The Song about the Midway Bonnie Raitt. |
"Smells Like Teen Spirit" - The Bad Plus
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Money (That's What I Want) Flying Lizards in 1979
covered by the Beatles in 1963
written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford,
performed by Barrett Strong 1959
Mr Tambourine Man covered by the Byrds 1965
Bob Dylan also 1965
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The Rascals People Get Ready
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Agree with you on People Get Ready; might not be better than the original (at least the vocal side, not a big fan of Stewart's voice), but the guitar work by Beck is superb. |
Some that have not been mentioned yet:
Burning Down the House - Bonnie Rita (Road Tested)
Papa was a Rolling Stone - Was (Not Was)
Ode to Billie Joe- Tom Scott (Patty Smyth vocals)
People Get Ready- Jeff Beck/Rod Stewart
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"Mannford Man"
Haha! That is a good one.
...........
Hate to override Jimi but Savage Grace did the best version of "All Along The Watchtower". (And there were MANY.) |
Autumn Leaves by Eva Cassidy,
A Song for You by the Temptations (wow!)
Here's to Life by Marilyn Scott. What a wonderful version with great music behind her.
I thought about you. Shirley Horn
someone mentioned Jumping Jack Flash earlier. I still laugh to this day remembering Woopie Goldberg's movie where she kept replaying the Rolling Stones original version trying to figure out the lyrics. That is soooo funny and true.
enjoy |
Blinded By The Light by Mannford
Man originally by Springsteen.
Red Red Wine by UB40 originally by Neil Diamond.
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston originally by Dolly Parton.
Fields Of Gold by Eva Cassidy originally by Sting.
Nothing Compares 2U by Sinead O Connor originally by Prince.
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Can't Take My Eyes Off You - Boys Town Gang |
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"Tallahassee Lassie" by Hurriganes in Finland 1974, from the fabulous "Roadrunner" album. Also contains superb versions of the title track and "I Will Stay". Nothing beats Little Richard but Hurriganes´ "Keep on Knocking" is the best that white boys can do: https://youtu.be/zdjhkH2yhOI |
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Thanks Rockrider. totally cool cover. BTW, the original is one of the best recordings of a rock n roll song, full stop. Although I'm a vinyl guy, the digital recording by Gotye and most of that album has it all and is mesmerizing. |
Jumpin Jack Flash. Johnny Winter |
I saw this before hearing the original, and maybe that’s why I can’t stand the original. But I do like this one! (Not a “serious” musical reference, but kind of fun.) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=P9mybTArlsk |
Bjork: The Boho Dance
Judy Collins: Chelsea Morning
Sinead O’Connor: The Foggy Dew (with The Chieftans) |
"A Song For You" by The Continental Drifters imo bests the fine original recording by Gram Parsons. The Drifters was an L.A. Super Group consisting of Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson (The Bangles), Peter Holsapple (The dB’s), Mark Walton (The Dream Syndicate), Gary Eaton, and a fantastic drummer/singer named Carlo Nuccio (he’s on Tori Amos’ first album). "Shakin’ All Over" in a killer/definitive version by The (pre-Burton Cummings) Guess Who (1960 original by UK band Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, which in comparison sounds quite tame). The tension & release and kinetic energy The Guess Who create in their recoding of this song is absolutely incredible! Vastly superior imo to the bombastic, hoary version by The Who on Live At Leeds. Their version is all release. |
Ain't talking bout love- Minutemen
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Hurt - Johnny Cash. You can literally feel the emotion. Fantastic. |
Still about my favorite: Dave Edmunds' reworking of the Smiley Lewis song "I Hear You Knocking" (also done by Fats Domino and a few others). For the inverse, compare The Beatles version of "Money (That's What I Want)" to the original by Barrett Strong. Barrett's version is much tougher, wickedly cool. Too bad Willie DeVille didn't do the song. |
Another Desperado cover, done by Clint Black.
My favorite version of this great song. |
Judas Priest-Green Manalishi
Judas Priest-Better By You Better Than Me
Judas Priest-Diamonds And Rust
The Rockets-Oh Well
Santana-Black Magic Woman |
Maybe not better, but very good.....
"Bridge Over Troubled Water" Johnny Cash |
I went to see Golden Palominos in the late 80s at The Paradise in Boston, when Syd Straw was with them. The encore was The Ocean by Led Zeppelin, and with all due respect to Robert Plant, Syd was way better. Maybe the best cover I've ever heard. |
Thanks, Russ (rcprince). Yes, "Projections" was indeed a great album, from start to finish, and has long been one of my all-time favorite rock albums.
Best regards,
-- Al
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Projections was a great album. Nice call, Al! |
A couple of oldies which come to mind, the first of which is an instrumental:
"Harlem Nocturne" -- The Viscounts' unique interpretation of an old jazz standard.
"You Can't Catch Me" -- The Blues Project's cover of a Chuck Berry song, on their "Projections" album. Which version is better is debatable, of course, but I prefer this one. I also prefer it to a version the Rolling Stones had on one of their early albums.
Regards,
-- Al
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Not necessarily better than the originals, but, I like these covers:
Concrete Blond--Everybody Knows
Odetta--Times they are a Changin |
Hendrix-All Along the Watchtower
Righteous Brothers-- Unchained Melody
Roy Orbison-- Love Hurts
Willie Nelson and Daughter--Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Yoko Ono--Someone Like You |
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
Suzanne - Judy Collins |
I once heard a version of Hallelujah in a small pub in the middle of Wisconsin that absolutely blows away every version I have ever heard. It was performed by a singer/songwriter from Minnesota and other than his guitar and vocals, you could have heard a pin drop. The whole place was mesmerized.
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Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower
Bonnie Raitt - Angel from Montgomery |
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K.D. Lang - Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)
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There's an older thread with same title....... |
Mumford and Sons - I'm on Fire (Bruce Springsteen)
Eddie Berman & Laura Marling - Dancing in the Dark (Springsteen) |
Flotsam & Jetsam - damage inc. |
Cowboy Junkies - Blue Moon
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Linda Ronstadt -- Desperado
Byrds -- Turn Turn Turn
Elvis Presley -- Blue Moon
Maybe in a bit I’ll come up with more, but it seems we have a lot of agreement here. |
Eva Cassidy's "Fields of Gold" is ravishingly beautiful as if it was written for her!
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- Brown Sabbath - Planet Caravan
- Ry Cooder - One Meatball
- Elvis Presley - Blue Moon
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Linda Ronstadt--Desperado |
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Amy Macdonald - Dancing In The Dark
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You forgot Eva Cassidy - Bridge Over Troubled Waters ;^) |
