Cover songs better than their original

[hypehat]

Can't believe I wasn't repping for Nilsson Sings Newman in this thread. It's the bloody greatest thing.

Hmm.

I can think of good covers, but BETTER?

Evie Sands - Anyway That You Want Me
Harry Nilsson's Blackbird is incredible for a rough studio cut. (It exists in higher quality, but give it a go http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1UufABxMeE )
Dion - Born To Be With You

God, it's tough.

[Ron]

Smith's verison of Baby It's You is far superior to the original.  Probably the best cover song ever. 

It's KIND OF cheating, but Bob Dylan's music almost always has better versions recorded by somebody else.  He's a singer/songwriter though, so I'm not sure if he's fair game. 

"Blowing in the Wind" by Stevie Wonder is awesome. 

also,

"It Ain't Me Babe" by Johnny and June takes on a whole other level when they do it.  I mean it's HEAVY. 

[John Stivaktas]

It's KIND OF cheating, but Bob Dylan's music almost always has better versions recorded by somebody else.  He's a singer/songwriter though, so I'm not sure if he's fair game. 

That's because so many other bands have taken his decent songs and applied decent vocals to them...which he never really had, did he?

[Ron]

I agree.  No disrespect to Dylan (I have no problem with his voice), but about anybody can sing his stuff better than him, lol. 

[hypehat]

Are you really sure about that? I always find Dylan covers lacking.

Despite what some claim, Dylan is actually an amazing singer. It's just stupid pop culture discourse that Dylan can't sing.

[Ron]

I gave two examples of Dylan songs that are much better as covers in my opinion.  I'm not stupid for thinking Bob Dylan has a shitty voice. 

[Dunderhead]

"Too Much of Nothing" on the first Spooky Tooth LP
"My Back Pages" by The Byrds

[hypehat]

I gave two examples of Dylan songs that are much better as covers in my opinion.  I'm not stupid for thinking Bob Dylan has a sh*tty voice. 

I'm sure you have your reasons and your opinion, which of course you're entitled to. And you know his work, so it's not uninformed. But that really is the sort of thing people who don't know much about music say about Bob Dylan. And I respectfully (no matter what my wine/adrenalin fuelled post last night gave to the contrary, it was snippy) disagree.

[Ron]

Come on man.  You've got to know you're fighting a losing battle trying to argue that Bob Dylan has a good voice.  I'm no music major but to these ears, he's not even in key some of the time.  That's kind of like singing 101.  I'm not talking about 'Willie Nelson oh he's weird but it's just his style' singing, i'm talking about 'man that's pretty bad and sounds painful' type of singing.  One of my examples was Stevie Wonder.  Stevie Wonder is obviously in a different league, vocally, than Bob Dylan.  To think that the original version with Dylan could even come close to Stevie's version is bordering on insanity.  The other example was Johnny and June, neither had a particularly 'great' voice, but both knew key and stayed in it.  lol  If somebody's making the point that Johnny Cash sang it better, whoever they're talking about by default has to have a pretty shitty voice. 

[the captain]

I think you're incorrect, Ron.

In a way--and obviously a very traditional and widely held way--Stevie Wonder sings better than Bob Dylan. You say you're no music major; conversely, I was one. And yes, as such, I hear why Stevie Wonder is a better singer than Bob Dylan. But it's all about criteria. The argument could as easily be what makes Steve Vai a better guitarist than Jimi Hendrix, or maybe Duane Allman a better one than Bert Jansch. The question of quality depends upon the questions of expectations or frame of reference.

As what I consider an important aside: I've begun to think that with any artist, there is some balance of salesmanship, craftsmanship, and inspiration.  

Through the past few years, I've decided Bob Dylan lacks in craftsmanship as a singer on the level of his technical proficiency. That instrument might not be unlimited in its capacity, not now and not 45 years ago. Not never. But he does maintain control over that thing, over that art. The inspiration, I doubt anyone would question. What he also has is the salesmanship that is part of being an artist. Even with a limited palette, he maintains control, selling what he's singing. He is among what on short notice I group as three guys--Waits and Reed the other two--who are great singers despite severe shortcomings in the technical (craftsmanship) side of things. Great singers. Not "they have feeling" singers. Not "we like them because they're old" singers.

Those guys are great singers, even if they're by some measures terrible singers.

And you know, to a serious tenor, Brian Wilson was a terrible singer. Or Harry Nilsson. It's always a balance of elements, but it's also always context. So much of it: context.

[hypehat]

Luther, as usual, nails it. I can't believe you think the original 'Blowing In The Wind' is hugely inferior to Stevie. To frame it as purely technical is missing the point.

[Mike's Beard]

Not that his original was too shabby but The Band's version of "When I Paint my Masterpiece" batters Bob's version.

[Ron]

I think you're incorrect, Ron.

In a way--and obviously a very traditional and widely held way--Stevie Wonder sings better than Bob Dylan. You say you're no music major; conversely, I was one. And yes, as such, I hear why Stevie Wonder is a better singer than Bob Dylan. But it's all about criteria. The argument could as easily be what makes Steve Vai a better guitarist than Jimi Hendrix, or maybe Duane Allman a better one than Bert Jansch. The question of quality depends upon the questions of expectations or frame of reference.

As what I consider an important aside: I've begun to think that with any artist, there is some balance of salesmanship, craftsmanship, and inspiration.  

Through the past few years, I've decided Bob Dylan lacks in craftsmanship as a singer on the level of his technical proficiency. That instrument might not be unlimited in its capacity, not now and not 45 years ago. Not never. But he does maintain control over that thing, over that art. The inspiration, I doubt anyone would question. What he also has is the salesmanship that is part of being an artist. Even with a limited palette, he maintains control, selling what he's singing. He is among what on short notice I group as three guys--Waits and Reed the other two--who are great singers despite severe shortcomings in the technical (craftsmanship) side of things. Great singers. Not "they have feeling" singers. Not "we like them because they're old" singers.

Those guys are great singers, even if they're by some measures terrible singers.

And you know, to a serious tenor, Brian Wilson was a terrible singer. Or Harry Nilsson. It's always a balance of elements, but it's also always context. So much of it: context.

Well spoken, but I disagree.  I"ll try to be short and sweet.

I'm talking about "Blowing in the Wind".  Bob Dylan wrote about what he saw.  Stevie Wonder sang it about what he experienced.   Stevie's version is far superior. 

[runnersdialzero]

Darian Sahanaja-Do You Have Any Regrets

Still have never been able to find this one - halp? = )

[Jay]

I could name a bunch, but I'm going to name one pretty obscure one. Most people would say that The Beatles version of Twist and Shout is better than the one done by The Isley Brothers, right? Well, most people don't know that The Isley Brothers were not the first group to record the song. It was originally recorded by The Top Notes in 1961. I'm going to say that the version done by The Isley Brothers blows the original away(which was produced by Phil Spector, by the way). This is the original, recorded under the original name of "Shake It Up, Babe". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsDpc-8iR8g

[JK]

Darian Sahanaja-Do You Have Any Regrets

Still have never been able to find this one - halp? = )

You can hear it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ndMltIVTJc

[onkster]

Pinball Wizard: Elton vs. The Who (though I love both)

[onkster]

Oh yeah, and The Beatles' "Long Tall Sally" vs. the original.

Sorry, Little!

[Ron]

Here's one many may not agree with (or care).

Buck Owen's streets of Bakersfield, the version with him and Dwight Yoakum is much better than Buck's original version.

O.G. version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dBdO3zYclI

Dwight & Buck version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5P6zdlPJ34&feature=related

Anyway you look at it, though, the guy was a great songwriter.  "Hey You Don't KNow Me, but You Don't Like Me"  "How Many Of You That Sit And Judge Me, Ever Walked the Streets Of Bakersfield?"

Awesome. 

[Newguy562]

ok this is the best cover ever..actually he fuckin freaks the song so much it shouldnt even be considered a cover lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vYmcxsIzMY ....this probably scared the sh*t out of mick jagger lol

[Summertime Blooz]

Jesus Is Just Alright- Doobie Brothers over The Byrds original
Lotta Love- Nicolette Larsen over Neil Young original
A Song For You- Carpenters over Leon Russell original
Ready For Love- Bad Co. over Mott The Hoople
Take It All-= Todd Rundgren over Badfinger

[rab2591]

Drip Drop - Brian Wilson

I'm having a 'Be My Baby'-like obsession with this song - Brian's vocals on the 2nd and 3rd chorus are plain awesome.

[Moon Dawg]

Drip Drop - Brian Wilson

I'm having a 'Be My Baby'-like obsession with this song - Brian's vocals on the 2nd and 3rd chorus are plain awesome.

  Are we talking about Dion's "Drip Drop"?  Can't agree.

  Brian Hyland's "Gypsy Woman" over The Impressions

[Aum Bop Diddit]

The Flamin' Groovies' version of "Sometimes" (from the so amazing you should own it though you don't classic LP "Shake Some Action") originally by Paul Revere and the Raiders.

[RangeRoverA1]

Not long ago, I found that Skip-A-Long Sam isn't the Sugar Shoppe song but the Donovan cover. 1st time I heard it I thought what a tremendous song that is. After listening to the original, my opinion still remains, & it's not only because I'm not too keen on Donovan's voice, but also because it was overall pretty dull. For instance, in the tag, the Sugar Shoppe made a sudden key change, went from the whole forte vibe to piano, brass orchestra minimizing to acoustic guitar & chatter. Also, love whistling, it's a thing I enjoy hearing consistently on all songs that feature it. Judge for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2m3wmnyU3c

Fun fact: one of the bandmates was Victor Garber who played the captain's chief helper in "Titanic". If any of you are his fans, be shocked (in a good way).