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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
9,760 posts
 
slaw, is that the David Lindley "Mercury Blues"? Must be killer, 'cause David's is fantastic. Great recorded quality, too.
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,188 posts
 
@bdp24,

I’ll check it out right now. I was wondering what to play? You post reads like you’ve never heard Steve Miller’s version?

"El Rayo-X", in which "Mercury Blues is found on, to my ears is mostly a reggae influenced record and is what I consider upbeat.  SQ = excellent!

On my MFSL "Fly Like an Eagle" , "Mercury Blues" is presented in a slinky, bluesy fashion that IMO, serves the lyrics and the song as a whole, much better. After all the song's title is mercury blues.

For me, I much prefer the SM version.


n80 OP
2,116 posts
 
bdp24, I'm very jealous. Also surprised you have any hearing left.

I saw Foreigner in the early 80's. So-so show but painfully loud. Ears rang for 12 full days afterwards. 
slaw's avatar
slaw
21,188 posts
 
This one ain’t better than The Who’s,  but check out Alex Chilton’s version of "Summertime Blues".
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,760 posts
 

Wow slaw, two songs I haven't heard. So Steve Miller's "Mercury Blues" is a different song the Lindley's? I admit I haven't heard it. I saw The Steve Miller Blues Band (his original band name) in '67, before the first album came out, with Boz Scaggs playing rhythm guitar (a Gibson ES-335) only, not singing.

I'll bet Chilton's "Summertime Blues" is an interesting version, but haven't heard it. So much music, so little time!

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