Seven Nation Army, that was pretty nifty.

[ihrocks]

I used to think that. But I got tired of people pointing and laughing.

[Jay]

I like Running Up That Hill by Within Temptation, haven't heard the Placebo version *makes a note to look that one up*

[baddad]

wow.......nine inch nails vs. nine inch Elvis.................my life is now complete........

*bangs head on 'reznor' keyboard repeatedly...*

[Isagel]

I´m so glad to be able to help filling that gap in your life.

Have you heard Johnny Cash version of Nine inch Nails Hurt? I´m almost afraid to say this but ... I like it better than the original.
Has anyone heard the cover song made by Laibach? They do their own versions of Sympathy for the devil and Live is life. Hilarious.

[crisaor]

Some more:

Foo Fighters - Have a cigar (original by Pink Floyd)
Fun Lovin' Criminals - Crazy train (original by Ozzy Osbourne)
Fun Lovin' Criminals - I'm not in love (original by Graham Gouldman)
George Harrison - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue sea (original by Harold Arlen)
Jimi Hendrix - All along the watchtower (original by Bob Dylan)
John Lennon - Stand by me (original by BB King/Leiber/Stoller)
Steppenwolf - Born to be wild (original by Mars Bonfire)
The Beatles - Rock 'n' roll music (original by Chuck Berry)
The Beatles - Soldier of love (original by Cason/Moon)
The Beatles - Twist and shout (original by Medley/Russell)
The Cure - Love will tear us apart (original by Joy Division)
The Ramones - I don't wanna grow up (original by Tom Waits)
The Ramones - Somebody to love (original by Darby Slick)
The White Stripes - I just don't know what to do with myself (original by Burt Bacharach)
Tindersticks - If you're looking for a way out (original by Odyssey)
U2 - Dancing barefoot (original by Patti Smith)
U2 - Everlasting love (original by Buzz Cason/Mac Gayden)

[Bandini]

I had an album called 'If I were a carpenter...' -(long since nicked) that had loads of 'Sub Pop' type bands doing Carpenters covers. Red Kross were mint and so were lots of the others. Only 'Four Non Blondes' messed it up. But what can you expect from them? Talking of Floyd, I think Sparklhorse covered 'Wish you were here' - whoever it was, it was good. The Flaming Lips 'Can't Get You Out Of My Head' is damn good. Oh, and the slighly different (!) 'My Boyfriends Back...' by Alice Donut. Not to mention 'Disguises' and David Watts' by The Jam. Thats just off the top of me head. Oh, there's loads of good covers!

[papayahed]

I had an album called 'If I were a carpenter...' -(long since nicked)

I had that CD, I was pretty good.


I thought of another good one

I will Survive - Cake

[subterranean]

Better than the original????

That's a bold statement!


So....???


Can't a person make a joke once in a while?!

[Jack_Aubrey]

Phish-When the Circus Comes to Town.
Although the Los Lobos version is awesome.

[Isagel]

The Ramones - I don't wanna grow up (original by Tom Waits)


What? I always thought it was the other way around... Maybe it´s just because I heard the Ramone version first.

[Bandini]

Tom Waits wrote it.

[crisaor]

What? I always thought it was the other way around... Maybe it´s just because I heard the Ramone version first.
Yep, happened to me too. And the fact that the Ramones' version is so much better doesn't help at all, but yes, the credit goes to Tom Waits as the composer.

[Koa]

Btw, the Smashing Pumpkins' version of Depeche Mode's Never Let Me Down Again is brilliant, though the original remains a masterpiece.

[Monica]

U2's "Children of the Revolution" and R.E.M.'s "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". The latter one is just hilarious :)

[subterranean]

Billy Corgan's first solo album TheFutureEmbrace will be released on June 20th internationally and June 21st in the US. The album contains 11 Corgan originals plus a cover of the early Bee Gees classic "To Love Somebody," which dovetails with Corgan's own themes of devotion and features Robert Smith of the Cure on backing vocals. Elsewhere, former Smashing Pumpkins drummer Jimmy Chamberlin plays on "DIA."

From: BillyCorgan.com News – May 2005