2. music
  3. 138442-115924

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
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 
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,878 posts
 
Ha! slaw’s Richard Thompson cover of "Oops!...I Did It Again" is genius! Fun topic. And djones51’s The Band’s "I Shall Be Released" is one I wish I had made (maybe I did in the similar thread?). Richard Manuel’s falsetto vocal is really special. For another great version of his Janis Joplin's "Me And Bobby McGee", give a listen to Gordon Lightfoot's recording. ARC's Bill Johnson really liked the recorded sound quality of the album it's on (If You Could Read My Mind) too. 
blueranger's avatar
blueranger
719 posts
 
Talking Heads. Take me to the River. Jimi Hendrix. All Along the Watchtower.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,905 posts
 
@bdp24 ,

I was hoping someone would get a kick out of  "Oops!..." 
tls49's avatar
tls49
1,351 posts
 
+1 Talking Heads - Take me to the River
Alison Krauss/Viktor Krauss - Big Log
Amy Winehouse - Valerie
Pink - Me and Bobby McGee
Travis - Baby One More Time (yet another Brittany Spears song)

As far as Stairway to Heaven, it hard to believe that a cover could be better than the original, but Heart's version comes close.

More to discover