what’s a song cover that you think is better than the original?

All Along the Watchtower by Tom Landa & the Paperboys. Beats the snot out of all the other versions I've heard.

I wish to perform a song in front of an audience because I love music so much. I'm sick right now, therefore I want to rest more and dream more at night. Besides that, because I've had joint problems for the past two years, my CBD oil is always with me. Despite my poor health, I will always follow my dreams.

"Wild Horses" Shawn Colvin

The first ones to come to mind are Whitney’s version of I Will Always Love You and Allen Stone’s Georgia On My Mind but I would love to hear other contributions as well! I feel like there are a lot of songs where a covered version gets more popular than the original and people end up not realizing that it is a cover (ex. i had a friend that genuinely believed the Jonas Brothers wrote Year 3000). so, what‘a a song that was written by one artist but (figuratively) owned by another?

 

I got this,...

Mr. Bojangles/Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

+1 on the Johnny Cash co er of Hurt

@ericsch 

Thanks for the Video! Really enjoyed it.

Johnny Cash covering NIN’s “Hurt” 👍🏽

https://youtu.be/8AHCfZTRGiI

"Mandolin Wind" Amy Helm 

@zydeco1 Thanks. I look forward to listening and hearing more from her in the future!

[ to peterf6 ]... Yes, Angelina Jordan has written a few songs (see 3 links below)... FYI... she is only 16 years old now -- and is signed with Republic Records and is in their A&R development program (same label as Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, John Legend, Drake, Florence & The Machine, etc.)... so big things likely to come.  

Here is her latest live performance at a music festival in Norway this month:

 

 

 

 

@zydeco1 thanks for turning me on to this young talent. It seems she specializes in sounding like other singers. Does she do her own thing yet???

@bondmanp - a Rob Dickinson fan - yes!! You were aware that he is the cousin of Bruce? 

I see Joe Cocker mentioned and I think of A Little Help from my Friends.  Better than the Beatles?  Possibly.

1. I Am the Walrus - Boingo 2. Wild Horses - The Sundays 3. Wish You Were Here - Rob Dickinson 4. You Can Love Her - Angelfish

Eric Carmen lifted Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto. Some may remember the song All by Myself.

Also Never gunna fall in love again.  That was Rach's symphony No 2.

Different genres, so no comparison.

Jimi Hendrix’s Star Spangled Banner.   

"Let’s all take a moment to appreciate the insane musicianship, not in the least the amazing vocals…

Dancing On My Own - Robyn cover by Kings of Leon 

 

Stay - Rihanna cover by 30 Seconds To Mars 

 

Wicked Game - Chris Issak cover by Nadezhda Aleksandrova 

 

Roxanne - The Police cover by Morgan James 

 

Some I thought were missed by many ... all just my humble opinions of course. I hope you enjoy and/or rediscover these goodies.

Much love!!! ✌
         .ƹ.

Thanks for this thread and all these new and old things to listen to! I love covers, so it's hard to choose one. I've always been very partial to Shawn Colvin's version of Steve Earle. Also, while it's hard to best Neil Young, this cut by Jill Sobule and John Doe from the Cinnamon Girl benefit album is pretty awesome. (And a fun coincidence that @frazuli2 just posted another version right before me!)

 

 

Down By The River

Roy Buchanan 

Power of love - Celine Dion

Nothing else matters - Miley Cyrus and Elton John

Someone mentioned the ‘Sound of Silence’ by Disturbed which is great, so another fun one for me, (which was equally mentioned as a great cover by the Animals), would be ‘House of the Rising Sun’ by Five finger death punch.

Phish - Lovin Cup (Stones)

phish - Peaches en Regalia (Zappa)

Phish - Frankenstein (Edgar Winter)

Phish - Drowned (The Who)

Phish - Roses Are Free (Ween)

Phish - Cities (Talking Heads)

Phish - Chilling, Thrilling Sounds of the Haunted House (Disney album)

"Blinded by the light" - Manfred Mann / Bruce Springsteen

Lee Ritenour and Kurt Elling add poignance and emotional coherence to ‘River Man’. Nick Drake really didn’t have a chance on so many levels. 
 

With all love and respect for Dionne Warwick IMO, Issac Hayes really nails ‘Walk On By’.

Macarthur Park covered by Beggars Opera, original version by Richard Harris. 

Faith No More - Easy

Nirvana - The Man Who Sold the World

 

@kangatrax + 1 - The Grateful Dead and JGB almost always had wonderful taste in songs to cover, and I generally really enjoyed those, too. 

Linda Ronstadt did a lot of nice covers.  I especially like her cover of the Eagles' Desperado.

Love it when Audiogon members reveal that they also love music! Cover threads always turn me on to something new (in this case it was Eva Cassidy's version of Woodstock, which is unbelievably good). My contributions:

Slam dunk: (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love and Understanding) by Elvis Costello (orig. Brinsley Schwarz/Nick Lowe) mentioned already I think.

Controversial pick: Dead Souls by Nine Inch Nails (orig. Joy Division)

70s Cultural Appropriation Choice: Take Me in Your Arms by the Doobie Brothers (org. Kim Weston)

Jazz selection: 107 Steps by Jeff "Tain" Watts (orig. Bjork)

Not sure it counts: Tears of Rage by The Band (orig. basement tapes w/ Dylan)

The Gourds- Gin and Juice

"What Do you Want the Girl to Do" - Lowell George

"Mercy Mercy Me" - Special EFX

"Respect" - Adeva

Numerous covers by the Grateful Dead, including It's All Over Now Baby Blue. By Bob Dylan.

Happy Talk by Captain Sensible (of the Dammed)

Annie Lennox, “Waiting in Vain”…

 

 

Looks like mostly modern rockers here:  how about Wimoweh, first produced in modern times (that I'm aware of by Solomon Linda), and more famously covered by the Weavers:

 

 

Tina Turner: Proud Mary

+Whatever number for JA version of 'Wooden Ships". I never get tired of hearing Grace Slick when she lets go and soars in a great song.

How could I forget Arlo Guthrie's cover of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans!

Patricia Barber Nardis (Miles Davis)

Stones Love in Vain (Rob't Johnson)

Leo Kotke Pamela Brown (Tom T Hall)

Led Zepelin When The Levee Breaks (Memphis Minnie)

Simple Twist of Fate Sarah Jarosz (Dylan)

Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands Joan Baez (Dylan)

These last two are the only Dylan covers worthy of note IMHO.

 

Ryan Adams' cover of the Oasis song Wonder Wall.

Elvis covering my way

 

jerry garcia covering lay down sally

While everything I was thinking was already mentioned, I just wanted to say how much fun this thread has been to read! And @dekay , Smoke on the water was fabulous! I went down the rabbit hole and watched several of her videos. Thanks for sharing.

Linda Ronstadt: Tumblin' Dice

Ziggy Stardust by Bauhaus.  I know I've said this before in other previous posts. 

@unreceivedogma - Very true about 'Wooden Ships' - I pointed that same thing out further up the thread. And I definitely prefer the JA version! 👍

"Baby its You" by Smith. Singer Gayle McCormick.

Blinded by the Light Manfred Mann with respect to The Boss

 

"Beggar's Day" Nazareth 

Twenty Flight Rock... cover by Montrose.