Do you guys have examples of very good (maybe even better than the original) or very bad cover versions of songs?
I'd file this under bad, very bad indeed.
Eva Cassidy - What A Wonderful World (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZbibv31hXU)
All awesome, each in a different way.
Original: Massive Attack - Teardrop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yftOy8kz7aE)
Cover (acoustic guitar): Newton Faulkner - Teardrop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjT86g9gTKk)
Cover (beatbox+loops): Beardyman - Teardrop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwweTmR3ZoU)
Nina Simone - To Love Somebody
Elbow - Independent Woman
Both much better than the original.
I'd regard all of Tarja's Hard Rock covers (e. g. Alice Cooper's Poison) as annoying
http://www.wingtunes.com/listen.html (http://www.wingtunes.com/listen.html)
http://www.wingtunes.com/listen.html (http://www.wingtunes.com/listen.html)
Please, tell me that this is just a giant hoax!
Wing sings AC/DC, Wing sings Elvis, Wing sings more [sic!] AC/DC, ...
Amazing: Chris Cornell - Billie Jean (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jSrpn8ED74)
The Decemberists' cover (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkupD-bTxvQ) of Joanna Newsom's Bridges and Balloon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jv4A6_EPo9o).
I heard The Decemberists' version before Joanna Newsom's. Searching YouTube for the track led me to discover it was a cover. I often think that the version that you hear first has a lot of bearing on which you prefer, so an artist improving a track is quite impressive.
I guess mentions should go out to Richard Cheese and Nouvelle Vague.
Edit: Oh, and in the same vein as Elbow's Independent Woman (which I first heard on rathergood.com (http://www.rathergood.com/independent_woman)) , Eels' Get Ur Freak On (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6pPC883l10). Or even Arctic Monkeys' Love Machine (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5naVFl8-EM). That's me spent. For now.
Ladyscraper - Senseless Apprentice
And how can we talk about awesome covers and not invoke Easy Star All Stars?
after all those years, Van Halen's "You Really Got Me" is still a permanent part of my playlist and beats imho the original version of "The Kinks" by miles
How about the Amboy Dukes covering, "Baby Please Don't Go"--originally by blues singer Big Joe Williams.
Them (with Van Morrison singing) covered it first, but Nuge's guitar work is really pretty unbelievably wild.
Lots of '60s garage bands did awesome covers of old blues standards, TBH.
The barbershop quartet Vocal Spectrum performs an outstanding version of the Beach Boys hit "Good Vibrations". Sure, it's an acapella performance (it's barbershop harmony, of course), but just as enjoyable as the Beach Boys version with instruments.
The Vocal Spectrum quartet won the international barbershop quartet contest held in Indianapolis in 2006.
Vocal Spectrum Website (http://www.vocalspectrum.com/)
Lots of '60s garage bands did awesome covers of old blues standards, TBH.
Led Zeppelin - When the Levee Breaks and the Doors - Back Door Man stand out in my mind, though I'm not sure I'd call either band "garage".
after all those years, Van Halen's "You Really Got Me" is still a permanent part of my playlist and beats imho the original version of "The Kinks" by miles
Speaking of Van Halen, "You're No Good" is just awesome whether by VH or Linda Ronstadt! Both have their pleasures. The simple extended outro of guitar harmonics with simple background strings on the latter is just something that stuck with me while DLR's throaty howling and the much blusier vibe is also a pleasure on the former.
In fact there's a lot of fine pleasures in VH's covers from the DLR years! I totally dig how, on "Diver Down", the controlled chaos of "Intruder" segues into "(Oh) Pretty Woman" then hits the next cover afterwards, "Dancing In The Streets"! ;-)
As for an annoying cover, Faith No More's "Easy". It's just bad. Way bad.
--EazyB
My personal favorite is Jeff Buckley's version of The Smith's I Know It's Over.
Renegades of Funk (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LMRH4GfViY), covered by Rage Against The Machine. Love it.
Much better than the original: Pomplamoose - Telephone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vEStDd6HVY) by Lady Gaga.
They also made some other great covers.
Much better than the original: Pomplamoose - Telephone (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vEStDd6HVY) by Lady Gaga.
They also made some other great covers.
Helgi: I had never heard of this duet until yesterday, when I read your post. I watched/listened to the Telephone song and others. Loved them all! Nataly is adorable and Jack is crazy (in a nice way). Their combination of video and music is extremely creative. Thanks for the tip on Pomplamoose!
Agent Orange doing "Somebody To Love"
Minor Threat doing "Stepping Stone"
I'd say that Weird Al's "Bohemian Polka" does fit the thread's subject. (We weren't supposed to delete any of the words, were we?)
Wow, those Pomplamoose songs are great! Thought of "Telephone" as Gaga's single best song to date, but the Pomplamoose cover leaves it in the dust. Thanks for the tip!
Pomplamoose is getting some TV exposure here in the USA ... they are featured in a series of Hyundai commercials for the Christmas holidays, singing "Up on the Housetop", "Jingle Bells", and "Deck the Halls."
Pomplamoose Hyundai Commercials (http://www.youtube.com/user/HMAUSA)
A nice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJd3eOAMquA&playnext=1&list=PL548D2E35DCA886AE&index=8) cover of Beck's Sunday Sun by The Ciinematics
Ladyscraper - Scentless Apprentice (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuKTNRbtFy8) - Very noisy cover of Nirvana - Senseless Apprentice
Do you guys have examples of very good (maybe even better than the original) or very bad cover versions of songs?
Original: Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes For You
Remake: a FAR better version by Art Garfunkel
Original: Robert Knight - Everlasting Love
Remake: an infinitely better version by Carl Carlton
Original: Stevie Wonder - Pasttime Paradise
Remake: Nowhere as good a version by Coolio. Not even close!
Original: Big Mama Thornton - Hound Dog
Remake: Elvis's brilliant version was in a much higher galaxy
Original: Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
Remake: Dolly Parton did a version that did not hold a candle to the original
My favorite cover is probably Slowdive playing Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair". They gave it their characteristic ethereal swirling sound using electric guitars and a rack full of effects. The original was just one acoustic guitar, so its a very different experience. Both versions drip with a certain mystery, almost a creepiness, but the actual sound of it is so different.
Syd Barrett's original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9NQg9Lhygo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9NQg9Lhygo)
Slowdive's cover
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X--drJofslw (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X--drJofslw)
Original: Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven
Remake: Dolly Parton did a version that did not hold a candle to the original
Definitely the worst ever.
Second prize goes to Love and Rockets cover of the Temptations "Ball of Confusion". The original was a masterpiece, but L and R sung it with an ABSOLUTE monotone. The reason I hated it so much was that at the time the radio stations played the crap version over and over as if the real song had never existed.
Dishonorable mention goes to Pat Boone's entire album "No more Mr. Nice guy- In a Metal Mood"- a big band butchering of hard rock and metal songs. That was given to me as a (literal) gag gift. Technically it is probably worse than the previously two. However, that album was intended to be bad so it is disqualified from the worst ever prize.
Then of course there is anything by Wing, which is so bad it's funny.
Best cover versions:
-"All Along the Watchtower"- Hendrix cover of Dylan
-"I Shot the Sheriff"- Clapton Cover of Marley
-"Smoke Two Joints"- Sublime cover of Marley (Marley was a GREAT songwriter.)
-"Ain't That a Shame"- Cheap Trick cover of Fats Domino .
How about the other way around?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin-Atra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin-Atra)
Absolutely dreadful!!!
This one is pretty good though:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Skolnick..._New_Generation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Skolnick_Trio#Goodbye_to_Romance:_Standards_for_a_New_Generation)
How about the other way around?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin-Atra (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sin-Atra)
Absolutely dreadful!!!
Easy now, Devin Townsend is usually pretty good. Ima have to find that and give it a listen.
Ever hear of Hayseed Dixie. They do bluegrass/ country versions of AC/DC songs (as well as other artists). Surprisingly they're pretty good.
Hayseed Dixie knows their Motörhead by heart. Great band.
@Canar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN4KTO6S0tg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN4KTO6S0tg) . If you must. Dee Snider's version of 'It was a very good year' sounds like an attempted Kashmir. Don't think I need this album.
I'd say that Bob Dylan would be the most improved-upon artist. Apart from his famous poetry, he does indeed write good songs and then he doesn't do that much out of them.
Easy now, Devin Townsend is usually pretty good. Ima have to find that and give it a listen.
I like Devin Townsend. In fact, I like most of the performers on that album.
@Canar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN4KTO6S0tg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN4KTO6S0tg) . If you must.
Pure Devin. I love it. >_>
The vocal track is awesome, no doubt about it. The music simply doesn't work with awkwardly hurried timing. I like the part beginning at 1:12, but again I *am* a fan of Devin Townsend.
I guess this album hits close to home for me. I've spent a lot of time trying to convince a particular individual in my life (a jazz snob) that metal is a legitimate and respectable form of music. Presenting him with this album would be like throwing in the towel, but maybe I should.
I've spent a lot of time trying to convince a particular individual in my life (a jazz snob) that metal is a legitimate and respectable form of music.
That's your significant other?
... tried to turn around your strategy and feed him/her some of jazz's more badass eccentrics?
Grindcore was sufficiently OTT to attract the attention of John Zorn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Zorn) in the late eighties, and he did cross the genre boundary with genre-deconstructionists Naked City (jazzcore/grindcore on Torture Garden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture_Garden_(album)) and avantgrade sludge way too ugly for the common Metalliclub member on Leng Tch'e (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leng_Tch%27e_(album))), and later also with Painkiller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painkiller_(band)).
Of course the person in question might fire back at you that you picked Zorn just for the 'Jazz Snob Eat Shit' track title.
I should have qualified as a jazz standards snob. If it ain't Duke Ellington...
John Zorn? John Coltrane is "too far out there."
My significant other liked the metal as a teenager, now is into Radiohead and Neutral Milk Hotel. I think I'll go listen to VH's cover of "Where Have All the Good Times Gone" now (speaking of an awesome cover).
having a really good laugh at Wings Sings xy
My favorite cover of all times is probably : Cardigans "Iron Man" on their First Band on the Moon release.
The cover I hate the most is Shakira's "Back in Black" cover, on one of her DVDs.
I love Shakira, especially her earlier stuff (pre Laundry Service) but that cover should not have happened.
There's another great barbershop quartet cover of a Beach Boys hit song, "California Girls." It was recorded as an 8-part acapella version by two international champion quartets, Vocal Spectrum of St. Louis, MO (2006 champs) and Ringmasters of Stockholm, Sweden (2012 champs). The track can be found on each of their latest albums.
http://www.vocalspectrum.com/ (http://www.vocalspectrum.com/)
http://www.ringmasters.se/ (http://www.ringmasters.se/)
Favorite cover of late is Iron & Wine's version of "Such Great Heights." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Wsb8nlWLGeo)
The original by Postal Service (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=0wrsZog8qXg) is excellent, and this cover is totally different, just as good in a different way.