Unlikely covers that may/may not be better than the original

spizzle trunk · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 5:29 pm

i was inspired to create this thread because the slackers' cover of mr. bongiovi's "wanted dead or alive" is awesome with a capital awesome.

Balls Mahoney · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 5:37 pm

Strange by REM is not better than the Wire version

Walt Mink's cover of Pink Moon is surprisingly not offensive at all, but I can't say better.

Coil's version of Tainted Love kicks ass.

Both Flunk and Orgy's attempts at Blue Monday are miserable failures, as is Flunk's attempt at Love will tear us apart.

The Pixies' Winterlong is a fantastic cover.

I'm fascinated by cover songs. I could go on, but I have to get back to work.

Evil Dr. K · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 11:51 am **Posts:** 6327

Roots Manuva's cover of 'Yellow Submarine' may or may not be better than the original.

Thee Incident · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 6:09 pm

Cowboy Junkies' cover of Sweet Jane.
Maybe not better, but different and good enough to not be an abomination. With covers, that's enough.

Z · **Joined:** Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 7979

fountains of wayne's "better things" is better than the kinks original.
my bloody valentine's "map ref 41'n 93'w" could perhaps be better than the wire original.
jon brion's "voices" is better than the cheap trick original.

shiv · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 6:59 pm

schneider tm & kpt.michi.gan the light 3000
faith no more i started a joke, spanish eyes, easy

i think these are better than the originals.

thrillhouse · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 7:14 pm

shiv Wrote:

schneider tm & kpt.michi.gan the light 3000
faith no more i started a joke, spanish eyes, easy

i think these are better than the originals.

easy is not better than the original. that's an outrageous suggestion.

anyway, i prefer the ted leo since u been gone to my girl kelly's. dwight yokum (sp?) has a mean i want you to want me. also, hard to call it a cover rather than an interpretation, but nina simone's rich girl is off the hook. same with so many songs off johnny cash's last 4 records.

Z · **Joined:** Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 7979

thrillhouse Wrote:

dwight yoakam has a mean i want you to want me.

oh yes! his version slays, done very well.

pinehurst · **Joined:** Fri Dec 10, 2004 1:45 am **Posts:** 1526

Camper Van Beethoven's cover of Black Flag's "Wasted"

Beastie Boys' cover of "Time For Livin'" by Sly&the Family stone

Primus comes close with "The Thing That Should Not Be" by Metallica
(you could make the case for quite a few claypool arrangements)

Ex Lion Tamer · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 8:18 pm

The Beat's cover of Tears of a Clown is almost better than Smokey Rs.
Galaxie 500's "Isn't It A Pity" could be better than George's.
Galaxie 500s version of Ceremony IS better than JD/New Orders
The Feelie's "What Goes On" rocks!
R.E.M.s "Superman" is sublime, but I've never heard the original.
The Dickie's version of "Nights in White Satin" IS better than the Moody Blues.

Z Wrote:

my bloody valentine's "map ref 41'n 93'w" could perhaps be better than the wire original.

I need to hear this, where can I find it?

Kingfish · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 8:27 pm

I'll mail a pipe bomb to anyone who says the Byrds Tamborine Man.

splates · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 8:35 pm

Tricky's Black Steel > Public Enemy's Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
Isaac Hayes' Walk On By > All other versions
Slowdive's Some Velvet Morning > All other versions

Z · **Joined:** Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 7979

Ex Lion Tamer Wrote:

Z Wrote:

my bloody valentine's "map ref 41'n 93'w" could perhaps be better than the wire original.

I need to hear this, where can I find it?

it's on that whore: tribute to wire from about ten years ago, but i'll be nice with a link.

Patrick Bateman · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 8:51 pm

speaking of covers....

http://www.livejournal.com/community/audiography/

insane amounts of covers being posted over there and continuing

Z · **Joined:** Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:38 pm **Posts:** 7979

splates Wrote:

Slowdive's Some Velvet Morning > All other versions

are you serious?! primal scream's owns slowdive's version!

splates · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 8:55 pm

Z Wrote:

splates Wrote:

Slowdive's Some Velvet Morning > All other versions

are you serious?! primal scream's owns slowdive's version!

I love Primal Scream, but no.

aerodynamics · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 9:04 pm

swiateck Wrote:

Cowboy Junkies' cover of Sweet Jane.

words cannot do justice to how beautiful their version is.

some maybe not so unlikey, but:

-John Denver "Mother Nature's Son"> Beatles (you damn right I said it. only Beatles cover I like more than the original, and I LOVE the original so you can guess how much I like Denver's version)
-Breeders "Shocker in Gloomtown"> GBV
-Breeders "Freed Pig"> Sebadoh
-Juliana Hatfield "Severed Lips"> Dinosaur
-Cardigans "Ironman"> Black Sabbath (yeah yeah, but I'm a sucker for the cover)
-Weezer "Velouia"> Pixies (ooooooh...)

Balls Mahoney · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 9:27 pm

Z Wrote:

splates Wrote:

Slowdive's Some Velvet Morning > All other versions

are you serious?! primal scream's owns slowdive's version!

Lydia Lunch & Rowland Howard have the best version, Slowdive is a close second.

Radcliffe · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 9:35 pm

You should be sharing these drugs, people.

Lambchop · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 9:41 pm

aerodynamics Wrote:

-Cardigans "Ironman"> Black Sabbath

Hell Yeah
also:
Mr. Bungle's cover of "Welcom Back Kotter" and the theme from SMB
Failure doing "Enjoy the Silence"

Dunwoody Dude · **Joined:** Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:20 am **Posts:** 2869

I'm too lazy to list them all, but the Clash have a bunch of amazing covers.

Steve

shiv · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 10:22 pm

thrillhouse Wrote:

shiv Wrote:

schneider tm & kpt.michi.gan the light 3000
faith no more i started a joke, spanish eyes, easy

i think these are better than the originals.

easy is not better than the original. that's an outrageous suggestion.

i won't go off on you since you're a sox fan.

PopTodd · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 10:23 pm

The greatest cover of all-time is also one of the most unlikely: Sly & the Family Stone - "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" Best. Cover. Ever. Other worthy ones: Linus Of Hollywood - "Goodbye To Romance" (Ozzy) Judas Priest - "The Green Manalishi (With the 3-Pronged Crown)" (Fleetwood Mac) Van Halen - "You Really Got Me" and "Where Have All the Good Times Gone?" (both by The Kinks) The Pretenders - "Stop Your Sobbing (Kinks) and they also did some Philly soul tune from the 70's that was pretty great.

harry · **Posted:** Fri May 27, 2005 10:56 pm

Sly was bedding Doris Day....cover makes perfect sense.

Macha's "Believe" was better than the Cher original.

Billzebub · **Joined:** Mon Oct 25, 2004 10:26 pm **Posts:** 6459

Z Wrote:

splates Wrote:

Slowdive's Some Velvet Morning > All other versions

are you serious?! primal scream's owns slowdive's version!

Which, in turn, is utterly destroyed by Thin White Rope's.

Unlikely covers that may/may not be better than the original

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