Covers of songs that better the original

[derangedperson]

This thread begins and ends with Johnny Cash's cover of Hurt. In between:

Pearl Jam's cover of Love, Reign O'er Me
Johnny Cash's cover of I Hung My Head
Joe Cocker's cover of With A Little Help From My Friends
Metallica's cover of Whiskey In The Jar
Van Halen's cover of Dancing In The Street

[Ipecac Drano]

Van Halen's cover of Dancing In The Street

Don't forget Jagger's and Bowie's cover!

[derangedperson]

Don't forget Jagger's and Bowie's cover!

I can't. That fucking video...

[Mytical]

On another forum I am a member of..we had a 'game' about music (top 10 <fill in the blank>) where the winner of the last round got to decide what the theme was for the next round. There was a top ten cover songs..some of them I never dreamed were cover songs. My list

Once bitten twice shy - White Snake - . (Originally by Ian Hunter)
Cum on feel the noise - Quiet Riot (Originally by Slade)
It's my life - No Doubt (Originally by Talk Talk)
Mony Mony - Billy Idol (Originally by Tommy James)
Respect - Artha Franklin (Originally by Otis Redding)
WAR - Bruce Springsteen (Temptations originally??)
First Cut is the Deepest - Sheryl Crow (Original Cat Stevens?)
I put a spell on you - Bette Miller (Original Screamin' Jay Hawkins?)
I think we're alone now - Tiffany (original Tommy James and The Shondells)
Hound Dog - Elvis Presley (Original Big Mama Thomton

[Ipecac Drano]

Sarah Brightman did a nice version of "Dust in the Wind". I've liked most covers of Kansas's songs; but then, I haven't been much of a fan of the band.

[Canarr]

I have to say, Van Canto's cover of Iron Maiden's Fear of the Dark. Brilliant version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyHcIHssdHA

Most people here have probably never heard of them; a relatively young, not very widely known band that does Metal a cappella. Sounds strange, but they're really good.

[bunnyboy]

Here are some of my favourite cover versions that I believe were better than the original. ^^

White Wedding - Murderdolls.

I love the original as well, but this one is just brilliant; hard to explain, if you've never heard it, but uses sneering lyrics and screechy guitars and the first time I heard it, it really appealed to me. Puts the song into another context completely. XD

Tainted Love - Marilyn Manson
Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson

Manson has done a lot of covers over the years, but these two are my favourites. He always makes the song completely his own, and I always prefer Manson's version to the original. The guy's a genius.
[B]

Out of just his Covers, does it count when the song in question is so "covered up" (yes that was a pun) that most people get wrong, like say his cover of "I Put a Spell on You" which turns it from the usual lovey dovey niceness back to it's original singer is casting a hoodoo hex onto his/her object of obsession.

and i do believe it's elsewhere but HIM's covers of Wicked Game.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I'd say it counts. ^^ I love Manson's cover of I Put A Spell on you; there's a great Craft video with that as the soundtrack, and it really sets off the nastiness of the end of the movie.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

After reading through the thread, I've noticed that there's a couple that haven't been mentioned...

All Along the Watchtower was originally done by Bob Dylan, not Hendrix.

Black Magic Woman? Fleetwood Mac, not Santana.

Blinded By the Light, a Springsteen song popularized by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

[Andara Bledin]

Blinded By the Light, a Springsteen song popularized by Manfred Mann's Earth Band.

Yeah, but while the Mann version is the one everybody knows, I actually think the original is a better rendition. It's certainly longer, and it makes more sense. A couple of bits that Mann changed for their version make it make even less sense.

^-.-^

[Bardmaiden]

Tainted Love - Marilyn Manson

Personally I prefer the Soft Cell cover of Gloria Jones song, but then I was never a fan of the Northern Soul stuff.

Diamonds and Rust The version I like the best by Blackmores Night

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Tainted Love - Marilyn Manson

Personally I prefer the Soft Cell cover of Gloria Jones song, but then I was never a fan of the Northern Soul stuff.

My preferred version of this song is by a punk rock band called Shades Apart.

Also, "Kiss Me" as done by New Found Glory
And "Molly's Lips" as done by Nirvana