And I’m not saying that the original is bad. You have to have a good song to have a good cover in my opinion. But sometimes the cover artist just understands the mission and takes what the original song did and expands on that a hundred times over.
What’re some of your guys’s favorites?
Very common opinion, but “Hurt” originally by NIN covered by Johnny Cash. He really puts his mark on it, especially considering how old he was when he did the cover.
I think Kermit’s cover of Cash’s cover was brilliant.
Definitely a classic.
Heartily seconded, came here to say this.
Yes that’s a great one
This is the one.
The Donnie Darko (slowed down version) of Tears for Fears, Mad World.
Great choice. That was done by Gary Jules, btw.
Jimi Hendrix’s version of All Along The Watchtower by Bob Dylan. It’s likely to be the only version of the song most people have ever heard.
And even Dylan agreed it was better
Is it still a cover if the original artist agrees to let you adopt the song? Dylan said it’s Hendrix’ song now.
Nirvana’s version of The Man Who Sold the World.
This is one of my favorite songs of all time, and I quite liked the original even.
Goldfinger version of 99 red balloons absolutely nails it in my opinion
I prefer the 7 Seconds version
Still one of the greatest live acts around.
The Disturbed cover of Land of Confusion
deleted by creator
Have you heard the original meat puppet versions? Nirvana basically covered them exactly.
Not saying that’s bad. But when you look at songs like “All along the washer tower” by Jimi, or “Whiskey in the Jar” by Metallica. Those covers are completely changed to fit their style. In my mind, that’s what makes a cover great.
A lot of Nirvana’s style is the Meat Puppets
Good covers, but they lack original twists. Meat Puppets even played the music in the unplugged performance. So really it’s wasn’t Nirvana covering them as much as Kurt Cobain singing.
It’s what I have against Weezer’s cover of Toto’s Africa. Good cover, but it doesn’t scream Weezer at all.
deleted by creator
Lake of Fire is the only one I’d say is maybe better. Especially if we are talking about the MP too high to die version over MPII version.
They are all good songs, though, so I can definitely see your point.
My personal favorites that I like better than the originals and I LOVE the originals:
Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica
Take On Me - Reel Big Fish
99 Red Balloons - Goldfinger
Land of Confusion - Disturbed
La Isla Bonita - Twilight Guardians
Spaceballs - Majestica
Black Betty - Spiderbait
Thriller - Scandroid
Electric Avenue - Skindred
That Spaceballs cover made my day
Yes!!! AWESOME! I think it’s totally great. 😂
Judas Priest’s “Painkiller” covered by Death is incredible.
If anyone wants to take a chance on a cover I recorded (all instruments and vocals) of Enslaved’s “Havenless”, check it out at this link (https://youtu.be/b1ByxMMnSfw)
I will survive by cake.
My first high school dance freshman year they played the original and i belted out every word from memory because i spent all summer listening to Fashion Nugget.
In the same vein, Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farm.
Such Great Heights covered by Streetlight Manifesto. This is one of the songs that makes me think about how much I love my wife.
The horn arrangement just absolutely slays.
Iron and Wine do another great cover of this song
I have no idea who that is but I’m going right now to find out.
Eric Clapton’s unplugged version of Layla is an entirely different experience than the original.
Cardigans, Burning Down the House with Tom Jones. Of course the original is incredible, but this version slaps.
I find the original Talking Heads version to be too whiny. I don’t find it enjoyable to sit through. The Cardigans/Tom Jones version I have one note, one change I’d make: Nina’s vocals seem to have a band-pass filter applied, it sounds like she’s literally phoning it in. I wouldn’t have done that.
While I love the original version, Seethers cover of Careless Whisper is one of my favourite songs ever.
This is the opposite of what you’re asking for, sorry, but I find that more people are familiar with the A Perfect Circle version of The Nurse Who Loved Me than they are with the original version by Failure.
Both very good versions song, but the original still blows me away.
Apologies for doing the opposite of what you asked, but this was just the first thing that came to mind.
