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

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In summary, the conversation discussed which songs were performed, arranged, or produced better in a cover than the original version. They also debated which songs should have been left alone and whether restricting covers to released singles limits interesting comparisons. The discussion also touched on the subjectivity of judging which version is "better" and the importance of adding something unique to a cover. Examples of good and unnecessary covers were also mentioned. Overall, the conversation highlighted the different interpretations and emotions that can be evoked by a cover compared to the original version.
  • #1,541
Mister Sandman



Foxes plus Mom.

 
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Science news on Phys.org
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  • #1,543
I'd say that ballads on instruments are one of the biggest challenges in music. There is nowhere to hide.

 
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In Tokyo there was a concert called Skullmania. The whole thing was a parody of heavy metal. I witnessed a handsome young woman in a business skirt -- she looked exactly like the Minato secretaries one sees on the Metro, quite possibly was one -- play the organ solo of Highway Star. This song is very well known. It's even the model name of a popular van.

1733718376851.png


Nissan Highway Star.

Skullmania was not without a bout of Japanese professional wrestling, which is exactly the same as in the USA. A very stylized form.
 
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  • #1,545
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  • #1,546
I like the color match between the tennis shoes and the guitar.
 
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  • #1,548


Nine years ago.

 
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  • #1,551
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabotage_(Beastie_Boys_song) (1994)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beastie_Boys

Beastie Boys Perform "Sabotage" | Letterman (1994)

Beastie Boys - Sabotage (Official Music Video)
- https://www.spin.com/2018/10/beastie-boys-book-sabotage-story/


Voice of Baceprot: https://voiceofbaceprot.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_of_Baceprot
The word baceprot means "noisy" in Sundanese.
- BBC 100 Women 2024: search for Kurnia
Firda Marsya Kurnia, Indonesia
Heavy metal musician

Challenging gender and religious norms is something Firda Marsya Kurnia is comfortable with, as lead vocalist and guitarist in the all-female, hijab-wearing heavy metal band Voice of Baceprot.

Singing in English and Sundanese, one of the most widely spoken languages in Indonesia, the trio’s lyrics express their frustrations with patriarchy.

There has been pushback from more conservative Muslims, who did not respond well when the band ventured into heavy metal.

But the band have come a long way since they started 10 years ago at their village school in Garut, West Java. This year they performed at Glastonbury, the first Indonesian band in the music festival’s 54-year history.


VOB ❗ Live at Head In The Clouds, LA, USA (2023)
Sabotage &t=4m10s (solos and break &t=7m00s)


V.O.B "SABOTAGE || COVER" Live in Chicago (2023)


(VOB covered Killing in the Name in
#673 and Enter Sandman in #547 .)


Great Big Story: Playing Heavy Metal in a Hijab (interview in 2018)
 
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  • #1,555
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am_I_Evil? (1980)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Head_(British_band)

Diamond Head - Am I Evil? (Live in 1979)
"Diamond Head performing 'Am I Evil?' at West Bromwich College in 1979. This was the first ever filmed performance by Diamond Head."

- Am I Evil (1982 audio) - Diamond Head Official
- Diamond Head - Am I Evil (Official Video) (1982) Remastered HQ Audio
- Diamond Head - Am I Evil? (Official Video) - 2020 version




Metallica: Am I Evil? (Oslo, Norway - June 26, 2024)
"Filmed at Tons of Rock at Ekebergsletta in Oslo, Norway, on June 26, 2024, and featuring Brian Tatler on guitar." (Tatler formed Diamond Head.)

- Metallica- Am I Evil? (Studio Version) (1984 audio)
- Am I Evil? - Band Switch Lars on Vocals, James on Drums Rare Live Performance! 1992.02.13 Metallica

METALLICA - AM I EVIL? ( Acoustic Guitar Cover ) (2021)


Metallica - Am I Evil? | Vkgoeswild piano cover


Soy maligno? ( Cover Am I Evil? en español ) ESPACIO ROCK CHILLAN. (2015)


Diamond Head - Am I Evil? cover (ft. Simone van Straten & Nishant Hagjer) (2024) ( vocals: Laura Guldemond )
(solo &t=4m20s)
 
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  • #1,556
Hornbein said:
Love that Motown style ebass.



This ebass player is growlin' it out too.


Well as you and pinball1970 have advanced technical music knowledge. I suppose you can say this is a Motown sounding ebass?.But this is not Motown. So seems like what is being called Jazz, Motown lately actually is sounding suspiciously like pop.So for the sake of purity: let's call pop pop.
Screenshot_2024-12-12-07-19-53-79.jpg
 
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  • #1,557
robphy said:
I can't get interested.
morrobay said:
Well as you and pinball1970 have advanced technical music knowledge. I suppose you can say this is a Motown sounding ebass?.But this is not Motown. So seems like what is being called Jazz, Motown lately actually is sounding suspiciously like pop.So for the sake of purity: let's call pop pop. View attachment 354397
Ha! I grew up 50 miles from Motown, listening to CKLW. I learned how to play in the Motown style. I know what the Motown sound is. I don't give a damn what Wikipedia says. And this song was even released under the Motown brand name!
 
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  • #1,558
The ebass player is great. Something no other instrument can do.

 
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  • #1,559
Hornbein said:

Brilliant
 
  • #1,560
Stars (1986)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hear_'n_Aid#Track_1:_"Stars"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hear_'n_Aid

Hear 'n Aid - Stars (Dio, Dokken, Queensryche, Halford) [HQ]

- Hear N' Aid - Stars [The Lead Vocals] (LD MASTER) [BEST QUALITY] (1986)
- Hear'n Aid "Stars" - The Guitarist


mainly live covers

HEAR N' AID - STARS - ( guitar solos) Ulisses Miyazawa


[싱어게인 49호 가수 ]Hear & Aid - Stars EBS 스페이스 공감.G3 이현석, 조필성, 강인오 (Song by 김진웅,신원철)


Hear N' Aid - Stars by Dio Ken & KellySIMONZ [The Record] (2024)~二人で歌って弾いてみた。#dioken #kellysimonz




Honorable Mention [studio covers from around the world]'
 
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  • #1,561
Norwegian Wood on an unusual instrument.

 
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  • #1,562
Hornbein said:
Norwegian Wood on an unusual instrument.


You just made my top twenty
 
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  • #1,563
 
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  • #1,564
Here is the original, County and Western genre.
 
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  • #1,565
. Supremes cover
 
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  • #1,566
This popped up in my suggested. I do not like Irish music, what I regard as Irish music but I like English folk music.
She describes her site as Irish music, either way her playing is sublime and singing as pretty as it gets.

 
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This. Wow, check out her hybrid picking technique.

 
  • #1,568
I assume this is the original. All I can say is this is what a musician sounds like.

 
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  • #1,569
That's not the original either. Lots of covers.

EDIT: It goes back to the 1800s.
 
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  • #1,570
This thread made me discover this Supremes cover:

Roy Rogers:


Supremes:


(First post -- sorry if my formatting is off)
 
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  • #1,571
pinball1970 said:
That's not the original either. Lots of covers.

EDIT: It goes back to the 1800s.
But Paul Brady is with few peers and that is one of his best.

Here is a cover that really imo "misses the mark" ( BD really is the closest to an (artistic) "Human God" that I have known in my limited existence )



(I think Dylan is a fan of Brady)
 
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  • #1,572
walrus_gumboot said:
This thread made me discover this Supremes cover:

Roy Rogers:


Supremes:


(First post -- sorry if my formatting is off)

First time I heard that song was here.

 
  • #1,573
geordief said:
But Paul Brady is with few peers and that is one of his best.

Here is a cover that really imo "misses the mark" ( BD really is the closest to an (artistic) "Human God" that I have known in my limited existence )



(I think Dylan is a fan of Brady)

I only know "year of the cat" by Al Stewart. I was never a Dylan fan, not keen on his voice but I appreciate his writing. I like the odd track.
Same with Neil Young.
There are a couple of Dylan songs on here, "All along the watchtower" and "Mighty Quin."
 
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He's good, if you dig 1950's crooner style.



The Roy Rogers version has a clarinet, possibly an alto. They don't make 'em the way they used to.
 
  • #1,575
His intonation on this one is pretty bad.

 
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