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

[DaveC426913]

Never have I heard a cover do justice to an original so much as with Lovers in a Dangerous Time.
It was an OK song when Bruce did it, but the BNL breathed a haunting soul into it that made it all it was meant to be.

Bruce Cockburn (1984)
Bare Naked Ladies (1991)

 

[hutchphd]

You will never hear the song the same way again......

 

[hutchphd]

@DaveC426913 He also does "Hey Mr Tamborine Man" that makes me wish to cry. He's Canadian you know. I used to love Mr Tamborine man.

 

[pinball1970]

You will never hear the song the same way again......

I have been waiting for these! Shatner, Legend!

 

[pinball1970]

@DaveC426913 He also does "Hey Mr Tamborine Man" that makes me wish to cry. He's Canadian you know. I used to love Mr Tamborine man.

Ill see your Shatner and raise you a Kojak!

I think William was having fun but I really think this one is supposed to be serious! Reason I know? He lights a cigarette before he starts, gets that gravel ready!

 

[pinball1970]

I think I have only contributed one so far! some interesting versions!

 

[fresh_42]

I think I have only contributed one so far! some interesting versions!

Sure that all these have been covers, or did you raise with monopoly money?

Anyway, I pay a William(s) plus a Savallas, no reraise:

Original:



Cover:



Edit: No monopoly money, I found the original. Malheuresement.

 

[pinball1970]

Sure that all these have been covers, or did you raise with monopoly money?

Anyway, I pay a William(s) plus a Savallas, no reraise:

Original:



Cover:



Edit: No monopoly money, I found the original. Malheuresement.

Bread fantastic. London Bridge and Guitar man my favourites. Mum saw David Gates a few years ago in Manchester. Said his voice sounded just as pure.

 

[Klystron]

Which songs were performed, arranged or produced better in a cover than the original version?

Jimi Hendrix covered Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" with an ethereal voice and superb guitar playing that exceeds the original release. Hendrix's version has itself been covered by singers and poets alike. The 2018 series "Vanity Fair" based on a 19th Century novel by Thackeray features a slow measured "Watchtower" theme by Afterhere based on Jimi's cover that sets the pace and feelings for each episode in the series.

Which songs should have been left well alone?

Many other Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman) songs including the beautiful sleepy "Lay, Lady, Lay" that others cover but do not surpass. Not so much 'left alone' as folksingers by definition interpret and borrow from multiple sources including the blues, baroque, and poetry.

Presuming the King actually wrote the scores, I rather enjoy Henry VIII's dance music played on authentic or accurately reproduced period instruments. Modernized covers tend to over dramatize the inherent simplicity and pace of the original dances.

 

[BillTre]

Original (Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven):


One of the best covers ever (Heart, etal. Kennedy Center):

 

[pinball1970]

Original (Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven):


One of the best covers ever (Heart, etal. Kennedy Center):

This one is a mixed bag. It's Led Zeppelin and Heart covering so SHOULD have been perfect.

The gospel choir kicked in, not required and unnecessary.
The brass kicked in, should have left that alone.
Jason Bonham on drums was a nice touch.

 

[pinball1970]

Jimi Hendrix covered Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" with an ethereal voice and superb guitar playing that exceeds the original release. Hendrix's version has itself been covered by singers and poets alike. The 2018 series "Vanity Fair" based on a 19th Century novel by Thackeray features a slow measured "Watchtower" theme by Afterhere based on Jimi's cover that's sets the pace and feelings for each episode in the series.Many other Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman) songs including the beautiful sleepy "Lay, Lady, Lay" that others cover but do not surpass. Not so much 'left alone' as folksingers by definition interpret and borrow from multiple sources including the blues, baroque, and poetry.

Presuming the King actually wrote the scores, I rather enjoy Henry VIII's dance music played on authentic or accurately reproduced period instruments. Modernized covers tend to over dramatize the inherent simplicity and pace of the original dances.

Jimmy Hendrix "all along the watchtower" is perfection.
No other way of putting it.

Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man and Mighty Quinn gave the Byrds and Manfred Mann's Earth Band two great songs too.

 

[Hornbein]

The Byrd's covers of Dylan are superb but suffer from lotech recording. I like The Thorns recent versions of same.

 

[BWV]

 

[pinball1970]

I thought it was Lou Reed! All these years!

 

[Hornbein]

Burning up Highway Star. Better than the orig I say. Endorsed by Ian Paice. He says they are from Austria.

 

[Hornbein]

I thought it was Lou Reed! All these years!

Iggy Stooge was class valedictorian at my high school.

 

[BWV]

Burning up Highway Star. Better than the orig I say. Endorsed by Ian Paice. He says they are from Austria.

Nice cover, made me think of this for some reason

 

[jack action]

Astronomy Domine

Good original from Pink Floyd:

​

Better cover from Voivod:

​

 

[pinball1970]

Burning up Highway Star. Better than the orig I say. Endorsed by Ian Paice. He says they are from Austria.

Ian Paice is a very nice man. However he is wrong , a nice cover but a woman singing Ian Gillan works in terms of range but not timbre.

 

[BWV]

Astronomy Domine

Good original from Pink Floyd:

​

Better cover from Voivod:

​

another cool PF cover

 

[pinball1970]

another cool PF cover

Not keen an the Sid years. A few tracks are ok but Floyd kicked in when Gilmore started firing for me. Echoes

 

[pinball1970]

Burning up Highway Star. Better than the orig I say. Endorsed by Ian Paice. He says they are from Austria.

Deep purple. Listen to how relaxed his voice is. The try singing it.
He has a go a bouncers who were being rough

 

[Hornbein]

That reminds me, Nick Mason's band Saucerful of Secrets does great Pink Floyd covers.

 

[Hornbein]

another cool PF cover

Way better than the orig. (Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun.)

 

[Hornbein]

Here's the original. I can't decide which is better.

 

[Hornbein]

Zepparella -- When The Levee Breaks

 

[BWV]

Zepparella -- When The Levee Breaks

Not as good as Zeppelin’s cover of the song. The original is quite good though

 

[BWV]

A non-cover-band cover of an original Zeppelin tune

 

[pinball1970]

This is great. No expensive video, just the guys playing. No semi nudity, gyration or lingual protrusion, just great singing.
Beautiful little trills, lovely tone. It is missing those high harmonies which are perfect but the whole package is great.



Original but this is a stripped down live. No harmony.

 

[fresh_42]

This is great. No expensive video, just the guys playing. No semi nudity, gyration or lingual protrusion, just great singing.
Beautiful little trills, lovely tone. It is missing those high harmonies which are perfect but the whole package is great.Original but this is a stripped down live. No harmony.

My favorite version. I don't like Miley very much.

 

[pinball1970]

Here's the original. I can't decide which is better.

The arrangement is pretty much the same so besides his tone and recording, little in it.

 

[pinball1970]

Not as good as Zeppelin’s cover of the song. The original is quite good though

Drums are wrong. Ignoring technique for the minute, the snare sound is flat. More boom required on toms and bass drum too.
Also 5:24? That is the drum moment. The roll before it more obvious (but wrong, goes to rack too soon) but 5:24 is the Bonham moment for me. 2nd and 3rd beat of a triplet on his BD. She misses it out.

 

[pinball1970]

My favorite version. I don't like Miley very much.

Forgetting who she is (Miley) I was shocked how good that actually was. It was also honest music.

Anyway, OLJ you love her even more than Lemmy!
I have never heard this before. Obviously she was a great singer but those little glottal things she does are just beautiful. Almost Yodel like.

The words do not work though, "Your beauty is beyond compare..."
Yeah right. You're Olivia Newton John! I spent the first few bars just staring at the image of her. Stunning.

 

[pinball1970]

I hated prince when he came out. Everything I detested about the 80s in one artist.
When I found out he wrote this I was gob smacked. Everything you want to tell someone you love in one song (after you have split that is!)
Anyway, I am not keen on the original but I totally appreciate the writing. Words and music. Brilliant.