I was wondering if any of you can think of a cover of a song that is better that the original.

Here is 1 that i think is killing me softly - fugees version was better that the original.

I dont think many covers are better

Whammo! disagreement in post #2.

I hated the fugee's version...I even used a dub version and their version to get rid of the awful twangy instrument (Sounded like a sitar?), and the blokes mouthing off their "One time" "Two times" etc..etc... it would have been better with just the female vocals.

Covers Vs their original only becomes an issue if you A) remember B) Liked, the original.

Some covers are better than the original, others are worse. Many covers simply slip by as "new and original" simply coz people never heard the first version.

Sorry the original of " killing me softly" was about 4 million times better .NO Doubts version of Talk Talks "Its my life" is also a poor attempt and gets no where near the original.

most covers are worse than the original, few are better, but there is another catagory.

those that are as good in a differant way, and example would be the chimes I still haven't found what I've been looking for.

example of some that I think are worse

Soft Cells tainted love, has nowhere the same passion and raw feeling as the original from Gloria Jones

I love Luther, but I couldn't stand it when he did a cover of 'Endless love'.

I personally agree that a lot of covers are exactly that, covers with no imagination from the original.

Advantages of covers is that it gives those that may have not heard the original an opportunity to hear the song, especially with the younger audience, sadly if they listen to the dreadful Radio 1 they will only hear the current releases and not a lot of the classic tunes that are about.

A great cover I like is Paul Young's cover of the MArvin Gaye track, Wherever I Lay My Hat, like the Chimes, a totally different interpretation of the song, but both in their own right great songs

I really abhor those dreadful dance covers, last/this year we saw awful covers of Because the Night, the Patti Smith/Springsteen classic and an abysmal version of Aerosmiths I Don't Want To Miss A Thing by one of the original Fame Academy rejects...

Spinko

come on know we could all name a load of rubish covers but my question was name some good ones. come on guys

OK Kev,
Maysa Leak did a great cover earlier this year of the immortal Sly & The Family Stone-Family Affair. Her version was very different and a great version of a fantastic song.
Also this year D'Influence did a fine version of Gladys Knight-Taste Of Bitter Love.
In the early 80's Bobby M & Jean Carne did a great version of the Al Green classic-Let's Stay Together.
Although for none of the above would I say that the cover was better than the original, but they were good cover versions.
The only cover I can think of that is better than the original is Stereophonics-Handbags & Gladrags which I prefer to the Rod Stewart original.

Name a good one huh?

How about: DJ Otzi - Hey Baby.

OK, its a naf old party tune, but it goes down well with the audience, and I bet its had more plays in the last 2 years than the original version, which was a lot slower and featured little more than a harmonica/mouth organ sort of noise.


As for "better than the original/worse than the original" the same difference of opinion is present (Christmas Present?) over remixes. I've been a member of DMC since the mid 80's, even got my name on a record sleeve of theirs, but some remixes are good, some are not so good (anyones remix that is, not just DMC's).

Some of the "bonus" tracks on CD singles of "the DJ blah blahs swish mix" and the "super rubby dub mix" etc..etc..etc.. are almost totally useless (for me, anyway).

I'd be happy with longer, lyric filled versions of the "Radio edit" for virtually every tune, which is why I like seamless loops so much - you can choose to turn any ordinary, album version of a short tune, into a tune that lasts as long as you need it to.

This is, I think what decides what version of two (or more) cover versions each person likes - which one they're used to hearing/dance to.

I agree about the DJ Otzi cover.

Obviously, depending on the right 'crowd', or requests, etc, makes a difference on how well a 'cover' tune goes down at a gig. I've had guests say that the original version of a tune will always be better. Generally, I don't mind covers.
I also agree with Ian reminding us of The Chimes - I still haven't found what I've been looking for. Very good.

I didn't mind the Fugees rendition at the time - but it does get on my nerves now!

For personal taste, covers I don't mind are:

Baker Street - Undercover
It's Raining Men 2000 - Martha Wash
Somebody Else's Guy (garage) - Ce Ce Peniston
You're The One For Me - Preluxe
Always On My Mind - Pet Shop Boys
The Wanderer - Status Quo
Shoop Shoop Song - Cher
Love Is All Around - Wet Wet Wet
Lion Sleeps Tonight - Tight Fit
It Must Be Love - Madness
Madness - Madness
Good Thing Going - Sid Owen
Money In My Pocket - Simply Red
Stayin Alive - Ozzi Osbourne (It's funny)
Kiss - Tom Jones
Hey Baby - DJ Otzi
Falling In Love With You - UB40
Spirit In The Sky - Dr & The Medics
Cum On Feel The Noise - Oasis
Boogie Wonderland - Hearsay

There are loads more I don't mind, but a few 'covers' I dislike are:
I Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston (I Just Can't Stand It)
When The Going Gets Tough - Boyzone
Seasons In The Sun - Westlife
Without You - Maria Carey ( up)
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Hearsay

A cover that some people might not have heard let alone play at parties i dont know of anyone even thinking of playing it at a party

But the 'Darkness' do a fantastic version of 'radio heads' 'steet spirit'

There are as discussed good and bad points of covers there are certain songs that will never be the same though as tehy have true meaning and emotion from the orignal recording artist, that you would find very hard to reproduce in my opinion.

a current cover I like is Luther Vandross & Busta Rhymes - Dance With My Father

Here are some of the covers I would play:

Atomic Kitten - Tide is High
Phil Collins - You can't hurry Love
Girls Aloud - Jump
Atomic Kitten - Ladies Night
Geri Halliwell - It's Raining Men
Hermes House Band - Country Roads
Ronan Keating - If Tomorrow Never Comes

PaulS

Another good one is Gary's seamless loop of Dj Otzi's - Hey Baby

"Sorry Gary"