NWR Cover songs that are better than the original

[Rob Lockwood]

The Clash I Fought the Law (originally by The Crickets)

Dead Kennedys'.

 

[Rob Lockwood]

Anything written by Dylan or the Beatles.

Interesting one that innit. One often quoted is the Breeders' Happiness is a Warm Gun, but then, turning the post on its head (another fine one btw Kevin - congrats!) every cover by the Breeders is better than the original. Some bands just have that, as Andy notes with Robt Wyatt (who I don't know much by but take his word for it).

See also in this regard: the Fall.

 

[Rob Lockwood]

Wedding Present's another one, who if they don't exceed the original, give a damn good interpretation every one they do.

 

[Rob Lockwood]

And an actual entry: Handle With Care (Traveling Wilburys) by Jenny Lewis, which allows Jenny to add Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne to the Beatles' and Dylan's uncanny inability to half-perform their own creations.

 

[Andy Leslie]

See also in this regard: the Fall.

Ooh yes - Ghost in my House, Victoria, Lost in Music...

 

[Rob Lockwood]

Ooh yes - Ghost in my House, Victoria, Lost in Music...

Primary among them Andy (except for one...below)

Also got a soft spot for the Move's "I Can Hear the Grass Grow" and "Grudgeful". But the biggie is likely:

 

[Edward Bolland]

The Dickies, Nights in White Satin

 

[Rob Lockwood]

The Dickies, Nights in White Satin

Just listened to that on YT Edward and it's top. Got a soft spot for punk versions of things if well done. Don't know if we've properly defined "cover versions" but I'll slip this lot in before anyone stops me. 0:53, but I appreciate how busy everyone's lives are:

For the grown-ups amongst us, they also did this stormer:

 

[Dan Vyvyan]

The first of these pairs below includes a reworking of a cover of a cover by Elvis Presley of the Junior Parker original - and one of the third pair is a cover of the other one which itself is a cover of Buddy Holly. Mental innit.

The second pair are rare - I would say - examples of outstanding covers of a canonical Beatles song where the Fab Four themselves really brought it in the original recording - I note no one has ever successfully covered A Day In The Life, their best song. The Wilson Pickett and Duane Allman version may be the best cover version of any song I have ever heard.

The Band with Paul Butterfield - Mystery Train
UFO - Mystery Train
Wilson Pickett with Duane Allman - Hey Jude
Clarence Wheeler & The Enforcers - Hey Jude
Blind Faith - Well Alright
Santana - Well Alright

 

[Alistair Scott]

Warren Zevon - Knockin' on heaven's door
Agree with the Cash covers, stunning.
Byrds covers of various Dylans?
I re-offer the Georgia Satellites and Don't pass me by.
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
And of course Joe Cocker helping his friends.

 

[Alistair Scott]

Hmm, I wonder if Neil Diamond recorded I'm a believer before The Monkees?

 

[Cameron Clark]

I think you need to split this into 2 - the best covers of famous songs and the best covers of songs that were not well known before the cover.

Of the later, my favourite 3 are
- Tainted Love , Soft Cell
- Hurt , Johny Cash (Was this well known ?)
- Whiskey in the Jar, Thin Lizzy

For me, the Cash version is best song recording this side of the year 2000.

Best covers of classic songs are:
-Are Friends Electric, Sugababes
-Word Up, Gun (which itself has been covered)
- Sound of Silence, Disturbed

Personal favourites
- Common People, William Shatner
- True Faith - Sophie Ellis Baxter

 

[Rob Lockwood]

I note no one has ever successfully covered A Day In The Life, their best song.

Certainly successful.

 

[Rob Lockwood]

Warren Zevon - Knockin' on heaven's door
Agree with the Cash covers, stunning.
Byrds covers of various Dylans?
I re-offer the Georgia Satellites and Don't pass me by.
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
And of course Joe Cocker helping his friends.

Of course Tainted Love, and the roughly contemporaneous You Can't Hurry Love.

 

[Paul Anderson]

Ooh yes - Ghost in my House, Victoria, Lost in Music...

The Dickies, Nights in White Satin

And perhaps more controversionally

 

[Rob Lockwood]

I think you need to split this into 2 - the best covers of famous songs and the best covers of songs that were not well known before the cover.

-Are Friends Electric, Sugababes

Good call on the split Cameron.

On the Sugababes, I always preferred Girls Aloud's Pointer Sisters cover to the original.

 

[Edward Bolland]

I have to say that I am loving this thread, I am reminded of so many great songs.

 

[Nigel Palesford]

That is a blast from the past and shows your age Nigel, a band I was introduced to when I was 13 !!!!!

I only heard it last week........

 

[Tom Cannavan]

Rufus Wainwright's off of the Shrek soundrtrack.

It is a great version - suits his voice really well. However, there so many cover versions of hallelujah that I think we have to ban any further mentions in this thread.

 

[Colin Bradley]

Mike Flowers Pops’ version of Wonderwall is a million times better than Oasis’s original.

 

[Tom Cannavan]

Devo do Satisfaction

 

[Richard Ward]

Radiohead - Nobody Does It Better (James Bond theme)
Inspiral Carpets - Tainted Love
Chicks - I Love You Love Me Love
The Fall - Lost In Music
Blur - Maggie May
Nirvana - the 3 Vaselines songs (Molly's Lips, Son Of A Gun, Jesus Doesn't Want Me For A Sunbeam)
REM - The Lion Sleeps Tonight
Manic Street Preachers - Bright Eyes

 

[kevin heatherington]

Some of the covers that Johnny Cash sang on his 'American' albums are, IMO, better than the originals - I'm thinking of 'Hurt', 'One' and 'The Mercy Seat' in particular.

And Jeff Buckley's 'Hallelujah', of course.

Also the John Cale version of Hallelujah

 

[Blair Pethel]

I can't believe no one's put this one:

Because the Night - Patti Smith

For me, the greatest cover ever.

 

[Mark Palmer]

Nick Cave’s version of In The Ghetto alerted me to his potential as a serious solo artist. As to whether it’s better than the Presley version, well I dunno.

Ed Kuepper’s version of Highway to Hell is definitely worth a listen. I’d posit that it is better than the original, a wonderfully dystopian version which would have made a great theme song for Mad Max 17.