Cover versions that are better than the original song

1st bitches. I will always Love You.

It's not better than Carole King's, but I've always loved La Winehouse's cut of this:

I've written it before, and I'll write it again:

Elton John's cover of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"

George Michael's cover of "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me"

Uncle Kracker "Drift Away"

....

Another Bangles song better than the original is their cover of “Hazy Shade of Winter”. That guitar intro is so freakin’ good!

And "Live".

....

^ oops, I mean this

Some people may think the original Beatles version is better. I don't.

I'll get a lot of hate for this, but I like the Nicki French version of "Total Eclipse of the Heart" much better.

....

phuk

not better, but radically different and great

I'm kinda on the fence on this one, but I think I prefer Lilly's rendition (with her father harmonizing on the chorus) to the Steve Winwood original.

Although I love them both, tbh.

....

The singer Valentino performed the original version of the song 'I Was Born This Way' in the mid 70s.

This original version is quite bland & milquetoast. Thank God for Carl Bean, producer Norman Harris and everyone else involved who rearranged this song. Turning a weak Pop R&B number into a Gay Disco Anthem!

Carl Bean's Disco Classic version of 'I Was Born This Way'.

Aretha owns this

Bitch stole my song!

If you haven't checked out any of the Albuns ( or heck the whole compilation!) Between Susanna Hoffs ( yes *Thee* of the Bangles) and Mathew Sweet doing Absolutely EVERYTHING Fantastical Cover-wuse, get ready to have your socks knocked off! ( I gush, but seriously, it's a dream pairing) Here, a little known gem from Bryan MacLean of LOVE, "Alone Again Or", reinvigorated back to life.

I also love Aretha's "I Say a Little Prayer".

Not better, just very different and great.

R20 Hadn’t heard there cover of that. I love The Damned’s cover of that song.

Has anyone aged better than Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles?

64 here. Older than The Golden Girls when the show started.

R20 I’m playing those albums in my shop right now. So good! Thank you! Her version of They Don’t Know is adorable. Not quite as cute as Tracey Ullman’s cover but still great.

Blondie's "The Tide Is High."

I remember when it was released, it came on the radio and my mom starting humming along to it, knowing some of the words. This surprised me, and when I asked about this, she said she remembered it being on some record a friend of hers had owned. (The Paragons, 1967.)

Pinball Wizard by Elton John is about as good as the original Who version.

R9 Totally agree!!!

Most cover songs of Evanescence sound much better than the original, be it male or female singers. I find the lead singer of Evanescence (Amy Lee) has a harsh, abrasive voice and it always sounds like she’s gasping for air.

Cover songs of Amy ‘Mush Mouth’ Winehouse sound better too.

Linda Ronstadt's BLUE BAYOU is better than Roy Orbison's (as much as I like him).

I'm not going to say it's better than the original but No Doubt's version of It's My Life is pretty great.

And the music video is firing on all cylinders:

Another vote for The Bangles version of 'Hazy Shade of Winter' and The Damned's cover of, 'Alone Again Or', which also has another great version sung by UFO. There are so many great covers but then so many terrible covers that make me cringe. But I love David Bowie's 'Sorrow', The Doors 'Gloria' and of course Soft Cell with ' Tainted Love', which is a cover. Not a fan of the song but Natalie Imbruglia's, 'Torn', is a cover too. I have always liked the U2 version of 'Night and Day' (steel string mix) and the Naked Eyes version of 'Always Something There To Remind Me'. Will have to think of more now!

Don't forget about me,

bitches

Carl Carlton's version of Everlasting Love. His was the third version, I believe, after Robert Knight's and Love Affair's.

Handy Man by James Taylor

Here's the original "Elvira" from 1965:

Really the song that is THE poster child for this thread is Sinead O’Connor’s cover of Nothing Compares 2U, an easily overlooked song in the Prince canon, but in her hands becomes ethereal and transcendent.

New York, New York -Frank Sinatra’s version far better than Liza’s

I much prefer Donna Summer's version of The Way We Were over Barbra Streisand's.

No shade at Fleetwood Mac, but Dixie Chick's version of Landslide holds up well, twenty years later

[quote]1st bitches. I will always Love You.

I'll take Dolly's version over Whitney's yodeling any day. I say this as someone who is not a country fan.

Close To You by the Carpenters > Richard Chamberlain.

I much prefer Gladys Knight's version of The Way We Were over Barbra Streisand's.

Sia's Oh Father rivals Madonna's.

Two covers in one:

Love this...

Bette Davis Eyes, Kim Carnes

I wouldn't call it better, but Obadiah Parker's version of Hey Ya really drives home the fact that the lyrics are pretty depressing when the beat is removed.

"Thank god for Mom and Dad for sticking two together, 'cause we don't know how"

Blood, Sweat & Tears' cover of 'You've Made Me So Very Happy' is much more enjoyable than (co-writer) Brenda Holloway's original.

By the mid 60s Motown was becoming a little too slick and formulaic for my tastes. Brenda Holloway's recording isn't bad by any means but it's very MOR.

Blood, Sweat & Tears rightfully deserve all credit due them for reimagining, re-arranging and hearing potential through what was IMO a mediocre original.

I love threads like these even though I might not agree with the poster. I learn about songs I never knew were covers.

This, of course, shits all over any earlier versions of the song. Pet Shop Boys nailed the main sentiment of the song: it shouldn't be about some tearjerking, heartfelt paean to a love lost but a declaration of how badly an asshole who sings it mistreated the person it's addressed to.

Which tunes surprised you most, Dustin? @ r47

I may just be mesmerized by Robbie Williams in the full bloom of his twink days, but this came around on Spotify randomly last week and I can't get it out of my head.

I never cared for Morris Albert's suicide-inducing rendition of his hit 'Feelings' and never got the song's appeal. That is until I heard what the R&B artists of the day were doing with it.

The Soul vocal trio Hodges, James & Smith had an enjoyably extravagant, orchestral version of the song. Butvmy favorite version is Bettye LaVette's obscure, stripped down cover. In her hands, it's a slick R&B/Blues ballad with just enough bass & drum involved to keep you from going to sleep.

It thrills me to no end that this neglected powerhouse has been FINALLY received her well-deserved flowers at this late stage of her career & life.

Hodges, James & Smith's 'Feelings' cover.

Ticket to Ride The Carpenters

Even Lennon or McCartney said they liked this version and loved Karen’s voice.

There have been nearly 200 covers of "Money" done since the song's original release in 1959 by Barrett Strong. But the cover done by The Flying Lizards in 1979 is still my favorite. I just love its quirkiness, and the deadpan delivery fits with the lyrics.

What's also nice about the arts threads, like this one, is that the trolls who accuse us all of being terfs never click on threads about songs and movies, probably because they're only here to pick fights.

Because it seems like the quintessential New Wave hit song, it’s sometimes hard to believe Tainted Love by Soft Cell is a cover of 1960s song.

The Best of Bow Wow Wow has a cover of Fever by Annabelle Lwin, I prefer it to Peggy Lees version.

A so-so song by The Yardbirds from 1965 mutated into a disco banger.

Donna Summer - MacArthur Park

Donna Summer - There Goes My Baby

Barbra Streisand - Memory

Diana Ross - Why Do Fools Fall In Love ?

Diana Ross - Tell Mama

Diana Ross - Sweet Soul Music

Diana Ross - Mr. Lee

Dionne Warwick - Our Day Will Come

"Land of 1000 Dances" by Chris Kenner was a pretty boring, run-of-the-mill 60's R&B dance tune, and its #77 chart peak reflected that.

The Mexican-American group from East L.A., Cannibal & the Headhunters, added the signature "na na na na na" chorus, and it was a vast improvement. Their version made it to #30.

Finally, Wilson Pickett got a hold of it, and really took it home. As much as I love the Headhunters version, I have to admit that Pickett's was superior...more exciting, more energetic, and of course with better vocals. His version made the top 10 (#6), and hit #1 on the R&B chart.

Here's the Chris Kenner original:

Cannibal & the Headhunters

And finally, "Wicked" Wilson Pickett

I'm sure I'm (rightfully) in the minority here, but I've never enjoyed another rendition of the Jazz Standard 'By Myself' as much as I have Cher's excellent version from her 1973 LP "Bittersweet White Light". And I say this with full knowledge of Judy Garland's showstopping early 60s recording.

This is due in large part to Sonny Bono's interesting arrangement of the song. I don't think anyone's ever done a serious reevaluation of his work and discovered his talents as a Producer-Arranger. That's extremely unfortunate.

And FYI, Cher's "Bittersweet White Light" project was a collection of Jazz & Pop standards completely reinterpreted in an Early 70s Pop style with little to no regard for the original arrangements. And that's a good thing! It made the songs sound fresh and prevented them from sounding too "Lounge" or schmaltzy. Yet another cool but neglected LP in Cher's massive catalog.

R49 -

Elvira

You've Made Me So Very Happy

Everlasting Love

The Tide Is High

Possibly, many of these cover versions are not better than the original songs but were done when we were coming up.

Everybody’s cover of this, even Take That.

Decent song covers

Decent song covers

Decent song covers

R66 R67 R68 , you're right. This is an oft-done topic but a harmless and fun one for music-lovers.

I had never heard 'Empire' by Shakira when I first played this version:

This is better than the duet she did with Roy Orbison and maybe even better than Roy’s solo of it.

R63 Thanks for that info. Repeats of Sonny and Cher were on a few years ago and I loved all of the standards she covered in those episodes. I wonder if they did them on the show first and inspired the album, or performed them on the show after the album? Either way, I never picked up on the newer arrangements but loved what she did with them.

Listening to Marie' Digby's cover of 'Million Reasons' led me to this one (I already posted it in the 'Great Male Singers' thread, because it's great).

Lou Reed crafted a haunting Pop melody when he wrote 'Femme Fatale' for Nico & The Velvet Underground. It's such a good song that I've never heard a bad cover of it.

But my favorite rendition by a long shot is the John Phillips-produced recording on (then wife) Genevieve Waite. As far as I can tell, it wasn't released until 20 years or so ago when Miss Waite's 1974 album "Romance Is On The Rise" got a CD re-release with bonus tracks. Good shit!

One more Marie' Digby and I'll stop:

Hard to believe there's no official version of this: Alison Krauss & Jerry Douglas cover Paul Simon's 'Graceland.'

P.P. Always does it better. Except in the case of Angel of the Morning which was done best by Billie Davis.

Superstition, SRV

10cc covered by Olive.

Van Halen was the best at this - Dancing in the Street, You Really Got Me, etc

Cheap Trick by Erin Hamilton

Speaking of Lou Reed, I used to have a boyfriend who was really into Velvet Underground and would hear Reed singing his "Sweet Jane." Liked it a lot.

But the Cowboy Junkies' cover is just so beautiful and haunting. Truly a masterpiece of reinvention. I think of their version first now.

Vanessa Mae improved Donna Summer's I Feel Love.

KD Lang was mentioned upthread.

My second favorite album of hers is "Drag" that she released in 1997.

So many great covers. The Joker & Theme From Valley of the Dolls are stand outs.

And while I'm still partial to the Hollies original, KD puts a nice spin on an old classic.

"The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage" by the Jackson 5 was much better than Smokey Robinson's version.

Johnny Cash’s cover of Nine Inch Nail’s “Hurt.” Amazing.

Oops. Wrong link. Here it is.

Natalie Imbruglia "Torn"

Oops. Wrong link. Here it is.

I do love this lounge version of Black Hole Sun by Steve & Eydie

I'm sure most of DataLounge will fondly remember when Lawrence Welk took Werner Mueller's "Tivioli Melodie" and turned it into his huge hit, "Calcutta." Quite the 1960 chart topper!

{quote] "Calcutta" stayed atop the US pop chart for two weeks while the album, with its combination of easy listening tunes and covers of then-popular rock singles, also charted at #1 for two weeks, spending three months on the chart. At the time "Calcutta" reached #1, Welk, who was 57, became the oldest artist to have a number one pop single in the U.S.

Maybe it was harpsichord? Maybe it was the accordion? Or maybe America just loved that electric guitar sound! The hand-clapping is also special and was emphasized even more in Welk's '71 version.

Surely there's a Rolling Stone list of the 100 greatest covers of all time and if Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You isn't at the top, I'd be shocked. I think even Dolly calls it Whitney's song now.

Now, I don't think anyone could ever do a better cover of Jolene or Coat of Many Colors or 9 to 5 then Dolly, but what Houston did with IWALY was really the peak of covering a song and making it their own.

And then Dolly invested $10 million from royalties in the song into a Black neighborhood in TN and calls it the neighborhood that Whitney built.

It's not just an amazing cover, it's a legacy.

June Carter wrote and recorded Ring of Fire with her sisters.

Cash's version became one of the biggest hits of his career, staying at No. 1 on the country chart for seven weeks. It was certified gold by the RIAA on January 21, 2010, and has sold over 1.2 million digital downloads. It was named the fourth greatest country song of all time by Country Music Television, while Rolling Stone listed it as the 87th greatest song of all time and the 27th greatest country song of all time.

My personal "ring of fire" happened when I got my Ben Gay mixed up with my Preparation H!

That's funny r93, because I've always liked Wall of Voodoo's version better than Cash's!

But Johnny Cash's cover of Trent Reznor's Hurt is better than the original.

I prefer the Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry version of "Like a Hurricane" to Neil Young's original. (Have a really hard time with Neil's voice.) Also, the addition of the saxophone in Ferry's arrangement is brilliant.

"Stop Your Sobbing" was just a song on the The Kinks' first album in 1064. It wasn't released as a single, and some were confused by its addition, saying it sounded '50s.

Pretenders covered it on their first album in 1979, and it was the band's first single.

^ 1064 meant to be 1964, of course. ;)

R95 I adore Bryan Ferry, but can we talk about how every stereo store and car radio store from 1987 through 2007, a good two decades, always played "Avalon" to showcase their speakers?

How the fuck did they all agree that Avalon was the song?

Scroll to Act 3 where Sarah Vowell tells the tale of the greatest love story between June and Johnny:

Private Life, Grace Jones

I've always loved this Tori Amos cover of "I'm On Fire." I think it only aired on VH-1 as a special back in the 90s.

Chaka Khan's "I feel for you".

It was originally recorded by Jack Jones in 1962

A great David Bowie song, but I now think of Nirvana's unplugged version of "The Man Who Sold the World."

All Along The Watchtower (Bob Dylan) feat. Warren Haynes | Playing For Change

The Gourds - Gin And Juice

Rhiannon Giddens - Shes Got You

Everything But The Girl - Alison

Annie Lennox's cover of "No More 'I Love You's'"

Indigo Girls - Tangled Up In Blue

Concrete Blonde - Everybody Knows

I'll contribute a "Have a seat, Elton" twofer, from the same tribute album. First, Sinéad.

Then, Oleta.

Rachelle Ferrell - Autumn Leaves

Ryan Adams

Nickel Creek's Toxic

suck it, Britney!

DMA'S

Speaking of Everything But the Girl, their cover of Downtown Train guts me on a level that the others who sing it just don’t reach. They sing it as a conversation between former lovers. Tracey sings dismissively of those Brooklyn girls who are trying to break out of their little worlds (think Travolta in Saturday Night Fever), but she’s coming to the realization that as much as she hates them, she is one of them too and she will never escape it and instead will be crush and destroyed. It adds a whole other level of pathos. Pay especially close attention to how Ben sings “thorns” with the feel of a twist of a knife. Of course Thorne is Tracey’s last name adding a whole other deeper level.

This is a bit of a cheat, but an amazing interpretation none the less. Morissette takes a song that is sung by one singer, and without any major changes, makes it a conversation between two couples for the stage show. One is a long term couple having troubles and possibly igniting old flames, and the other couple just getting to know each other and it’s about the exuberance of their experience. All that is conveyed and contained in the song, without even knowing anything about the the show or characters itself. She completely reinterprets the song by breaking it up for four voices instead of one, and it’s so seamless as if that is how it was meant to be the whole time. It’s gone from a bubble gum pop song to conveying the complexity of something taking place in an opera.

Patsy Cline - Crazy

Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane (Lou Reed)

Joan Jett and The Blackhearts - Crimson and Clover

Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun

Disturbed - The Sound Of Silence

Richard Cheese & The Lounge Machine - Down With The Sickness

Richard Thompson - Oops I Did It Again

Michael McDonald - "I Can Let Go Now"

Everybody Wang Chung Tonight

(originally recorded by The Carter Family in 1949 at the Grand Ole Opry)

Depeche Mode's 'Monument' covered by Icelandic band Gus Gus. It was on a 90s DM tribute album called For the Massses.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE FLOWERS GONE - Olivia Newton-John

"We Are Never Getting Back Together" - Aaron Tveit

Many of Blondie’s most popular songs are covers: “Hanging on the Telephone,” “Denis,” The Tide is High,” “I’m Gonna Love You Too.” I think there are others (‘In the Flesh’?)

“Time After Time” by Dusty Springfield. I don’t remember if Margaret Whiting or Chet Baker was first, but as great as those are, this blows them out of the water.

Neutron Dance

Propaganda's version of Josef K's Sorry For Laughing

R134 I had no idea that was a cover! Wow, thanks.

I enjoy Patti Smith Group's version of "So You Want To Be a Rock and Roll Star" more than the original by The Byrds.

The tempo is slowed down by PSG, and it doesn't come off as frenetic . I think Patti's deep solo voice pairs with the lyrics better than the group vocals done by the Byrds, plus her intonation gets the point of the song better. And instead of the trumpet ,we get a much more rock and roll sound by PSG for a song about ... rock and roll! .. Love the guitar, keyboard, and drum beat in the PSG version as well. .. The Byrds version actually sounds kind of thin and tinny to me.

Patty over Roger Miller…high camp

I'd never realized how bad Carole Bayer Sager's original version of "Stronger Than Before" was, until it came up randomly while I was listening to some 70's pop on Spotify. She's really not much of a singer.

It's not even that great a song, but while it was playing, I kept hearing Chaka Khan's version in my head.

Nothing against Al Green, but I prefer Talking Heads' version of "Take Me to the River."

The Beatles --- "Twist and Shout"

The Byrds Mr. tambourine man.

Holy fuck R2.

That's a GREAT cover. Winehouse really had the good didn't she?

She ain't a dramatic soprano for nothing. Patty Labelle holds Bob Dylan and that final note for RANSOM.

She is literally and vocally far too much. I still love this performance.

Beth Hart does Etta James justice. With Joe Bonamassa. Real deals.

Even better than Chris Stapleton's cover of Harlan Alive is his LIVE duet of the song with its orginator - the great Patty Loveless.

Janis Joplin - Me And Bobby McGee

Bonnie Raitt - Angel From Montgomery

Laibach best Queen

I just recently came across this one - Walter Egan’s cover of Stevie Nicks’ “Sisters of the Moon”. Stevie and Lindsey famously sang backing vocals to his ‘Magnet and Steel’.

I love the Fleetwood Mac version but he really does his own thing with it and gives it a totally different energy.

R145 Patty’s voice is gone.

Samara Joy is REAL. A voice like hers doesn't come around everyday. She's not quite fully baked yet.... but totally amazing.

Chaka Khan knows where all the bodies and crack pipes are buried!

There's another segment on that same podcast, R152, where they discuss Rolling Stone's top 100 singers. She refuses to comment on Beyonce placement in the top 10. Even though it's clear she was angry about it.

I guess even icons are afraid of the Beyhive! Those fans are insane.

Etta James singing I Got You Babe. It was on The Last of Us last week. Wow.

Marvin Gaye - I Heard it Through the Grapevine. Although Gladys' version is pretty good as well.

I am not sure this would be a cover, because it sounds like they recorded it the same time, but Marvin's version was the second version released, but it was already recorded when Gladys released her version.

I sure enjoyed this version by Miss Reinhart.

I didn't expect to like it, but I just loved Don McLean's cover of "Crying".

The Carpenters cover of Ruby and the Romantics' "Hurting Each Other".

But my all-time favorite remake is the Doobie Brothers remake of "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me)"

I like Lisa Marie Presley's version of Dirty Laundry more than Don Henley's.

Rex Smith & Rachel Sweet Everlasting Love

Killdozer, “I Am, I Said”

Ciccone Youth, “Into the Groovey”

Concrete Blonde covered George Harrison's "Beware of Darkness."

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

Kate Miller Heidke - Toxic

Joe Cocker’s soulful rendition of “A Little Help From M Friends” is by far superior to the Beatles’ sing-songy original, thanks mostly to the back-up singers.

And speaking of soul, Aretha Franklin owns this thread with several entries: I Say a Little Prayer, Eleanor Rigby, and of course, Respect.

Another excellent cover by Siouxsie & The Banshees - This Wheel's On Fire (Bob Dylan)

Grace Jones - Love Is The Drug

Any Bob Dylan song.

R168, so true. Both George Harrison and Olivia Newton-John's versions of "If Not For You" were far better than Nasal Bob's.

[quote]Cover versions that are better than the original recording

I couldn't take it any more, you illiterate creature.

R168 I'm laughing cuz I was thinking the exact same thing when I posted that Siouxsie song.

Tanya Tucker recorded The House That Built Me and changed a few words to change the POV. There is so much regret in her version.

Her damaged, still resonant voice sounds ancestral and haunted. Gorgeous. It's a country song - so the emotions and melody are straightforward - but she does a great job with the nuance. It's fucking sad.

Miranda Lambert sang it as a child returning home. Tanya can't go home again.

George Michael's "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?"

Most Dylan covers are "better" than the originals, but I believe Dylan himself says this is Jimi's song now:

This might be a tie: Troggs vs. Hendrix.

As the poster above said, most all Dylan covers are better. Is Bob Dylan still alive? Neither are most of the people who covered his songs.

Nanci Griffin. Boots of Spanish Leather.

Not too many people cover songs identified with Sinead. Pink's live cover of Nothing Compares to You is quite beautiful. The song was a Prince cover to start with....

Jesus was a Crossmaker as covered by Mama Cass.

Alien Ant Farm's cover of Michael Jackson's "Smoth Criminal" is amazing.

Sinead O'Connor's cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares to You" is another great example.

R177, I like Pink (very much actually) but her cover isn't half as good as Sinead's. Let alone better.

Sinead turned out to be an affected hack, like Alannis Morrisette. Their popularity was before my time.

Pink delivers a stellar vocal over a beautiful live orchestration. It's a very fine performance of the actual song.

Dean who?

Light My Fire as a ballad by José Feliciano

Rufus Wainwright's cover of Sandy Denny's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" edges out the original in my book

Get Ready, by Rare Earth.

Cyndi’s version of Jules Shears’s All Through The Night is far superior to the original.

I like this as much for the arrangement as the vocals.

why was Nikki French style like she just left a PTA meeting.

Glee’s cover of Florence + The Machine “Shake it Out”

Stevie Ray Vaughan's cover of Hendrix's " Little Wing". He really expands on the original.

"Black Magic Woman" - Santana's version is way better than Fleetwood Mac's.

"I Love Rock and Roll" by Joan Jett is better than the Arrows.