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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
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!.....

slaw's avatar
slaw
21,444 posts
 
Jenny Lewis "Handle With Care" (maybe not better but great effort)
Annie Lennox "Strange Fruit"
Patricia Barber "A Taste of Honey"
The Cowboy Junkies "Betty Lonely"
Eels "Oh Well"
The Meters "Wichita Lineman" (maybe not better but a damn good effort)
Robert Plant/Alison Krauss "Nothin’"
Ryan Adams "Down in a Hole"
Joan Taylor Shaw "War Pigs"
Aretha Franklin "Respect"
Eric Clapton "I Shot the Sheriff"
Kapt Kopter & the FabulousTwirly Birds "Day Tripper"
Lucinda Williams "It’s a Long Way to the Top"
The Remains "I’m a Man" "All Day and All of the Night" "Like a Rolling Stone"
Richard Thompson "Oops!, I Did it Again"
Van Halen "Pretty Woman" (a good effort)
Ides Of March "Wooden Ships"

BTW, there is a thread from a while back similar to this...….

like @bdp24, to be continued...….





slaw's avatar
slaw
21,444 posts
 
Santana & Patricia Barber "Black Magic Woman"
Van Halen "Dancing in the Street"
John Mayall Blues Breakers "What I'd Say"
Janis Joplin "Me and Bobby McGee"
Gregg Allman "These Days"
John Mayer "Bold As Love"
Mudcrutch "Lover of the Bayou"
Allman Brothers "She Has Funny Cars"
Joe Cocker "Feelin' Alright"

more to come.....





czarivey
5,946 posts
 
FZ -- Stairway To Heaven cover
The Residents -- Jail House Rock 
Mnozil Brass -- My Way cover
djones51
4,947 posts
 
Nilsson - Without You, Everybody's Talking
Janis Joplin - Me and Bobby McGee
The Band - I Shall Be Released
The Byrds - Turn Turn Turn 
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