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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
dldennis
9 posts
 
I love Eva Cassidy

I prefer her _Songbird_ to Christine McVie’s

But my favorite _Over the Rainbow_ is by Impellitteri

https://youtu.be/fsebbb_xTtQ
earworm22
22 posts
 
Siouxie and the Banshees / The Passenger AND Trust in Me (from The Jungle Book, Disney movie. You know, with Kaa the Snake...)
David Bowie / See Emily Play
Frankie Goes to Hollywood / Born to Run
tomcy6's avatar
tomcy6
2,597 posts
 
I have to agree with blueranger. Jimi's cover of All Along the Watchtower is one of the all-time great covers.
blueranger's avatar
blueranger
719 posts
 
Brownssville Station. "Sweet Jane". Awesome take on a classic song. More energy and drive. Its overlooked because it was from a one hit wonder group.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,821 posts
 
Gram Parsons' original recording of his "A Song For You" (on his debut album GP) is real fine, but the cover by The Continental Drifters is much, much better. The Drifters were a 1990's L.A. supergroup with members from The Bangles, The db's, The Cowsills, The Dream Syndicate, and a great drummer named Carlo Nuccio (who played on Tori Amos' first album). They made one album in L.A., hosted Tuesday nights at Raji's on Hollywood Blvd., then moved to New Orleans where they recorded two more albums. A great group.
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