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Joined: July 31 2004
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Topic: Covers that are better than the originals Posted: January 19 2012 at 10:48
The Glee thread got me thinking about examples of bands taking a song which may or may not have been good to begin with, and by putting their own spin on it really transform it into something better, or at least just as good as the original. My personal favourite example of this is (predictably enough) Cardiacs' exuberant take on Dave Davis' 1967 single "Susannah's Still Alive". Whilst the original's none too shabby (as you'd expect from the Kinks), I think Tim Smith and co. really kick it up a notch or two with their arrangement.
Here's the original:
And here's the Cardiacs version:
Can you think of any other examples? All genres permitted.
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Posted: January 19 2012 at 10:56
Many Carpenters hits were covers of originals by Paul Williams or other artists. In most cases, I prefer the Carpenters versions. Not so much the arrangements but definitely the singing.
Here's Paul Williams's Won't Last A Day Without You
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Posted: January 19 2012 at 11:04
There is a odd phenomenon with covers in that you generally prefer the version of any song that you heard (and liked) first, regardless of whether that was the orginal or a cover. Of course there are exceptions to that, but not many.
(which did you hear first David - Kinks or Cardiacs?)
So, it is quite possible that my pick is of that ilk, since I'd not heard the original when I heard this cover: This Mortal Coil's cover of Tim Buckley's Song To The Siren. Most TMC covers were adequate and some were not quite right, but Liz Frazier and Robin Guthrie connected on this one and made something that was a bit special.
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Posted: January 19 2012 at 11:52
The Allman Brothers 'Whippin' Post'
And the Frank Zappa version.
That's the only Zappa version I could find, but the version on the 'Does Humor Belong in Music?' album is a lot better and has Dweezil doing the guitar solo.
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Posted: January 19 2012 at 12:48
Dean wrote:
There is a odd phenomenon with covers in that you generally prefer the version of any song that you heard (and liked) first, regardless of whether that was the orginal or a cover. Of course there are exceptions to that, but not many.
(which did you hear first David - Kinks or Cardiacs?)
There's probably a great deal of truth to that, but I'm sure if I give it enough thought I might come up with a couple of exceptions. I did indeed hear the Cardiacs version first, but having gotten massively into The Kinks in recent months I think I'm well-equipped enough to appreciate the original for what it is as well. I just think the Cardiacs' version is so much more lively - slightly quicker tempo, twiddly piano/sax bits bubbling under that catchy tune, and then that glorious distorted guitar solo... it's got everything the original song has in terms of melody, but builds on those foundations to create something even better. Of course, terms like "better" are always going to be very subjective and as a card-carrying Cardiacs fanboy I'm hardly going to be objective about this one, but I honestly can't imagine anyone hearing the both of those and not thinking that, at the very least, Cardiacs took that song to some new and interesting places compared to the comparatively straight-forward Kinks version.
This one's not so much a case of doing it better as doing it differently and to very great effect.
Wyatt:
Unthanks:
(They originally did a studio version of this on the album "The Bairns", but I could only find this live one for embedding purposes).
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Posted: January 19 2012 at 15:11
Toto have a nice version of Bodishatva by Steely Dan who is very close to match the original,
but Manfreds Mann (and Earth Bands) version of many of Dylan and Bruce Springsteens springs to my minds as better then the original IMO and even more famous.
it is hard to think this is a Dylan song but it is
Damn am I the first to mention Dylan's All along the watchtower? Jimi did that track a thousand times better, if you ask me - and I am a big Dylan fan.
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Posted: January 19 2012 at 23:05
This version has everything the original does not: better singing, better drumming, Hammond organ, better guitar solo and let's face it, that riff should be played on a piano
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Posted: January 20 2012 at 07:47
zravkapt wrote:
This version has everything the original does not: better singing, better drumming, Hammond organ, better guitar solo and let's face it, that riff should be played on a piano
I couldn't possibly disagree more. They turn a great song into rather a dull one. Saaad
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Posted: January 20 2012 at 09:14
In the early 70's Peruvian bands made great covers in their albums.
For example
The Peruvian band PAX added somne choirs, a mean Hammond and heavier guitars to the already excellent Golden Earring track "Radar Love", the LP and single were best sellers in Peru..Pax version is pretty harder with a funky taste..
The Christian Rock band made a sleepy somng called Carry on Till Tomorrow, that sent me to bed.
The Peruvian Proto band "We All Together" made a better cover
Pretty similar but less sleepy and more up tempo wiuth better vocal interpretations and orchestration..
Iván
Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - January 20 2012 at 09:32
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Posted: January 20 2012 at 10:15
Snow Dog wrote:
zravkapt wrote:
This version has everything the original does not: better singing, better drumming, Hammond organ, better guitar solo and let's face it, that riff should be played on a piano
I couldn't possibly disagree more. They turn a great song into rather a dull one. Saaad
Agree with Snow Dog. But "rather dull"? To me it's totally lame
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Covers that are better than the originals
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Dean wrote:
