Cover Versions

[natalie_1982]

Leading on from my previous question.  Are there any cover versions that you think are better than the original?  And which bad ones really grate on you?

[londondave]

you may find this interesting it is a site dedicated to who covers what

http://coversproject.com/artist/index/[0-9  the worst cover for me is that bloke who did Soft Cells "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" David Gray! The Best, I will have to think about.

[OBonio]

Sure this question has been asked before ;o)

Cars by Gary Numan was a great song.. it was covered by a band called errr... cripes. Anyway, they had Gary Numan on board for the vocals, so not sure if it counts as a cover... it rocks though. Crunching guitars instead of the synths. As far as I'm aware, Gar Numan now plays a lot of his songs live with a guitar instead of synths.

Worst cover.. too many to mention. Cliff Richard's Millenium Prayer? Does that count as a double cover? Sickening stuff.

[apex204]

One I particularly love was a song I once heard on an episode of The Naked Chef. I later found out it's a punk cover of Stevie Wonder's "Isn't She Lovely?" by Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, which in my honest opinion far outweighs the original. On the subject of punk covers, "The Boys Of Summer" by The Ataris is also pleasing.

[londondave]

have to say Will Young murdered Light mMy Fire too! I think that most bands ruin originals as soon as they record them but they often sound good when they play them live.

if i had to choose I think Altered States version of Eleanor Rigby is a punked up classic

[OBonio]

George Michael's version of Roxanne. Very cringeworthy. Reminds me of that sketch in the Fast Show, Jazz Club. Nice!

[apex204]

Worst cover version ever - as per the previous question, "The Tide Is High"  by Atomic Kitten has to be up there somewhere, likewise "American Pie" by Madonna.

[ck1]

not generally a fan, but Marilyn Mansons version of tainted love was a definite improvement!

[Chillum]

Blondie's (or Debbie Harry's) Tide is High was a p!ss poor cover in it's own right.

[nicola_red]

I love every song Me First & The Gimme Gimmes have done.  Apex204, if you haven't checked out the rest of their albums you should do it post haste!  Some of my other faves are Wuthering Heights by China Drum, Baker St by the Foo Fighters and 99 Red Balloons by Goldfinger, also the aforementioned Marilyn Manson.  Some of the worst are Madonna doing American Pie - I love Madonna, but it was appalling - and Sweet Child O' Mine by Sheryl Crow.  Dear God woman, put the song down and step away!

[Mattk]

metallicas whisky in the jar definitely better than the original but no way is mansons tainted love better than soft cells(i know that wasnt the original)

[johntheplamf]

Faith No More's cover of I started a Joke by i think it was the Bee Gee's was excellent. I also think a lot of Nouvelle Vague's covers are pretty good( Just can't get enough, Making plans for Nigel), But some are really bad(This is not a love song)

[magicdice]

queen adreena take on jolene veeeeeeery successfully, biffy clyro make "take me out" their own. there are many others that i adore.

[Cappuccino]

There'll be others that come to mind, but Hazy Shade Of Winter by The Bangles has always been a favourite of mine.

[whattheheck]

Shouldn't I know, but I love Far Corporation's "Stairway To Heaven". One I can't stand though is Bette Midler's "The Wind Beneath My Wings", this is a Lee Greenwood song and should remain so.

[Kinsao]

The only cover I ever heard that I preferred to the original was Van Halen's version of the Kinks' 'You Really Got Me'.

The worst has to be Boyzone covering 'Whisky In the Jar'. I kid you not! It was dire.

[spudqueen]

One of the best cover versions is Blinded by the Light by Manfred Mann, much better than Bruce Springsteens original. The worst? Probably anything by Steps!

[apex204]

I have heard a rock cover of Dead Or Alive's "You Spin Me Round", but I have no idea who it's by (ironic, as it's on my iPod at home, sans battery power). Anybody have any idea who it's by? Just cos it's irritating me now...

[ALLO]

mabey a good one would be whitney houston re doing i will always love you. that to me was way better. but mostly people screw up songs.garth brooks did okay re doing songs, i love how he did dixie chicken

[littleoldme]

I tend to like cover versions that put a different spin on a song, especially if it's with a touch of humour and especially if it deflates the pomp of some 'sacred cow', so...The Gourds' hillbilly version of Snoop Doggy Dogg's Gin and Juice, and Alberto y Los Trios Paranoias' 50s doo-wop style makeover of The Sex Pistols' Anarchy In The UK would have to be near the top of my list. Also, Geno Washington's funky souled-up version of Que Sera Sera.

The worst? Ignoring boy bands, girl bands and Pop Idol types (otherwise I'd be here all day) - Mariah Carey's version of Without You should never be inflicted on anyone guilty of anything less than genocide.

Also, a couple of years ago, a mate of mine persuaded me to go to a Sigue Sigue Sputnik concert (yeh yeh, I know, with friends like that...). Anyway, their live version of Always On My Mind was absolutely unforgettable (and believe me, I've tried).