Covers that are better than the original.

[whoneedstherapy]

I agree with Viva Los Vegas, DK's nailed it.
Another vote here for Cake doing I will survive
Monster Magnet - Into the void
Pennywise - Down under

 

[dubstylee]

Goldfinger's cover of "99 Red Baloons" is definitely an improvement...


Killswitch Engage covering Dio's "Holy Diver" is better, imho


Reel Big Fish doing "Take on Me" is hella better


Avail covering "Santeria" is better.

Sorry dude, I definately like Avail, no doubt about that, but we're on a bass forum here and I give mad respect to Eric Wilson (God of Thunder) from sublme. I also respect the reggae style. But . . . . that's just my take on it, different strokes for different fokes. R.I.P. to Brad

 

[Yankeesfan1115]

Phish's rendition of Avinu Malcanu is awesome

 

[agreatheight]

Devo - Satisafaction







OK, so maybe it's not better, but it's frickin' awesome.

 

[JamesM]

'Its my Life' and 'Oi To The World' by No Doubt are pretty cool covers

 

[Deluge Of Sound]

Sleep's cover of Snowblind is fantastic, I don't know if Better is the right word, though.

 

[Green Mind]

Devo - Satisafaction







OK, so maybe it's not better, but it's frickin' awesome.

I'd say it is

 

[kingofcorn]

RHCP - Higher Ground
And although im not the biggest fan of the band, HIM's cover of Rebel Yell is pretty damn good too

 

[XCincyBassMan]

Devo - Satisafaction







OK, so maybe it's not better, but it's frickin' awesome.

I'd say it is

Big +1 Kicked my a** when I saw them playin it on SNL!

 

[XCincyBassMan]

While I'm at it: Dred Zepplin

 

[ndrly]

RHCP - Higher Ground (originally by Stevie Wonder)
Marilyn Manson - Personal Jesus (originally by Depeche Mode, but the original's good too)

Rihanna ruined the original versions of "SOS" and "Shut Up and Drive" (AKA "Tainted Love" and "Blue Monday").

 

[tpa]

Santana: Black Magic Woman
Donny and Marie Osmond: Deep Purple
Jorgen Ingmann: Apache

 

[Chili]

Come together, orginally by the beatles and covered by the Brothers Johnson, The Brothers Johnson's version is alot more cooler, sounds like it could be on the suprono's soundtrack or something

 

[xiketero]

Cap'n Jazz - Take On Me
Bomb the Music Industry - Ghost of Corporate Future
Arrogant Sons of Bitches - every single Radiohead cover they've ever done
They Might Be Giants - The Joker
R.E.M. - Paint it Black
Choking Victim - Sweet Dreams
Jesse Lacey - Accident Prone (well, he sort of tied with Jawbreaker on this on)

 

[winstonthecat]

Nick Cave - Black Betty...maybe not better but certainly different.

Billy Bragg - Walk Away Renee....not really a cover, it consists of Billy Bragg telling a story about a failed romance while playing "Walk Away Renee" on acoustic guitar.

 

[Planet Boulder]

The Damned's version of "Alone Again Or".

 

[rfclef]

They Might Be Giants - Istanbul (not Constantinople)
Rush - Summertime Blues
Blind Melon - Three is a Magic Number (from Schoolhouse Rocks: ROCKS!)
Liz Phair With Material Issue - The Tra La La Song (One Banana, Two Banana) (from Banana Splits TV show...

 

[PilbaraBass]

Joe Jackson's cover of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well"...it's AWESOME!

 

[Troutdog]

Some off the top of my head:

(1) Sting's version of Elton John's "Come Down in Time" gives me chills its so good.

(2) Blues Brothers do a very good "Soul Man" and "I Can't Turn You Loose"

(3) GNR's "Live and Let Die" totally rocked the early 90s

(4) Radiohead's "Nobody Does it Better"

(5) "Wild Thing" by comedian Sam Kinison

 

[EADG mx]

Jeff Buckley - Hallelujah


Cohen is a HORRIBLE singer imo which is a shame because he is nevertheless an amazing songwriter/lyricist