| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
Jim Garten 
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin & Razor Guru
Joined: February 02 2004
Location: South England
Status: Offline
Points: 14693
|
 Topic: Superior Cover Versions
Posted: April 11 2005 at 03:10 |
This thread is inspired by the "Bob Dylan" thread on 'main discussions':
How many times have you heard a cover version which knocks seven shades of good-for-the-roses out of the original? Admittedly, it can be argued that you cannot improve on the original, this is how it was meant to sound etc, but you know what I mean, hmmmm? 
A couple of examples to get the ball rolling:
Bob Dylan's 'Hard Rain', superbly covered by Roxy Music.
The Beatles 'I Am The Walrus' given a roughing up and a complete re-birth by Spooky Tooth.
|
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
|
 |
Certif1ed
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 08 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 7559
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 04:04 |
Hendrix's "All Along The Watchtower"
Joe Cocker's awesome interpretation of "A Little Help From My Friends"
Oasis' reworking of "Wonderwall"
Motorhead's "Louie Louie"
Tygers of Pan Tang - "Love Potion #9"
Fanny - "Hey Bulldog"
Blue Cheer - Satisfaction
Rolf Harris - Stairway to Heaven, Satisfaction, Bohemian Rhapsody... pure class 
Edited by Certif1ed
|
|
Dragon Phoenix
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 31 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 1475
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 05:50 |
 Certif1ed wrote:
Oasis' reworking of "Wonderwall" |
Uh?
Anyway:
The two most obvious ones for me are Blinded by the light (MMEB) and Song to the siren (This Mortal Coil).
|
|
Joren
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 07 2004
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 6667
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 06:24 |
Frank Zappa - Stairway To Heaven.
|
|
Alucard
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 10 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 3888
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 06:35 |
|
|
|
Jim Garten
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin & Razor Guru
Joined: February 02 2004
Location: South England
Status: Offline
Points: 14693
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 07:27 |
|
|
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012
|
|
Guests
Forum Guest Group
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 12:08 |
|
On Rush's Feedback record, I like their version of Summertime Blues better than the Blue Cheer version.
|
|
Certif1ed
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: April 08 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 7559
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 13:33 |
But the Blue Cheer version was epic!!
Blue Cheer were the original Spinal Tap - or, possibly more accurately, Disaster Area. Was that a great psycho drum beat, or could the guy simply not play in time?
Who cares?
It's classic
|
|
maani
Special Collaborator
Founding Moderator
Joined: January 30 2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 2632
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 14:10 |
Jim Carrey's version of "I Am the Walrus." (And no, I'm not kidding.)
GNRs version of Knockin' on Heaven's Door?
|
|
Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: February 21 2004
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 15585
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 14:37 |
Spooky Tooth's "I am the walrus" (included on the Island label sampler "Bumper's") was indeed a classic Jim.
Maintaining the Bob Duylan theme, Manfred Mann's Earth Band's version of his "Father of day, father of night" was terrific.
Also, a mention for Uriah Heep's covers of "Come away Melinda" and Survivor's "Across the miles". Oh and of course Yes' version of Simon and Garfunkels "America".
|
|
Alucard
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: September 10 2004
Location: France
Status: Offline
Points: 3888
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 14:38 |
Robert Wyatt did some great covers :
I'm a believer, memories of old days, round about midnight (this one is really haunting)
and Elvis Costello did a great RW cover Shipbuilding
|
|
Richardw
Prog Reviewer
Joined: December 10 2004
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 762
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 15:12 |
VAN HALEN - You Really Got Me
VOIVOD - Astronomy Domine
SPOCK'S BEARD - In Held ('Twas) In I
ZAPPA - Purple Haze/Sunshine Of Your Love.
HEART - Rock & Roll
I don't think these are better than the originals, but they are great to listen to anyway.
|
|
Syzygy
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: December 16 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Status: Offline
Points: 7003
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 15:44 |
Fairport Convention - Si Tu Dois Partir (obscure Dylan EP track translated into French)
Zappa - Murder By Numbers
Gryphon - Mother Nature's Son (they also did a great version of Telstar as a live encore)
Pink Floyd - How Long (used to do it as a soundcheck)
Peter Gabriel - I Heard It Through The Grapevine (ditto)
Todd Rundgren - The Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song
|
|
'Like so many of you
I've got my doubts about how much to contribute
to the already rich among us...'
Robert Wyatt, Gloria Gloom
|
|
Guests
Forum Guest Group
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 15:45 |
Certif1ed wrote:
But the Blue Cheer version was epic!!
Blue Cheer were the original Spinal Tap - or, possibly more accurately, Disaster Area. Was that a great psycho drum beat, or could the guy simply not play in time?
Who cares?
It's classic
|
But the Blue Cheer version sounds so damn lousy! I can't get past the poor sound of it.
|
|
Joren
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: February 07 2004
Location: Netherlands
Status: Offline
Points: 6667
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 18:58 |
Talking about Spooky Tooth:
Better By You Better Than Me - covered By Judas Priest.
and : Joan Baez - Diamonds And Rust
also covered by Judas Priest.
|
|
Cygnus X-2
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: December 24 2004
Location: Bucketheadland
Status: Offline
Points: 21342
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 23:32 |
The Who did a number of great covers- Shakin' All Over and Summertime Blues for example. Their version of Fortune Teller is good as well (Yes, I'm naming the covers on Live at Leeds).
Yes's version of America is a classic if you ask me.
Cream also had some good covers: Crossroads, Spoonful, Cat's Squirrel, etc.
And the Derek and the Dominoes version of Little Wing is good, too (Maybe Stevie Ray Vaughn's is better).
Edited by Cygnus X-2
|
|
|
|
aqualung28
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 03 2004
Status: Offline
Points: 916
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 23:52 |
The Melvins version of Going Blind by Kiss (Because Kiss is bad)
The Motorhead version of Louie Louie
I've probably got more but I cant think of any
|
|
"O' lady look up in time o' lady look out of love
'n you should have us all
O' you should have us fall"
"Bill's Corpse" By Captain Beefheart
|
|
Guests
Forum Guest Group
|
Posted: April 11 2005 at 23:54 |
Cygnus X-2 wrote:
The Who did a number of great covers- Shakin' All Over and Summertime Blues for example. Their version of Fortune Teller is good as well (Yes, I'm naming the covers on Live at Leeds).
Yes's version of America is a classic if you ask me.
Cream also had some good covers: Crossroads, Spoonful, Cat's Squirrel, etc.
And the Derek and the Dominoes version of Little Wing is good, too (Maybe Stevie Ray Vaughn's is better).
|
Probably the worst cover I know of. They butchered it!! It was so beautiful and elegant, and then they tore it to pieces in a sheer exercise of style over substance. I think Tales from Topographic Oceans was beautiful, and I've always wished that the punks had pointed at that abomination instead.
I'm sorry for being a nut, I completely agree with all your other choices, but that one... *gags*
|
|
Guests
Forum Guest Group
|
Posted: April 12 2005 at 00:21 |
Oh, uhm... I like Fuzzy Dude's version of Masters of War. You know, the one with just him on bass, and then he slowly builds up the tension in the riff until he's snarling 'I hope that you die!!! And that your death will come sooon!!'
My god... that will put hair on your chest, it will...
|
|
Peter
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator
Joined: January 31 2004
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 9669
|
Posted: April 12 2005 at 00:25 |
FuzzyDude wrote:
Cygnus X-2 wrote:
Yes's version of America is a classic if you ask me.
|
Probably the worst cover I know of. They butchered it!! It was so beautiful and elegant, and then they tore it to pieces in a sheer exercise of style over substance. I think Tales from Topographic Oceans was beautiful, and I've always wished that the punks had pointed at that abomination instead.
I'm sorry for being a nut, I completely agree with all your other choices, but that one... *gags*
|
 ^ Fussy Prude! 
I like em both, but the Yes cover RAWKS!
 Fer chrissake, have a beer & crank it! -- don't yank it....
Edited by Peter
|
|
"And, has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
|
|
Donate monthly and keep PA fast-loading and ad-free forever.
/PAlogo_v2.gif "Progarchives.com Homepage")
Superior Cover Versions
