Here's an example I doubt anyone else on the site would give: "Gloomy Sunday", a Hungarian song that became famous in the United States because of Billie Holiday, but not that version. Sarah Brightman did a cover that captures the kind of clinical depression needed for a song like this.
Covers That Trump the Original
- Thread starter -Drifter-
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It is a crime.
An atrocity.
An abomination.
It is all of these things and more, that nobody has posted William Shatner's cover of Common People. You Escapists should be ashamed of yourselves.
If you can't be bothered listening to the original, it's OK. You're not missing out on anything; after listening to Captain Kirk's cover, it sounds like crap anyway.
I find most of William Shatner's covers to be strangely interesting, but ultimately musically inferior to the original. This cover though... it understands the meaning of the song a million times better than the original did.
It has become the true version of the song more totally and completely than any other cover in history.
An atrocity.
An abomination.
It is all of these things and more, that nobody has posted William Shatner's cover of Common People. You Escapists should be ashamed of yourselves.
If you can't be bothered listening to the original, it's OK. You're not missing out on anything; after listening to Captain Kirk's cover, it sounds like crap anyway.
I find most of William Shatner's covers to be strangely interesting, but ultimately musically inferior to the original. This cover though... it understands the meaning of the song a million times better than the original did.
It has become the true version of the song more totally and completely than any other cover in history.
Natalie Imbruglia's version of Torn. It was originally some kind of slow, goth, emo song by Ednaswap, and sounded ...passable. Imbruglia's is fantastic. The original band hates it. However, Anne Preven recognized immediately that being covered was a good thing, and it opened up an entire songwriting career for her, so ultimately she's okay with it.
Ednaswap:
Imbruglia:
Imbruglia with David Armand, just for fun (seriously, if you haven't seen this before, watch it):
Ednaswap:
Imbruglia:
Imbruglia with David Armand, just for fun (seriously, if you haven't seen this before, watch it):
Jeff Buckley's version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIw0ewEsNHs)
The Ramones version of the old Spiderman theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5P8lrgBtcU)
Joey Ramone's cover of "What a Wonderful World" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbkVOBAorE)
The Donnas cover of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy7NoL-l9AY&feature=fvwrel)
Van Halen's take on "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YRqkRmRocQ)
Steve Ouimette's "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" as opposed to the Charlie Daniels version
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv7kg2XkNfQ)
Finally, Matt Maher's rendition of "Your Grace is Enough"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wN-fspKg1Q&feature=related)
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIw0ewEsNHs)
The Ramones version of the old Spiderman theme song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5P8lrgBtcU)
Joey Ramone's cover of "What a Wonderful World" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFbkVOBAorE)
The Donnas cover of Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xy7NoL-l9AY&feature=fvwrel)
Van Halen's take on "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks.
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YRqkRmRocQ)
Steve Ouimette's "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" as opposed to the Charlie Daniels version
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv7kg2XkNfQ)
Finally, Matt Maher's rendition of "Your Grace is Enough"
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wN-fspKg1Q&feature=related)
A Perfect Circle's cover of Let's Have a War.
Original:
APCs copy:
Just better, if I do say so myself.
Original:
APCs copy:
Just better, if I do say so myself.
Off the top of my head
Limp Biskit - Faith
A local band once played Korn's version of Creep, they played it better.
Limp Biskit - Faith
A local band once played Korn's version of Creep, they played it better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJZTfl3DmCU Orgy's Cover of Blue Monday is better than the original by New Order, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyoDbX1EkPQ in my opinion.
The Mercy Seat is an excellent example. Nick Cave's original (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7NRlOjNWDI) was vastly improved by Johnny Cash (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGGSTiDOjKU) - at which point Cave liked the new version so much that he went and covered the cover, doing an even better job in the process (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bq6T2tvRDoY).
Talking Heads' version of Take Me To The River (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ar2VHW1i2w) simply blows Al Green's original (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGD8aQ2GKr0) out of, ha, the water.
I'd probably also add all of the Balanescu Quartet's rearrangements of Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra pieces (too numerous to link, but google 'em).
Talking Heads' version of Take Me To The River (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ar2VHW1i2w) simply blows Al Green's original (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGD8aQ2GKr0) out of, ha, the water.
I'd probably also add all of the Balanescu Quartet's rearrangements of Kraftwerk and Yellow Magic Orchestra pieces (too numerous to link, but google 'em).
I've long had a mental list of this...
Mad World by Tears for Fears, covered by Gary Jules
Stand by Me-covered by Pennywise
End of the World As We Know It (and I feel fine)-by REM covered by the Riddlin' Kids.
99 Red Balloons by Nena, covered by Goldfinger
Pina Coladaburg by Coconut Pete covered by Jimmy Buffet
We're Only Gonna Die For Our Ignorance by Bad Religion Covered by Sublime
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor covered by Cake
The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie covered by Nirvana
hmm.... i know i have more in there somewhere.
Mad World by Tears for Fears, covered by Gary Jules
Stand by Me-covered by Pennywise
End of the World As We Know It (and I feel fine)-by REM covered by the Riddlin' Kids.
99 Red Balloons by Nena, covered by Goldfinger
Pina Coladaburg by Coconut Pete covered by Jimmy Buffet
We're Only Gonna Die For Our Ignorance by Bad Religion Covered by Sublime
I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor covered by Cake
The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie covered by Nirvana
hmm.... i know i have more in there somewhere.
Over the Hills and Far Away: Originally by Gary Moore, Covered by Nightwish.
Personally I couldn't say the cover is better, since the vastly different vocals (male/female) but it is worth it to listen to them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoMI9TeZ0H4 Original by Gary Moore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylhrQewk6lI Nightwish Cover
Personally I couldn't say the cover is better, since the vastly different vocals (male/female) but it is worth it to listen to them
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoMI9TeZ0H4 Original by Gary Moore
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylhrQewk6lI Nightwish Cover