Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Tired of talking about rowing and want to talk about the real world? Enter a forum where rowing is a rude word...

Moderator: The forum police - (nee naw)

Post Reply
paulgould
Super Dedicated and Truly Free Spirit
Posts: 2839
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:40 am
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: Ryde, IOW

Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by paulgould »

Got to thinking about this this morning while rowing - one of my favourites came up on my MP3 and I played it on repeat 3 times :lol: :lol:

As a general rule I prefer the original to cover versions but I thought I would make a list of some covers which I think are better than the originals - purely subjective, of course - and I would be interested to see what others come up with :

My top 5 would be(by Song, Cover Artist and Original Artist) :

1. Sounds Of Silence The Disturbed Simon and Garfunkel
2. Creep - Michelle Branch Radiohead
3. Woodstock Matthew's Southern Comfort Joni Mitchell
4. Me and Bobby McGee Pink Kris Kristofferson
5. Tainted Love Soft Cell Gloria Jones

Paul G
Last edited by paulgould on Fri Sep 10, 2021 5:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
56, 1.74m , Sep '20 - 114 kg , currently - 98 kg
Image
200m - 30.8
300m - 47.7
30r20 - 7754m
12 hr - 139300m
100 mile - 14:10.12
200km - 18:28.30
User avatar
plummy
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Posts: 8419
Joined: Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:17 am
I row on...: Model E with PM4
Location: Sale, Cheshire, UK

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by plummy »

Love is all around by Wet Wet Wet versus The Troggs
I can't make you love me by George Michael versus Bonnie Raitt (but it's a close run thing)
I will always love you by Whitney versus Dolly
Going to a town by George Michael versus Rufus Wainwright
61 yrs old, 81kg, 5' 10"
43Mm metres rowed. Re-setting the bar much lower now. Getting too old and brittle for this malarky
Image
User avatar
Jill
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Posts: 1991
Joined: Sun Jun 01, 2014 1:37 pm
I row on...: Model E with PM5

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by Jill »

My choice:
Come on - Rolling Stones - Chuck Berry
As The Crow Flies - Rory Gallagher - Tony Joe White
Every Little Thing - Yes - The Beatles
Every Time We say Goodbye - Ella Fitzgerald - Nan Wynn
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star - Bill Bailey's Death Metal Version - Some Deranged Young Mum Trying To Get Her Child To Sleep. :fsbgrin: :fswink:

Richard's choice:
Young Man Blues - Who - Mose Allison
Carry On My Wayward Son - Yngwie Marmsteen - Kansas
Wings Of A Nightingale - Everly Brothers - Paul McCartney

Paul, it would be impossible to put a full list, especially as so many original songs have so many different covers. Richard said that Led Zep was a good example.

I like your choice of Disturbed, Matthews Southern Comfort and Plummy's Wet Wet Wet.

By the way, that is not a criticism of your other choices.
paulgould
Super Dedicated and Truly Free Spirit
Posts: 2839
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:40 am
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: Ryde, IOW

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by paulgould »

Thank Jill, Dave

Always interesting to see people’s music tastes and be introduced to something new

I never knew that Wet Wet Wet number wasn’t the original, and am very keen to hear Yngwe Malmsteens take on Carry on My Wayward Son - one of my all time favourites.
I really like some of the covers done by Viking Metal bands, “Rasputin” by Turisas, and “Lady in Black” covered by Ensiferum in particular.

In most cases, I enjoy the original too but often only hear the cover first, not even knowing it isn’t the original - The Man Who Sold The World covered by Nirvana being one of those for me

Paul G
56, 1.74m , Sep '20 - 114 kg , currently - 98 kg
Image
200m - 30.8
300m - 47.7
30r20 - 7754m
12 hr - 139300m
100 mile - 14:10.12
200km - 18:28.30
User avatar
JonT
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2020
Posts: 2163
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 2:31 pm
I row on...: Model D with PM5
Location: Bath, Somerset, UK

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by JonT »

Like Someone in Love by Bjork has always blown me away - it quite frequently reduces me to tears! Original recording was Bing Crosby I think, but there have been hundreds, and no doubt there will be hundreds more.

The rumour is she recorded it staning in the middle of a street. I assume the harpist wasn't with her at the time :fsbgrin:
58 years old, 5"10', clinging on to 75kg and frustratingly but understandably inconsistent
Image
paulgould
Super Dedicated and Truly Free Spirit
Posts: 2839
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:40 am
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: Ryde, IOW

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by paulgould »

I think that my all-time favourite has to be "Ken Lee(Without You)" by Valentina Hasan, the original by Mariah Carey - breathed new life into one of the truly most dreadful songs ever made - well worth a watch on YouTube ^O^ ^O^

Paul G
56, 1.74m , Sep '20 - 114 kg , currently - 98 kg
Image
200m - 30.8
300m - 47.7
30r20 - 7754m
12 hr - 139300m
100 mile - 14:10.12
200km - 18:28.30
User avatar
Paul Victory
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2016
Friend of the Free Spirits web site 2016
Posts: 10621
Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 9:29 pm
I row on...: Model E with PM4
Location: Dublin

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by Paul Victory »

paulgould wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:48 am I think that my all-time favourite has to be "Ken Lee(Without You)" by Valentina Hasan, the original by Mariah Carey - breathed new life into one of the truly most dreadful songs ever made - well worth a watch on YouTube ^O^ ^O^

Paul G
Actually, that song was originally recorded by Badfinger in 1970 and was a big hit for Harry Nilsson in 1971, long before Mariah Carey recorded her version. I had a look at the version you recommended just now - absolutely hilarious!

When I think of cover versions that surpassed the original, the first song that springs to mind is Nothing Compares 2U by Sinead O'Connor.

Paul V
M 68 6'1" 124kg (May05), 92kg (Feb06), 122kg (Aug10), 95kg (Sep11), 117kg (Jun13), now 98kg
Image
paulgould
Super Dedicated and Truly Free Spirit
Posts: 2839
Joined: Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:40 am
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: Ryde, IOW

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by paulgould »

Paul Victory wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 4:42 pm
paulgould wrote: Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:48 am I think that my all-time favourite has to be "Ken Lee(Without You)" by Valentina Hasan, the original by Mariah Carey - breathed new life into one of the truly most dreadful songs ever made - well worth a watch on YouTube ^O^ ^O^

Paul G
Actually, that song was originally recorded by Badfinger in 1970 and was a big hit for Harry Nilsson in 1971, long before Mariah Carey recorded her version. I had a look at the version you recommended just now - absolutely hilarious!

When I think of cover versions that surpassed the original, the first song that springs to mind is Nothing Compares 2U by Sinead O'Connor.

Paul V
Thanks for the correction Paul - I suppose I should have known that Mariah Carey couldn't do anything original :lol: :lol:
Have to agree with you about Sinead O'Connor - her Nothing Compares 2U is something special.

Paul G
56, 1.74m , Sep '20 - 114 kg , currently - 98 kg
Image
200m - 30.8
300m - 47.7
30r20 - 7754m
12 hr - 139300m
100 mile - 14:10.12
200km - 18:28.30
User avatar
Draggon
Best Friend (PayPal Subscriber)
Best Friend (PayPal Subscriber)
Posts: 704
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:27 pm
I row on...: Model D with PM3
Location: Indiana, USA

Re: Music - Covers that are better than the Originals

Post by Draggon »

paulgould wrote: Fri Sep 10, 2021 8:29 am As a general rule I prefer the original to cover versions
Me too, but several times I've been surprised that the song I'm groovin' on IS a cover, and I wasn't even aware of it...

Doin' Time/Summertime - Lana Del Ray vs Sublime
Last Kiss - Pearl Jam vs (technically) Wayne Cochran but (more popularly) J Frank Wilson & the Cavaliers
Image
Post Reply