cover songs, love em or hate em??

[peterwsmith]

what are some songs you think where done better by the cover?

U2's One by Johnny Cash

what are some songs you think where butchered beyond belief?

U2's One by Mary J. Blige

+1,000,000

In that same vein:

Anberlin did Love Song by The Cure quite well.

311's cover of Love Song was like having my ears violated.

 

[PimasterPearson]

I love hearing well-known bands cover well-known tunes, as long as they keep it interesting and "make it their own," to use a tired old phrase. I think Aerosmith is a pretty good band, but their cover of Come Together didn't do anything for me. It's not bad, but it's also not very interesting to me.

Then there are the covers that aren't necessarily better than the original, but are different/interesting enough that they're still worth hearing - see most of the Across The Universe soundtrack.

I can think of two covers that improved on the original so much that they became the new 'definitive' versions: Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen admitted this) and Hendrix's Watchtower.

In my mind, covers are great for live shows, when the band and the crowd are feeding off of each other's energy and everyone is just happy to be out having a good time. (Nickel Creek's live cover of Toxic by Britney Spears is pure unadulterated win). But if they're going to commit a studio album track to a cover, it had better be interesting.

PS - This isn't relevant to anyone outside of upstate South Carolina, but one of my singer-songwriter friends here does an amazing live acoustic cover of Huey Lewis' Power of Love. One of the best covers I've ever heard.

 

[lycanbreed7]

I love hearing well-known bands cover well-known tunes, as long as they keep it interesting and "make it their own," to use a tired old phrase. I think Aerosmith is a pretty good band, but their cover of Come Together didn't do anything for me. It's not bad, but it's also not very interesting to me.

Then there are the covers that aren't necessarily better than the original, but are different/interesting enough that they're still worth hearing - see most of the Across The Universe soundtrack.

I can think of two covers that improved on the original so much that they became the new 'definitive' versions: Jeff Buckley's Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen admitted this) and Hendrix's Watchtower.

In my mind, covers are great for live shows, when the band and the crowd are feeding off of each other's energy and everyone is just happy to be out having a good time. (Nickel Creek's live cover of Toxic by Britney Spears is pure unadulterated win). But if they're going to commit a studio album track to a cover, it had better be interesting.

PS - This isn't relevant to anyone outside of upstate South Carolina, but one of my singer-songwriter friends here does an amazing live acoustic cover of Huey Lewis' Power of Love. One of the best covers I've ever heard.

Get us a sample,would love to here it.

 

[ShaunG]

Megadeth's cover of I ain't superstitious is well done and definatly more than just there own touch on it.
Zakk Wylde does some good covers as well in my opinion, Whiter Shade of Pale being a fav song of mine.

 

[Kenner]

I'd say that Cheap Trick did some justice to their live version of the Sgt. Pepper Album....

 

[DaZombieWoof]

For truly twisted and interesting covers, it is hard to beat Finland's Leningrad Cowboys. Their cover of Stairway to Heaven is mind boggling. Who knew it needed balaikas, accordions, and a Russian mixed choir? From that concert their rendition of Pretty Fly For a White Guy is great too.

 

[Richland123]

Aerosmith's cover of Bull Moose Jackson's Big Ten Inch Record was very good but the original is also excellent.

Bull Moose Jackson

 

[ggunn]

The Deep Purple covers of Kentucky Woman and Hush, and Vanilla Fudge's of You Keep Me Hangin' On were groundbreakers in the 60's.

 

[duff beer]

Metallica sucked all the feeling out of Seger's "Turn the Page".

Limp Bizkit completely ruined "Behind Blue Eyes".

There's a youtube of Shanie Twain doing a country version of "You Shook Me All Night Long" that will make you vomit.

 

[s_mcsleazy]

good ones:

local h - toxic (britney speres)
big black - the model (kraftwerk)
mudhoney - the money will roll right in (might i add that i love the fang vertion)
bad brains - daytripper (beatles)
butthole surfers - hurdy gurdy man
dead kennedys - viva las vagas (elvis...i think)
the stranglers - all day and all of the night (kinks)
cap'n jazz - take on me (ah ha)
at the drive in - this night has opened my eyes (the smiths)

horrable covers:
limp bizkit - behind blue eyes (the who)
billy talent - waiting room (fugazi)
my chemical romance - desolation row (bob dylan)
my chemical romance - astro zombies (misfits)
alkiline trio - wash away (tsol)
fallout boy - start today (gorilla buiscuits)

and theres alot more i cba typing

 

[Time Consumer]

Better
Land of Confusion - Disturbed
In the Air Tonight - Nonpoint
Love Song - 311

Worse, so many to name, i'll just say the one I hate most.
You give love a bad name - Atreyu, ugh.