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Best Remakes Of All Time

Remakes of the original rarely hit the mark, but here are some of my favorites.

1. The Cure's remake of Jimmi Hendrix's "Purple Haze" - It's so good it maybe better than the original.
2. Power Station's remake of "Bang A Gong" originally performed by T-Rex. Awesome.
3. Marvin Gaye's version of the Miracles "Heard it Through the Grapevine". Marvin's version is way better than the original.
4. Jimi Hendrix's cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along The Watchtower.
5. Love the Doors cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Backdoor Man".
6. Johnny's Cash's 2003 version of Nine Inch Nails "Hurt" was not only courageous, but seriously good.
7. Chicago's remake of "I'm A Man" originally performed by Spencer Dave Group is outstanding.
8. The Allman Brothers remake of "Statesboro Blues" is an upgrad over Blind Willie McTell 1928 version.
9. The Talking Heads 1978 version of Al Green's original release of "Take Me To The River". Do I even need to comment on that one?
10. Love Stevie Ray Vaughn's version of Jimi's "Vodoo Child".

There are a ton more... what are your favorite remakes?
128x128dawgbyte
rbischoff
80 posts
 

Tom Russell and Nancy Griffith. Bus Station by Dave Alvin. I love this version. I enjoy the original but this version really does it for me. Especially when she says "she'd like to leave" around the 3 minute mark. She sings it so flatly (intonation is perfect but the attitude is so worn down).

Richard Bischoff
larryi
3,969 posts
 
A lot of terrific selections in this interesting thread started by Dawgbyte. Thanks everyone.

I would like to add the following, not as being "better" than the original, but certainly different and interesting:

Persuasions: Wanderer (U2 original)

Shonen Knife: Top of the World (from a terrific album of Carpenters covers called "If I were a Carpenter")

Cowboy Junkies: Thunder Road (Springsteen)

Nouvelle Vague: Guns of Brixton (Clash)

Black Box Recorder: Seasons in the Sun (Terry Jacks loosely interpreting Jacques Brel)

From curious to ridiculous, look for an album called "Golden Throats" it has a lot of the classic bad covers (Captain Kirk doing "Lucy in the Sky" and "Mr. Tambourine Man," Mr. French reciting "It Ain't Me Babe," Andy Griffith doing "House of the Rising Sun," and a whole lot more). On NPR I heard something really weird; it was Bob Dylan and Tiny Tim doing Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe."
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
the youngbloods the ultimate 'statesboro blues' cover.
gdoodle
113 posts
 
How about...

Petra Haden and Bill Frisell doing Coldplay's "Yellow"

Jeff Beck's "A Day in the Life"

Johnny Cash's "Hurt" - way better than original and Cash's version will never be equaled.

Chris Isaak doing Cheaptrick's "Want You to Want Me"

Michael Hedges "After the Goldrush"

Red Hot Chili Pepper's doing Ramones "Havana Affair"

Tori Amos "Smells Like Teen Spirit"

Brad Mehldau doing Elliott Smith's "Independence Day"

And these bonuses just to freak you out at the very idea...

Nels Cline doing the entire "Interstellar Space" Coltrane album - I've seen him do live.

"Straight Outta Compton" acoustic version by Nina Gordon is really great - google it today...
philjolet's avatar
philjolet
2,306 posts
 
I will not say it is better (of course) but Carlos Santana and John McGlaughlin did a version of Coltranes 'A Love Supreme' that is awesome and a classic in my book.

Phil
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