What songs have had covers that were better than the original?

[Unca Bob]

Shout 2000 and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
Both covered by Disturbed. Both significantly better than the originals.

 

[Racecarlock]

Pretty much every song ever remixed by Saitama Saisyu Heiki. Especially his FF6 decisive battle Remix Second Version.
OST SSH Remix
I caution you. Listen to one SSH song and all other music might seem a little inferior. Although that just might be the fanboy in me talking.

 

[kalt_13]

No one mentioned it yet ?



Cash's version is much better imo.

You beat me too it. Even Trent Reznor (the song's writer and original singer) has said its better than his version.

I'm liking this cover of sweet dreams at the moment. It's kinda haunting.

 

[FirsstormGojkilp]

I find many parodies of popular songs and artists, like Dead Ringers' version of You're Beautiful by James Blunt, to be much better and more entertaining than the original..

 

[bigsby]

Hurt by Johnny Cash
Stripped by Rammstein
All the covers Nirvana did

 

[Colour Scientist]

All Along the Watchtower- covered by Jimi Hendrix
Hallelujah- covered by Jeff Buckley

These two, definitely.
Valerie - Mark Ronson feat. Amy Winehouse

"Running up that hill" by Placebo.

Really? I don't think that cover does that song any justice (neither does their cover of "This Charming Man") but I'm a huge Kate Bush and The Smiths fan.

 

[Biosophilogical]

The most obvious one, in my opinion, will always be Jonathon Coulton's version of Baby Got Back. He actually makes the song musical, it's shocking!

Agreed. A million times ^This^.

OT: I can't think of any others ff the top of my head, but then again I don't normally listen to covers.

 

[Superior Mind]

The Living End's version of Tainted Love is brilliant.

 

[goldfalsebond]

Shout 2000 and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
Both covered by Disturbed. Both significantly better than the originals.

Let's not forget about their cover of Land of Confusion. might not be better, but it is just as good

 

[Andy Shandy]

The most obvious one, in my opinion, will always be Jonathon Coulton's version of Baby Got Back. He actually makes the song musical, it's shocking!

This. It is brilliant, although then again this is the same man that gave us Still Alive and Re:Your Brains, so I expect nothing less from him.

I also quite like the cover of Hey Ya! by The Blanks in Scrubs and I also quite like The Cab's version of Disturbia, which is odd, because I pretty much hate Rihanna's version. In fact, most of the songs on the Punk Goes Pop etc, I find are better than the originals

Also Street Sweeper Social Club's version of Paper Planes

Spoiler: Videos for them all

and...

 

[Gaderael]

-snip-
While I'm dissing Cohen, Rufus Wainwright STILL has the best cover of Hallelujah.
-snip-

While Wainwright's version is good, I prefer Jeff Buckley's version:

Spoiler: Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah

"Running up that hill" by Placebo.

That version is quite awesome. I put it on the same level as Within Temptation's cover. But I also love Kate Bush.

Spoiler: Running Up That Hill

Everyone mention's Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt, but I saw that it is not better, as I love Nine Inch Nail's original, but Cash made it his own and I love it. What I will mention is his cover of Soundgarden's Rusty Cage. As good as the Soundgarden version is, Cash's kicks so much moe ass. This is the perfect song to play the Fallout series or any game with a post apocalyptic setting:

Spoiler: Rusty Cage

Sarah Slean does a cover of Jeff Buckley's Lilac Wine which I prefer over the original, but I cannot find a video for it on Youtube. If you can find it, it's fantastic.

HIM's cover of Wicked Game is so much better than Chris Issak's original:

Spoiler: Wicked Game

Some of you have probably heard the song "It's the End of the World as We Know It" by REM.

I much prefer the cover done by the Canadian rock band Great Big Sea:

Spoiler: It's The End Of The World As We Know It

Sorry. Cleaned your post up a tiny bit. I love that you mentioned Great Big Sea. Being a Newfoundlander, it makes me very happy. Plus I gree with you. It's a much better version as it's even more upbeat and faster.

Seeings as I'm now on Newfie music I have to put up The Irish Decendants version of Rattlin' Bog. Craziest version you will ever hear, and the best. Their speed as they progress through the song would do any Speed Metal band proud:

Spoiler: The Irish Decendants - Rattlin' Bog

Okay wow, that took some time! Enjoy folks.

 

[Gincairn]

This topic was done not that long ago, and i'll give the same answer




Original Topic: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.283513-Covers-Which-You-Prefer-to-Originals?page=3#11287321

 

[Noceus]

Rammstein's version of Stripped over Depache Mode's original.

Depeche Mode's Original - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amLw-hTgXAI

Rammstein's Cover - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyAyuZPNo2w

 

[crudus]

Spoiler: She Said She Said

[youtub=6wp91YPGnLw]

Also, it is worthy to note I like the remakes of Micheal Jackson and The Beatles songs better than the original 99% of the time.

The most obvious one, in my opinion, will always be Jonathon Coulton's version of Baby Got Back. He actually makes the song musical, it's shocking!

I know. I saw he did a remake of this and said "Yep, that's JoCo". Although it does feel like it drags on a little bit at the end.

 

[Aidinthel]

*snip*

You don't have to do any of that to embed youtube videos. Just do [ youtube=*stuff after the = in youtube url* ] but without spaces, obviously.

OT: I'm not a big music person. The first thing that springs to mind is

 

[Thundero13]

I'm just gonna state the obvious and say Friday:
Well, all covers of it are better than Rebecca Black but that one is my favorite

 

[Devornine]

I am sure a bunch of people said this already. But Gary Jules' version of Mad World is 10000X better than the original Tears for Fears!

 

[FURY_007]

The original


Not really a cover per se, but the British show Ready Steady Go! (basically their MTV for the 60s-70s) did a special on Otis Redding, and they had Eric Burdon from the Animals sing Hold On I'm Coming. Simply Amazing


Also of course Otis Day and the Knights cover of Shout! b the Isley Brothers in the movie Animal House

 

[(sic) humor]

Jose Gonzalez's cover of "Heartbeats", originally by Knife.

I'm a sucker for any acoustic cover, but his voice if ten times preferable to the Knife's female vocalist's.