Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original

The Fugees - "Killing Me Softly With His Song" (Lori Lieberman Cover)

Elton John's cover of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" is much better than the Beatles' original

Kim Carnes' "Bette Davis Eyes" is an improvement on the Jackie DeShannon original.

I know everyone loves Beyonce, and I do as well, but I prefer Reba's remake of "If I were a Boy"

I didn’t realize Killing Me Softly wasn’t written by Roberta Flack. So hers isn’t the original either but I like it better than Fugees.

Dolly Parton Almost Crashed Her Car the First Time She Heard Whitney Houston Sing 'I Will Always Love You'

The Fugees’s version of Killing Me Softly is the best rendition out there. No comparison here

Flying Pickets performing Yazoo's "Only You".

R6 The thing about "I Will Always Love You" is that I love both Dolly and Whitney's versions but they seem almost like two different songs to me.

"Nothing's Gonna Change My Love for You" by singer Glenn Medeiros, whose 1987 cover is better than the original by George Benson

"Falling Slowly" by Kris Allen is better than the original IMO.

Big Bang Baby by Emm Gryner

Dancing on my own, covered by Robyn.

Hate to say it, but Rocket Man.

I love the Roberta Flack and Peter, Paul, and Mary versions, but this one is my favorite.

Agree with R15 gorgeous version of the song

R14 yes, when they performed it on the Elton tribute special, you could tell even he was like DAMN!

Various of Dusty Springfield

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was written by Ewan MacColl, father of the late Kirsty MacColl. Of Kirsty’s songs I like her cover of Billy Bragg’s A New England better than his original but prefer Tracey Ullman’s version of Kirsty’s They Don’t Know to the original.

I Fought the Law—The Clash

R13 NO

"Crazy" is a ballad composed by Willie Nelson. It has been recorded by several artists, most notably by Patsy Cline, whose version was a No. 2 country hit in 1962.

This song TORN sung by Natalie game me life

"Torn" is a song written by Scott Cutler, Anne Preven and Phil Thornalley in 1993. It was first recorded that year in Danish (renamed "Brændt" (Danish for "Burned")) by singer Lis Sørensen, then two years later by Cutler and Preven's American alternative rock band Ednaswap, and in 1996

"Torn" is best known as Australian pop singer Natalie Imbruglia's 1997 debut single, which peaked at number one on singles charts in Belgium, Denmark, Canada, Spain and Sweden and on Billboard's Mainstream Top 40 and Adult Top 40 charts. It reached number two on the ARIA Singles Chart and the Italian, Swiss and United Kingdom charts.

Collide's version of "Creep"

This song has been done to DEATH, but Jeff Buckley's cover was so much better than Leonard Cohen's original recording.

Personally, I also prefer Martha Wainwright's cover of Cohen's Tower of Song to his original

Proud Mary Tina Turner

No Doubt’s cover of Talk Talk’s “It’s My Life” - it raised the bar for covers.

Wrecking Ball

UB40 — “Red Red Wine” (Originally by Neil Diamond). 🙏👍🏻

KD Lang's version of Hallelujah

R28 that's one of the few No Doubt songs I like, but I heard the original and still think it's better.

Eva Cassidy. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow “ Makes me want to cry.

Goldfrapp's filthy cover of the ridiculous 70s disco throwaway by Baccara totally re-imagined it as a much raunchier and darker song

Circle Dance covered by Bonnie Raitt

Annie Lennox improved her idol Joni Mitchell's "Ladies of the Canyon".

Doris sings it like no other.

Crash into Me originally covered by Dave Matthews.

WAAARM

I will always love you covered by Dolly Parton.

Gipsy Kings, Hotel California

R40, Dolly wrote that. Covered by La Whitney. Both treasures, btw.

R7, agree. Miss Hill slams it.

R42 I agree.

All The Man I Need Cover by The Voice Whitney Houston

"All the Man That I Need" is a song written by Dean Pitchford and Michael Gore. The song was first recorded as "All the Man I Need" by Linda Clifford for her album I'll Keep on Loving You (1982).

R40 it was already posted in R6

Anyone can do a Minaj song better than Nicki Minaj.

R41 NO AND NO

Original? Not GoGos Our Lips Are Sealed but this haunting rendition by FunBoy3.

How's this R46? Making it up to you.

Jimi Hendrix's cover of Dylan's All along the watchtower. Most Dylan songs are improved by other artists, in my opinion.

R39, a handbrake and a trace of your thigh😅 tear of petrol is in your eye😂

I want you back

Rachmoninov #2 done by Eric Carmen and Celine Dion.

All By Myself

Here Comes My Baby - The Mavericks

R31 omg first time to hear her sing that song. Amazing! It gave my partner and I chills. Thank you.

Alanis covering "My Humps"

So many versions. Sarah Vaughn and Jane Morgan both rule. Here is Jane's.

Murderess Claudine Longet-both sides now.

So breathy

Blondie - The Tide Is High.

RESPECT covered by Otis Redding.

And I’m telling you.

Claudine- Until it's time for you to blow ,eldergays

Any Beatles song sounds better when covered by someone else.

My favorite example is Nina Simone’s version of Here Comes The Sun.

Ipanema-Whinehouse

Julie London's version of the Skeeter Davis song.

Sorry both sides now-Claudine

Don’t you have it backwards, R60? Otis Redding wrote “Respect.” Aretha covered it and completely reinvented it. He agreed that her version was better than his.

R63 reminded me of Big Maybelle's version of Eleanor Rigby

Gonna get killed for this here but I love his version

Hayley Westenra does the best "Both Sides Now".

R67 yes, sorry I just realized what I wrote. Thank you. I am humbled...

Sorry R70, phony forced voice with Chelsea Clinton face.

-No-not if i can do better and bring justice

Don't get me started with first lady of song. Echo & Bunnymen peppered with my Ella. As a child, even. My skin is the color of Elmer's Glue All yo

Only better version is when she's drunk in Berlin

Love this arrangement.

Totally The Communards' "Don't Leave Me This Way". Best version of the song, period.

No, R28. Just … no. That cover completely missed the point of the song, and was lifeless. Talk Talk's original stands head and shoulders above that cover.

Gary Jules cover of Tears for Fears' "Mad World" is better, although it started that annoying trend of reinterpreting 80s songs as acoustic funereal dirges.

r25 My preferred version of Hallelujah is by John Cale.

My first, and favorite, version of "I Will Always Love You" is by Linda Ronstadt.

You obviously feel very, very strongly about that, R76.

I liked that, r36.

Judy.

Barbra.

The end.

Pretty much every song Prince wrote was done better by someone else. Also Springsteen's "Fire" and "Because The Night" (10,000 Maniacs) and Pink Cadillac (Natalie Cole).

Bananarama's Venus was better. Helen Reddy's Heartbeat was better.

I Feel Free - Belinda Carlisle

It sounds more like a woman's song than a man's.

[quote]Springsteen's "Because The Night" (10,000 Maniacs).

Patti Smith's is the definitive version of "Because the Night."

Sade's version puts me to sleep almost every time.

The song was meant to be more masculine, sultry & upbeat =

"Because the Night" - Patti Smith

ABBA's version is good but it's just not meant to be an upbeat song. The SOS meaning & lyrics should convey a dark, dangerous tune full of despair.

Portishead is the only act who seemed to understand this.

This definitive version should be in a horror film like the upcoming Halloween movie.

Donna Summer's cover of "State of Independence". Erasure's cover of "S.O.S".

Anything and everything by Bob Dylan.

I'm not going to link to YouTube because there are just too many to choose from, but just pick any Dylan song and compare his verions with literally anybody else's (well, excluding Karaoke amateurs).

Like, for example, Adele's version of Make You Feel My Love.

Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails, "Hurt".

R91 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

Everything that Whitney Houston covered.

Marty Casey's version of (Hit Me) Baby One More Time.

No, R38... just no.

But speaking of DMB, they do great covers. Watchtower and Cortez the Killer are great. Another one that I love is The Maker.

Any song the Isley Brothers covered.

This is my favorite cover of (Hit Me) Baby One More Time:

And speaking of Britney...

James Taylor Handy Man. Completely reworks the song and it completely works.

Some of you have the worst taste. Gwen Stefani's cover of Talk Talk's "It's My Life" is better than the original? Are you insane? Little Big Town covering Elton John? Cheesy af. The Fugees are better than Roberta Flack? No. Just no.

Blondie's "Denis" preferred over "Randy and The Rainbow's "Denise."

Don't Turn Around by Ace of Base. Originally sung by Tina Turner.

The Beatles' version of "Twist and Shout." And probably some of the other songs they covered.

The original was a boy's version.

This is a man's version!

Paul Young's Love of the Common People (original by...The Four Preps?)

Boy George took this song away from Dave Berry.

I don't like him or his music but this remake was genius (the best of all his covers).

The original still holds up over 3 decades later.

Yo-Yo. The Osmonds

This remake needed to be longer but I loved what I heard in just under 2 minutes.

The original =

The remake =

For those who hate Taylor Swift.....

R101, you sound like you're an unpleasant cunt to be around. It *is* possible to have differing opinions about music without being so fucking judgemental about it.

As the thread is about music COVERS, the whole point is to laud versions of songs that are NOT the original.

Mary Chapin Carpenter's cover of Lucinda Williams' "Passionate Kisses" -- though I like Lucinda's version as well.

Betty Buckley doing Lisa Loeb's "Falling in Love."

I'm with r101 on that particular cover and have used it as my example of taking a great song form the past and stripping it of anything that made it special or original for a bland commercial reinterpretation. Stefani's version isn't bad in and of itself. No offense - we do all have different tastes and this cover put some money in Mark Hollis's wallet (wherever he is) and hopefully exposed some younger folks to Talk Talk's catalog of amazing work.

Annie does it again. Sorry Neil!

Orgy did a pretty decent cover version of New Order's "Blue Monday"

I like Sleeping at Last's version of "Already Gone" more than Kelly Clarkson's original, but I don't get the song. If you're that upset about breaking up with someone, don't break up with him.

"Know that I love you so. I love you enough to let you go."

Someone once played "Long, Long Time" at me while breaking up with me. If you really "think you're going to love me for a long, long time," why don't we stay together? So confusing.

Teenage Dream

r121 wins.

Free Fallin-- John Mayer.

Sofia Karlberg does a better version of Crazy in Love than Beyoncé.

If you're not watching Schitt's Creek, you should. Not only is it an amazing show, but the lead character was serenaded with this. It's a remake of Tina Turner's "Simply the Best", done for Schitt's Creek by Noah Reid.

Old Souls. Original- Jessica Harper Cover- Karine Abitbol

Some really good songs you guys posted here. Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻

The original - Kitty by Racey

The cover - Mickey by Toni Basil

XO-- John Mayer's cover of Beyonce song

[quote]The cover - Mickey by Toni Basil

This cracked me up re: Hey Mickey

[quote]Rock critic Robert Christgau commented on the obscene content of the lyric "So come on and give it to me / Any way you can / Any way you want to do it / I'll take it like a man". Christgau wrote in a review at the time that Basil "was the only woman ever to offer to take it up the ass on Top 40 radio.

They’re pretty mediocre otherwise, but Ryan Kelly from Celtic Thunder did a beautiful rendition of Brothers in Arms.

Yes, I’m a frau. I’ll crawl back in my hole.

I really like the Inez & Charlie Foxx version of Mockingbird, but prefer the wild, lusty version by James Taylor & Carliy Simon.

Up on the Roof by James Taylor

I Only Have Eyes for You by Art Garfunkel

Came in Through the Bathroom Window by Joe Cocker

I adore The Flying Lizards cover of "Money."

George Michael's covers could fill an entire thread. But this is one of my favorites:

Speaking of George R139, this is The Gossip's version of "Careless Whisper".

If a time machine existed, one of the many things I'd try to fix is the horrible Jetsons animated film. Goodbye Tiffany. Beth Ditto would be the voice of Judy Jetson.

This version would be a great song for a " Jetson space club dance" especially from 2:30 & beyond.

This song was made better with the addition of "California girl" Belinda's voice to the mix =

R68, thanks for turning me on to Big Maybelle. I am now in love.

Over 2 decades later, Belinda would trade in Freda Payne for some French musicians...

Boy George remade Bread's "Everything I Own" with a Reggae sound.

Michael Bolton - "When a Man Loves a Woman" Originally recorded by: Percy Sledge

Funny, I can't stand Michael Bolton's version.

COVER DISASTER: Madonna covered American Pie 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮

I actually don't mind Madonna's version, R149. Don McLean actually praised it.

I know it's an unpopular opinion but I also like her cover of, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore."

Zoe Poledouris' I Have Not Been to Paradise is better than Bowie's I Have not Been to Oxfordtown.

Grace Jones's cover of Flash and the Pan's Walking in the Rain.

Grace Jones' cover of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire.

Linda Ronstadt LIVE doing Tumblin Dice. -on her box set.

Blondie's cover of Ring Of Fire

Foo Fighters cover of Baker Street

another Foo Fighters cover... Down In The Park

R145 I despise Michael Bolton

Why the hate for Michael Bolton? He’s a good singer

Smashing Pumpkins cover of Clones

R161 is it a real video or just a parody? 😂😂😂 she sounds great

Don't forget about me!

R162 it's a parody but the version is actually really good.

I had no idea Blondie's version of The Tide Is High was a cover. Learn something new everyday....

Groove Armada, Crazy for You

Both the Wallflower's and Peter Gabriel's versions of We Can Be Heroes.

Fiona Apple's cover of Across the Universe from the Pleasantville soundtrack

R167 Madonna version still much better

And it sells women's razors too!

Diana Ross - Reach Out, I'll Be There

Saint Etienne's cover of Neil Young's Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Sarah Cracknell is in this version of the video, but the vocals are by Moira Lambert.

R170 what a lovely treat. She used to have one of the most beautiful voices on earth, only after miss Whitney

Sorry I meant r179

This is another cover she killed.

The whole album is brilliant but this is my favorite

Hope this one works

Thanks for reminding me, R184.

R185 Hurt cover by Johnny Cash has been posted several times in this thread

This one has been covered tons of times, but nobody comes close to Miss Chaka's version

David Bowie’s version of Across The Universe is better than The Beatles.

How could y'all forget the mother of all covers: I SHOT THE SHERIFF/Clapton.

Also, Ella Fitzgerald's live version of Mack the Knife ("This is the verse, now, I don't know . . .")

Can whomever is posting just youtube links include some sort of description with the link so posters don't waste time and resources on links they don't care about?

R193 I don't know why you're unable to see the video description and title which is listed on the thumbnail of each Youtube video. Maybe change your settings.

Even just hovering over the link should bring up the title. Not sure why you'd have to click on it to find out what it is.

Valerie Carter "Ooh Child".

Because most people turn the thumbnails off, r194. Links don't work properly for some sites when in a tumbnail and the biggest reason of all is not everyone wants penis and hole thumbnails when viewing at work (or a crowded train!!).

Haley Reinhart does "Helter Skelter" by The Beatles.

[quote]the biggest reason of all is not everyone wants penis and hole thumbnails when viewing at work (or a crowded train!!).

What fun is that then?

Quiet Riot - Cum on Feel the Noize

Divinyls covered Syndicate of Sound's "Little Girl" and made the song their own.

Grace Jones' version of "Demolition Man" (the Police) and "Love is the Drug" (Roxy Music) are superior in many ways to the originals. Grace Jones is awesome.

If we're going to bring in "GLEE" versions, the Glee version of "Teenage Dream" is way better than Katy Perry's.

10,000 Maniacs - Because the Night

Ed Sheeran - Dirrty

Scissor Sisters "Comfortably Numb".... they re-imagined the song as a Bee-Gees-esque Disco hit, and it's freakin' awesome.

Wonderwall - Cat Power

The original =

The remake =

Eva owns Fields of Gold

The group's other remake =

Love Song - Candice Glover

Ukulele Lady

Better than the original... but not by much!

How could R200 post that with a straight face?

[quote]Because most people turn the thumbnails off, [R194]. Links don't work properly for some sites when in a tumbnail and the biggest reason of all is not everyone wants penis and hole thumbnails when viewing at work (or a crowded train!!).

That's why I look at threads with song links on my home computer instead of my phone.

David Bowie's copy of Sorrow.

Fame on Fire, "Black Widow".

And no, it's not just because the lead singer is super hot.

r216, which version do you consider the original? I'm rather fond of Midler's. Didn't know there were other versions, actually.

A lot of people say that Marvin Gaye's cover of 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' is better than the original by Gladys Knight an the Pips. I call it a tie.

Roberta Flack's cover of the Bee Gee's 'To Love Somebody' is better than the original.

I love that version of Nothing Compares, OP.

Bowie's cover of "Wild is the Wind" is exquisite.

KD Lang did a gorgeous cover of Talking Heads' "Heaven."

Soft Cell's version of Tainted Love over the original by Gloria Jones.

Jane Olivor - Vincent

Love Me Tender - Nana Mouskouri

Stuff & Nonsense (1979) - Split Enz

Stuff & Nonsense (1986) - Belinda Carlisle

How in the name of ${deity} has anybody NOT already mentioned the Pet Shop Boys' epic 1988 remake of "Always On My Mind?"

Or was it just so epic compared to the original that everyone here thinks the Pet Shop Boys' version WAS the original?

Not that great a song, either version, r231.

R231 it was already mentioned.

R231 it’s not good enuf

Candi Staton's cover of In the ghetto

Ahem.

Speaking of Pet Shop Boys, I like their version of "Go West" over The Village People version.

Cyndi Lauper's I'm Gonna Be Strong

Shockingly no one has mentioned “AMERICAN WOMAN” BY LENNY KRAVITZ (ORIGINALLY BY THE GUESS WHO)

R238 I preferred the version she did when she was with Blue Angel

The Bangles "Hazy Shade of Winter" is > Simon & Garfunkel's.

Cher - Love hurts

The remake of The Sound Of Silence by Disturbed has over 430M view on YouTube 😲😲😲

It’s not better than the original

I'll always love Donna Summer's super-kickass disco version of "MacArthur Park."

Not a fan, but I think his version is better than the original.

The original =

The remake =

Stand By Me - John Lennon

The original =

The remake =

Some people are posting songs that have already been posted. Here's a list from 1-150 to keep the repeats down =

R1, R3, R4, R6, R8, R10, R11, R13, R14, R15, R22, R23, R24, R25, R26, R28, R29, R31, R33, R34, R35, R36, R37, R38, R39, R40, R41, R45, R47, R49, R50, R52,

R54, R56, R57, R58, R59, R60, R61, R62, R65, R66, R68, R69, R70, R73, R74, R75, R77, R78, R79, R82, R84, R86, R87, R88, R91, R94, R96, R98, R99, R100,

R102, R103, R104, R105, R106, R107, R108, R110, R111, R112, R113, R116, R118, R120, R121, R123, R125, R126, R127, R128, R130, R131, R132, R133,

R135, R136, R138, R139, R140, R141, R143, R144, R145, R147, R148, R149 & R150. R160, R170, R180, R190, R200, R220, R240, R260, R280, R300.

Yeah. I'm going to waste the next however many hours clicking on all that, r251. '

R252 And just who asked you to dumbass?

You do know you can move your cursor over each number & see at a glance which songs were already posted. It'll take 10 minutes at the most.

If you have a good memory you can remember which ones not to repeat. It's not rocket science.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow -- Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

If only repeats mattered, r253, to people other than anal retards like yourself, posting all those Rs.

I don't know about better but i do like this version of In The Air Tonight.

Running Up That Hill by Placebo

As - George Michael and Mary J Blige

Not a big country fan but that is a beautiful version R4

The original =

The remake =

The original =

The remake =

Soooo much better than the original one.

The original =

I enjoy searching for cover videos made amateurs on You Tube. This guy's cover of 'Let it Go" from Frozen makes me laugh, but is also pretty amazing when he really gets into it.

The remake =

The original =

The remake =

This song was mentioned above but not posted =

A somber version of kd lang's Constant Craving by Charlotte Martin.

Hanson's version of U2's "In a Little While" is thrilling because it's such a good fit for Taylor's range and the way he pronounces vowels in a way that showcases the dynamics of what he's singing. His vowels are like music's sensory version of the umami taste.

The remarkable Karen Eng

Nothing matches Adele's original, but this is a great take on Skyfall and the guy singing is really cute.

The Flying Lizards remade Little Richard's "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" into a Lesbian anthem of sorts. It should've been a big hit, but I guess it was too ahead of its time.

R264 you can’t b serious. Madonna version is shit

I don't hate Madonna's version of "American Pie" as much as I hate everything else by Madonna.

Donna Summer's dance version of I Will Go With You. (The original by was sung by Andrea Bocelli and Sara Brightman)

Aurora covering Teardrop by Massive Attack

She’s got quite a few great covers: imagine dragons (Believer), Sam Smith (LaLaLa)

Aurora also did a superior cover of Duran Duran's "Ordinary World."

R280 We’re talking about different artists. I’m talking about Norwegian born Aurora aksnes and you’re talking about aurora UK.

I did not know Norway had their own Aurora.

There’s also another aurora named Steve. Go on, google it.

R142, you are welcome. If you liked her Eleanor Rigby, you should listen to this Youtube playlist of the songs from her "America's Queen Mother Of Soul" Got A Brand New Bag. They are covers of 1960's hits, and she does them justice.

The drawing they did of her for the cover is just awful, but she was always on low rent labels.

R276 I don't think Madonna's version is awful.

But then again, I think everything Michael Bolton ever did was atrocious.

Blue Monday - Orgy (mentioned earlier but not posted)

I Fought The Law - The Clash (mentioned earlier but not posted)

Seven Nation Army - (White Stripes Cover)Postmodern Jukebox ft. Haley Reinhart

Barbra Streisand - My Favorite Things

R290 😮 so beautiful!! Thank you

Jan Terri’s cover of Ave Maria. This danceable version reached #5 on the Canadian charts.

R60

Otis Redding didn't cover "Respect." He wrote it and was the first to record it. Of course it is now forevermore considered Aretha's.

I LOVE Norway's Aurora. I think she has a new album coming out next week.

Speaking of Aretha... this will probably be unpopular but I prefer Carole King's version of A Natural Woman.

Aretha - Over The Rainbow

Aretha’s voice is unpleasant to my ears. I would choose Barbra or Whitney over her any day

Well, here you go r297

Suede's version of Brass in Pocket. And the original was great too.

Samuel Barnett's version of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," from The History Boys.

I rather enjoy his version of "Bye, Bye Blackbird" as well, R300.

Can someone create a thread about songs from the past you'd like to see covered and perhaps the artist you'd like to cover them? I'd like "Midnight Confessions" and "Temptation Eyes" by the Grass Roots to have an updated interpretation.

Melody Gardot. Because.

[quote]Can someone create a thread about songs from the past you'd like to see covered and perhaps the artist you'd like to cover them? I'd like "Midnight Confessions" and "Temptation Eyes" by the Grass Roots to have an updated interpretation.

Have you tried to start it?

I don't have permission. I can't become paying because my financial situation made me cut out all expenses.

r305 Okay...for a headline, "What new cover versions would you like to hear?"

Inside: What songs would you like to hear new cover versions of? By which artists?

R305 you don't need to be a paying member to start threads. You're probably not looking in the right place to do it.

I tried and get the response "You don't have permission to post new threads at this time. Click Here for more information."

Then you must be a real newbie. It only takes about 14 visits to be able to post new threads.

Siouxsie Sioux did a ton of covers (the Siouxsie & The Banshees album Through The Looking Glass is covers from start to finish). Also as The Creatures (for example Mel Torme's Right Now) and solo. For me it's rather difficult to pick just one. Usueally in this type of threads, about cover versions, posters post the Siouxsie & The Banshee cover "Dear Prudence" (original by the Beatles). So I rather post something else and maybe more obscure. It's a Siouxsie & the Banshees track where they cover Velvet Underground's All Tomorrow's Parties. Siouxsie did a kick-ass cover of This Wheels On Fire on the cover album Through The Looking Glass btw.

About the song Killing Me Softly -- apparently most of you don't know that the song was a poem written by Lori Lieberman after attending a Don McLean performance of "Empty Chairs", she was so inspired by his song she wrote the basics Killing Me Softly which was later turned into a song with the help of others. While McLean is probably best known for American Pie, most of his music is quite touching.

When McLean was informed that a song was written about him he was horrified, all he could think of was the song We love you, Beatles / Oh, yes, we do / We love you, Beatles / And we'll be true. Once he actually had heard Killing Me Softly he was much relieved.

Count me as one who much prefers the Roberta Flack version over the Fugees, I just hated what they did to that song.

R310, speaking of "All Tomorrow's Parties", the band Japan did an excellent cover of it back in the early 80s. Highly recommended.

Duran Duran's cover of "Perfect Day" is really great.

[R302] Can someone create a thread about songs from the past you'd like to see covered and perhaps the artist you'd like to cover them? I'd like "Midnight Confessions" and "Temptation Eyes" by the Grass Roots to have an updated interpretation.

—Anonymous

Blake Babies already covered Temptation Eyes. See link. Hope you like it.

Japan's "All Tomorrow's Parties":

[quote]songs from the past you'd like to see covered and perhaps the artist you'd like to cover them?

R302 seems to have disappeared. I don't know if he ever started his thread. I'd always wanted to hear Linda Ronstadt's version of "The Way You Look Tonight."

I guess a lot of people hated it, but I loved Duran Duran's cover of White Lines:

You're welcome!

Ice Ice Baby Cover

A Woman In Love. IMO better than Streisand.

Regarding Velvet Underground. Mike Flowers Pops (better known for their great Oasis cover of Wonderwall) did a pretty good Velvet Underground cover in their own easy listening style. Btw Siouxsie covered both All Tomorrow's Parties and Venus in Furs live.

Fiona Apple singing Across the Universe.

A butch Canadian woman over a pipsqueak Brit.

On Joe Cocker's first LP, he covered "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, "With A Little Help From My Friends", "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Feeling Alright".

Though, all excellent, not sure if they transcended all the other versions, but that LP solidified his position as an amazing song stylist. It also didn't hurt that he had amazing array of musicians on that LP.

RIP Joe!

Sure, she's a fucking lunatic, but...

It Might As Well Rain Until September

[quote] Then you must be a real newbie. It only takes about 14 visits to be able to post new threads.

Yeah, I've only been here since before 9/11/2001.

[quote] Then you must be a real newbie. It only takes about 14 visits to be able to post new threads.

Not anymore. It took me countless visits for an entire week (each day counted as one visit) unil I could post and a couple of days more to post a new thread.

Why didn't we hear Helen Shapiro in the US in the 1960s?

Hil St. Soul, Until You Come Back to Me

Annie Lennox - No more I Love You's

Eva Olmerová - Druhý břeh (Cry Me A River)

Bettye Swann's Angel of the Morning

Bettye Swann's Today I Started Loving You Again (written by Merle Haggard). The pacing, the build up to the horns at the end, her voice a triumph.

Judita Čeřovská - Malý vůz ( I Will Follow Him )

Siouxsie And The Banshees' cover of "Dear Prudence" (The Beatles)

Dance version of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida"

last night a dj saved my life by mariah is better than indeep

Best cover version of anything, ever, by anyone.

Love the arrangement and vocals of Talking Heads version of "Take Me to River."

Bryan Ferry has done a plethora of excellent, unique covers. One of my favorites, from his first solo album, is this take on Dylan's "A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall".

Weezer’s new “Africa”.

R339 I actually prefer Bryan Ferry via Roxy Music's rendition of "Like a Hurricane" over Neil Young's original, but then I'm one of those who has a real issue with Young's "unique" voice.

Alanis, King of Pain

R327, I have a new device and by visit 14 I was back to starting threads. 7 visits and I was able to reply.

Valerie by Amy Winehouse

Call me crazy, but I do love Inga Humpe's cover of the Pet Shop Boys song "Do I Have To?"

[quote] Inga’s rendition doesn’t stray too far from the exquisite original, adding just a few King’s Cross-y embellishments to create a slightly poppier but no less lovely version. Pet Shop Boys were always particularly good at writing songs about the awkwardness of love (“Do I have to? / Don’t say / That I need to / Love you”) and often they were particularly suited to the female viewpoint – Inga proves to be the perfect partner for the lyrics, her dispassionate vocal sounding a bit bored, faintly exasperated and slightly nervous at the same time. I particularly like the way she chucks a plaintive spoken “blackmail!” over the same sung word – it sounds really desperate, sort of like she’s falling past your office window.

Tainted Love cover by Coil.

Michael McDonald - Lonely Teardrops

I'm aging myself, But..... Mel Torme - The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face

Kate Miller-Heidke covering Britney's Toxic:

Time After Time covered for Strictly Ballroom:

I don't know that it is BETTER than Led Zeppelin, but I love Dolly Parton's bluegrass version of Stairway to Heaven. She certainly put her own spin on it.

Angelique Kidjo covering Hendrix's Voodoo Child:

This Mortal Coil’s cover of Song to the Siren (originally by Tim Buckley).

Beth Orton, Ooh Child.

Pet over the Mindbenders on this one.

This of course!

Ville Valo & Natalia Avelon - Summer Wine Better than the Sinatra/Greenwood original.

When You Say Nothing At All

Marco Hietala/Nightwish cover of Pink Floyd’s “High Hopes.”

Every single cover on the two Northern Kings albums.

Katatonia’s cover of Bathory’s “Home of Once Brave.”

YES, R357!

I'm Not In Love - Karen Souza

Strawberry Fields Forever - Karen Souza

Creep - Karen Souza

True Love - Pat Benatar

Evening - Pat Benatar

Payin' The Cost To Be The Boss - Pat Benatar

Call Me - Sabrina vs. Samantha (Fox)

You Keep Me Hanging On - Kim Wilde

Kim Wilde was beautiful and popular back in the days. She was unfortunately not talented enough to last long in the music industry.

Jaymes Young - What Is Love

Snow Hill - Be My Baby

Michelle Branch - Creep

Daughter - Get Lucky

30 Seconds To Mars - Bad Romance

R371 types Fluent in Upspeak and Vocal Fry. Shame on you for even thinking of that excrescence, r371, let alone posting it.

Loved Whitney’s cover of “I’m Every Woman” James Taylor’s cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River” from the Tribute album cited at r36 is one of my favorites as well...

Jennifer Warnes covering Leonard Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat."

R376 Prefer Chaka. More soul.

If musicals count, then the Japanese version of 'Die Schatten werden länger' (eng: 'The Shadows Grow Longer') from the 2015-16 Toho Co. run of ELISABETH. It works on levels I didn't know it had before.

I can't figure out why, but the entire book sounds somehow better to my ears when translated into Japanese. I've always appreciated ELISABETH and the play engages me, but I find the original German dull or grating in places. The libretto is fucking abysmal in English, and again as a layperson I don't know exactly why that is.

According to the wiki ELISABETH has also been translated into Mandarin Chinese, Dutch, Finnish, Hungarian and Italian but I've not had the pleasure (?) of hearing Death singing in these tongues yet.

^^Here is 'Die Schatten werden länger' by the 1992 original German cast, for comparison.

"Sunshine of Your Love"

I love Chaka too r378, but she can sometimes seem to lose control and veer into wailing. I love the control and joyousness of Whitney’s take.....she loves Chaka too.

Theme from Gone With the Wind sung by Margaret Whiting.

The Twist - The Fat Boys & Chubby Checker

Wipeout - The Fat Boys

California Girls - David Lee Roth

Jennifer Hudson's cover of The Beatles' Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight

Three Dog Night did a wonderful version of Stevie Wonder's "I Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer" that impressed Stevie Wonder.

It's a mystery why this song was not a hit for either artist.

Barbra Streisand's cover of "Since I Fell For You"

Alison Krauss - Baby Now That I've Found You, a live version from 2011

For some reason I thought "Love of a Lifetime" was originally done by Scritti Politti, perhaps they did a demo version, then gave it to Chaka Khan?

The Scritti musicians are definitely her backing band on this version and Green Gartside is doing backing vocals as well as having written the song.

Whatever the origin of this song, it's fantastic, one of Chaka's best vocals.

New Seekers - Pinball Wizard/See Me, Feel Me. Who fans were apoplectic but Pete Townshend gave it his seal of approval.

Wide Mouth Masons’ version of Superstition kicks Little Stevie’s ass to the kerb.

I like this

Does it count if the original is virtually unknown?

There are some great Tom Waits covers, which is interesting because one thinks of his oddness being so specific.

Here is something rather obscure (so obscure not even a single clip exists on the internet).

A band called Liberty Horses did a guitar pop cover of Tom Wait's creepy Innocent When You Dream as a B-side for their singles This Town (feat. Eddie Reader) and Shine (Shine was used in the British Coming Out movie Get Real).

I much prefer Bjork's version of "It's Oh So Quiet."

80s trivia: "Our Lips Are Sealed" was co-written by Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Go's) and Terry Hall (Fun Boy Three) back when they were an item. The Go-Go's recorded it first. Their version is definitive, IMHO.

Natacha Atlas's cover of I Put A Spell On You.

Colbie Caillat's cover of "Don't Cha" (original by Pussycat Dolls)

R340, no... that is a completely terrible and unnecessary cover. Ugh.

Can't upload but Peter tosh's version of Johnny B Goode is as exciting , if not better than Chuck Berry's.

California Dreamin' - Queen Latifah

I Put A Spell On You - Queen Latifah

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Queen Latifah

Come Together by Aerosmith - one of the few good things to come out of the Sgt. Pepper movie.

I'm probably going to regret this:

Billy Jean - Karen Souza

Mary Lambert's cover of Jessie's Girl is fucking phenomenal.

Linda Ronstadt's cover of Warren Zevon's "Mohammed's Radio."

Most of these posted songs aren't necessarily "better" than the originals, they are simply a different and successful re-take on the originals.

Which actually proves how great most of the songs are even in acoustic form. Kudos to the songwriters!

Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal

Greta Van Fleet's cover of British folk-rock band Fairport Convention's Meet On the Ledge.

EXCELLENT!

Of the many brilliant covers of The Beatles' songs, Got To Get You Into My Life by Earth, Wind & Fire is my favorite.

The Cowboy Junkies transformed Reed's Sweet Jane.

[quote]Most of these posted songs aren't necessarily "better" than the originals,

That would be an opinion, dear.

The Pretenders "Stop Your Sobbing" (over The Kinks)

Speak to the Sky - Rick Springfield Thinner and taller, he still looked a lot like David Cassidy.

Sondre Lerche’s cover of Ariadne Grande’s “Into You”.

The Carpenters’ version of “Trying To Get The Feeling Again”. I like the Barry Manilow hit but this is better.

George Michael does a great job of owning this song.

Empire by Marie' Digby. She does with her voice what they use a synthesizer for in the original.

Aretha's version of Jumping Jack Flash.

After hearing this version, I can't tolerate the Police's version.

Roxanne - George Michael

Bonnie et Clyde - Belinda Carlisle

Some more jumping points = R251, R320, R330, R340, R350, R360, R370, R380, R390, R400, R410, R420, R430, R440, R450, R460, R470, R480, R490 & R500.

Ne Me Quitte Pas - Belinda Carlisle

Ma Jeunesse Fout Le Camp - Belinda Carlisle

I know it's sacrilege, but I prefer Sheena Easton's cover of Love and Affection to Joan Armatrading's original.

Funtime - Boy George

[quote]The Cowboy Junkies transformed Reed's Sweet Jane.

This is one band I cannot stomach, they are the aural equivalent of Valium with a double shot of heroin! If you cannot sleep, put their music on.

When their version of this LR song was played on MTV, I either left the room or immediately switched the channel. Just horrible.

Tori Amos - '97 Bonnie & Clyde

Ugh no, R429. I love Boy George, but Bowie and Iggy doing Funtime is still the best and most menacing.

Ugh no, R432 I like some of Bowie & Iggy but Funtime was finally done right by BG.

The song was meant to be a high energy ballsy tune & he delivered perfectly with both the song & video.

All version of the original Funtime that I found on YT were dated & just plain awful.

I can do just fine without my Funtime being "menacing".

I like this song better with masculine vocals =

Voulez-Vous = Boy George

Only You - Flying Pickets (mentioned earlier but not posted)

Big Bang Baby - Emm Gryner (mentioned earlier but not posted)

Here Comes The Sun - Nina Simone (mentioned earlier but not posted)

The original =

The disco remake =

The modern remake =

Jezebel - Desi Arnaz

Jezebel - Belinda Carlisle

Bobby Darin's "Mack the Knife."

Love the original Isley Brothers.....but the Doobie Brothers version SOARS!!

Got To Get You Into My Life -- Earth, Wind & Fire

I could be wrong....but I think a couple of The Beatles (Paul? George?) said this was a better version.

Sorry, R433, but "Funtime" was written and performed by Iggy and Bowie as an ironic take on jaded excess, which they knew all about. Iggy and Bowie themselves said it was purposely sung in a deadpan menacing way. I'm not going to say anything against Boy George, but his version was a bit of a joke, maybe your cup of sugary tea, but not a better version at all.

Eunice Higgins - Feelings

George Michael and Lyn Mabry sound great singing this duet.

I’ve got you beat, Carol/r447!

you win r448. omg

Patti Smith's cover of The Doors' Soul Kitchen.

Odd take on it but I prefer it.

I've only heard her sing on that UK show until today.

She has some great remakes & a wonderful voice.

Both Sides Now

Enjoy The Silence

I was shocked to hear she was a big fan of Madonna!

Her other Madonna remake =

My second favorite version after Judy's

KATE BUSH - The Rocket Man

The most heartfelt version of the song =

Thanks for that link, R451.

She's also a big fan of ABBA

The DEFINITE "Bonnie And Clyde" cover is by LUNA:

This upload has over 6 million views.

I love this cover of Elliott Smith’s “The Enemy Is You”. I own a couple of tribute albums to ES and this one was the only one I liked better than the original. The band’s name is Marauder- I think they are a Japanese band.

The Susan Boyle troll has nearly killed this thread.

The nag hag troll at R466 isn't breathing any new life into this thread.

Fame - Eurythmics

I'm an unconditional fan of Chris Cornell and his covers are just sublime, here a couple of examples, judge yourself, first Billie Jean

Hanson's cover of Weezer's "Troublemaker" is satisfyingly more bitchy and goading.

R468 George Michael did a good cover of Fame.

George Michael is one of the best, if not the best male pop vocalist. His voice is mesmerizing and his technique is outstanding

All respect to George Michael. It's not better than Bowie's Fame, but more of a karaoke version with an equally wonderful singer. And that's a great compliment.

The masculine punk version of Bad Romance

Revolution - T. Twins

Brainstorms version of "Lovin is Really My Game" over the version by Ann Nesby

Barbara Cook, "Stars"

You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)

Leo Kalyan does a half way decent cover of George Michael’s “Jesus Like a Child”. George could cover anyone’s songs but few can sing his songs.

I won't say this cover is "better" than the Clash's version .....but it's I think it's AS good, in a different way. I remember the first time I heard it on the radio (while driving). I thought, "I know this song", (during opening refrain). And then, it was "Holy shit! Annie Lennox is brilliant!!"

Johnny Cash did a cover of Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt". Nine Inch Nails said they liked Cash's version better. Cash's version made me tear up.

^ Did your tears prevent you from seeing it’s been posted half a dozen times?

^Who is going to read 479 other posts to check (besides me)?

Your browser has a "find on page" feature... hit ctrl-F and search for it before posting, ya moron

Contact - B. Bardot

Contact - Belinda Carlisle

It's more annoying having people harp about people re-posting something (especially since half the posts on this thread are just bare links) than actually having people re-post a song. The most annoying, the idiot who is dedicating his life to compiling the songs into single posts. Can you imagine what that persons life must be like? I'm sure it involves a lot of rulers to measure the distance between tchotchkes and curtain openings.

Elton wrote and sang it but George sang it as only he could.

I'm easily annoyed.

I Can't Get No Satisfaction - Samantha Fox

R487 You're wrong. Reposted songs are a sign of laziness & disrespect (wasting other people's time & showing no originality) so they're the worst.

You don't like single posts? Please show us how to double & triple post.

You sound like one of those DLers who is miserable if a thread goes over 100 replies. Poor baby.

I think if someone reposts within the first 100-200 replies, that's lazy. But once the thread goes beyond 200.....c'mon, cut some slack. Not everyone knows about the search function within a thread. ,

r482 r484 r491 Come to my house and sit in my toilet so you don't miss eating any of the shit as it falls out of my ass.

And then drown.

Control Queen r491: "Not everyone knows about the search function within a thread."

Only everyone who has a computer. WE JUST DON'T GIVE A FUCK. Control-F that, you bold, brazen piece of humanity.

Jimmy Little's cover on Nick Cave's Are You The One Ive Been Waiting For.

Cher - A Young Girl

Terry Reid's version of Sonny & Cher's "Bang Bang" is great.

Speaking of Terry Reid, The Raconteurs version of Terry Reid's "Rich Kid Blues" is fantastic. Unfortunately, there's no official video for the song, only a few live versions. This Glastonbury 2008 version is pretty damn good.

Yes, this thread has been done before, but it is always interesting. And I am not OP.

Bob Dylan is one the great songwriters of all time, but some of his songs were improved or at least made famous by covers. The Byrds made "Mr. Tambourine Man" and "My Back Pages" hits; Jimi Hendrix made "All Along the Watchtower" a classic; and Peter, Paul and Mary made "Blowin' in the Wind" not better, really, but certainly more radio-friendly and so way more influential.

And I agree that Pretenders' cover of the Kinks' "Stop Your Sobbing" is now the definitive version.

Disturbed's "Sounds if silence"; Melanie's "Ruby Tuesday"; Rod Stewart's covers of Rolling Stones hits; K.D.Lang's "Crying"

This.

I'd take Devo's version of 'Satisfaction' over that at R490.

What'll I Do? - Cher

Tubular Bells - Book of Love

Rosebud's disco-fied cover of Pink Floyd's "Have a Cigar"

La Vie En Rose - D. Summer

La Vie En Rose - B. Carlisle

Grace Jones - La Vie En Rose

Way better than the Butch Hancock original:

Portishead's version of SOS

Try again R508

See R88 or the list at R251.

Devo's cover of Satisfaction.

R251 would give anyone a migraine. Troll or control freak, you decide.

They need to fuck off.

Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton & Emmylou Harris collaborated on a lovely cover of Neil Young's "After the Gold Rush":

The Fugees did a great job covering Roberta Flack on "Killing Me Softly" as mentioned above. But to say they got the better of it? Sorry, no.

The original, which is a classic and Grammy winner, isn't as well known because sometime after 1995 or so, pop and oldies radio started to delete sad songs, no matter how good, based on consumer research that branded them "tune-outs."

Happy, happy, joy, joy.

Sting's version of Squeeze's "Tempted" is pretty good.

Stevie Nicks's cover of Vanessa Carlton's "Carousel" (which was introduced to me by DL!). Nicks covered it because she's friends with Vanessa and it was one of her mother's favourite songs towards the end of her life. There's more information on the story behind it at the link below. Vanessa's original is lovely, but Nicks's version has a wonderful maturity to it.

The White Stripes version of Dolly's "Jolene" is great, but it's not better.

Bump for two reasons. One is that I really enjoyed reading this thread and hearing all the different covers posted. There were some fantastic ones, like Big Maybelle's "Here Comes the Sun," but then some shit ones as well. Still, overall, I really enjoyed listening to the different covers of songs.

The other reason is I thought I'd share a cover that is definitely better than the original. Though it was not recorded in studio (this was a leaked live performance), Michael Bolton and Mariah Carey's "We're Not Makin Love Anymore" is much better than Streisand's. That live high note by Mariah towards the end and the way their voices blend together so well is amazing. They should have recorded this and released it in Mariah's heyday. It would have been a #1 hit for sure.

Also R10, are you smoking crack? George Benson's version of that song is so much better than Glenn's. How can you listen to that horrible lisp of his? "Hole Wife Twhrough." Come on.

Even Westlife's version is better.

Better than the 1975 original

Something festive: Pentatonix’s take on ‘’Seasons of Love’. Not necessarily better than the original, but timely

This thread should be titled "I like production from this time period, therefore this cover is better than the original."

Tony Joe White’s cover of What Does It Take To Win Your Love, originally by Junior Walker. Just perfect.

Pet Shop Boys - "Always On My Mind"