Covers Which You Prefer to Originals

[No_Remainders]

So, musicians cover songs. It's a pretty well known fact. Some do horrendous jobs of it, some make the song their own. So what songs do you prefer that are covers of songs by other artists?

I have a few:

Johnny Cash doing Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt"

Spoiler

Jimi Hendrix doing Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"

Spoiler

Stephen Colbert doing Jessica Black's "Friday"... (Fine, I'm kinda joking with this, but it's hilarious)

Spoiler

and Gary Jules doing Tears for Fears' "Mad World"

Spoiler

In my opinion, all of those versions are better than their original counterparts.

 

[ZeroMachine]

You already covered mine with that cover of Mad World. Fucking fantastic song... sorry, Tears for Fears, I love you guys, but you ruined the potential of those lyrics with the music you made along with it

Other than that, I guess maybe some of the stuff Metroid Metal does counts?


Fuckin' love that fuckin' song. And I got to meet those guys. One of the best days of my life

 

[BreakfastMan]

Wait, didn't we have this same thread a couple months ago? I think so.

OT: Nightwish's cover of Over Hills And Far Away is better than the Gary Moore original IMO. I mean, the original is good, but Nightwish did it so much better.

The cover:
The original:

EDIT: I agree with you on Madworld too. Yeah, the original Tears for Fears version is good, but Jules just seems to get across what the song is about so much better. The music in the Tears for Fears version is just way too upbeat for a song whose chorus contains the line "the dreams in which I'm dieing are the best I've ever had".

 

[Viking Incognito]

Aside from the ones you said already, I prefer the Alien Ant Farm version of smooth criminal.

 

[smearyllama]

Most Powerglove songs.

While you can't outdo a lot of the classic 8 and 16-bit tunes, their songs just have something special about them.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

OP already said the greatest cover of all time: All Along the Watchtowers.

But I also prefer Guns & Roses Knocking on Heaven's Door over the original.

 

[Mana Fiend]

Paul Anka's version of Wonderwall. I just prefer swing.

 

[Kakujin]

This first of all:

Spoiler

But mostly this

Spoiler

Amazing little guy

Also this

Spoiler

All of these are prime examples of how to do popsongs properly, i.e with some emotion, and less club sound.

 

[Tigurus]

Take on me by Northern Kings

I like the original also really but that cover blows my head off when I first heard it.

Here's a link as I have no idea how to create those youtube thingies.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlupRATWkm0

 

[CrashBang]

Killswitch Engage - Holy Diver
Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower
Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal
The King Blues - Bonkers
Fall Out Boy - Beat It
Gallows - Nervous Breakdown
New Found Glory - Kiss Me
My Chemical Romance - Desolation Row
Cancer Bats - Sabotage
Manic Street Preachers - Umbrella

I could keep going; there are so many covers which improve on the original

 

[Fayathon]

The whole album of Rockfluence by Scott D. Davis, lots of good songs, done in solo piano instrumentals. I'll edit in a link when I get home to some of the songs, the guy's amazing.

Edit: I completely forgot about this thread, here's my contributions.

 

[Kpt._Rob]

Infected Mushroom doing "Riders on the Storm" by The Doors

 

[The SettingSun]

Placebo- Running up that hill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KEEXyRL0qE - Yeah, i'm crap at technology and don't know how to embed videos.
I'm not a Kate Bush so that affects my judgement. I just feel they added a lot more emotion to the tune than Kate Bush did. Also, it made a good O.C episode opener.

 

[kwydjebo]

Guns and Roses Live and Let Die....better than Paul McCartney's Original (IMO) but just barely.

Also (And I may be alone on this) Bif Naked's Cover of "We're not going to take it" (Done in 1999 as part of a truly TRULY horrible film)

The Blues Brothers "Soul Man" (Over any other version I've heard) Probably more a case of their version was the first I heard so I prefer it more.

 

[AetherWolf]

Against All Odds covered by The Postal Service

Spoiler

Imagine covered by A Perfect Circle

Spoiler

That's really all I can think of that wasn't mentioned on this thread already.

 

[eggmiester]

Most Powerglove songs.

While you can't outdo a lot of the classic 8 and 16-bit tunes, their songs just have something special about them.

damn right my boy! but you forgot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3VwmpBXyo

powerglove's cover of 'gotta catch 'em all'! it's at least 10 times cooler than the original!

also:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_rIaiKWspU

megadeth's cover of black sabbath's 'paranoid!' it's god damn epic! and finally:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z6cVUOhLDw

mettalica's cover of 'breadfan' by budgie. if nothing else, just listen to the opening rift: what i think is the best rift of all time ( next to crazy train )

 

[Arisato-kun]

The Zelda metal covers are fantastic.


And everything on Streetlight Manifesto's album 99 Songs of the Revolution.

 

[No_Remainders]

damn right my boy! but you forgot:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3VwmpBXyo

powerglove's cover of 'gotta catch 'em all'! it's at least 10 times cooler than the original!

I'd have put that up if I could've found the instrumental version.

I don't like Tony Kakko, if I'm gonna be totally honest.

 

[EvilPicnic]

My Chemical Romance - Desolation Row

[vomits into hat]