Cover songs that improve on the originals

[Bas]

Me First and the Gimme Gimme's - well, pretty much everything.
Tool - No Quarter (although the resident Led Zep fans may disagree)
Therapy? - Isolation (idem for the Joy Division fans)
I still have my doubts on Metallica's Astronomy, which is excellent (but so is the BOC version), but Metallica's Whiskey in the Jar is IMO better than the original.

[Bas]

I'm going to get killed for this by any Beatles fan, but let me add this one:

Soundgarden - Come Together

Download it! Now!

[Andemagne]

here's few that come to mind:

The Trooper by Black Abyss (originally by Iron Maiden)
Power Slave by Ancient Wisdom (originally by Iron Maiden)
Metal Heart by Dimmu Borgir (originally by Accept)
Hush by Kula Shaker (originally by Deep Purple)
Last Day In Heaven by Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalukaus
(originally by Barathrum)

and Metallica's Blitzkrieg rules too, although I havent
heard the original

[-Jrabbit]

My company did a cover song MP3 contest last fall, got 794 entries, and there are people out there doing some amazingly visionary (and/or weird) stuff. The contest winner was The Twigs (www.twigs.com) doing The Kinks' "All Day & All Of The Night." (I think it can be had on MP3.com.) Also amazing was a group called 10Ton doing a hybrid Vegas lounge/heavy metal version of "Copacabana." See www.shureaudio.com and click on the "Roots" icon for top 10 list.

More conventional covers of note...

--Talking Heads, "Take Me To The River" (though Al Green totally rocks)
--Ramones, "Baby I Love You" (can't remember who did the originalbut with the Phil Spector production, Joey was just too cool for the room)
--Judas Priest's destruction of Joan Baez's "Diamonds & Rust"

... and I'll second the CCR nomination

Man, there's so many more but I'm blocking...

This thread =

[drake]

9 out of ten times the original is better......

As much as I like gnr....their cover of sympathy for the devil better than the stones ...err ok cal

"celtic frost- mexican radio" Thats fantastic...Into the Pandemonium is easily one of the worst albums I think I've ever experienced. It's so bad, it's good!...my bro and I play it once and awhile for laughs

MJ's version of smooth criminal is much better than flash in the pan alien ant farms....

I'm surprised no one said I shot the sherriff yet (or did they?) even though Bobs version is much better than claptons.

One of my fave remakes is a cheesy 80s remake of a cheesy 80s tune (or was it late 70s?). Funky Town by Psuedo Echo smokes the Lipps Inc. version any day

Any nominations for worst remake?? My nomination is both Faith (originally by Micheals) and Jump Around (by House of Pain) done by Limp Bizkit. Most disgusting remakes I think I've ever heard.....but what can be expected from such a no talent band I guess.....

[Caligastia]

Originally posted by drake
9 out of ten times the original is better......

As much as I like gnr....their cover of sympathy for the devil better than the stones ...err ok cal

Hmmm, a lot of people like the original better. I dont know why, I guess Im just more easily won over by modern production

Originally posted by drake
MJ's version of smooth criminal is much better than flash in the pan alien ant farms....

I could go with either one really...AAF have some good original material too, I wouldnt call them a flash in the pan just yet...

Originally posted by drake
Any nominations for worst remake?? My nomination is both Faith (originally by Micheals) and Jump Around (by House of Pain) done by Limp Bizkit. Most disgusting remakes I think I've ever heard.....but what can be expected from such a no talent band I guess.....

Limp Bizkit are a bunch of no-talent arseholes. I hate them and anything they do.

[Bas]

If you think Faith and Jump Around are bad Limp Bizkit covers, you should download Opiate. It's a ****ing disgrace compared to the fantastic original (by Tool, BTW).

[Dis]

who does Opiate?

I don't think anyone should cover Tool. I don't think anyone has the talent and/or proper band composition to do so.

[Dis]

and who was badmouthing Into the Pandemonium...

They aren't american, so I can excuse their lack of death metal skills.

[drake]

and who was badmouthing Into the Pandemonium...

They aren't american, so I can excuse their lack of death metal skills.

heh...the best tune on the album is that fluffy desta de luna or something like that where the woman is singing in german or something...that songs cool

I missed this yesterday:

Faith No More - War Pigs - orig by Sabbath

uhhhhh, Faith No Mores version is mediocre and listenable, but I usually skip it when I listen to the real thing...no one can remake an ozzy song and improve upon it IMO.

I see cal suggested sweet leaf and symptom of the universe, and though I havent heard either, Symptom of the Universe is probably the best song off of sabbths best album, so I find it hard to believe it could be improved on.

Apologies if I missed anyone saying this before, but here's an easy one: Manfred Mann's Earth Band redid the bosses Blinded by the Light in much better fashion. Bruces version just wasnt very interesting......but Manfred Manns? Man, that songs dynamite.

[August Borms]

Mad'House - Like A Prayer

is much better than the original by Madonna

Solid Solution - Logical Song

Supertramp who?

[Caligastia]

Has anyone else here heard Johnny Cash's cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage"? Its pretty funny if you ask me.

[Caligastia]

The Red Hot Chilli Peppers version of "Higher Ground" beats the Stevie Wonder version.

[Buck Birdseed]

Pfff.

[CapitanGarlic]

I'm not sure of any that I like that haven't been mentioned...

But I absolutely detest the Tori Amos version of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". It's a travesty!

Talking about bad covers, Madonna's "American Pie" comes to mind also.