Original Songs Vs Cover Versions

[Wee Mikey]

9 times out of 10, I come down on the side of original versions.

 

I can think of quite a few, but, just for laughs, here's one of these 'guilty pleasure' ones.

 

Written by Harland Howard, it was first recorded/released by Melba Montgomery (circa 1974) but has since been covered by some famous country stars.

 

Please post an original plus a cover version of any song that you feel is worthy of comparison, and comment on which one you think is the better, if any.

 

In the meantime, here are versions of 'No Charge' from Johnny Cash, Tammy Wynette, and Melba Montgomery.

 

As much as I admire Cash & Wynette, Montgomery wins it, for me.

 

No charge. Written by Harland Howard.

 

Johnny Cash

 

 

Tammy Wynette

 

 

Melba Montgomery

 

 

[Ked]

 

 

 

Love Hendrix but Stevie steals the tune of him .

[Wee Mikey]

OK, here goes ...

 

This is the original Fleetwood Mac version of 'Black Magic Woman':-

 

 

 

Here is the Santana version (same year, 1970):-

 

 

 

And here is a version, much later, with a latter day Peter Green lurking in the shadows:-

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=95kCv10duFw&feature=share

 

So, if you listen to all three versions, should I stick to my guns and say, "Original is best"? Or is there an argument that Carlos Santana did the song proud? And, further to that, does the (sort of 'tribute') version avec Peter Green add something special?

 

For me? Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac original wins out.

[Dawnrazor]

For me, better than the original covers,

 

Emma - The Sisters of Mercy.

 

In Every Dream Home a Heartache - Fields of the Nephilim.

 

Born to be Wild - The Cult.

 

51st State -  New Model Army.

 

Day Tripper - LOUD.

 

War Pigs - Faith No More.

 

Isolation - Therapy?

 

Ceremony - New Order.

[the posh bit]

Bjork, Its Oh So Quiet. 

 

Soft Call, Tainted Love. 

 

The Beat, Can't Get Used To Losing You.

[JudyJudyJudy]

This is my guilty pleasure 

 

 

 

[JudyJudyJudy]

 

[milky_26]

heart - alone, Ann Wilsons vocal range makes this cover a lot better than the original 

 

erma franklin - piece of my heart, i feel that aretha franklins sisters original has more emotion in it compared to the janis joplin/big brother version

 

judas preist - diamonds and rust, for me the original is a bit too melancholy for me and the JP cover does not lose the feeling behind it

 

nazareth - love hurts, the everly brothers original just sounds too happy

[Cade]

Jimi Hendrix' cover of "All Along The Watchtower"

Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt"

Aretha Franklin's cover of "Respect"

 

Joe Cocker's cover of "With a little help from my friends"

The Clash's cover of "I fought the Law"

There are many, many cover versions which are better than the original.

[Tazio]

Tiffany’s version of I Think We’re Alone Now is much better than the original. 

[Tazio]

I was being a bit cheeky with the Tiffany comment but it always interests me when you discover a song you know well is actually a cover of something by an obscure band. Hanging On The Telephone by Blondie is a classic example. I knew the song for years before I discovered it was a cover. They made it sound exactly like something they would have written. 

[JudyJudyJudy]

Just now, Tazio said:

I was being a bit cheeky with the Tiffany comment but it always interests me when you discover a song you know well is actually a cover of something by an obscure band. Hanging On The Telephone by Blondie is a classic example. I knew the song for years before I discovered it was a cover. They made it sound exactly like something they would have written. 

Never knew that 

[Wee Mikey]

I've never been all that struck on the Rolling Stones.

 

Anyhoo, some decent tracks, but Johnny Winter, in my humble opinion, knocks them into next week with this live Old Grey Whistle Test rendition of 'Jumpin' Jack Flash':-

 

 

Ach ... here's the Stones for comparison:-

 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Wee Mikey

[Costanza]

3 hours ago, Dawnrazor said:

For me, better than the original covers,

 

Emma - The Sisters of Mercy.

 

In Every Dream Home a Heartache - Fields of the Nephilim.

 

Born to be Wild - The Cult.

 

51st State -  New Model Army.

 

Day Tripper - LOUD.

 

War Pigs - Faith No More.

 

Isolation - Therapy?

 

Ceremony - New Order.

Joy Division technically didn't record it though did they?

The Galaxie 500 version of it is brilliant though 

 

 

[Dawnrazor]

I've heard Ian Curtis sing it on YouTube so it must've been recorded, maybe not released?

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Dawnrazor

[Wee Mikey]

Any thoughts on Tom Petty et-al Vs George Harrison as regards 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps"?

 

Tricky one this.

 

While my guitar gently weeps:

 

Tom Petty et-al:-

 

 

 

George Harrison:-

 

 

 

[JudyJudyJudy]

“ Hallelujah “ was covered . But was awful . 

[JudyJudyJudy]

“ Hallelujah “ was covered . But was awful . 
 

“ twist and shout “

 

 

” the tide is high “

 

“ torn “ 

[Day@theraces]

Always preferred Brian Ferrys Jealous guy to Lennons.

Also the Stranglers walk on by, better than the original

[Tazio]

2 minutes ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

“ Hallelujah “ was covered . But was awful . 

And perhaps uniquely the original by Leonard Cohen wasn’t much cop either as the arrangement was awful. The subsequent covers were mainly based on the cover by John Cale. Also which cover did you think was awful? The Jeff Buckley cover certainly wasn’t. 

[Tazio]

Just now, Day@theraces said:

 

Also the Stranglers walk on by, better than the original

The best cover of that song is by Isaac Hayes. In my opinion only of course. 

[JudyJudyJudy]

10 minutes ago, Tazio said:

And perhaps uniquely the original by Leonard Cohen wasn’t much cop either as the arrangement was awful. The subsequent covers were mainly based on the cover by John Cale. Also which cover did you think was awful? The Jeff Buckley cover certainly wasn’t. 

Alexandra Burke 

[JudyJudyJudy]

11 minutes ago, Day@theraces said:

Always preferred Brian Ferrys Jealous guy to Lennons.

Also the Stranglers walk on by, better than the original

I prefer Lenons 

[Wee Mikey]

As regards The Beatles or, in this case, George Harrison, can there ever have been a better tribute than this?

 

It's a cracker.

 

Apart from anything else, it features Yuriko Mikami on cello and, it seems to me that the camera person/editor agrees. 🤭

 

So, here's a stoatin' version of 'My Sweet Lord' PLUS a wee vid of Yuriko Mikami.

 

Enjoy!

 

My Sweet Lord:-

 

 

 

Yuriko Mikami avec Andrea Bandel:-

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Wee Mikey

[Wee Mikey]

34 minutes ago, JudyJudyJudy said:

“ Hallelujah “ was covered . But was awful . 

 

You are being lazy.

 

Vids please!!!

 

Hallelujah has been done brilliantly my many artistes.

[Joey J J Jr Shabadoo]

1 hour ago, Dawnrazor said:

I've heard Ian Curtis sing it on YouTube so it must've been recorded, maybe not released?

 

It was a JD song, but Ian Curtis died and it became New Order's first release.

[Dawnrazor]

Just now, Joey J J Jr Shabadoo said:

It was a JD song, but Ian Curtis died and it became New Order's first release.

That's what I thought, it was played live by Joy Division to.

[ri Alban]

 

[Costanza]

53 minutes ago, Dawnrazor said:

I've heard Ian Curtis sing it on YouTube so it must've been recorded, maybe not released?

 

Yeah recorded but not released. Live version on the Still album which I think they tried to interpret the lyrics from

[ri Alban]

Why they let them cover it, I'll never know 

 

 

[ri Alban]

And then this happened 

 

[Tazio]

 

[ri Alban]

 

[ri Alban]

 

[Boof]

More Summertime Bluesing...
 

 

[ri Alban]

And how it should be done 

 

 

[ri Alban]

4 minutes ago, Boof said:

More Summertime Bluesing...
 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by ri Alban

[Daktari]

My only stipulation is, make it different enough to be 'different'.  Anything should be up for being covered if it's done on those terms.

 

My suggestion is 'Hey Jude' by Wilson Pickett with the superb Duane Allman on guitar when he was a session musician. He basically plays a rock solo on a soul track, but it works. So does taking out the most recognisable riff in the whole song, but somehow you can kind of still hear it.....

 

[ri Alban]

 

[Sirudi]

I have always preferred the Human Leagues version of “ you’ve lost that luvin feelin”.

Definitely different enough to be different.

The original was way overproduced for my liking. As was Spectres way.

 

[Wee Mikey]

8 minutes ago, Daktari said:

My only stipulation is, make it different enough to be 'different'.  Anything should be up for being covered if it's done on those terms.

 

My suggestion is 'Hey Jude' by Wilson Pickett with the superb Duane Allman on guitar when he was a session musician. He basically plays a rock solo on a soul track, but it works. So does taking out the most recognisable riff in the whole song, but somehow you can kind of still hear it...

 

Not disagreeing, but one version of 'Hey Jude' reigns supreme:-

 

 

[ri Alban]

 

[ri Alban]

 

[Daktari]

5 minutes ago, Wee Mikey said:

 

Not disagreeing, but one version of 'Hey Jude' reigns supreme:-

 

 

👏

[ri Alban]

 

[Robbo-Jambo]

50 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

And then this happened 

 

The Jam all day long.

[Greedy Jambo]

You'd be surprised how many songs are just covers from the 60's/ 70's

 

 

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Greedy Jambo

[Footballfirst]

 

Much more powerful vocals in the cover version, particularly in the second half of the song.

 

Edited February 19, 2023 by Footballfirst

[Greedy Jambo]

Anyone recognise this?

 

 

 

[been here before]

Manfred Mans Earth Band do a far better version of Blinded By The Light than Bruce Springsteen

 

Frankie Goes To Hollywood do a far better version of Born To Run than Bruce Springsteen

 

Big Daddy do a far better version of Dancing In The Dark than Bruce Springsteen.

 

Bruce Springsteen is shite.

 

Blondie do a better version of The Tide Is High by The Paragons.