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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
drmemory62
37 posts
 
Sonic Youth - Superstar, The Carpenters
The Carpenters, Calling Occupants (of Interplanetary Craft), Klaatu

jbhiller's avatar
jbhiller
1,403 posts
 
Does Jimi Hendrix "Hey Joe" qualify? I've never been able to ensure, though, that I've heard the actual original by Billy Roberts(?).  
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
Gary Clark, Jr.'s cover of Hendrix's Third Stone from the Sun.

If you like blues based rock, a little R&B, occasional heavy guitars all mixed together you should check Clark out. He's the real deal.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,788 posts
 
slaw, you know it's funny how when "Oops" is taken out of Britney's hands and put in Richard's, you can hear how good a song it actually is.
n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
For me Shout by Otis Day and the Knights (Lloyd Williams) is one of the greatest covers of all time. The original Isley Brothers version is really good. Our local oldies station plays it all the time. But the Animal House version just adds so much to it that I have a hard time hearing it any other way.

I'll admit, the Animal House version has all the associated coolness of the movie associated with it including the impeccable placement of the song within the movie. 
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