Covers Better Than The Original

[Oddly]

All very definitely subject to debate...(unless you disagree with me. Then you're wrong)
Personally, of those listed above, I prefer Orbison, Springsteen and Dylan.
And I think CCR's Grapevine is way better than any other version...

How about Springsteen's version of Suicide's Dream Baby Dream? I think he did an amazing job on that.
Johnny Cash's cover of NIN's Hurt? Another classic.

 

[Afc70]

All Along The Watchtower, Hendrix covering Dylan. Of course, later on, I saw Dylan do it, he covered the Hendrix version, not his own.

check out a live version of this by Shawn lane & the willlys !

 

[Lesfunk]

 

[silky smoove]

Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's version better than Springsteen's.

Don't forget the Eagles of Death Metal cover as well which I quite enjoyed.

 

[dalkowski]

Johnny Cash's cover of NIN's Hurt? Another classic.

One could safely say that about any side he covered.

 

[mellowinman]

Van Halen - You Really Got Me

 

[mellowinman]

How about as good as the original but different (my music era is obvious):

Proud Mary - Creedence Clearwater Revival and Tina Turner
Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye and Gladys Night and the Pips
Twist and Shout - The Isley Brothers and The Beatles
Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan and The Byrds

I could go on and on, but that's enough.

Proud Mary - Ike and Tina Turner for the win
Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye for the win

 

[Richland123]

How about as good as the original but different (my music era is obvious):

Proud Mary - Creedence Clearwater Revival and Tina Turner
Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye and Gladys Night and the Pips
Twist and Shout - The Isley Brothers and The Beatles
Mr. Tambourine Man - Bob Dylan and The Byrds

I could go on and on, but that's enough.

The original version of Twist And Shout was by The Top Notes.

 

[Richland123]

You might want to check out this thread.

Obscure original versions which were as good if not better than hit cover versions

 

[JRA]

Name a remake (song cover) that is better than the original.
i've posted this one before for other reasons, but it's way better than the original:



also: i voted "no one is better than roy orbison."

 

[LBS-bass]

Gladys Knight had the first release of Grapevine. It was not written by any of the artists who recorded it. It was written by Motown staff writers and shopped around to a number of artists who recorded it shortly after it was written in 1966. Knight wasn't the first to record it, but hers was the first version released. Marvin Gaye was the third artist to record it, and his didn't come out until the following year.

 

[Runlikegregg]

Jealous Guy - Donny Hathaway.

 

[pica]

One song that comes to mind is Dancing in the Moonlight by King Harvest. The English band Toploader did a cover that I think is pretty damn good. Sorry I tried to post the video too but didn't know how to do it.

 

[two fingers]

Molly Hatchet covered Allman Brothers "Dreams I'll Never See" and completely transformed it (in a good way, to me)....and I'm and Allman Brothers fan.

Molly Hatchet - Dreams I'll never see - YouTube

Allman Brothers: Dreams (lyrics) - YouTube

 

[bassdude51]

Debatable if the cover is better than the original. Both are excellent.

Bobby Fuller Four..........I Fought the Law (original)
The Clash (cover).

 

[dalkowski]

Sorry I tried to post the video too but didn't know how to do it.

Copy and paste the link.
Standing by.

 

[dalkowski]

Debatable if the cover is better than the original. Both are excellent.

Bobby Fuller Four..........I Fought the Law (original)
The Clash (cover).

I won't get into "better," but points to the DKs for making it topical:

 

[bassdude51]

Once again, debatable if the cover is better than the original. But, the cover was Elvis' first big hit and got the rock n roll ball rolling.

 

[Richland123]

Debatable if the cover is better than the original. Both are excellent.

Bobby Fuller Four..........I Fought the Law (original)
The Clash (cover).

The original version of I Fought The law was by The Crickets after Buddy Holly.

 

[Clark W]

David Bowie's "Heroes" by Hollywood Vampires.