Song covers as good or better than the original song

[Housebroken Lunatic]

As for my own contribution, Children of Bodom's cover of the song "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol vastly surpasses the original, listen for yourselves:

(original)


(cover)



I might add that Rebel Yell is probably one of the only songs where I actually volunteer to the dreaded microphone position while playing Guitar Hero: World Tour with my mates. And yes, my singing is more akin to the Children of Bodom cover than Billy Idols in his original song in the game. I still get a pretty decent score at the end of the song though. XD

 

[Kanima423]

Disturbed did a awesome job of covering "Land of Confusion" by Genesis I think its better to be honest.

Garth Brooks kicked Billy Joel's ass when he preformed "Shameless"

I like Hinder's version of "Take me Home Tonight"

and The Atari's rocked "Boys of Summer"

 

[Housebroken Lunatic]

Sadly enough, poor Billy gets owned by yet another band with the song "White Wedding". Deathstars are of course the culprits:

(cover)


(original)

 

[Ryum]

and other Rock Sugar songs

 

[Caligulove]

Sure a lot of people won't agree with me on this,

Spoiler: Easy All Stars, Electioneering

 

[skeliton112]

GH3's cover 4 devil went down to georgia

 

[Gutkrusha]

Manson's cover of This is Halloween

God yes. That song is amazing.

 

[Aggressor and Usurper]

I got a few.
Originally by Black Sabbath. The harsher vocals suit the song better, I think.
Originally by Thin Lizzy. ...I love everything Mastodon have ever done, and I love covers, so, yeah, this is a win.
Originally by Blue Oyster Cult. Just awesome. Yay.
Originally by Pantera. I'm not actually that sold on the original of this song, I think the vocals are much better on the cover.

 

[Vault boy Eddie]

I agree on the vocals to the Cemetary Gates cover being better, but definitely not the guitar playing.

 

[YouCallMeNighthawk]

Anything by richard cheese! F*cking love that guy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWnLyTxSQiY&feature=related

Especially this song!

 

[TheGreenManalishi]

Any of Stevie Ray Vaughan's covers, especially Hendrix.

Seriously.

 

[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...

Thin Lizzy did not "cover" Whiskey in the Jar. That arrangement was an original Thin Lizzy composition, inspired by an Irish Folk Tale.

Also, I have to disagree on Hallowed Be Thy Name and Hurt. Iron Maiden and NIN did hose two songs perfectly as is, and although I think Cash did a decent job with Hurt, it still is definitely Reznor's pain.

Currently, I can only think of one cover I like more than the original, which is "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" by Guns N' Roses. I suppose "The Man Who Sold The World" by Nirvana was also a decent cover, but I don't really think it's better than the Bowie version. I'd say they're about even.

Yeah, the original Whisky in the Jar is a folk SONG, not tale. The original version of it was recorded most famously by the Clancey Brothers. The Thin Lizzy version is a re-arrangement of the original folk song but I've always just considered it a cover.

I dunno I've never really liked the Nine Inch Nails version of Hurt... It doesn't need all the dissonance he put in it.

 

[Yokai]

Warrel Dane's Lucretia My Reflection is way better than the original.
Also, I quite liked Metallica's cover of Turn The Page. Only good thing on Garage Inc. in my opinion.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

The Johnny Cash Version of Hurt, originally by Nine Inch Nails. Not that the NIN version is bad, but the Cash version is amazing.

 

[2012 Wont Happen]

All along the watchtower by Jimi Hendrix.

Nothing can beat it! It's simply too much epicness

I'm one of the rare individuals who prefers Bob Dylan's original version of that song.

OT:

I like A Perfect Circle's version of Imagine. Vladmir John Lenon's version is great, but I like the APC version a little more.

 

[CRAVE CASE 55]

Metallica :Turn the page"

 

[Insideout Ink Demon]

Bowie and Jaggers version of Dancing in the Street