Cover songs versus the original track, which ones are better?

[fresh_42]

Elvis' "Always on my mind"



Again, Willie's



And for last, The Pet Shop Boys'. The memories!!!

And none of them was the original!

Written by Johnny Christopher, Mark James, and Wayne Carson, the track was first recorded by B.J. Thomas in 1970, but was never released.

Brenda Lee recorded the song on September 22, 1971 at Bradley's Barn recording studio in Mount Juliet near Nashville. This version was released on June 12, 1972 and peaked at #45 on the country chart. The play may have been published by Gwen McCrae earlier that same year.

 

[fresh_42]

I know covers that are much, much worse.

Let's hear them. I know the title is an either or kind of thing but absolutely stinkers are welcome so people can critique.

 

[pinball1970]

View attachment 324185

Yes Pepper was on an 8 track or something ridiculous? George Martin was so important in bringing the best out of the Beatles.

 

[Hornbein]

Yes Pepper was on an 8 track or something ridiculous? George Martin was so important in bringing the best out of the Beatles.

4 track. That started the boom. Though the first to do such things was Stockhausen, who then inspired Frank Zappa's Brown Shoes Don't Make It. Sgt Pepper followed.

Though if you are good enough just stick a mic in front of you and press record.

 

[Hornbein]

Grateful Dead covers.

 

[Hornbein]

Kansas' Carry On My Wayward Son at a Yamaha Stagea competition.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Freyja]

And none of them was the original!

I had no idea bro, popular music isn't my strongest point, I have to admit

 

[symbolipoint]

A cover band which does covers of instrumental surf rock music is called "Huevos Rancheros".
I am not posting links to videos on YouTube; one may do a search on YouTube and find them.

Better? Worse? Good representations? My feel is that although maybe slightly different than the originals, they are good.

 

[jack action]

Anarchy in the U.K.

Sex Pistols:

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Megadeth:

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[robphy]

You Really Got Me
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Really_Got_MeThe Kinks (1964):


Van Halen (1978) (start at 00:50s):

 

[pinball1970]

A cover band which does covers of instrumental surf rock music is called "Huevos Rancheros".
I am not posting links to videos on YouTube; one may do a search on YouTube and find them.

Better? Worse? Good representations? My feel is that although maybe slightly different than the originals, they are good.

I'll check thanks.

 

[robphy]

Godzilla
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godzilla_(Blue_Öyster_Cult_song)

Blue Oyster Cult (1977)
Racer X (with Paul Gilbert) (2000) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racer_X_(band)

 

[BWV]

Trve Norwegian Black Surf Music

 

[pinball1970]

Wow. CSN one of my favourite bands. I loved that version thanks.

 

[pinball1970]

Reminded me of these guys.

 

[Hornbein]

Racer X (with Paul Gilbert) (2000) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racer_X_(band)

SO over the top. Love it. Reminds me of this. Type O Negative does Neil Young's Cinnamon Girl. I like the extreme electronics on the guitar solo.



Here's a feature of that drenched guitar solo.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

A whole playlist of bluegrass covers of rock tunes.

 

[pinball1970]

Foxes and Fossils…wow. You have opened up a whole new world to me!
I absolutely love the dynamic, older guys and the young gals but what a beautiful sound?
I have checked all the live stuff too, amazing.
CSN had a unique sound, hard to pick out one line because the voices blended so perfectly but these guys do it.
Notice how the girl on the left has a constant smile on her face?
That is music is supposed to be for me, joy.
The French family I posted who do all the Beatles stuff are fantastic also, young kids with their dad, just brilliant.
Check out the drummer he looks all of ten!

 

[Hornbein]

How beautiful can music get? The Wailing Jennys with Gillian Welch's One More Dollar.

I'm going home.

 

[pinball1970]

This one makes me a little sad now he has gone. It is more of a demo of what his guitar can do by changing pick ups.
A great player covering part of a classic track by the most influential guitarist of all time probably.

 

[Hornbein]

A great player covering part of a classic track by the most influential guitarist of all time probably.

This is gonna be off topic but I can't resist. Jimi was the kind of guy where your first thought is Wow! and your second thought is "I couldn't do that in a million years." So he isn't that influential. Tommy Iommi, now that's influence. Anyone can play guitar like that, and millions have.

 

[Hornbein]

A work of genius.

 

[pinball1970]

This is gonna be off topic but I can't resist. Jimi was the kind of guy where your first thought is Wow! and your second thought is "I couldn't do that in a million years." So he isn't that influential. Tommy Iommi, now that's influence. Anyone can play guitar like that, and millions have.

Yes I get that, I suppose Buddy Rich and Keith Moon were similar animals.
Buddy, impossible technique, outrageous today let alone in the 40s-80s.
Keith Moon a truly awful drummer. All arms, lots of unnecessary drums, one dimensional, he went out of time but....captured the imagination.
Perfect for the Who.

Anyway this post is Jimi again, a demonstration as much as a cover. Nice to see how all the parts are played.
The solo is not a collection of licks, it is a combination of little tunes to make one story. He was unique in a lot of ways but that was one of them.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

Steve Lukather -- Third Stone From The Sun.

 

[Hornbein]

Depends on whom you influence.

I'm going with quantity, not quality.

 

[Hornbein]

The Chicago Harp Twins ply Bon Jovi's It's My Life

 

[Hornbein]

Kevin Gilbert -- Kashmir. Kevin plays all the instruments.

It is pretty rare that someone is sure to make it big. But Kevin died young so it didn't happen.

 

[fresh_42]

Original:



Cover:

 

[Hornbein]

Original
Cover.


Robert Plant, better than ever say I.

 

[pinball1970]

Original:



Cover:

I prefer the dance version. As more of a purist I should prefer the acoustic version but I like the synth sounds and her voice.

 

[jack action]

The Chicago Harp Twins ply Bon Jovi's It's My Life

Wasn't really impressed with this cover and I was sure something more impressive could have been done with harps. They did:

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[Hornbein]

The return of the rock star. Dig the wah wah guitar solo.