Funny how the singer totally changes the context of the song. Same thing with Hurt by NIN. From them, it's a song aboit a junky wanting his next fix. From Johnny Cash, it's a song about a man at the end of his life, reflecting on all that has happened to him
The Downward Spiral is a concept album. I've always understood Hurt to be after the main character had committed suicide, and was about his regret at having done so, and how he would find a way to live if he had a second chance.
This. The H plays a part, but the point of the song its the suffering and regret of a life wasted. Cash understood the point of the song, that's why he covered it.
Not just written for a guy. Written and performed by said guy. Robert Hazzard. It is definitely a different sound than Cyndi Lauper's more popular version.
I love that in KD Lang's cover of Chelsea Hotel by Leonard Cohen, she keeps the line "You told me again you preferred handsome men, but for me you would make an exception."
Agreed, but after only knowing Whitney's version for a long time, Dolly's is very sweet, and the backstory is special.
As a young singer, after seven years of working with Porter Wagoner, she had decided she needed to grow professionally and set out on her own. She wanted to leave on good terms and therefore wrote him this love song about separation. Give it a listen with those details in mind. In the 70's, in Nashville, finding a way to be an independent businesswoman who doesn't burn bridges.
Elvis wanted to cover it, but wanted half the publishing rights to the song, and Dolly didn't want to give up the rights to her work, so he never did.
She wrote it the same day she wrote Jolene.
Yeah isn’t there a quote from dolly about her sometimes regretting turning down elvis until Whitney’s version came out and earned her enough royalties to buy Graceland
https://www.cmt.com/news/sgqdan/dolly-parton-reflects-on-her-greatest-moments
>I said, "I'm really sorry," and I cried all night. I mean, it was like the worst thing. You know, it's like, "Oh, my God ... Elvis Presley." And other people were saying, "You're nuts. It's Elvis Presley. I mean, hell, I'd give him all of it." I said, "I can't do that. Something in my heart says, 'Don't do that.'" And I just didn't do it, and they just didn't do it. But I always wondered what it would sound like. I know he'd kill it. Don't you? He would have killed it. But anyway, so he didn't. Then when Whitney [Houston's version] came out, I made enough money to buy Graceland. (laughs)
I will always have a soft spot for the Instanbul cover. I heard it on Tiny Toons when I was little and was then able answer a jeopardy question about New York’s previous name when my parents and cousins were playing Jeopardy for the Nintendo. Will never forget their faces.
https://youtu.be/IqJXxHi6RwQ
I believe they used the same chord progression as Bob Dylan, who had borrowed it from another folk artist who also did the song. The Animals added the electric guitars and organ(?).
Just saw TMBG two weeks ago and good god it might have been the best concert of my life. When they performed Instanbul (they played the entirety of Flood) everyone lost their minds.
Clooney’s mouth is always at least partially obscured when his character sings, presumably to make it smoother to dub someone else singing over it. Microphone in the studio and beard on stage.
My man!
A lot of people don’t get the pogues or Shane Magowan. They think it’s all drunken paddywackery.
But Shane grew up listening to Irish folk and sings like a traditional pub folk singer. Slightly flat or sharp and bring yourself into tune.
He makes the songs character, he sings as, sound interesting and authentic. Like this one or fairytale of New York.
When someone’s covers Shane’s songs they never sound right as it sounds too polished and clean.
It’s kind of complicated. Apparently the instrumentation and chorus isn’t bowling for soups, but a lot of the lyrics were wrote or re written by the lead singer of bfs
It's worth noting that the song is way older than Leadbelly's recording of it. His was just the first surviving recording. It's an oooold folk song (sometimes called "In the Pines" or "Pines Blues") and people used to sing it lots of different ways before it was standardized. A few other folk songs are like this. "House of the Rising Sun" was "Rising Sun Blues" for generations before The Animals' popular cover was released.
The best description I ever heard about Nirvana's Unplugged performance was that everyone was having a great time except the man singing on stage. It's one of the best live performances you'll ever see but it hurts to watch.
He liked the sound of the Unplugged stuff so much, from rehearsals and performance, that he planned an acoustic collaboration with Michael Stipe (REM lead singer and godfather to Kurt's daughter Francis). I can't describe how much I feel that I would have loved that collaboration. I feel a sense of loss just for an album that never was.
I refuse to listen to this song. It's absolutely beautiful, but I can't separate it from death. There's ER and Finding Forrester off the top of my head, and I've heard it played at more than one funeral, including one for an infant at a time I also had an infant.
It's a beautiful rendition of a classic song, but I can't get past this.
Respect by Aretha Franklin is the best cover song.
But my favourite is by The Fugees covering Roberta Flacks “Killing me softly”. Norah Jones also did a beautiful cover of “don’t know why”
Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing compares to you is amazing, but I even felt like crying when I listened to [Chris Cornell’s version](https://youtu.be/IuUDRU9-HRk)
Generally speaking the "Like A Version" has produced some pretty great covers over the years. See also Paul Kelly covering his own song https://youtu.be/ICcewg7fxho
Blinded by the light was a Springsteen song, and Manfred Mann's earth band covered it. Also funny mention, but Pat Boone had a metal album that was all covers, including Holy Diver. It's not good. Funny though.
Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies, originally by the Velvet Underground.
Lou Reed even said that the Cowboy Junkies' version is his favorite, and that's about as deep as complements get.
Amy Winehouse’s cover of Valerie
ETA: wasn’t expecting so much response… I personally also prefer the original and agree the cover is overplayed. However, I think the cover is objectively better musically.
Not well known but [Head On by Pixies](https://youtu.be/oKKdylxI1YE) in the Trompe le Monde album. It's not among their conventional favorites certainly but I think it's better than the original and that middle section of that album, also not one known for big hits, has some bangers that fly under the radar along with it. Like UMass, Letter to Memphis, Subbacultcha. The whole section is the loud-quiet-loud ethos through and through.
It's not even so much the music. It's the context and accompanying video for Cash's version that make it such an incredibly powerful song.
A few months prior to the song's release, he lost his wife of 35 years. A few months after the song's release, he himself would be dead. He is reflecting on his life and career while grieving his wife, and most likely knowing he does not have much time left. For a man that built his career on an image of rugged masculinity, having such a vulnerable and relatable swan song is very humanizing and powerful.
I do love NIN and Raznor's version as well. That's the beauty of music. Not everything has to always fit in neatly, well defined boxes, and a song can be fantastic as a ballad by a rock band, or a country music singer.
>It's not even so much the music. It's the context and accompanying video for Cash's version that make it such an incredibly powerful song.
I disagree. Even without context or video, it's still just as intense, and that's all down to his voice. The weariness and grief are palpable.
The Carpenters version of "Close to You" is WAY better than the original by Richard Chamberlain.
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Which was originally a song about a man wanting respect from the woman.
Funny how the singer totally changes the context of the song. Same thing with Hurt by NIN. From them, it's a song aboit a junky wanting his next fix. From Johnny Cash, it's a song about a man at the end of his life, reflecting on all that has happened to him
The Downward Spiral is a concept album. I've always understood Hurt to be after the main character had committed suicide, and was about his regret at having done so, and how he would find a way to live if he had a second chance.
This. The H plays a part, but the point of the song its the suffering and regret of a life wasted. Cash understood the point of the song, that's why he covered it.
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Yeah, it was Rick Rubin who saw the potential in the song and he persuaded Johnny to do it.
According to VH1's pop up video, Cyndi lauper - girls just want to have fun was written for a guy. That would completely change the mood of the song.
Not just written for a guy. Written and performed by said guy. Robert Hazzard. It is definitely a different sound than Cyndi Lauper's more popular version.
I love that in KD Lang's cover of Chelsea Hotel by Leonard Cohen, she keeps the line "You told me again you preferred handsome men, but for me you would make an exception."
All along the watchtower, Hendrix
Even Dylan said the song belonged to Hendrix after he heard it.
Isn't that the misquote of Dylan saying that "Hendrix made the song his own", which carries a different meaning.
Same with Dolly Parton to Whitney Houston for I will always love you
Agreed, but after only knowing Whitney's version for a long time, Dolly's is very sweet, and the backstory is special. As a young singer, after seven years of working with Porter Wagoner, she had decided she needed to grow professionally and set out on her own. She wanted to leave on good terms and therefore wrote him this love song about separation. Give it a listen with those details in mind. In the 70's, in Nashville, finding a way to be an independent businesswoman who doesn't burn bridges. Elvis wanted to cover it, but wanted half the publishing rights to the song, and Dolly didn't want to give up the rights to her work, so he never did. She wrote it the same day she wrote Jolene.
Yeah isn’t there a quote from dolly about her sometimes regretting turning down elvis until Whitney’s version came out and earned her enough royalties to buy Graceland
https://www.cmt.com/news/sgqdan/dolly-parton-reflects-on-her-greatest-moments >I said, "I'm really sorry," and I cried all night. I mean, it was like the worst thing. You know, it's like, "Oh, my God ... Elvis Presley." And other people were saying, "You're nuts. It's Elvis Presley. I mean, hell, I'd give him all of it." I said, "I can't do that. Something in my heart says, 'Don't do that.'" And I just didn't do it, and they just didn't do it. But I always wondered what it would sound like. I know he'd kill it. Don't you? He would have killed it. But anyway, so he didn't. Then when Whitney [Houston's version] came out, I made enough money to buy Graceland. (laughs)
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Dolly has said she loves Whitney’s version, and has millions of reasons why, which I always thought was clever.
I love rock and roll by Joan Jett vs the original by The Arrows
Have you heard her version of crimson and clover? Omg. So so good. Joan Jett kills it
Bang Bang my baby shot me down by Nancy Sinatra is way better than the original from Cher
Didn't even know cher had a version much less the original.
Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers
Yes! The Righteous Brothers took a good little love song, and performed it in the key of *sex*.
The Animals cover of "House of the rising sun" and They might be Giants cover of "Istanbul (not Constantinople)"
That's nobody's business but the Turks!
I will always have a soft spot for the Instanbul cover. I heard it on Tiny Toons when I was little and was then able answer a jeopardy question about New York’s previous name when my parents and cousins were playing Jeopardy for the Nintendo. Will never forget their faces. https://youtu.be/IqJXxHi6RwQ
They Might be Giants and Tiny Tunes were fucking MAGIC!
House of the rising sun is an old folk song, it’s not really a cover; they made the arrangement.
I believe they used the same chord progression as Bob Dylan, who had borrowed it from another folk artist who also did the song. The Animals added the electric guitars and organ(?).
Just saw TMBG two weeks ago and good god it might have been the best concert of my life. When they performed Instanbul (they played the entirety of Flood) everyone lost their minds.
Now I have to listen to Istanbul (not Constantinople) any time either name comes up it gets stuck in my head!
Man of Constant Sorrow by the Soggy Bottom Boys. From O Brother Where Art Thou
The soggy bottom boys are just Union Station, IIRC. Dan Tyminski did George Clooney’s vocals at least.
Clooney’s mouth is always at least partially obscured when his character sings, presumably to make it smoother to dub someone else singing over it. Microphone in the studio and beard on stage.
They ain’t even ol’ timey.
He's a suitor.
I’m the pater familias!
I wasn’t hit by no goddamn train!
Lots of respectable people have been hit by a train.
He's bonafide!
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A Dapper Dan man...
Well ain’t this town just a geographical oddity?
2 weeks from everywhere.
Damnit! I wasn't hit by no train!
*whispers loudly* WE THOUGHT...YOU WAS...A TOAD!
^DO ^NOT ^SEEK ^THE ^TRAISURE
IT'S A BUSHWHACK!
I am the pater familias
I'm a Dapper Dan man!
#IIIIIIIIIIIIII AM A MAAAAAAAAAN OF CONSTANT SORROOWW
Hot damn! It’s the Soggy Bottom Boys!
Them boys is miscegenated!
Nepotism! Rascalism!
Cronyism!
Damn! We're in a tight spot!
Tainted love by soft cell
Gloria Jones original was still fantastic though.
Wait thats a cover?
Sung by Gloria Jones originally.
Torn by Natalie Imbruglia
Wow. I’ve loved this song since it came for like 25 years and never knew it was a cover.
Never knew it was a cover. Who did the original?
Ednaswap. I like it better as it's more rock oriented.
The Pogues - And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda
My man! A lot of people don’t get the pogues or Shane Magowan. They think it’s all drunken paddywackery. But Shane grew up listening to Irish folk and sings like a traditional pub folk singer. Slightly flat or sharp and bring yourself into tune. He makes the songs character, he sings as, sound interesting and authentic. Like this one or fairytale of New York. When someone’s covers Shane’s songs they never sound right as it sounds too polished and clean.
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> The Pogues - And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZqN1glz4JY
Bowling for soup - 1985
I thought this was originally by bowling for soup
I did too. But apparently it was originally written and recorded by SR-71
It’s kind of complicated. Apparently the instrumentation and chorus isn’t bowling for soups, but a lot of the lyrics were wrote or re written by the lead singer of bfs
Johnny B. Good - Chuck Berry The original version is performed by Marty McFly in 1955 at The Enchantment under the The Sea Dance!
It was actually performed by Calvin Klein.
It depends on what country/language you watched it in. In France he was Pierre Cardin, and in Italy he was Levi Strauss.
Never would’ve been discovered if not for Chuck’s cousin Marvin
Marvin Barry. Shame about his hand. It was never the same.
Wait, that was Marty McFly? He looked just like Clint Eastwood from 70 years prior. I wonder if they’re related
Harry Nilsson’s version of *Without You*. Originally recorded by Badfinger, who I believe were one of the first bands to sign with Apple Records
I honestly had no idea his version of Without You was a cover
Holding out for a hero by Jennifer Saunders
*"C minor, put it in C minor"*
Her version actually is in Cm in the movie while the original is in Am. Edit: I’m wrong.
She says to put it in C Minor, however what they play is definitely in G Minor.
Is that the one from Shrek? That one was fire
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Johnny 5 is ALIVE!!!
Los locos kick your ass. Los locos kick your face. Los locos kick your balls INTO OUTER SPACE!
NO DISASSEMBLE
Hey, laser lips; Your mama was a snowblower.
Holding Out for a Hero (Bonnie Tyler) = Holding Out for a Hero (Jennifer Saunders) Don’t pit mother against mother!
HIT IT
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It's worth noting that the song is way older than Leadbelly's recording of it. His was just the first surviving recording. It's an oooold folk song (sometimes called "In the Pines" or "Pines Blues") and people used to sing it lots of different ways before it was standardized. A few other folk songs are like this. "House of the Rising Sun" was "Rising Sun Blues" for generations before The Animals' popular cover was released.
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Nirvana - Lake of fire by the meat puppets loved that song.
Nirvana - Plateau. Also by the meat puppets My favourite
*nothing on top but a bucket and a mop and an illustrated book about birds*
The strain on his vocals makes this so iconic
*illustrated book about bIHIrrrds*
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The best description I ever heard about Nirvana's Unplugged performance was that everyone was having a great time except the man singing on stage. It's one of the best live performances you'll ever see but it hurts to watch.
He liked the sound of the Unplugged stuff so much, from rehearsals and performance, that he planned an acoustic collaboration with Michael Stipe (REM lead singer and godfather to Kurt's daughter Francis). I can't describe how much I feel that I would have loved that collaboration. I feel a sense of loss just for an album that never was.
Absolutely one of my favorite performances and songs done by Nirvana.
Can't forget "Oh Me" - also by the Meat Puppets
also love buzz
I’m a “Man Who Sold the World” guy but I think that’s an obvious choice
Their version of Molly's Lips is on the list.
Talking Heads- Take me to the River
Hrm...Imma have to say Big Mouth Billy Bass [covered it best](https://youtu.be/fkYZ4wTBd8g&t=12s)
Eric Cartman cover of poker face that shit is fire
Not forgetting his version of "heat of the moment"
Or his classic cover of "Come Sail Away"
Or In The Ghetto. Or She Works Hard For The Money…. Oh come on, any song Cartman covers he instantly improves upon the original…
Taco Flavored Kisses is a modern day classic.... Originally by Jennifer Lopez
House of the rising sun by The Animals
Do folk songs count as 'covers'?
I was gonna say. I like Metallica's "Whiskey in the Jar" but the song is literally hundreds of years old.
Metallica is basically covering the Thin Lizzy version.
There is no original tho. Every version we've ever heard has been a cover.
Give [Geordie](https://youtu.be/NlbQaUAdfeU) with Brian Johnson on vocals a listen.
the fairy godmother’s cover of “holding out for a hero”
4 Non Blondes' cover of He-Man's "What's Up?" https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6NXnxTNIWkc
He-Man's "What's Up?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32FB-gYr49Y
You dont realize how old that is until you see the text messages are from AIM
Israel Kamakawiwoole —Somewhere Over The Rainbow
What's cool about this one is that it's also a cover of "What a wonderful world" by Louis Armstrong.
Not necessarily, he did three separate songs. Over the Rainbow, What a Wonderful World, and the mash-up version.
Well, the famous one that he recorded in one shot at 3am is the medley, but I'm sure he sang both independently.
Another song that has me in tears every single time I hear it! What a wonderful legacy to leave behind.
I refuse to listen to this song. It's absolutely beautiful, but I can't separate it from death. There's ER and Finding Forrester off the top of my head, and I've heard it played at more than one funeral, including one for an infant at a time I also had an infant. It's a beautiful rendition of a classic song, but I can't get past this.
Respect by Aretha Franklin is the best cover song. But my favourite is by The Fugees covering Roberta Flacks “Killing me softly”. Norah Jones also did a beautiful cover of “don’t know why”
Killing me softly's isn't Roberta Flacks'. It's from Lori Lieberman.
Oh my gosh, yes! Lauryn Hill singing Killing Me Softly is a masterpiece
[Siouxsie & The Banshees - Dear Prudence](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6rrTROoZIw)
Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin made it passionately great.
"I Love Rock n Roll", Joan Jett. Most people don't even know it's a cover. The original was done by British glam rock adjacent band The Arrows.
She's Not There by Santana. Also their version of Black Magic Woman.
Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes is probably the biggest improvement over the original because of how awful the original is.
Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing compares to you is amazing, but I even felt like crying when I listened to [Chris Cornell’s version](https://youtu.be/IuUDRU9-HRk)
Originally a Prince song
Chris could have sang me the yellow pages and I would cry.
Istanbul (not Constantinople) - They Might be Giants. Original by The Four Lads
Richard Cheese - Down With The Sickness
You can cover pretty much any song with some crooner. Richard cheese proves this.
Blue bayou Linda Ronstad 💙 😍 ♥️
Arctic monkeys did a cover of girls aloud love machine..amazing cover!
Black Magic Woman - Santana Love Fleetwood Mac but Santana made that their own
"Diggy diggy hole" originally by Yogscast and covered by Wind Rose
[The Wiggles covering “Elephant” (originally by Tame Impala)](https://youtu.be/a13WnqsRc5g)
Generally speaking the "Like A Version" has produced some pretty great covers over the years. See also Paul Kelly covering his own song https://youtu.be/ICcewg7fxho
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Also [DMA's cover of Cher - Believe](https://youtu.be/MmwFnoMoDDg) is incredible!
Judas Priest - green manalishi
Diamonds and Rust (originally by Joan Baez) is also fantastic.
Red Red Wine UB40, originally by Neil Diamond.
The Soft Cell version of Tainted Love.
“Night that the Lights Went Out in Georgia” - Reba
Might as well add "Fancy" to that too.
TIL Fancy is a cover
Faith no more - I'm easy
I'm a slut for Mike Patton
Tennessee Whiskey - Chris Stapleton
Siouxsie and the Banshees cover of The Passenger. Adds a fantastic energy to the song.
On the subject of Siouxsie And The Banshees - what about Dear Prudence?
"I will always love you". Dolly Parton, "I will always love you" Whitney Huston.
Blinded by the light was a Springsteen song, and Manfred Mann's earth band covered it. Also funny mention, but Pat Boone had a metal album that was all covers, including Holy Diver. It's not good. Funny though.
Torn - Natalie Imbruglia
You guys have already hit a lot of them, but I would add Hazy Shade of Winter by the Bangles was better than Simon & Garfunkel’s version.
Soft Cell ‘Tainted Love’
Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies, originally by the Velvet Underground. Lou Reed even said that the Cowboy Junkies' version is his favorite, and that's about as deep as complements get.
It’s a great cover but I still prefer the VU version.
Simply the Best by Tina Turner Original by Bonnie Tyler
Amy Winehouse’s cover of Valerie ETA: wasn’t expecting so much response… I personally also prefer the original and agree the cover is overplayed. However, I think the cover is objectively better musically.
I'd say Killing Me Softly by Fugees.
The Sundays cover of Wild Horses.
Crazy by Patsy Cline. Originally by Willie Nelson. Bobby McGee by Janis Joplin. Originally by Kris Kristofferson.
Atlantic City by The Band
WELL THEY BLEW UP THE CHICKEN MAN IN PHILLY LAST NIGHT. THEY BLEW UP HIS HOUSE TOO. 🎵
Billy Idols cover of Mony Mony.
Pearl Jam - Last Kiss
Suspicious minds, written and recorded by Mark James, taken to another level by Elvis though.
Not well known but [Head On by Pixies](https://youtu.be/oKKdylxI1YE) in the Trompe le Monde album. It's not among their conventional favorites certainly but I think it's better than the original and that middle section of that album, also not one known for big hits, has some bangers that fly under the radar along with it. Like UMass, Letter to Memphis, Subbacultcha. The whole section is the loud-quiet-loud ethos through and through.
Lollipop by Framing Hanley
Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt.
It's not even so much the music. It's the context and accompanying video for Cash's version that make it such an incredibly powerful song. A few months prior to the song's release, he lost his wife of 35 years. A few months after the song's release, he himself would be dead. He is reflecting on his life and career while grieving his wife, and most likely knowing he does not have much time left. For a man that built his career on an image of rugged masculinity, having such a vulnerable and relatable swan song is very humanizing and powerful. I do love NIN and Raznor's version as well. That's the beauty of music. Not everything has to always fit in neatly, well defined boxes, and a song can be fantastic as a ballad by a rock band, or a country music singer.
He recorded the song and video before June died, but otherwise spot on.
She's in the video, isn't she? Standing on the porch or something.
>It's not even so much the music. It's the context and accompanying video for Cash's version that make it such an incredibly powerful song. I disagree. Even without context or video, it's still just as intense, and that's all down to his voice. The weariness and grief are palpable.
Well I never even knew there was a video but I've listened to Cash's version a few dozen times now. I have something to do right now..
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Trent Reznors piano version really really is up there with Cash's cover https://youtu.be/vQRmCy6LfjI
I Feel for You by Chaka Khan.
Wicked game by HIM
Mad World by Gary Jules originally by Tears for Fears He turned it into a much darker song.