Cover songs better than their original

[joshferrell]

Elton's version of Lennon's "One day at a time." too be honest with you imo that song brings down Mind Games a few notches, it's a great album and that song is the sore thumb of the album..he sounds like he's singing in a key way too high for him and he sounds like a female.. and the production is bad.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpxoO58GxQw

[Ron]

Heard another one today I had forgotten about.  The Spniners version of "Workin My Way Back To You" absolutely destroys the original by the Four Seasons.    In my humble opinion, of course.  The Four Seasons version is classic, the Spinners disco version is much much better.  The production I suppose is better on the Seasons' version though... although I much prefer the arrangement and quite frankly even the vocals of the Spinners version.

Four Seasons - Workin' My Way Back To You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmNG0BZlFyg

The Detroit Spinners - Workin' My Way Back To You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY_AlrfB3U0



It's just got so much soul in the vocal it can't stop...  Frankie's version always sounded like he was a little braggadocio about it... The Spinners version sounds like the guy's sad about it... where it ought to be... but still has the upbeat, optimism...

[undercover-m]

I don't know if this is better than the original but it's a great cover at the least. Father John Misty covers Arcade Fire's "The Suburbs." The way he sings "still screamin'!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6krmom_hjEE

[Moon Dawg]

Heard another one today I had forgotten about.  The Spniners version of "Workin My Way Back To You" absolutely destroys the original by the Four Seasons.    In my humble opinion, of course.  The Four Seasons version is classic, the Spinners disco version is much much better.  The production I suppose is better on the Seasons' version though... although I much prefer the arrangement and quite frankly even the vocals of the Spinners version.

Four Seasons - Workin' My Way Back To You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmNG0BZlFyg

The Detroit Spinners - Workin' My Way Back To You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TY_AlrfB3U0



It's just got so much soul in the vocal it can't stop...  Frankie's version always sounded like he was a little braggadocio about it... The Spinners version sounds like the guy's sad about it... where it ought to be... but still has the upbeat, optimism...

 Both good but I agree. The Spinners' disc isn't up to the level of the Phillipe Wynne/Thom Bell Era, but it was a nice moment in a long and storied career. BTW- The O'Jays are in Wenner's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Cool with me. But if The O'Jays belong, so do The Spinners.

[Ron]

absolutely. 

[JK]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oLaZ5N3UPQ

[Ron]

Is that the Bar Kays playing in the background?  I like it.... but the Stones version I still like better. 

[elnombre]

Lydia Loveless'  recent version of Prince's 'I Would Die 4 U' not only blows the original away, it's probably the best cut I've heard so far this year.

[JK]

Is that the Bar Kays playing in the background?  I like it.... but the Stones version I still like better. 

I reckon it's The Memphis Horns (formely the Mar-Keys):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otis_Blue/Otis_Redding_Sings_Soul

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Memphis_Horns

[Ron]

I misspelled it "Bar Keys" lol shows how much I know about it.  Lassssst Niiiiighhhttt

[JK]

I misspelled it "Bar Keys" lol shows how much I know about it.  Lassssst Niiiiighhhttt

Bar-Kays is a logical mistake to make. The instrumental group of that name were Otis's backing group at the time of the plane crash, in which four of the original six perished.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfK1IPLpcqs

[Ron]

So, there were Bar-Kay's, AND Mar-Keys, and they both played for Otis?  I never knew that, and I've heard both of their big hits (Soul Finger, and Last Night, which of course sound nothing alike), never really noticed that they were two different bands with two different names.  Thanks, I learned something new today!

[RangeRoverA1]

Ananda Shankar, courtesy of Ravi Shankar, covered Jumpin' Jack Flash. Upfront: guitar triplets, sitar added & sound fx. Note the 1st "Jumpin Jack Flash..." is recreated by sitar, then multitrack backing takes its place as it should. I say "multitrack" because it's less expensive to record voices alone than hire a choir to help build the chant (is that a word for this?).

[Rob Dean]

Couple of prog covers , I know the first was originally a 'Modern' Orchestra piece by Aaron Copeland but (IMHO) superb

E.L.P. 'Fanfare For The Common Man'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyJBNZ4i4Yc

And always like this cover by Vanilla Fudge 'You Keep Me Hanging On'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dup6KUUWlMQ

[RangeRoverA1]

I reckon hearing "Blue Moon" in instrumental form is only best way. The Ventures' version wasn't crash'n'burn. It's great! Big fan of optimism here.

[KDS]

Couple of prog covers , I know the first was originally a 'Modern' Orchestra piece by Aaron Copeland but (IMHO) superb

E.L.P. 'Fanfare For The Common Man'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyJBNZ4i4Yc

And always like this cover by Vanilla Fudge 'You Keep Me Hanging On'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dup6KUUWlMQ

I'll second Vanilla Fudge's cover of You Keep Me Hanging On.

I'll also add their cover of Season of the Witch.  Personally, I think its far superior to Donovan's version. 

[mel91679]

Hey there
Some of my fave cover versions-Ricky Nelson's cover of I'm A Fool way more outshines Dino Desi and Billy's hit of this song. Ricky also gave Petula Clark's I Know A Place a run for the money also. One of my favorite albums of all time is The Tom Jones Fever Zone. Loaded with covers which rival the original hits so check out You Keep Me Hanging On, Hold On I'm Coming, I Was Made To Love Her, and a kick butt version of the Temptations Get Ready. Check em out on youtube. Later.
Joe

[JK]

Not sure if this stupendous Little Richard cover has been on yet: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aymif_OsGRg

[Vegetable Man]

While Randy Newman is amazing in his own right, there's just something about the way Nilsson interprets these songs. His vocals are so complex and lovely, which is a great juxtaposition against the sparsity of the instrumentation.

[JK]

How about the Everlys' spooky version of the evergreen "Temptation"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_TuuJ31bdM

[Rentatris]

Cake - I will survive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KJjVMqNIgA

[KDS]

Sammy Hagar did his own version of Toby Keith's I Love This Bar in 2006

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB8Edhp55fM

I'm not a big fan of Toby Keith's country twang, so I really liked Sammy's version of a fun drinking song. 

[Ron]

I probably already mentioned this in this thread years ago, but Smith's version of "Baby It's You" is much better than the original Shirelles version.


Original Shirelles version (great)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKgkDxnG9Z8

Smith cover version (Amazing Live version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIGo31k-qkw

I love how they downplay the chorus over and over again, but your mind wants her to just belt it, and she finally does in the last chorus.  To her credit, her voice holds up, too. 

[KDS]

I probably already mentioned this in this thread years ago, but Smith's version of "Baby It's You" is much better than the original Shirelles version.


Original Shirelles version (great)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKgkDxnG9Z8

Smith cover version (Amazing Live version)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIGo31k-qkw

I love how they downplay the chorus over and over again, but your mind wants her to just belt it, and she finally does in the last chorus.  To her credit, her voice holds up, too. 

I really like The Beatles' version. 

[JK]

Eat your heart out, Snoop Dogg...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=draifMpM5ck#t=56