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Songs That Have Been Covered Better Than The Original


Bass_In_Yer_Face
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A small selection from my "Covertastic" iTunes playlist:

I Know What Boys Like - ACO
Hotel California - Alabama 3
Still Life - Alishas Attic
Shack Up - A Certain Ratio
Jump - Kid Carpet
Too Drunk To Fu©k - Nouvelle Vague
Running Up That Hill - Placebo
Daddy Cool - Placebo
Mr Roboto - Polysics
Against All Odds - The Postal Service
Barracuda - Rasputina
I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor - Sugababes
Wild Horses - The Sundays
Song To The Siren - This Mortal Coil
Paranoid Android - UMASS Front Percussion Ensemble
Common People - William Shatner
I Won't Last a Day Without You - Shena Ringo

Edited by BigRedX
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Just the Way You Are, Barry White version. Miles and miles better than Billy Joel's original.

Also, Cassandra Wilson's version of Shelter from the Storm by Dylan. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that Dylan's songs are almost always better when done by other people. Controversy? Perhaps.

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[quote name='Viajero' post='68209' date='Oct 1 2007, 03:55 PM']Just the Way You Are, Barry White version. Miles and miles better than Billy Joel's original.

Also, Cassandra Wilson's version of Shelter from the Storm by Dylan. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that Dylan's songs are almost always better when done by other people. Controversy? Perhaps.[/quote]


Yeah
Mr Tamborine Man The Byrds

Blinded by the Light: Manfred Man's Earthband

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[quote name='thedontcarebear' post='68174' date='Oct 1 2007, 02:51 PM']I wish Mick Hucknall would take a beating, haha.[/quote]
Some of that early Simply Red stuff is awesome, and realyl fun basslines to play, have to agree on Fairground though. He's also a really good DJ loads raregroove, funk and northen soul.

But on the Covers Tip. Somethin a little more Modern:

Mark Ronson and Lily Allen, Oh My God (with Zender on bas - live at least :) )

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[quote name='Viajero' post='68209' date='Oct 1 2007, 03:55 PM']Just the Way You Are, Barry White version. Miles and miles better than Billy Joel's original.

Also, Cassandra Wilson's version of Shelter from the Storm by Dylan. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that Dylan's songs are almost always better when done by other people. Controversy? Perhaps.[/quote]

I agree I love Roxy Music but I wasn't expecting much from the new album of Dylan covers from Bryan Ferry, mainly as Ferry's voice is shot and I can't stand Dylan.

I have to say his spin on them was very good indeed (helped by Guy Pratt on bass of course)

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[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' date='Oct 1 2007, 02:59 PM' post='68176']
Looking how puffy he is now (looking like a cabbage patch kid), I think he already has.

Fairground by Simply Red is in my top most hated tunes of all time, it makes me angry whenever I hear it, I can't help myself :)

MB1. :huh:

No Mr Hucknalls always looked like a Cabbage patch Kid,what a son of Mancunia! currently living somewhere in Italy?.

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MB1. :)
Heres a few?

XTC.......All along the watchtower.
The Revillos....
....Hungry for love and Cool jerk (no idea who was the originals)
The Rezillos....
....Somebodys gonna get there head kicked in tonight(originally Fleetwood Mac) and I like it (originally gerry and the pacemakers?)
S.A.H.B...Delilah (originally tom jones)....Cheek to cheek...(originally Irving Berlin?)
Elvis Costello...My funny valentine.
Sid Vicous...My Way(Originally Frank Sinatra)....
The WHO..Cmon Everybody!...(originally Eddie Cochran)....Young man blues..(originally Mose Allison)
Steve Gibbons Band....Tulane..(originally Chuck Berry)
Kirsty McColl...New England...(originally ex army guitarist git)
Sparks....Iwant to hold your hand(original some famous liverpudlians)
Stray cats....Sleepwalk...(originally The Shadows)
Dread Zeppelin....kashmir (originally Led Zeppelin)
The Beat...cant get used to losing you...(originally matt munro)
Madness...It must be love...(originally labi sifre)
Ian Brown... Billie jean(Sorry....just jokin...)

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[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='68070' date='Oct 1 2007, 12:22 PM']Anyone who has ever covered a Bob Dylan song for openers :)[/quote]


[quote name='chris_b' post='68329' date='Oct 1 2007, 07:28 PM']I think so too!! Also everyone who has coverd a Leonard Cohen song.[/quote]

I'll add anyone that has covered a Beatles song *runs for cover*

Not sure if their covers are better or not but they're certainly priceless - Hayseed Dixie

Edited by Tinman
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[quote name='OldGit' post='68150' date='Oct 1 2007, 01:58 PM']Such a powerful version. Brings tears to my eyes everytime[/quote]
+1, especially watching the video as well. Also:

Paul Weller/Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
A Perfect Circle - Imagine

Edited by JoeS
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A lot of Leonard Cohen covers are better than the originals, especially after the mid-seventies when he seems to have started using keyboard backing tracks for his arrangements.

John Cale's "Hallelujah" is a good case in point, which was in turn covered by Jeff Buckley and everyone else.
REM's "First We Take Manhattan" is pretty awesome too.
I'm hoping someone does a heavy cover of "The Future" before I have to just because it needs to be played that way.

Fairport Convention played some great covers- I'm inclined to think that things with Sandy Denny singing on them are better than things without so their version of "The Ballad Of Easy Rider" is definitive as far as I'm concerned.

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[quote name='OldGit' post='68132' date='Oct 1 2007, 01:40 PM']Marvin Gaye's "I Heard it through the Grapevine" ..
Gladys Knight's original is fab but Marvin Gaye just got it spot on right ...

Edit. I just read the Wikipedia history of the song and it seems Marvin's was version 3 and Gladys' version 4 of the song cos Berry Gordy vetoed the release of the Marvin version :) So Marvin's is still a cover (of the Smokey Robinson and the Miracles version) :0

I wonder how many other Motown songs did that kind of run around. No wonder there's confusion over who's playing bass on the hits.[/quote]

Grapevine was Gladys' song. Gaye's got enough of his own.

Edited by paul, the
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Much as I love the Beatles I have to admit there have been some great covers of their songs. In addition to the obvious there is:

Joe Cocker - she came in...
Stevie - we can work it out
Sarah Vaughan - I Want You (she's So Heavy) complete with slap bass
Ella - Can't Buy Me Love
Siouxsie - Dear Prudence

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Stevie Ray Vaughan -- Little Wing (for my money, superior to Hendrix's original)

Madness -- One Step Beyond

The Specials -- Gangsters (not strictly a cover of Prince Buster's 'Al Capone' but based heavily on it, and an utter classic)

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Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah
No Doubt - It's My Life
Cat Power - Red Apples
Finlay Quaye - Sunday Shining
Marvin Gaye - Yesterday
Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower
Michael Andrews feat Gary Jules – Madworld
I'm undecided about Black Magic Woman - the best of Peter Green and Abraxas are on par.
Elvis Presley - BSS
Emmylou Harris - Every Grain of Sand
Blues Brothers - Everybody Needs Somebody To Love:
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold
E,W&F - Got to Get You into My Life
Hendrix - Hey Joes
TATU - How Soon Is Now?
Johnny Cash - I Hung My Head
The Rascals - Groovin'
Johnny Cash - I Wont Back Down
I'm So Glad - Cream
Chilis - If you want jme to stay
Bjork - oh so quiet
White Stripes - Jolene (just)
M. Ward - Let's Dance
Hillary Duff - My Generation
Johnny Cash - Personal Jesus
Etta James - At Last
Etta James - Take it to the Limit
Etta James - Trust in Me
Etta James - Miss You So
Chicken Shack - I Would Rather Go Blind
Tom Waits - Waltzing Matilda
Faith No More - Easy
Seu Jorge - Rebel Rebel
Donovan - Colours
Anything off the Hendrix Blues album


+ Countless jazz songs/tracks, Gershwin ballads and the millions that'll be on the tip of my tongue keeping me awake tonight.




---

If anyone mentions Feeling Good they may well get a slappin :)


+1 for JC's version of Hurt

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