Covers that were better than the original

[The STE]

title is fairly straightforward, what song covers do you think were better than the original version?

I'd say:
"I Fought the Law" by the Clash
"War Pigs" by Faith No More (so shoot me, I liked this one better)
"Come Together" by Aerosmith
"In My Life" by Johnny Cash
"Hurt" by Johnny Cash
"Mad World" by Gary Jules
"Silver and Gold" by Joe Strummer
"Gloria" by Patti Smith (ok, debatable as to whether or not it's a cover, but I say it counts)

[urgeok]

live version of Sympathy for the Devil on the B side of the Jesus on the Payroll EP by the Thrashing Doves may not be better ... but it cetainly is an equal.

My Way - Sex Pistols

[bloodrayne]

Originally posted by The STE

"Hurt" by Johnny Cash
I KNEW you were gonna do that...And I strongly disagree...Anyway

Personal Jesus...Marilyn Manson.....I know everyone's gonna disagree with that one, even Seri likes the depeche Mode version better

I Will Survive...Cake


And Seri likes Mindless Self Indulgence's 'Tom Sawyer' better.....I think that's blasphemy... :p :)

I'm sure I have lots more, but that's all I can think of right now

[The_Return]

Originally posted by The STE

"Hurt" by Johnny Cash


Agreed 100%.

- Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm
- Tainted Love and Sweet Dreams by Marilyn Manson
- Lovers in a Dangerous Time by The Barenaked Ladies

[kpropain]

Originally posted by The_Return
Agreed 100%.

- Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm


Def. have to agree on that one, also agree on Hurt by Johnny Cash being better than the NIN version...

Pro-Pain has a cd of all covers called what else but "Run For Cover" that has some kick ass covers on it..here are just a few of the best tracks off that cd...
Iron Fist - Motorhead
Circle Of The Tyrants - Celtic Frost
Weeds - Life Of Agony
Refuse/Resist - Sepultura

[Elvis_Christ]

I don't like the Clash's version of I Fought The Law, I always prefered the Dead Kennedys one. But neither better the original.
Sid doin' My Way! Hell yeh, that's some dope dope shit dude. Jane's Addiction did a pretty decent version of Sympathy For The Devil (unlike Guns N' Roses). A few I dig:

MOTORHEAD - Motorhead
SEPULTURA - The Hunt, Symptom Of The Universe & their version of Orgasmatron
NAILBOMB - Exploitation
NEIL YOUNG - Oh Lonesome Me
JUICY LUCY - Willie The Pimp
DEAD MOON - Milk Cow Blues
JIMI HENDRIX - All Along The Watchtower

Pretty much anything the Cramps re-work or cover is equal to or better than the original. Nick Cave's covers of The Singer and Wanted Man are fuckin' down aswell.
There's a bunch of shit I can't think of right now (a whole lot of 60s R&B should be on there but meh my brains slow this morning)
.... might come back to this one.

[urgeok]

oh .. Dread Zepplin ...

anything they do is better than the Elvis or the Led Zep origionals ...

[Elvis_Christ]

Hhaaha Dread Zepplin crack me up!

http://visker.org/adventures/1999DreadZepplin/pictures/dread%20zepplin%20014.jpg

[The STE]

Originally posted by bloodrayne
I KNEW you were gonna do that...And I strongly disagree...Anyway


I'm a big acoustic fan. If theres an acoustic version and non-acoustic version of the song, 9.5/10 times, I'll like the acoustic version better

and I hadn't even thought of this when I started the thread (listening to "War Pigs" by Faith No More is what sparked it, btw)

[Zero]

GUNS N ROSES - Live and Let Die

[newb]

I'll have to agree with "Hurt". I almost weep when i see the video.

[Zero]

Originally posted by newb
I'll have to agree with "Hurt". I almost weep when i see the video.


cry baby!


I'd also say AC/DC "Baby Please Don't Go" - the best version of that often-covered song

[newb]

Originally posted by Zero
cry baby!


I'd also say AC/DC "Baby Please Don't Go" - the best version of that often-covered song

I'm not afraid to get in touch with my feminine side.:)

[urgeok]

Originally posted by newb
I'm not afraid to get in touch with my feminine side.:)

I AM, however .. very afraid to get in touch with your feminine side !

[Zero]

Originally posted by urgeok
I AM, however .. very afraid to get in touch with your feminine side !

its all hairy and sweaty - ewww

[newb]

Originally posted by urgeok
I AM, however .. very afraid to get in touch with your feminine side !

You have yet to see me in pumps.

[newb]

Back on topic

On the Dave Matthews concert in Central Park DVD, Warren Haynes joins him and they do the best cover of "Cortez the Killer" your ever gonna hear.

[Elvis_Christ]

Originally posted by Zero
I'd also say AC/DC "Baby Please Don't Go" - the best version of that often-covered song

How could I forget that?! :eek: Great fuckin' cover for sure!

Originally posted by newb
On the Dave Matthews concert in Central Park DVD, Warren Haynes joins him and they do the best cover of "Cortez the Killer" your ever gonna hear.

Dunno man, the original is just one of those tunes you can't fuck with. I don't think I've heard any Neil Young covers I've liked.

....another one I forgot about was the Ramones' I Don't Wanna Grow Up originally done by Tom Waits on his Bone Machine album.

[tonemeister]

faith no more cover of "easy"
judas priest cover of "diamonds and rust"

[Elvis_Christ]

^^ Both really fuckin' cool for sure. Gotta love the Priest!

[The_Return]

Im not actually sure who sang it first, but I love any version of Me and Bobby McGee Ive heared...with Kristofferson being best, of course.

[urgeok]

how could i have forgotten :

Like a Virgin - Lords of the New Church

[tonemeister]

Originally posted by The_Return
Im not actually sure who sang it first, but I love any version of Me and Bobby McGee Ive heared...with Kristofferson being best, of course. kristofferson wrote it. janis joplin covered it. although they were dating at the time :)

[tonemeister]

let's not forget the ever popular joan jett version of "i love rock and roll" although it sounds almost exactly like the original.

[the axis]

h
ow bout iron maidens cover of the Tull classic, cross eyed maryor the Queensryche version of simon and garfunkles scarborough fair canticle, and who could forDiamonds and rust
get judas preist covering joan baez

[kpropain]

Another kick ass cover that I forgot about was Saigon Kick's cover of David Bowies Space Oddity...To me they almost and I said "ALMOST" did a better job on it than Bowie himself...

[tonemeister]

house of lords - can't find my way home.

[why?]

Best covers for me are:

It's my life - No Doubt
Foxy Lady - The Cure
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
The Passenger - Siouxsie Sioux & The Banshees


Anything from Millie & Vanillie could be listed too, but I just can't remember their songs names. ;)

This is my first message at the forums so try to be gentle. :rolleyes:

why?

[Elvis_Christ]

I forgot about....

the Melvins doin' the Kiss song Goin' Blind from their album Houdini. Way cooler than Kiss.

[tonemeister]

love hate did a kick ass version of - i am the walrus.

[urgeok]

there is a canadian band called Bootsauce that did a wicked version of 'Everyone's a Winner'

[tonemeister]

let's not forget david lee roth. california girls and just a gigolo

[urgeok]

Originally posted by tonemeister
let's not forget david lee roth. california girls and just a gigolo


this is the 'better than origional' thread ;)

[bloodrayne]

Originally posted by urgeok
this is the 'better than origional' thread ;) LOL


Cake's cover of 'I Will Survive' is awesome...

And Foo Fighters' cover of Prince's Darling Nikki is so much better than the original...I think it's the change in the guitar riff that does it for me...Foo Fighters do it much harder;)

[tonemeister]

Originally posted by urgeok
this is the 'better than origional' thread ;) LOL
sorry but i like his version of california girls better. was never really a beachboys fan.

[tonemeister]

i also like phil collins' version of "groovy kind of love" my tastes are all over the place i know.....LOL

[tonemeister]

and metallica's version of "stone cold crazy"

[Carpe Noctem]

White Wedding by Murderdolls.

I hated it at first, but then I realized that the Murderdolls are not nearly as gay as Billy Idol.

[cheebacheeba]

Faith no More - Easy
Marylin Manson - Golden Years
koRn - Word Up
Pearl Jam - Last Kiss

[The STE]

Rufus Wainwright's cover of "Across the Universe" by the Beatles.

Man, the Beatles have more songs that were done better than they did them than anyone else I can think of...

[Jacob Singer]

Originally posted by urgeok
how could i have forgotten :

Like a Virgin - Lords of the New Church

Hell yeah, great cover and great group (S. Battors was cool frontman)

[Jacob Singer]

The Ramones-Do you wanna dance?

The Dictators-California sun

Bauhaus-Ziggy Stardust & Telegram Sam

The Damned-Help & Eloise

[slasherman]

Originally posted by Elvis_Christ
I forgot about....

the Melvins doin' the Kiss song Goin' Blind from their album Houdini. Way cooler than Kiss.
..i doubt it....

Kiss: Then she kissed me ...better than Then He Kissed Me - The Crystals

[Despare]

Cake - I Will Survive
Fuel - Daniel
Aerosmith - Come Together
Kid Rock and... the guy from Nickleback - Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting

Limp Bizkit - Faith
Van Halen - Pretty Woman
Marylin Manson - Sweet Dreams & Put a Spell On You
Rufus Wainwright - Hallelujah
Ramones - Needles and Pins
Pearl Jam - Last Kiss
Almost the entire Take a Bite Out of Rhyme album.

I don't know, there are so many more but I'm stopping here.

[why?]

Ramones - Needles & Pins?? Who's the original?

I must add = Andrés Calamaro - I will Survive

why?

[noctuary]

Originally posted by why?
Ramones - Needles & Pins?? Who's the original?
That would be the Searchers, from 1963.

[why?]

Hmm... I do not know... there's some kind of record of it?
:confused:

I must add= Pet Shop Boys - Always in my mind

why?

[noctuary]

Originally posted by why?
Hmm... I do not know... there's some kind of record of it?
:confused:
I'm not exactly sure what you're asking... do you mean: do I have proof of this? I mean, I don't have the Searchers record myself, but here's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Needles_and_Pins_%281963_song%29) a link to the Wiki about the song.

[why?]

BUT... Do you actually listen to that "Searches" song? How could the Ramones cover be consired better or worst than the original when the only thing we have about "Searches" is a *link*?

why?

[Despare]

I've heard the original Needles and Pins and other covers actually. I prefer the Ramones version the best.

[cheebacheeba]

I just don't care...IMO:

Offspring - I wanna be Sedated

[Despare]

Offspring did an amazing version of I Wanna Be Sedated... actually a lot of the covers while *I* wouldn't say they were better were great on the Ramones tribute cd. One of the best tribute CDs I've heard along with Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper.

[Marroe]

Originally posted by cheebacheeba
I just don't care...IMO:

Offspring - I wanna be Sedated !BWAH!:mad:

[The STE]

I dunno about better, but I think the Natalie Merchant version of "Because the Night" is pretty much equal to the Patti Smith version

[The Flayed One]

Coal Chamber w/Ozzy - Shock the Monkey
Rotting Christ - Lucifer Over London
Six Feet Under - In League With Satan
Ratt - Walk the Dog

I also agree with Johnny Cash's Hurt.


Oh, Cannibal Corpse - Zero the Hero! :)

[alkytrio666]

Dunno if anyone's said this, but I'd say the best cover ever was:

- 'Scarlet Begonias' by Sublime.

Kicks the shit out of the Grateful Dead version, and I like the Grateful Dead.

Another good one is:

- 'Dead Bodies' by Nekromantix

It was cool to see a Rancid song remade, and it was certainly well done. And, again, I love Rancid, but this version only improved the song.

[The_Return]

Better might be pushing it, but I love Atreyu's version of You Give Love A Bad Name.

Despare- Totally agreed on Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting. I really like the original, but I love that version.

[Number 6]

off the top of my head....

Joy Divison - sister Ray - Velvet Underground
Swans - Love will tear us apart - Joy Divison
Melvins - Ballad of Dwight - Alice Cooper
Blood Axis - We Walk In Line - Joy Division
Sonic Youth - Superstar - The Cqarpenters
Shadows of Knight - G L O R I A - Van Morrison

[The_Return]

Originally posted by Elvis_Christ

JIMI HENDRIX - All Along The Watchtower

Fantastic cover, but I gotta say that I prefer Bob Dylan's version.

[azathoth777]

While these may not be better than the originals, they are some of my favorites:
Ziggy Stardust(Bowie)- Bauhaus
Rusty Nails(Soundgarden)- Johnny Cash
Wish You Were Here(Pink Floyd)- Human Drama
Last Caress(Misfits)- Metallica
Stone Is Very Very Cold(?)- Spell/Boyd Rice
Wild Horses(Rolling Stones)- The Sundays
Can't Find My Way Home(?)- Swans
Don't Fear The Reaper(Blue Oyster Cult)- Unto Ashes

*EDIT* Rusty Nails??? What was I thinking? Rusty Cage of course.

[Amalthea]

Cosmic Gate - Somewhere Over The Rainbow

[Roderick Usher]

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
Elvis - That's All Right Momma (just as good as Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup)
Replacements - Black Diamond