Cover Songs Better than Originals

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Thu May 19, 2011 8:31 pm

may be blasphemous, but...

P Hood & The Screwtopians "I'm in Love with a Girl" (specifically the Marta Plaza version)> Big Star

Don't know if it's the pedal steel or may be just sentimental cuz I was there (perfect evening - beautiful warm weather, Sweetwater 420, mellow atmosphere, sunset, etc)
but I love it

Listen

and check out the whole show while you're at it - one of the best recordings on archive IMO, courtesy of Sloan. Full band versions of lots of Killers & Stars songs.

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Wed May 25, 2011 12:50 pm

I don't think this is better than the original but I do think it's a very good version:

scotto · Post by **scotto** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:27 pm

Anyone for a thread of Beatles covers that are better than the original?
My favorite version of this song by Delmona/Headcoatee Ms. Ludella Black:

beantownbubba · Post by **beantownbubba** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:32 pm

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:I don't think this is better than the original but I do think it's a very good version:

The best and perhaps only worthwhile cut* on a very disappointing album.

*Tho i confess to not having listened to the album in a loooong time so there may be a couple of other good ones i've forgotten about.

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Wed May 25, 2011 1:46 pm

beantownbubba wrote:
Kudzu Guillotine wrote:I don't think this is better than the original but I do think it's a very good version:

The best and perhaps only worthwhile cut* on a very disappointing album.

*Tho i confess to not having listened to the album in a loooong time so there may be a couple of other good ones i've forgotten about.

A friend of mine had it but I only heard it once or twice and I've never seen the movie. I actually got turned onto the "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" cover thanks to Pearl Jam's Live at Benaroya Hall album.

Zip City · Post by **Zip City** » Sun May 29, 2011 12:36 pm

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Tue May 31, 2011 2:55 am

SandyBritches · Post by **SandyBritches** » Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:23 am

Haven't noticed this mentioned...

Talking Heads' Take Me To The River is the greatest cover song of alllllllllllllllllllllllllll time.

tinnitus photography · Sun Jun 05, 2011 1:59 pm

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 7:11 pm

Not necessarily better but definitely different:

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 11:48 pm

Heard the studio version of this during the Undercover feature on XM's Deep Tracks channel yesterday but the announcer didn't seem to know where the song originally appeared other than on Earle's Sidetracks compilation. He mentioned "Hoffman" but apparently it didn't dawn on him that it came from the soundtrack to the Abbie Hoffman-inspired flick, Steal This Movie.

Post by **Tequila Cowboy** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 7:19 am

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:
beantownbubba wrote:
Kudzu Guillotine wrote:I don't think this is better than the original but I do think it's a very good version:

The best and perhaps only worthwhile cut* on a very disappointing album.

*Tho i confess to not having listened to the album in a loooong time so there may be a couple of other good ones i've forgotten about.

A friend of mine had it but I only heard it once or twice and I've never seen the movie. I actually got turned onto the "You've Got To Hide Your Love Away" cover thanks to Pearl Jam's Live at Benaroya Hall album.

Is a good one. I actually really like Ben Harper's Strawberry Fields and Paul Westerberg's Nowhere Man on this one as well. Come to think of it I remember Rufus Wainwright's acoustic version of Across The Universe being pretty damned good too.

scotto · Post by **scotto** » Thu Jun 16, 2011 9:15 am

SandyBritches wrote:Haven't noticed this mentioned...

Talking Heads' Take Me To The River is the greatest cover song of alllllllllllllllllllllllllll time.

This statement makes Baby Jesus (and the Rev. Al Green) cry...

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Fri Jun 24, 2011 2:46 pm

Again, not sure that this is better but I still thought it worthy of posting here:

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Thu Jun 30, 2011 10:09 pm

Swamp · Post by **Swamp** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 9:06 am

Well maybe not better but I love the video

The first time I saw this video I told the ole lady
the singer looks like Ceelo,
so I googled them..............
duh :roll:

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:13 pm

Just read about this cover in the Steve McQueen thread. I'm admittedly not a big fan of Phish but they do Skynyrd justice here:

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Thu Jul 07, 2011 4:04 pm

Not necessarily better than the original but it's probably not worth starting a whole other thread just for cover songs in general:

Steve French · Post by **Steve French** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 12:28 am

Check this out: a cover of Rammstein's "Du Hast". By a choir. A capella.

Here's the original: its very metal

I fucking love it.

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 3:09 pm

Ryan Adams covering "Oxford Comma" by Vampire Weekend. I've never heard the original so I don't know if it's better or not though.

The Decemberists cover Heart's "Crazy On You":

....and, last night in Asheville, NC:

one belt loop · Post by **one belt loop** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 6:36 pm

Steve French wrote:is this even a cover?

actually its not that good: too disco for my taste, even with Rob aboard.

You are saying you don't like BRICK HOUSE?

I revoke your 70s cred right there. Get thee behind me, Santa.

LBRod · Post by **LBRod** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 7:30 pm

Brick House is pre disco, and great. Let's bump.

Clams · Post by **Clams** » Wed Jul 20, 2011 9:30 pm

LBRod wrote:Brick House is pre disco, and great. Let's bump.

Yep. Brick House is funk not disco.

one belt loop · Post by **one belt loop** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 1:14 am

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:
The Decemberists cover Heart's "Crazy On You":

Yes, they cover this song, but better than the original? Absolutely no way. The Wilsons have such powerful voices and unusual range - these ladies with pretty voices can't come close to that. Not that a cover should be an imitation by any means (though that's how it's being delivered by the players), but they don't have the range to pull it off.

Also, boy howdy, them are some awkward indie girl dancers. No moves.

Cubfan06 · Post by **Cubfan06** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:11 am

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:Just read about this cover in the Steve McQueen thread. I'm admittedly not a big fan of Phish but they do Skynyrd justice here:

I was at this show a couple Memorial Day weekends ago. Was shocked to hear them pull this out. I believe that they had covered this a few times in the late 80's as well.

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 1:54 pm

one belt loop wrote:
Kudzu Guillotine wrote:
The Decemberists cover Heart's "Crazy On You":

Yes, they cover this song, but better than the original? Absolutely no way. The Wilsons have such powerful voices and unusual range - these ladies with pretty voices can't come close to that. Not that a cover should be an imitation by any means (though that's how it's being delivered by the players), but they don't have the range to pull it off.

Also, boy howdy, them are some awkward indie girl dancers. No moves.

I think I've prefaced nearly ever post I've made in this thread with "not as good as the original.." but I slipped up and didn't include that disclaimer with this particular clip. Perhaps there should be another thread just for covers in general but I never felt the need to start one up so I have just posted them here.

Kudzu Guillotine · Post by **Kudzu Guillotine** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 5:07 pm

Again, maybe not better than the original but this is well worth a listen:

FlounderinDC · Post by **FlounderinDC** » Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:09 pm

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:Again, maybe not better than the original but this is well worth a listen:

Yeah. We saw Grace Potter open up for the Avetts a while back and my buddy's comment was "That chick aint no virgin". Even my wife said she was hot...

Steve French · Post by **Steve French** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 7:38 am

This is a big call given the amount of Springsteen fans round here.......

Steve French · Post by **Steve French** » Tue Jan 06, 2015 7:50 am

Kudzu Guillotine wrote:Again, maybe not better than the original but this is well worth a listen:

I like that a lot. Its a billion times better than the terrible HOLE version. No link because Courtney Love destroys the song.

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