saintbletch Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 'Nothing compares to you' by Sinead O'Connor over Prince Have to take issue on the two who say Roxy Music's 'Jealous Guy' was better! I can only forgive it because it was done as a tribute...and I like Roxy Music in general. It's funny because I have a mate who loves Lennon and has said exactly the same thing to me. He thinks I'm a cultural philistine. I can appreciate Lennon and I do see his genius, but just like the Beatles and Elvis they were before my time so I don't really relate to them. But to me it's not about being 'better', it's about familiarity and preference. I was too young to listen to music when Lennon's original was released and was in my mid-teens when Roxy Music's Avalon album was released. So when I subsequently discovered John Lennon's version, after the fact, I didn't like it as much. Good shout on Sinead O'Connor BTW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintsdan Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Placebo's cover of Where Is My Mind. Also A Perfect Circle's version of Imagine. Wouldn't say its better but it is v.good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowllyd Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Good thread! Robert Wyatt's Shipbuilding versus Elvis Costello's (a VERY close thing). That's a good call - as you say, it's a close one. I know Costello wrote it, but didn't Wyatt actually record it first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintbletch Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 That's a good call - as you say, it's a close one. I know Costello wrote it, but didn't Wyatt actually record it first? That's a good point Fowllyd. I think Costello wrote the song 'for' Wyatt. So perhaps that technically shouldn't be in the list of covers as it looks like I prefer the 'original' even though it wasn't performed by the author. If you see what I mean. I had a landlord who used to play music loud on a Sunday morning and more often than not I'd come round from my stupor to Robert Wyatt's Shipbuilding. I saw Costello at Portsmouth Guildhall perform Shipbuilding on the day that (I think) Camel Laird shipyard had announced it was closing/laying off people. A great performance which pushes his version very close to the one I'm more familiar with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxstone Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Perhaps a bit more mainstream but the Pet Shop Boys version of Always on my Mind completely outshone Presley's, and Fine Young Cannibals version of Suspicious Minds was also much better than the original. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redkeith Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 You are joking, right? That word up version is the worst cover ever...actually its better than the Mel B one!! Waterfalls - the Bluetones I can see clearly - Hothouse Flowers 'Ruby Trax' released by the Melody Maker in about 1992 is great - double album of great covers. Ruby Trax is well worth looking out for, some great stuff on there. Fatima Mansions did a version of 'Everything I do' as if it was sung by a stalker! Scary stuff. Also had Vic Reeves sending up the pompus 'Vienna ' by Utlravox .... 'Hitler Dwelt in this town, and Van Morrison was born here..' genius. My all time favourite though has to be a version of 'If I was Your Girlfrend' from and old BBC recording of an Eels concert. Makes Prince look like a big girls blouse, but then he is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Matt Cardle > Pasty tattooed Jocks. You are a million times wrong there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Frigid Pink - House of the Rising Sun Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint_bert Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 You mean Anti-Nowhere League's "so what" ? Talking of Anti-Nowhere League, their version of "The Streets of London" is much better than Ralph McTell's I also think "I'm on Fire" by the Guana Batz is better than Bruce Springsteen's. Yeah Metallica do it much better imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 I like a lot of the Sabbath covers on the NIB albums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint_bert Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Although not better imo, but BMTH's version of Slipknots "eyeless" is pretty good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpine_saint Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 I defy ANYBODY to go to iTunes and pull up The Radioactive Chicken Heads version of "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies and NOT spit their coffee over the keyboard. A seriously bad head-f*ck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonnyboy Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 I defy ANYBODY to go to iTunes and pull up The Radioactive Chicken Heads version of "Institutionalized" by Suicidal Tendencies and NOT spit their coffee over the keyboard. A seriously bad head-f*ck... Alpine has great music taste! Who'd have thunk it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Slayer covering Minor Threat: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Posted 27 July, 2011 Share Posted 27 July, 2011 Strangely, this: over, this: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyinthesky Posted 30 July, 2011 Share Posted 30 July, 2011 Marvin Gaye................. 'Heard it thro the Grapevine'...... v Gladys Knight's original Joan Osborne .............. 'What becomes of the Brokenhearted' ...v Jimmy Ruffin's (excellent) original Mirettes ...................... 'To Love Somebody'.... v Bee Gees original Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appy Posted 31 July, 2011 Share Posted 31 July, 2011 Arctic Monkeys- Love Machine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint_Pedro Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 Such a useful thread - I'm in a competition to produce a CD of 15 "good" cover songs (and its not easy) My faves so far :- People are strange - Echo & the Bunnymen Love will tear us apart - Alabama 3 Personal Jesus - Johhny Cash Come up and see me (make me smile) - the wedding present Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecuk268 Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 Kate Bush did a great version of Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkish Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skintsaint Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 Preferred Nirvana's Man who saved the world. Get out.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNSUN Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 There's a new LoveFilm advert out with the song "Higher Love" on it, the original was done by Steve Winwood which was up tempo and generally good, but I love the new slow, haunting version sung my James Vincent McMorrow. I don't much care about adverts, but this song was so good I had to google it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shurlock Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 (edited) Nina Simone = Baltimore (Randy Newman) Johnny Cash = Further Up the Road (Bruce Springsteen) Primal Scream = Know Your Rights (the Clash) Radiohead = The Thief (Can) The Kinks = Im Not Like Everybody Else (doing their own song but radically different from the original - also ended one of the best Sopranos episodes) Cowboy Junkies = Sweet Jane (Velvet Underground) Wu Tang Clan = Heart Gently Weeps (Beatles sort of) My Morning Jacket = Rocket Man (Elton John) Clint Boon Experience and Mark E Smith "Wanna Be Your Dog" (Stooges) Nirvana = Where Did You Sleep Last Night (Leadbelly) Both Devo and Cat Power's versions of Satisfaction by the Stones are pretty good Edited 27 October, 2011 by shurlock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Duckhunter Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 A cover version has to be a lot different from the original in my opinion, add something to it, or be a slightly different take on the song. Joe Cocker did some of the best ones, before he went all soft. A Little help from my friends is obviously the most famous, but Delta Lady and She came in through the bathroom window were also fantastic. His best though, was his take on The Box Tops "The letter" Great version and a great band put together with Leon Russell. They are all pretty much off their heads, but it doesn't get much better than this IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfcuk fan Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 For my suggestion it has to be one of my fave tracks ever. The original acoustic version has a great nostalgic video to it ......... But then the Peter Frampton version in electric guitar that starts after a one minute excellent intro is, in my mind, better ......... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdXNvwoOV1I It was covered by many others including Jeff Healey and Santana but I like the Frampton one best . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scotty Posted 27 October, 2011 Share Posted 27 October, 2011 (edited) A convoluted one this, but Elvis Costello wrote Girls Talk for Dave Edmunds back in the stiff records days, and he had a country rock type hit with it. Very nice it was too. Heard a studio version by Elvis and the attractions, it was ok but not as good as the Edmunds single. Then, if anyones bothering to keep up here which I doubt, I heard a BBC 'sight and sound' show where they simulcast the show live on tv and fm radio. The Attractions keyboard player was away or sick or something, so they drafted in Martin Belmont from Graham Parker and the Rumour, not on keyboards but as an extra guitarist. (wake up in the back there.) They played a blinding set, starting with Temptation which is still my favourite version of that song, and also Girls Talk, which was the highlight of an absolutely brilliant set. I'll have my meds and go back to sleep now. Edited 27 October, 2011 by scotty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gis Posted 31 October, 2011 Share Posted 31 October, 2011 (edited) Can't Get Used To Losing You - The Beat (The Beat covered a few tracks really well) The Bed's Too Big Without You - Sheila Hylton (prefer this to The Police's original by far) Eloise - The Damned (always a great song but this version blows the original away) Edited 31 October, 2011 by Gis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norwaysaint Posted 31 October, 2011 Share Posted 31 October, 2011 Tainted Love - Soft Cell It Must be Love - Madness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spyinthesky Posted 31 October, 2011 Share Posted 31 October, 2011 Joe Cocker-The letter. Willie Nelson-Song for you. Gladys Knight-Heard it through the grapevine. However the best cover in my opinion is Leon Russell's "Jumping Jack flash". Mind you, he's got a pretty decent band to back him up. Are you saying that Gladys Knight was the cover or original version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibden Purlieu Saint Posted 1 November, 2011 Share Posted 1 November, 2011 Tainted Love - Soft Cell It Must be Love - Madness Tainted Love - Marilyn Manson Live and Let Die - Guns and Roses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Duckhunter Posted 1 November, 2011 Share Posted 1 November, 2011 Are you saying that Gladys Knight was the cover or original version? It's complicated, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles recorded it first, then Marvin Gaye and then GN & Pips. But the Pips version was realised first , with Gaye's coming after but being the most famous. Gladys Knights is the best IMO, and one of the only songs that will get me away from the bar and onto the dance floor (much to my kids embarresment). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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