Music cover versions - where the cover improves the original

[BackInBlue]

(Led Zepplin, in some of their live gigs did blues songs that brought together some of their songs and other classics, so some of them were great.

Scott

Remember the whole Whole Lotta love and Bring it On Home fiasco. Good songs but a lot of controversy surrounding them.

 

[loz]

Sinnead O'Connor, Nothing Compares to You. Original was by Prince.

I thought Prince actually wrote it for Sinead O'Connor rather than he released it then she covered it. Is that not the case?

 

[clubhappy]

Led Zeppelin's ''Whole lotta love '' was covered by a group called ''CCS '' and was used as the theme to Top of the Pops in the 70's .

Nirvana's cover of Bowies ''Man who sold the world '' was an absolute shambles , then again , anything Nirvana did was usually complete sh*te anyway .

Nothing compares to you was a Prince album track , never released by the man himself .

Rolf Harris ''Stairway to heaven , now theres a cover version for ya .

Rolf Harris , slicing the jugular of joy since the 60's . AWFUL.

 

[yorkleyblue]

Sinnead O'Connor, Nothing Compares to You. Original was by Prince.

I thought Prince actually wrote it for Sinead O'Connor rather than he released it then she covered it. Is that not the case?

Nothing Compares was a Prince Jam song with Rosie Gaines (IMMENSE Voice) at one of his so-called "private" jam parties that just happened to be rehearsed to within an inch of it's life AND recorded. It was then included on the double CD release of singles and hits and others.

The Prince/Rosie Gaines version is massive and, when I get selected, will be one of my desert island discs.

I got to agree with loads of the above opinions, and disagree with quite a few, but I need to get cutting and pasting for a considered response, so that will have to wait a while

Kev

PS - My wife covers First Cut and does it way better than ANY other version. I'll post it when she gets it on her myspace so you all can judge for yourselves B)

 

[yorkleyblue]

PPS - Anything that the Reverend Al Green covers is de facto better than the original

Kev

 

[mad_mac]

Sinnead O'Connor, Nothing Compares to You. Original was by Prince.

I thought Prince actually wrote it for Sinead O'Connor rather than he released it then she covered it. Is that not the case?

Nothing Compares was a Prince Jam song with Rosie Gaines (IMMENSE Voice) at one of his so-called "private" jam parties that just happened to be rehearsed to within an inch of it's life AND recorded. It was then included on the double CD release of singles and hits and others.

The Prince/Rosie Gaines version is massive and, when I get selected, will be one of my desert island discs.

I got to agree with loads of the above opinions, and disagree with quite a few, but I need to get cutting and pasting for a considered response, so that will have to wait a while

Kev

PS - My wife covers First Cut and does it way better than ANY other version. I'll post it when she gets it on her myspace so you all can judge for yourselves :getmycoat:

well there you go!

 

[yorkleyblue]

OK, I've had another good read through all of the choices above, sat and had a really good ponder, and have some comments that I'd like to make. These are in no particular order, just as I found and cut/pasted them

Firstly, choices I agree with

Hendrix's - All Along the Watchtower and Hey Joe

Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally

Joe Cocker - With a Little Help From My Friends

Al Green - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (Bee Gees)

Nazareth - This Flight Tonight (Joni Mitchell)

Sensational Alex Harvey Band - Delilah (Tom Jones)

Ken Boothe - Everything I Own (Bread)

Tony Tribe - Red Red Wine (Neil Diamond)

Clash - I Fought The Law (Bobby Fuller Four)

Four Tops - It's All In The Game (Tommy Edwards)

Gladys Knight & The Pips - Help Me Make It Through The Night (Kris Kristofferson)

Matthews Southern Comfort - Woodstock (Joni Mitchell)

Jimmy Cliff - Wild World (Cat Stevens) - Better than the original

Frankie Miller - Jealous Guy (John Lennon)

Marianne Faithfull - The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan (Dr.Hook)

Secondly, these are the ones I disagree with, with varying degrees of vehemence

The Specials - Rudy: A Message to You - already been commented by someone else

Nirvana - The man who sold the world - a mess

Sid Vicious - My Way - Thats a Joke, right?

Muse - Feeling Good. - No, No, No - Step up Queen Nina

Police and Thieves by the Clash - Love this and was listening to it this morning, but Junior Murvin's original is stupendous

PP Arnold - The First Cut Is The Deepest (Cat Stevens - Sorry, not quite (but see above for the best version)

Rod Stewart - I'd Rather Go Blind (Etta James) Again, No, No, No - totally agree with Mike O on this one when he said

"Bluebeard suggested

Rod Stewart - I'd Rather Go Blind (Etta James)

so completely negating his opinions on any other matter on these boards. Absolutely shocking!" but then, Mike, anything that Elvis Costello covered is de facto WORSE than the original

Big Youth - Hit The Road Jack (Ray Charles) - Another Joke, right?

Blondie - The Tide Is High (John Holt) Not quite

John Lennon - Stand By Me (Ben E.King) Sorry, Lennon's was dire and drab

Shout - Otis day and the Nights from 'Animal house' (Isley Bros) Once more No, No, No even though we stole their arrangement

So, That's my view based on what's gone before.

In the late 60's and early 70's my musical love was for Jamaican import albums of reggae cover versions of whatever the US and UK pop hits of the day were. I still have loads of albums and singles and EVERY ONE of those were better than the originals at the time. I might have mellowed a tad these days, but still get them out and have a listen now and again

Kev

 

[Backbiter]

Shout - Otis day and the Nights from 'Animal house' (Isley Bros) Once more No, No, No even though we stole their arrangement[/b]

OK, I'll confess, I've never actually heard the original, but love the Animal House version, which is miles better than the Lulu one.

Can I ask, who's the 'we' in the above sentence?

 

[loz]

Can I ask, who's the 'we' in the above sentence?

Yorkleyblue is our in house D List celeb

This was him (between the two girls) in his moment of glory on Eurovision.

 

[Mrs Yorkleyblue]

Ooooooh get in you big hunk.

 

[yorkleyblue]

Ooooooh get in you big hunk.

But you knew that baby!!!!!!!! Thats why you love me so much!

 

[yorkleyblue]

Shout - Otis day and the Nights from 'Animal house' (Isley Bros) Once more No, No, No even though we stole their arrangement[/b]

OK, I'll confess, I've never actually heard the original, but love the Animal House version, which is miles better than the Lulu one.

Can I ask, who's the 'we' in the above sentence?

Hi backbiter

This is me being very pretentious - was in a very good local band for several years - that's what I meant by we! - Check out the Isley Brothers original of Shout if you can!

And LOZ! Where did you get that photo of me??? I thought I had bought up all of the copies ever made!

kev

 

[BlueBeard]

Secondly, these are the ones I disagree with, with varying degrees of vehemenceThe Specials - Rudy: A Message to You - already been commented by someone else

Nirvana - The man who sold the world - a mess

Sid Vicious - My Way - Thats a Joke, right?

Muse - Feeling Good. - No, No, No - Step up Queen Nina

Police and Thieves by the Clash - Love this and was listening to it this morning, but Junior Murvin's original is stupendous

PP Arnold - The First Cut Is The Deepest (Cat Stevens - Sorry, not quite (but see above for the best version)

Rod Stewart - I'd Rather Go Blind (Etta James) Again, No, No, No - totally agree with Mike O on this one when he said

"Bluebeard suggested

Rod Stewart - I'd Rather Go Blind (Etta James)

so completely negating his opinions on any other matter on these boards. Absolutely shocking!" but then, Mike, anything that Elvis Costello covered is de facto WORSE than the original

Big Youth - Hit The Road Jack (Ray Charles) - Another Joke, right?

Blondie - The Tide Is High (John Holt) Not quite

John Lennon - Stand By Me (Ben E.King) Sorry, Lennon's was dire and drab

Shout - Otis day and the Nights from 'Animal house' (Isley Bros) Once more No, No, No even though we stole their arrangement

So, That's my view based on what's gone before.

Disagree with you on the following: -

I'd Rather Go Blind - as I stated before, the reasons for me preferring the Rod Stewart version are personal.

Hit The Road Jack - I love the Ray Charles version, but I'm a big fan of Big Youth

The Tide Is High - I just don't like John Holt as a singer - think it was his version of 'Help Me Make It Through The Night' that put me off him

Agree on most of the others - I just played both versions of Stand By Me, and have to admit that, on reflection, I prefer Ben E.King's version.

The Isley Brothers version of 'Shout' is an all-time classic, and Lulu should have been taken out and shot for even thinking about singing it.

In the late 60's and early 70's my musical love was for Jamaican import albums of reggae cover versions of whatever the US and UK pop hits of the day were. I still have loads of albums and singles and EVERY ONE of those were better than the originals at the time. I might have mellowed a tad these days, but still get them out and have a listen now and again

I also love reggae, but while I agree that there are a lot of good reggae cover versions of songs, there are some bloody awful ones around too. D.Dennis singing 'My Way', The Jubilees 'Out Of Reach' and Susan Cadogan's 'In The Ghetto' to name but a few.

Anyway, musical taste is a very personal thing, and can be influenced by any number of things. Just as well really, otherwise we'd all be listening to the same songs all the time! The important thing to remember is, my musical taste is impeccable and the rest of you don't know what the f*ck you're talking about

And to think I was going to give you my collection of 45's for your jukebox

 

[yorkleyblue]

OK Bluebeard

We are very nearly there!

I accept fully the "personal" reasons for you losing all taste and musical values about Rather Go Blind, so that's OK.

Watched the DVD of Ray over the holidays - still have to disagree about Hit The Road, but that's no biggy.

I never much rated John Holt either, except for his very early stuff, but Blondie made Tide a little bit poppy for me.

Glad that you've come round to rationality about Stand by Me at last

I'd be quite happy to be on the Lulu firing squad when you arrange it mate - gotta agree there.

The thing about the reggae cover versions is very true. There were some good, and many many hundreds of extremely dire ones, but I love em anyway. Agree about Susan Cadogan, but she did a cracking version of Hurts So Good, so can be forgiven a bit. I also have Toots and the Maytals doing Take ME Home Country Roads which I have fond memories of. One of my very very favourites is on a 7" single and it's The Wailing Wailers covering What's New Pussycat - This is so bad it goes out the other side into cool (copyright E Izzard again). If I get a chance I'll try to copy it to an mp3 and send you a copy!

So, we appear to be mostly in agreement, except for your ludicrous claim that you have impeccable musical taste. You have not bad musical taste, with some very obvious lapses, but you've got a lot going for you my lad so I'll forgive those!

Kev

PS - notice the almost grovelling attempt to stay in the running for your 45's?

 

[BlueBeard]

I never much rated John Holt either, except for his very early stuff, but Blondie made Tide a little bit poppy for me.

Ah, but Blondie were much easier on the eye - well, at least Debbie was

The thing about the reggae cover versions is very true. There were some good, and many many hundreds of extremely dire ones, but I love em anyway. Agree about Susan Cadogan, but she did a cracking version of Hurts So Good, so can be forgiven a bit. I also have Toots and the Maytals doing Take ME Home Country Roads which I have fond memories of. One of my very very favourites is on a 7" single and it's The Wailing Wailers covering What's New Pussycat - This is so bad it goes out the other side into cool (copyright E Izzard again). If I get a chance I'll try to copy it to an mp3 and send you a copy!

Just checked to see if I had Toots' version of Country Roads, and I'm listening to it now! Great version, even if he did take a few liberties with the lyrics

Love Susan Cadogan's 'Hurt So Good'! I've got her album 'Doing It Her Way', which has cover versions of 'Imagine', 'I Say A Little Prayer', 'Will You Love Me Tomorrow', 'Swinging On A Star', 'Something' & 'I Can See Clearly Now'

I haven't played it for many a year, and am a bit nervous about playing it now - not too sure what to expect

The Wailing Wailers - they of 'Bredda Gravalicious' fame? I'd much appreciate a copy of 'What's New Pussycat' - I'm already cringing in anticipation

So, we appear to be mostly in agreement, except for your ludicrous claim that you have impeccable musical taste. You have not bad musical taste, with some very obvious lapses, but you've got a lot going for you my lad so I'll forgive those!

You're too kind, Kev

PS - notice the almost grovelling attempt to stay in the running for your 45's?

Strange enough I did notice that, and I applaud the effort

 

[loz]

The Bowie threada just reminded me of another entry for this.

Bowie's version of Cactus on the Heathen album is a vast improvement on the Pixies original version

(I realise that Pixies fans tend to be fanatics who carve the name of the band in their foreheads with blunt screwdrivers so I guess this one may not go down too well!)

 

[Tommy Power]

Loz, once asked at a quiz What is the most covered song of all time,we thought of two at the time a) House of the Rising Sun or b)Yesterday, we went for Yesterday, the answer acc to the quizmaster was Love will Tear us Apart by Joy Division.What do u think.

yesterday, like loz said has been covered over 3000 times and it is most defiantly the most covered song off all time and whoever the quizmaster was

he is a total donut

 

[Maksimov]

The Bowie threada just reminded me of another entry for this.Bowie's version of Cactus on the Heathen album is a vast improvement on the Pixies original version

(I realise that Pixies fans tend to be fanatics who carve the name of the band in their foreheads with blunt screwdrivers so I guess this one may not go down too well!)

I haven't heard the Heathen album as I haven't been that excited about Bowie's latest works, but I have no doubt he could make it work. Even if I'm a fan of the Pixies(I don't have the name carved on my forehead, though).

Cactus is not the strongest song on Surfer Rosa IMO, but I can picture Bowie making a version of it and even making it a good one.

 

[loz]

Heathen is easily his finest album since Lets Dance - definitely worth a listen (or a download if you are involved in that sort of illegal activity)

Note: the CSR Forums do not condone the illegal downloading of copyright material. People who do it should have their heads turned into ashtrays. It is really really naughty

 

[mad_mac]

just remembered about this thread and thought that there is one more song that I should add. Okay, this is yet another one of those where it is blasphemy to even suggest that the original can be bettered, but seriously this band does the original justice

Okay, so the original is: "Heard it through the grapevine," probably most famously known is the marvin gaye fersion. However, Gladys knight and the pipps also covered it, and it was originally recorded though shelved by smokey robinson.

Anyway, the cover version, and this song has been covered quite a bit, the band that recorded it added their own rock adn roll edge including wailing, smokey, sultry guitar solo's and one of the best vocalists of all time. THe band, Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Seriusly, if you have not heard this version, check it out. If you like the song, like creedence, or like good bluesy rock and roll, then this is a must hear. It is on the Album "Cosmo's Factory" also a tremendous album with some great songs on there too.....run through the jungle, as long as I can see the light, who'll stop the rain, up around the bend, lookin out my back door....

Scott