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Cover songs that are better than the originals.

There is an active thread about terrible cover songs so I thought I'd start one about cover songs that are better than or have completely eclipsed the originals. I'll start:

Randy Newman wrote Momma Told Me Not to Come for Eric Burdon who recored it with the Animals and Newman recorded it too. I have the Newman version and like it but Three Dog Night really seem to capture the mood of the song best in my opinion.
n80
sfar's avatar
sfar
1,758 posts
 
"Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone," was written and sung by Bill Withers, produced by Booker T. Jones with Donald "Duck" Dunn on bass, Al Jackson Jr. on drums and Stephen Stills on guitar. 
A really fine song but the recent version by Buddy Guy and Tracy Chapman tops it, in my opinion.
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
Jerry Lee Lewis (of all people) does a cover of Over the Rainbow, which is not as good as Garland, and is obviously more masculine, but I like it.

https://youtu.be/XEu28N2TINo

I do like the Eva Cassidy version. But, I still like Garland's best.
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
Since we’re discussing American icons like Over the Rainbow, I’ll throw in this "cover" of Moon River. This is actually the "demo" recording with Mancini playing the piano and Mercer singing.

I have it on an Oxford American Southern Music CD Sampler.

To me it blows all the others away.

https://youtu.be/MKnZ174_kWk
roberjerman
4,319 posts
 
Quicksilver Messenger Service's cover of Bo Didley's "Who Do You Love" - recorded live at the Fillmore West!
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,792 posts
 

The Beatles: "Rock & Roll Music" (Chuck Berry original of course).

Dave Edmunds: "I Hear You Knocking" (Smiley Lewis original); "Born To Be With You" (The Chordettes original); "Singing The Blues" (Marty Robbins original); "Almost Saturday Night" (John Fogerty original); a bunch more. Edmunds is my favorite song re-interpreter.

Elvis Presley: "Hound Dog" (Big Mama Thornton original).

The Byrds: "My Back Pages" (Bob Dylan original); "Mr. Tambourine Man" (ditto).

The Bobby Fuller Four: "I Fought The Law" (The Crickets original); "Love's Made A Fool Of You" (ditto).

The Guess Who: "Shakin' All Over" (Johnnie Kidd & The Pirates original).

.....to be continued!.....

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