# Cover Song Better Than the Original?



## Delta-T (Jul 7, 2012)

was talking with one of my co-worker's, who is even younger than me, and really doesn't know anything but contemporary pop/hip hop music, and told him tha many songs are cover songs from ages past, blah blah. So I'm curious who likes a recorded cover version of a song better than some originals?

obvious ones for me are:
Jimi's versions of both "All Along the Watchtower" and "Hey Joe"

I expect to learn a few songs I didn't even know were covers.
one that makes me laugh is when I was maybe 10 a friend of mine told me Guns and Roses wrote Knockin on Heaven's Door and didn't beleive me when I told him it was an old Dylan tune.


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## Delta-T (Jul 7, 2012)

btw, please dont say Clapton's version of "I Shot the Sheriff". Thank you.


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## fossil (Jul 7, 2012)

"Love In Vain" Robert Johnson - King of the Delta Blues Singers - 1937. Here's the original from the dawn of recording (two takes of it). This was done in a hotel, with Johnson playing in one room and the recording equipment (such as it was back then) in an adjacent room. Then Clapton doing it a few decades later. You'll recognize it if you know your Rolling Stones.


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## BrotherBart (Jul 7, 2012)

I like Faith's country version better than Joplin's original.



 

Yeah I know. Sacrilege.


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## fossil (Jul 7, 2012)

I like 'em both...considering the genre & the decade.


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## BrotherBart (Jul 7, 2012)

And then there is:


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## fishingpol (Jul 7, 2012)

"The Boxer" by Simon and Garfunkel.  Covered by Mumford and sons.  I like them both.  Don't mind the video, but most on Youtube are live concert type of crappy recordings.


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## fossil (Jul 7, 2012)

BrotherBart said:


> And then there is...


 
   And then there is:

http://www.bobrivers.com/#v8573c7


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## BrotherBart (Jul 7, 2012)




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## WES999 (Jul 7, 2012)

More gooder than the original.


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## cwill (Jul 7, 2012)

might not be better but Jamey Johnson's version of "Set 'Em Up Joe" by Vern Gosdin is pretty close.


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## hossthehermit (Jul 8, 2012)

Best ever was The Band's cover of Springsteen's Atlantic City


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## MasterMech (Jul 8, 2012)

Infinitely better version....



Round 2: ....



I'm sure many will disagree.


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## smoke show (Jul 8, 2012)




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## smoke show (Jul 8, 2012)




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## DexterDay (Jul 8, 2012)

Seethers version...



Then Goerge Micheals.....


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## MasterMech (Jul 9, 2012)

Doesn't even sound like Leppard/Joe Elliot, excellent cover.



Oh what the hell, one more. Great White got their start as a Zepplin cover act. Not an easy band to cover for sure.

I don't know if it's "better", but it's just as good IMO.



Robert Plant once said "This guy sounds more like me than I do."


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## Jack Straw (Jul 9, 2012)

I think this is better than NIN's version


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## fishingpol (Jul 9, 2012)

Jack Straw said:


> I think this is better than NIN's version


 
Haunting, very haunting.  I always liked that one.


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## cwill (Jul 9, 2012)

Some stronger language in the second one, but way better. Much more soulful.


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## smoke show (Jul 9, 2012)




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## smoke show (Jul 9, 2012)




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## smoke show (Jul 9, 2012)

<end metallica>


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## GAMMA RAY (Jul 10, 2012)

Clapton....I Shot the Sheriff.....


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## firefighterjake (Jul 10, 2012)

Toss up on Social Distortion's cover of Cash's "Ring of Fire" -- I like them both.


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## Jags (Jul 10, 2012)

Oh Jake - I wished you didn't say that.  Ring of Fire makes me want to stab an ink pen through my ear drums.


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## firefighterjake (Jul 10, 2012)

Jags said:


> Oh Jake - I wished you didn't say that. Ring of Fire makes me want to stab an ink pen through my ear drums.


 
What can I say . . . maybe I'm a punk rocker at heart.


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## Jags (Jul 10, 2012)

firefighterjake said:


> What can I say . . . maybe I'm a punk rocker at heart.


 
I don't care WHO sings it - it is the song. UUGgggg....get it out, get it out. <<<beats on head<<<


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## fossil (Jul 10, 2012)

"Hot Rod Lincoln" has an interesting history, not just of covers/versions, but of where it came from in the first place and what some of the lyrics are referring to.  Seems everyone who ever recorded a version took liberties with the lyrics, making them all somewhat unique in that respect.  Of the ones I've heard (certainly not all that were ever done) I think I like Commander Cody's best.  I'll spare you the story of looking for the album "Lost in the Ozone" in Idaho Falls, Idaho in 1971.  Rick


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## firefighterjake (Jul 10, 2012)

Just for Jags . . .


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## Jags (Jul 10, 2012)

AAAAhhhhh---it WON'T STOP......


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## Delta-T (Jul 10, 2012)

harumph...now I gotta go home and look at all these vids. I have no idea what songs you've all picked cuz my terminal blocks all that stuff.
Lionel Ritchie's "All Night Long" is the only way to combat Songs Stuck in Your Head. I swear by it....then, of course you have _that_ stuck in your head...

Better Than Ezra does a pretty good rendition of Bill Wither's "Use Me"....Kevin (the singer) goes into falsetto voice, its pretty mean...for falsetto.

I suppose the only fair thing to do is also ask people for their "Least Favorite Cover" of a song. For that one, I pick "The First Cut is the Deepest" by either Sheryl Crow or Rod Stewart.....only Cat Stevens should sing that one.


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## BrotherBart (Jul 10, 2012)




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## Jack Straw (Jul 10, 2012)

I actually prefer Bruce's version, they are both great.


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## cwill (Jul 10, 2012)

Rage more better.


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## cwill (Jul 10, 2012)

Rage rules.


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 11, 2012)

smoke show said:


>



By no means did Thin Lizzy do the original- it's an old Irish traditional tune


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 11, 2012)

The Clash ("The only band that ever mattered") did awesome covers of Reggae/Ska faves- covering Junior Murvin here- but his was great as well. That Joe Strummer is dead, and Nickleback still makes money and breathes air is proof for the absence of a loving god.


Clash covering Toots and the Maytals- (not a damn thing wrong with the original either)



Minor Threat covering The Monkeys


Most of the great cover versions that I like couldn't be posted here


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## smoke show (Jul 11, 2012)

Adios Pantalones said:


> By no means did Thin Lizzy do the original- it's an old Irish traditional tune


 Yes, that is correct. If I'm not mistaken Metallica covered Thin Lizzy's version.


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## osagebow (Jul 12, 2012)

Joplin's cover of Kris Kristofferson's "Bobbie Magee", a lot of the stuff the dead covered, like "El Paso,(Marty robbins) and "Big river", (even though I love Johnny Cash)


Black Crowes doing "Hard to handle" (Otis redding maybe?)
Currently, Adele rocks the Cure's "Love Song" off her Great album - My kids even love it.
"Dad...what's an 'album' ???"


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## osagebow (Jul 12, 2012)

You got that right Adios! Listening to Nickleback makes people too violent. It makes ME want to kill....Nickleback.

Garcia / Grisman did a good "Whiskey in the Jar"  too.


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## Dtunes (Jul 12, 2012)

I prefer the Gipsy Kings version of Hotel California over the Eagles:


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## Delta-T (Jul 12, 2012)

Dtunes- for many years I have had bitter feelings about the Eagles because of this song (directly ripped off of a Jethro Tull song, "We Used to Know", album Stand Up, my fav band)....but this is smokin. nice pick.

Nice choices all around!

......Clapton's I shot the sheriff??? really?


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## GAMMA RAY (Jul 13, 2012)

Delta-T said:


> ......Clapton's I shot the sheriff??? really?


 
No...only said that to pi$$ you off cause I know you don't like Clapton..
You must be on your Ipod touchy feely thingy cruisin the interwebs...never saw you post a vid ever!


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## osagebow (Jul 13, 2012)

Love that gipsy kings version - and the movie. Her's another that came to mind, not as long as the original, though:


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## Lousyweather (Jul 14, 2012)

I guess i am not quite as ancient as alot of you , but how about      

night take a second or two to figure it out........see you in Clifton Park, Delta!


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## Retired Guy (Jul 16, 2012)

When I think of covers of pop songs - nothing grabs my mind like this one.


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## MasterMech (Jul 17, 2012)

Remember these guys?


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## Delta-T (Jul 18, 2012)

GAMMA RAY said:


> No...only said that to pi$$ you off cause I know you don't like Clapton..
> You must be on your Ipod touchy feely thingy cruisin the interwebs...never saw you post a vid ever!


 
I dont hate Clapton, I just dont really care for stuff he did after Cream....he's still a very talented person on that stringy box thing. Posted the vid from home.


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## The Easter Bunny (Jul 18, 2012)




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## GAMMA RAY (Jul 18, 2012)

You creep me out big time Mr."Easter Bunny"...
Just sayin...


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## The Easter Bunny (Jul 18, 2012)

I am the Easter Bunny.


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## fossil (Jul 18, 2012)

The Easter Bunny said:


> I am the Easter Bunny.


 
Oh...so _you're_ the Easter Bunny.  Hmm...WTF's up with that?


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## Jack Straw (Jul 18, 2012)

This is the greatest cover song ever


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## Cross Cut Saw (Jul 18, 2012)

The Original:


Blown away by the cover!:


You might have to be a Spreadhead to truly appreciate it...
My two vices, Widespread Panic and big stacks of firewood!


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## smoke show (Jul 18, 2012)




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## MasterMech (Jul 18, 2012)

smoke show said:


>



 I was waiting for someone to throw that one out there. I'm kinda neutral on the cover being better than Slade's original.


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## firefighterjake (Jul 19, 2012)

GAMMA RAY said:


> You creep me out big time Mr."Easter Bunny"...
> Just sayin...


 
Here you go Gamma . . . here are a few more creepy Easter bunny pics . . . some of which I think we saw here last Easter.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/24/creepy-easter-bunnies-pho_n_850578.html#s268921&title=Bunny


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## Adios Pantalones (Jul 19, 2012)

The Easter Bunny said:


>



I always loved this band


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## MasterMech (Jul 31, 2012)

Heard it on the radio today, how it slipped my mind I'll never know...


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## smoke show (Jul 31, 2012)

I enjoy both versions.


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## daveswoodhauler (Aug 2, 2012)

Not as good as the original, but this one kicks arz.


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