Cover version beats the original!

[Mykesbass]

17 minutes ago, Nail Soup said:

A good example of completely reinventing a traditional song...........

Black Betty by Ram Jam (previously best known by Leadbelly)

Now that could be a whole thread in itself!

 

[Stub Mandrel]

16 hours ago, krispn said:

17 hours ago, Stub Mandrel said:

Interesting, there are examples of traditional songs where an artist comes up with a distinctive version...

Isn’t that what Led Zeppelin did as discussed earlier?

Yes, my point is (and the examples I give underline this) some people come up with a distinctive interpretation of an old standard that others then 'cover'.

[EBS_freak]

Following on the from the out of time thread, I've just realised... the cover of this was defo better than the original...

 

[MB1]

Controversial?.....Possibly?

XTC.. All Along The Watchtower (White Music album)

[mep]

I prefer Frankie Goes To Hollywood's version of Born To Run. It's a bit more energetic and features a bass solo instead of the Springsteen sax one. We covered it in our band and it's a blast to play.

 

 

Edited February 18, 2021 by mep

[Graham56]

A quirky version of a swing classic, New York by Cat Power:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcybnuVH9kM

 

And I don't know if this is any better than the original, but Alex and the boys certainly put their own stamp on Jumping Jack Flash:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQnkhHdXYoQ

Edited February 18, 2021 by Graham56

[ezbass]

Johnny Winter’s version of Dylan’s Highway 61 revisited.

[BillyBass]

Johnny Moped's 'Hard Lovin' Man' was the best track on the 'Live from the Roxy' album.

I was a teenage punk and had no idea it was a cover.

And other great songs I later realised were covers and still consider to be improvements:

Helter Skelter - Siouxsie & the Banshees

Telegram Sam - Bauhaus

Satellite - Sex Pistols

Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight - The Rezillos

Eve of Destruction - The Dickies

Edited February 18, 2021 by BillyBass

[Lozz196]

I never knew Satellite was a cover version?

[Maude]

1 hour ago, Lozz196 said:

I never knew Satellite was a cover version?

I'm not sure it is, I can't find any writers listed other the Pistols. 🤔

 

Similarly, I never realised Police Car by The Members was a cover. It just sounds so 'them'. 

 

[upside downer]

'Satellite' is definitely by the Sex Pistols. 'You're looking like a big, fat, pink baked bean' is pure Lydon.

[Nail Soup]

4 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

I never knew Satellite was a cover version?

Maybe @billy bass was somehow thinking of the covers the Pistols did around that time.... No Fun, Stepping Stone, Don't Gimme No Lip...………..

[kendall]

 

Much as I like the original, I think Eldritch really added a huge melancholic swathe to this track, especially the howl at the end.

[Graulges]

Alpha Blondy - I wish you were here Paris Zénith 2009 - YouTube

[Reggaebass]

3 minutes ago, Graulges said:

Alpha Blondy - I wish you were here Paris Zénith 2009 - YouTube

That’s great, I’m not sure if you’ve seen it but Jerusalem is really good too🙂

[Graulges]

Yeah, I like that and his whole lotta love is pretty good

[Ricky 4000]

15 hours ago, BillyBass said:

Johnny Moped's 'Hard Lovin' Man' was the best track on the 'Live from the Roxy' album.

I was a teenage punk and had no idea it was a cover.

And other great songs I later realised were covers and still consider to be improvements:

Helter Skelter - Siouxsie & the Banshees

Telegram Sam - Bauhaus

Satellite - Sex Pistols

Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight - The Rezillos

Eve of Destruction - The Dickies

I had that album back in the day! 👍

[Al Krow]

Ok this is kinda cheating 'cos it's actually an original in the style of a cover! But this duo has nailed the early Beatles song style down to a T!

 

[MrCrane]

Not sure it beats the original, but this version of Cross Road Blues is one of my favourites.

 

[Frank Blank]

Yeah, more Cake...

 

[BillyBass]

On 19/02/2021 at 07:45, Lozz196 said:

I never knew Satellite was a cover version?

 

On 19/02/2021 at 11:50, Nail Soup said:

Maybe @billy bass was somehow thinking of the covers the Pistols did around that time.... No Fun, Stepping Stone, Don't Gimme No Lip...………..

Revisiting this thread and I notice the above posts.  Yes, my mistake, was thinking of Stepping Stone.

I never saw them play unfortunately, left school in 1979 and went to my first gig shortly afterwards, a year too late😢

[Nicko]

 

I used to play this in a covers band - closer to this version than the Bob Seger version.

[BillyBass]

5 minutes ago, Nicko said:

 

I used to play this in a covers band - closer to this version than the Bob Seger version.

On the subject of Bob Seger, Rosalie was done better by Thin Lizzy I think.

[Al Krow]

So before you string me up, this DOESN'T beat the original. Nothing does! Buuuuuut, I love these guys and hats off to them for daring to try to pull this off with a smile.

 

[peteb]

On 15/11/2020 at 09:53, Lozz196 said:

The punk police will probably exile me for this, but Guns N Roses version of Down on The Farm was far superior to the UK Subs original.

Was the GNR version called 'Civil War' (because I believe that was based on a punk cover)??