US Maple 'The Wanderer' (Dion)
Cheer-Accident 'Theme from Shaft' (Isaac Hayes)

I'm not sure if I like this one better than the original, but it's really good:

Ted Leo 'To Whom You Were Born' (Lungfish)

Generally speaking, I don't believe in this notion of a cover being better than the original. Sounds a little oxymoronic to me.

But I make the following exceptions:

Lucinda Williams "Main Road" (Victoria Williams)

Los Lobos "Bertha" LIVE (the Dead)

And at the top of everyone's list should be Whitney Houston's cover of the Dolly Parton classic, "I Will Always Love You". If that doesn't literally bring down the house, I don't know what will.

Giant Sand ruining Iron Man by Sabbath.

Not Better by any means. I just get a hard-on playing it on jukeboxes in bars and watchin' the patrons squirm.

"Who the hell played this?"


" Yer' moms put it on before she disappeared into the restroom with that dude with the one leg, clutching a crisp $20."

Fancy Pants wrote:Generally speaking, I don't believe in this notion of a cover being better than the original. Sounds a little oxymoronic to me.

Um, why?

I would love to do a cover of the original sin in the future.

sunlore wrote:

Fancy Pants wrote:Generally speaking, I don't believe in this notion of a cover being better than the original. Sounds a little oxymoronic to me.

Um, why?

I would love to do a cover of the original sin in the future.

I assume when a musician writes a song and then performs/records it, that song is being executed exactly as it was intended to be executed by its creator.

That is not to say that covers cannot be tremendously enjoyable. I have more than my fair share of tribute albums. I've heard many wonderfully creative, beautiful, raunchy, frenetic, haunting, fill-in-the-blank renditions of some of my favorite songs. But to say these covers are better than the original just doesn't seem applicable.

Fancy Pants wrote:I assume when a musician writes a song and then performs/records it, that song is being executed exactly as it was intended to be executed by its creator.

Here is the beautiful thing about musics: you do not have to agree with the creator.

I'm sure that Kelly Clarkson thinks her version of "Since U Been Gone," for example, was executed exactly as she (or whoever actually wrote it, whatever) intended it to be executed. Thankfully, I am not subject to the whims of Kelly Clarkson and can go through life enjoying Ted Leo's version exponentially more. Likewise that Yeah Yeah Yeahs song that he puts in the middle of said cover. Both songs, good as they may be to their creators, are improved dramatically when sung by Mr. Leo and played on his acoustic guitar.

jimi hendrix’s cover of dylan’s “all along the watchtowerâ€

Yes, the beautiful thing about musics is you don't have to agree with anyone about what it better, what is worse, etc.

When I was thinking of covers, I must admit I was not considering pop songs that are manufactured by songwriters for the sole purpose of being recorded by Pop Star du Jour, selling records to teeny boppers, and making lots of money. But if I were to consider those types of songs, then I guess you have a great point, Ironyengine.

I was thinking more along the lines of Walter's example in which case, the Hendrix version is definitely more rockin' but I still don't think it's better.

I honestly think The Romantics version of the Kinks "She's Got Everything" is better than the Kinks version.

I also like Manfred Man's Springsteen covers, while I hate the Boss. Hmm?

thin lizzy- whisky in the jar (old folk tune?)

i think sonic youth's cover of " hot wire my heart" is better than the crime version

ted leo's cover of little girl in bloom is most excellent, but definately not as good as the original