Cover versions that are better than the originals

I'd say "Police on My Back" by the Clash (written and originally performed by Eddie "Electric Avenue" Grant), but I've never heard the original. I cannot imagine it'd be better. I could be wrong, though.

OTM. And don't foeget Grandmaster Flash and Stevie Wonder.

Also OTM. His version even beats John Cale's (which it's really based on).

My pick: "Disorder" by Joy Division, as covered by Bedhead.

You need feel no shame. It's bloody unlistenable. It took a genius (like Cale, for instance) to hear that piece of crap and say, "You know, there's a great song there."

No way, dude!

Not!

*OK, I've never actually heard the original, but it was by the horrid Sting, so Cash's version obv. better

More like twitter shaming ILM, because how has this thread not mentioned that Amy Winehouse cover of 'Valerie' before?

I like how that twitter thread puts a unique spin on the "covers better than the originals" format without straying too far from the spirit of the original discussion. it's too early to say if it's better than the ILM classic, but it's definitely one of the more interesting interpretations I've read

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKYcGFexI6U

I love the Wedding Present's cover of "Getting Better"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npeYMJIbY8o

^no, that sucks and the lyric changes are super creepy. I saw it a few years ago and was like “wtf”

Anybody that says Live's version of "Walk the Line" gets shot

It Must Be Love - Madness (Labi Siffre)

<3 some siffre but his version is too twee

The Main Ingredient - Summer Breeeze
Stevie Wonder - We Can Work It Out
Al Green - How Can You Mend a Broken Heart
UB40 - Red Red Wine
The Clash - Police on My Back
The Fugees - Killing Me Softly
R.E.M. - Crazy
Nouvelle Vague - In A Manner of Speaking
All of the Meat Puppets covers on Nirvana Unplugged (and probably the Muddy Waters one too)
Blondie - Tide Is High

You Really Got Me - Van Halen (The Kinks)

Yes. Agree with Blondie covering "Tide is High."

Also David Bowie's cover of "Cactus."

David Bowie's cover of "Cactus."

TV on the Radio's version of Mr Grieves runs the original very close

Cake - I Will Survive
Cake - Sad Songs and Waltzes
Cake - Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps
Cake - The Guitar Man
Cake - War Pigs
Cake - Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town
Cake - Strangers in the Night
Cake - Never, Never Gonna Give You Up

those are fighting words >:(

Fun Lovin Criminals do whatever Cake does better.

TV on the Radio's version of Mr Grieves runs the original very close

The Temprees' version of Dedicated... is beautiful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WYKj6Rzv7c

Fun Lovin Criminals do whatever Cake does better.

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Friday, April 29, 2022 2:12 AM (twelve hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

alright...aww no...hey! all right

Fat Tulips - Ask Johnny Dee (the Chesterfields)

Bauhaus - Ziggy Stardust

*ducks*

I have that 7" and as much as I like their versions, would still take the Bowie and Eno originals tbh

Their version of "Third Uncle" is also a banger.

it is great and how I first heard that song

Mmm let me see… not necessarily better but I prefer these over the originals:

Todd Terje - Johnny and Mary
Jorja Smith - Rose Rouge
Donald Byrd - Where are we going?
Kindness - swingin party
Robert Plant and Alison Kraus - stick with me baby
Hope Sandoval - Butterfly Mornings
Yumi Zouma - it feels good to be around you
Sylvan Esso - Funeral Singers
Evinha - Que Bandeira
Lightning Seeds - you showed me
Tame Impala - remember me
13th floor elevators - it’s all over now (baby blue)
Natalie Imbruglia - torn

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah

Also OTM. His version even beats John Cale's (which it's really based on).

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Monday, December 15, 2003 4:14 PM (twenty years ago)

were we ever so young? well, maybe kenan

cale's is the definitive version and fuck every contrary opinion

13th floor elevators - it’s all over now (baby blue)

*nods furiously*

Tame Impala - remember me

*shakes head disapprovingly*

As great as the original is, it feels rushed and it cuts corners to get to the next section, I feel like this arrangement maximizes all the great things about the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP-g8vo4zUg

13th floor elevators - it’s all over now (baby blue)

*nods furiously*

― Bulky Pee Pants (Tom D.), sábado 20 de enero de 2024 09:31 AM (three hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Tame Impala - remember me

*shakes head disapprovingly*

― groovypanda, sábado 20 de enero de 2024 10:36 AM (two hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

Lol sorry, I do love the originals.

Heartily cosign baby blue

I know it’s a divisive cover. Personally I love how they stylize it and how bittersweet it sounds compared to Dylan’s who sounds more passive-agressive and bitter. The cover is more of an “end of an era” kind of song and Dylan is more of an “end of a relationship”, Dylan’s lyrics can be interpreted both ways and I guess I love both for what they are, I’m just usually more connected to the cover. It’s sort of the perfect road trip music to me.

13th floor elevators - it’s all over now (baby blue)

Love the rest of their album, always skip this. They play the same chords over and over throughout the verse, which ends up clashing with the melody over the fifth line of each verse (the "strike another match" part) and fumbles the dramatic peak of the verses every time.
I would, however, say that Them's version of this song is better than Dylan's .

Nah, the Elevators' mistakes and bum notes are what makes it great in a strange way.

^^^ yep the elevators version is magical... my all time favorite cover by anyone.

Elton John - 'Pinball Wizard', 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' (The Who, The Beatles)

Haha the sloppiness in 13th Floor Elevators performance is what sells it for me. It adds another layer to the “broken but moving on” feel of it.

I would, however, say that Them's version of this song is better than Dylan's .

me too

There are tons of great covers of Dylan songs, many of which may be “better” than the original in some way, but probably none that I would truly say I “prefer” to the original. FWIW

marianne faithfull's "it's all over now baby blue" is good, big nico "i'll keep it with mine" vibes

There are tons of great covers of Dylan songs, many of which may be “better” than the original in some way, but probably none that I would truly say I “prefer” to the original. FWIW

― Wooly Bully (2005 Remaster) (morrisp)

lol i think dylan himself prefers hendrix's "watchtower" to dylan's own version

mostly i like different takes on it. i like old gravelly dylan's take on "things we said today"!

I'm not a Dylan fan so I prefer dozens of the covers to the originals!

Robert Wyatt's cover of "At Last I Am Free" is neck and neck with Chic's original, if not better. Some days I think it's better, some days not.

Good one.

Another one that hasn’t been mentioned

Howlin Wolf - Spoonful

I also like Willie Dixon’s original but Howlin Wolf’s the without argument the definitive version.

Also on the same vein

“i am the wolf”

I realise full well this won’t be an opinion for everyone but on certain days I feel like Ruth Copeland’s version of Gimme Shelter pips the OG track - Merry Clayton’s solo effort is pretty fkn strong too

Dylan covers better than the original?

Ben watt - You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

Great cover for your first album

I also like Willie Dixon’s original but Howlin Wolf’s the without argument the definitive version.

― ✖✖✖ (Moka)

i mean it's pretty good but it definitely takes dixon's in a different direction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yqgj9Ba-DdU

Willie Dixon is sort of an odd name in this context; as a professional songwriter, he was writing and tailoring songs for more successful and colourful performers, and his own versions of songs were in fact the afterthoughts. Just like I wouldn't say that Aretha Franklin "covered" Carole King's version of "Natural Woman", it was written specifically for Aretha.

Nina Simone does this a lot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDK0YEQAZ_g

Al Green to thread.