xkcd

by **scrt_rbt_agnt** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 9:11 pm UTC

a good number of zeppelin's songs are covers of old blues songs. they just took them and made them EPIC.

by **galuf** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 10:13 pm UTC

This one is quite recent but I've been listening to it non-stop since it's been out, I think the original is great too but I prefer the cover: Fever Ray - Stranger than kindness. (Original song: Nick Cave - Stranger than kindness).

by **Jesse** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:23 am UTC

I love Tori Amos' covers of Real Men by Joe Jackson, and '97 Bonnie & Clyde by Eminem.

by **Pez Dispens3r** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:22 pm UTC

scrt_rbt_agnt wrote:a good number of zeppelin's songs are covers of old blues songs. they just took them and made them EPIC.

likewise Elvis.

by **Various Varieties** » Sat Dec 05, 2009 8:31 pm UTC

scrt_rbt_agnt wrote:a good number of zeppelin's songs are covers of old blues songs. they just took them and made them EPIC.

This isn't the thread for a debate about musical plagiarism, but a lot of people don't look kindly on Led Zeppelin's use of unacknowledged influences:
http://www.turnmeondeadman.net/index.ph ... &Itemid=28

(The links to specific tracks at the end of the article don't work, but the ones in the sidebar do.)

by **Scam** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 9:24 pm UTC

Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez. Originally done by The Knife.

by **axilog14** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:48 pm UTC

Hopefully I don't get hit by rocks for this, but...

"Careless Whisper" by Seether.

by **philsov** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:46 pm UTC

The problem I have with careless whisper is the same I have with metallica's "turn the page"

A guitar cannot simply replace a saxophone.

by **Amnesiasoft** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 1:23 pm UTC

lanicita wrote:Gary Jules and Adam Lambert both did better versions of "Mad World" than Tears for Fears originally did.

I've never heard the Adam Lambert version (Nor do I even know who that is), but this is a very true statement.

My own contributions:
Raputina's cover of "Brand New Key."
Voltaire's cover of "Caught a Lite Sneeze" and "Lovesong." But then, I find Voltaire to be completely awesome, so I may be biased.

by **ProZac** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 2:47 pm UTC

Metallica's version of "Turn the Page". Actually, one of the few metallica songs I really like. A lot of the covers they do on the Garage Inc album are good though.

The Atari's version of "Boys of Summer". Don't care much for the original, but like the cover.

by **casiguapa** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:28 pm UTC

Nina Simone's version of Just Like A Woman and I Shall Be Released are far far better than Dylan's versions, in my opinion.

Muse does a good cover of Feeling Good, but they kind of miss the point of the whole song, because their version doesn't actually make me think that they're are feeling good so I don't think theirs better than Nina's version

Joshua Radin's cover of Only you by Yazoo is beautiful.

Controversial choice - Mike Flowers Pop's cover of Wonderwall being superior to the Oasis original. Come to think of it, his version of Don't Cry For Me Argentina was better than Madonna's too.

Band of Horses' cover of The End is Not Near, It's Here by The New Year is better than the original too, in my opinion.

by **1337geek** » Fri Dec 11, 2009 10:28 pm UTC

Amnesiasoft wrote:
lanicita wrote:Gary Jules and Adam Lambert both did better versions of "Mad World" than Tears for Fears originally did.

I've never heard the Adam Lambert version (Nor do I even know who that is), but this is a very true statement.

Adam Lambert is the uber-gay guy from the previous season of American Idol. He's a freak, but that boy can sang, dawg!

by **KallistiEngel** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 12:16 am UTC

psychosomaticism wrote:Jimmi Hendrix's cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

Also:
-Mindless Self Indulgence's cover of Method Man's "Bring the Pain"
-Sublime's cover of the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias"
-Zeromancer's cover of Real Life's "Send Me an Angel"
-Placebo's cover of The Smiths' "Bigmouth Strikes Again"
-Orgy's cover of New Order's "Blue Monday"

TheAmazingRando wrote:Jeff Buckley's cover of Hallelujah is better than Leonard Cohen's original, but he also leaves out one of my favorite verses, so it isn't like it makes it obsolete.

Haven't heard that version, but I think Rufus Wainwright's cover is also better than the original.

Also have to agree on Gary Jules' version of "Mad World".

by **Plamo** » Sat Dec 12, 2009 6:31 pm UTC

Dream theater does a kickass cover.
In particular I like their cover of Lark's Tongue in Aspic (King Crimson, I think)
and Tenement Funster/Flick of the Wrist/Lily of the Valley is much better when done by dream theater than it is by Queen.
If you haven't yet, listen to the B-side of Black Clouds & Silver Linings, excellent covers all around.

by **Anubis** » Sun Dec 13, 2009 7:06 pm UTC

Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal" is far better than MJ's.

by **casiguapa** » Mon Dec 14, 2009 9:12 pm UTC

Anubis wrote:Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal" is far better than MJ's.

I question your sanity.

by **Anubis** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 2:32 am UTC

casiguapa wrote:
Anubis wrote:Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal" is far better than MJ's.

I question your sanity.

In that particular song MJ sounds like a small child with a sore throat who is a non-native English speaker. I don't like any other Alien Ant Farm song.

by **dedalus** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 1:05 pm UTC

poxic wrote:Some covers are widely acknowledged as better: Johnny Cash's Hurt, for an iconic example.

Claim that as a personal belief, but don't say 'widely acknowledged'. Reznor's version is way more pained then Cash's melodic tone in my own opinion, and I know plenty of people who would agree.

Back on subject; I'll have to agree with the Metallica covers in Garage Inc, though I haven't heard most of the originals. Also Dream Theater do a very good job with medleys/covers, check out 'A change of seasons'.

Interesting question: do Apocalyptica's covers of Metallica songs count in this category, or are they too original?

by **KrazyerKate** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:17 pm UTC

Anubis wrote:
casiguapa wrote:
Anubis wrote:Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal" is far better than MJ's.

I question your sanity.

In that particular song MJ sounds like a small child with a sore throat who is a non-native English speaker. I don't like any other Alien Ant Farm song.

I have a similar relationship with Nickelback's cover of Sad But True. All other Nickelback songs suck, but the lead's voice in that one song sounds a lot deeper and less nasally than the original.

edit: for some really bad covers, check these out:
Avril Covers Metallica
Korn Covers Metallica
Sum 41 Covers Metallica
Staind Covers Metallica
Snoop Dog Covers Metallica <--By far the most hilarious

by **TheAmazingRando** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 10:43 pm UTC

dedalus wrote:
poxic wrote:Some covers are widely acknowledged as better: Johnny Cash's Hurt, for an iconic example.

Claim that as a personal belief, but don't say 'widely acknowledged'.

When even the artist himself says the cover surpasses the original, I think you can say it's "widely acknowledged." Widely acknowledged doesn't mean every single person agrees.

by **KallistiEngel** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 2:19 am UTC

TheAmazingRando wrote:
dedalus wrote:
poxic wrote:Some covers are widely acknowledged as better: Johnny Cash's Hurt, for an iconic example.

Claim that as a personal belief, but don't say 'widely acknowledged'.
When even the artist himself says the cover surpasses the original, I think you can say it's "widely acknowledged." Widely acknowledged doesn't mean every single person agrees.

Likewise when an artist claims someone "butchered" a cover of one of their songs. :p

(Thinking of a live recording of the Misfits where Danzig says Metallica "fucking butchered" Die, Die My Darling....)

by **dedalus** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 4:03 am UTC

TheAmazingRando wrote:
dedalus wrote:
poxic wrote:Some covers are widely acknowledged as better: Johnny Cash's Hurt, for an iconic example.

Claim that as a personal belief, but don't say 'widely acknowledged'.
When even the artist himself says the cover surpasses the original, I think you can say it's "widely acknowledged." Widely acknowledged doesn't mean every single person agrees.

He said 'that song isn't mine anymore'. And definitely, Hurt as done by Cash is not Hurt as done by Reznor. But if you look on any site asking the question, and there's no universal opinion. So no, it's not widely acknowledged. They're both good songs, and the cover does do the original more justice then most. But if you're going to claim that it's better, then that's opinion, and I disagree both that it's better and that everyone thinks it is.

by **EvilDuckie** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 10:11 am UTC

"Fortune Teller" by Robert Plant and Allison Kraus is very good. I've never heard the original Benny Spellman version, but I did sort of grow up with the live version by The Who (Live At Leeds) and the contrast between the two versions is amazing.

Speaking of The Who (yeah yeah, I'm being a fanboy), their cover of Mose Allison's "Young Man Blues", once again the version that's on Live At Leeds, is simply awesome (and apparently Mose thinks so too, according to Pete Townshend).

by **Pending** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 3:03 pm UTC

Band of Horses' cover of The End is Not Near, It's Here by The New Year is better than the original too, in my opinion.

Yes. I second that.

Tally Hall's version of "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie.
It was just...funny, in the original, but the cover is amazing.

by **aleflamedyud** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:27 am UTC

Why has nobody noted the much-improved awesomeness of Goldfinger's cover of "99 Red Balloons"?

by **Sheikh al-Majaneen** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:22 am UTC

A Perfect Circle's cover of Ashes to Ashes. Its only recorded as a live version, though, as far as I know.

by **Buddha with a bra on** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 9:51 am UTC

On the topic of A Perfect Circle - Imagine. Some poeple hate me for it but I like this darker version more than Lennon's.

Also, I'd say Cash's Hurt is widely acknowledged as better - most people who give an opinion (myself NOT included) seem to think it's better. Widely aknowledged doesn't mean correct, but I'd say that's the majority view.

YouTube · by **Jar'O'Jam** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 3:25 pm UTC

psychosomaticism wrote:Jimi Hendrix's cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

Or Dave Matthews cover - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pZIq0Bw6gc

by **ConMan** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 2:18 pm UTC

Another Dylan one: The Whitlams' version of "Tangled Up in Blue".

And I've heard the Gloria Jones version of "Tainted Love" and it really didn't do it for me like Soft Cell's.

by **Knightshire** » Sun Jan 10, 2010 11:14 pm UTC

"In the Army Now" by Status Quo, originally by Bolland & Bolland. Saying this often results in the reply "IT WAS A COVER?".

by **KrazyerKate** » Mon Jan 11, 2010 1:39 am UTC

ConMan wrote:And I've heard the Gloria Jones version of "Tainted Love" and it really didn't do it for me like Soft Cell's.

At least it's not Vista

by **Various Varieties** » Mon Jan 11, 2010 7:59 pm UTC

I only recently found out that The Clash's "I Fought the Law" was a cover. :shock:

by **luvnotwar** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 4:52 am UTC

I like Melanie Safka's version of Ruby Tuesday better than the Stones'.

YouTube · by **Jar'O'Jam** » Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:25 pm UTC

Ah, also RATM cover of Maggie's Farm - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxHIVxz1K5M

Website · by **Sandry** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 4:35 am UTC

ConMan wrote:Another Dylan one: The Whitlams' version of "Tangled Up in Blue".

Yes!! Their version is awesome. And to be frank, I can't really stand Dylan's voice.

Amnesiasoft wrote:Voltaire's cover of "Caught a Lite Sneeze"

I like both the original and his cover, but I do think it's a really good example of what a cover of a song should be like. It's not completely out of left field, but brings something new and awesome.

On the other hand, I think Tori's cover of Lovesong is better than the Voltaire one. Lovesong, for all that I love the original Cure version, is inherently a bit repetitive and boring. Tori's twist of ...whatever it is she does... makes it a bit less so.

by **Amnesiasoft** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:44 pm UTC

Sandry wrote:I like both the original and his cover, but I do think it's a really good example of what a cover of a song should be like. It's not completely out of left field, but brings something new and awesome.

On the other hand, I think Tori's cover of Lovesong is better than the Voltaire one. Lovesong, for all that I love the original Cure version, is inherently a bit repetitive and boring. Tori's twist of ...whatever it is she does... makes it a bit less so.

To be fair, I just don't like the way she sings... at all. As for Lovesong, I still like Voltaire's better, but hers is still better than the original too. The original just feels, dull and lifeless compared to theirs. Like it's lacking any sort of emotion for the song, whereas Voltaire and Tori's have so much emotion and feeling behind it that it feels more, honest, I guess.

by **TaintedDeity** » Thu Jan 14, 2010 10:32 pm UTC

The music in Voltaire's version seems happier whereas The Cure's original sounds... downbeat.
To be expected from The Cure, really (and I still like that version) but doesn't carry the feel of the song as well.

Up to now I didn't even know Tori had done a version...

by **Buddha with a bra on** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 2:51 am UTC

I'm not sure it's better, but Tori Amos' version of Raining Blood is cool, in a weird way.

by **keith hic** » Fri Jan 15, 2010 2:14 pm UTC

The wedding present's version of Come up and see me (make me smile) - Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel.

David Gedge manages happy and yet bitter so much better.

by **ellx** » Fri Jan 29, 2010 10:48 am UTC

probably said before, but thread title immediately made me think of hendrix's cover of bob dylan's all along the watchtower

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