Song covers as good or better than the original song

[Dimbo_Sama]

Jimi Hendrix and Bear McCreary's covers of All Along The Watchtower
Johnny Cash - Hurt
Machine Head - Hallowed By Thy Name
Thin Lizzy - Whisky in the Jar
Pantera - Hole In The Sky
Vader - Black Sabbath
System of a Down - Snowblind
Queensryche - Synchronicity II
The Fugees - Killing Me Softy
Billie Holiday - Summertime
Soft Cell - Tainted Love
Metallica - Mercyful Fate (Evil, Curse of the Pharaohs, Corpse Without Soul, Into the Coven, Satan's Fall)
Motorhead - Motorhead, Louie Louie, God Save The Queen
30 Seconds to Mars - Stronger BBC Live Lounge Session (and I fucking hate that band is how good that cover is)

...I could go on...

 

[Sronpop]

(original by judas priest)

Yes, I did just go there.

Before I heard that song, I was like no way, Death doing a Priest cover? Then I heard it and shit bricks. Its ridiculously awesome, and Death are the only band who could pull that off, but damn, saying Death version is better just feels wrong Although the wails he does at the start send shivers down my spine. I wish he had the chance to try some King Diamond when he was around, hell he even had Andy Laroque in the band for a while!

As for covers that are awesome?

Machine Head - Fucking Hostile(by Pantera)
It was on a cd by Metal Hammer for Dimebags anniversary, and was the most awesome song on there, although honorable mention to Evile who covered Cemetery Gates.

Pantera - Planet Caravan
Children of Bodom - Ooops I did it again(Britney *****), She is Beautiful(Andrew WK)
Arch Enemy - Kill With power(Manowar), Symphony Of Destruction(Megadeth)
Firewind - (Shes a) Maniac
Eric Cartman - Pokerface
Christopher Walken - Pokerface

And one of my favs, another Arch Enemy one, this time covering Carcass, not as good as the original, but still awesome.

 

[Azaradel]

Hammerfall's cover of När Vindarna Viskar Mitt Namn - such an amazing step up from the original version.

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[SenseOfTumour]

gonna inspire calls of heresy and claim an improved Nirvana cover, by the Polyphonic spree, I think only these guys could make Lithium into a feelgood anthem:


(I think any band with about 30 members can't REALLY be in it for the money )

I may not claim 'better' covers here, but they're certainly interesting, anything by 'The King', the only Elvis impersonator who not only refuses to do elvis songs, but will only cover music by other dead artists. I'll stick with the theme and throw his version of 'come as you are' into the thread, prefaced by Joy Division's 'Love will tear us apart':

 

[HigherTomorrow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3eu1gW-bQ8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4Tsba8feng

I'm a huge, huge, huge Bruce Springsteen fan, but I don't really care for the vocal rhythm he uses in the original Atlantic City.
I also like the way The Hold Steady's main singer sings it, he sounds like he has a lot of emotion behind it.

Just my opinion, though, so I don't know.

 

[playinthedark]

Pretty much anything by Richard Cheese is better then the original in my opinion.

Down with the Sickness cover = win

 

[Sethzard]

Famous blue raincoat

 

[SoranMBane]

The Electric Hellfire Club's cover of U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daghsiAx3c0

 

[RottingAwesome]

Renegades of Funk - Rage Against the Machine
Ghost of Tom Joad - Rage Against the Machine

most of the stuff off their Renegades album (all covers) is pretty good but those two definitely surpass the originals

 

[Enigmers]

Jonathan Coulton's cover of Baby Got Back.

Better still is Richard Cheese's rendition.

In fact, MOST of Richard Cheese's renditions are better than the originals. Down With the Sickness anyone?

The guy is a musical genius.

 

[DistinctlyBenign]

Hammerfall's cover of Detroit Rock City.

I don't like Metal, but I find it interesting that as I post this all of my friends are currently at a Hammerfall concert.

On topic: I prefer Great Big Sea's version of End of the World to R.E.M.'s version.

 

[rokkolpo]

johnny cash his cover of hurt.(i love this so much)

Nine inch nails totally failed on that song, johnny made it a gift from heaven. ironicly he died a short time after.

 

[EgoDeusEst]

All along the watchtower by Bear McCreary.

I agree completely. The original one is just so boring. But was there ever really much of a choice? I mean in one corner we have "Bear" and in the other, a dude named "Bob".

I have the same problem with AC/DC's "Highway to Hell", so I think Hayseed Dixie did a good job of actually making it interesting to listen to. And funny.

Common people get down with the Dick-ness!

Pretty much anything by Richard Cheese is better then the original in my opinion.

Down with the Sickness cover = win

You damn ninjas. You're everywhere.

 

[ottenni]

I find it hard too say that a cover can be better than the original, because i find that good covers are the ones that add a whole new meaning too the song. As opposed to just playing it slightly differently.

So i'm going to mention,
Hurt by - Johnny Cash
The Man who sold the - World Nirvana
All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
And anything by weird al yankovic if that counts.

 

[Aerodynamic]

Faith No More's cover of War Pigs is the first that comes to mind. I love their version of it.

DAMN! Ninja'd

Soundgardens and Kyuss's cover of into the void by black sabbath was pretty good.

 

[Liam1390]

I like the Dropkick Murphys version of the Fighting 69th.

Spoiler

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

What to you guys is a song cover that surpasses the original. To me Stone Sour's version of Wicked Game (Original by Chris Isaak)took what was good about the original and just enhanced it perfectly. Three days grace's version is ok, HIM's version is an excersice in fail. Your toughts?

You're a huge retard, I do not care if you're entitled to an oppinion but simply said you must be some kind of inept to even consider stone sour musically competant. They are atrocious and do that cover no justice.

As for covers which did songs justice.

Nirvana's covers from Live and Unplugged @ New York

Your opinion would actually mean something if you weren't 19 and an xbox chode. If you have nothing to contribute GTFO. When you actually do something of consequence like i've done, then come judge me.

 

[thepopeofatheism]

"The Man Who Sold the World", covered by Nirvana. So much better than David Bowie's version.

Oh, definitely.

In fact, MOST of Richard Cheese's renditions are better than the originals. Down With the Sickness anyone?

Hell yes. Richard Cheese is a major winner in my book.


Now, as for my own contribution:

Bob Seger is no slouch, but Metallica's cover of "Here I Am, On the Road Again" is the only song by Metallica I like.

It's pretty awesome.