Gary Melton wrote:
There are certain original hit songs that most of us identify with and swear by them...that is...NO ONE could ever record a better version!  (Like, how could anyone top Led Zeppelin's version of "Stairway to Heaven", or the Doors' "Light My Fire"?)

But have you ever been so surprised by a cover that you could admit that it was BETTER than the original?  Especially one that you could admit that after only hearing it once or twice?

A couple of years ago, I was totally caught by surprise by a Collin Raye cover of one of Journey's biggest hits: "Open Arms".  As much as I like Collin Raye, when I saw that he had covered a JOURNEYS song...and OPEN ARMS...of all songs - I just about had to laugh.  But that was only until I actually heard his version...and I was BLOWN AWAY!

Hear for yourself (and listen to at least half of it before making a judgement):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXPRlZEKi5I


A different sort of "cover" that took me much longer to appreciate: "I shot the sheriff" by Bob Marley and the Wailers.  Eric Clapton had the biggest hit off that song, but once you get used to Bob Marley's version - which is QUITE different than Eric Clapton's - Clapton's version just doesn't quite sound right anymore (not to me anyway).  Of course - since Bob Marley wrote the song, that probably has something to do with that.

Nothing beats Steve Perry singing that tune.
Huge fan, one of my most favorite singers.

Jules NYC wrote:

Nothing beats Steve Perry singing that tune.
Huge fan, one of my most favorite singers.

I HEAR you - Steve Perry is GREAT...but take a listen to Collin Raye's cover - you might be surprised!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXPRlZEKi5I

-Ira wrote:
Cash covering NIN's Hurt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

very nice!

Gary Melton wrote:

I HEAR you - Steve Perry is GREAT...but take a listen to Collin Raye's cover - you might be surprised!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXPRlZEKi5I

I did.
I wasn't.

Sorry!

Patrick Walberg wrote:
The song "I Need You Now" was such a huge hit for Lady Antebellum,
... but I prefer this version; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7FP9XYNGCQ
It's far better in my opinion than the original, but then I maybe biased, as
I'm a huge fan of both Sara Niemietz & Jake Coco....

Very nice cover!

-Ira wrote:
Cash covering NIN's Hurt

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

I totally concur with this one.  When I hear the NIN version I find it pretentious but the Johnny Cash version is beautiful.

I know some people will give me crap for this one, but I really like the David Bowie version of "Cactus" which was originally done by the Pixies.

Also, I'm not going to necessarily say it's better, but I do think the version the The Sundays did of "Wild Horses" is just as good as the Rolling Stones.

Schlake wrote:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaxkH9sTzuU

Black Simon And Garfunkle covering Thrift Shop.

Hilarious!!!

Instinct Images wrote:
Israel "Izzy" Kamakawiwoʻole - Somewhere Over The Rainbow

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

I loved this version of the song from the first time I heard it...it has been on the soundtrack of at least 2 major motion pictures!

Tropic Light wrote:
Joe Cocker covering "A Little Help From My Friends".

While The Beatles original version of this song is great - it's really hard NOT to think of Joe Cocker's version as being the original!

Andrew Kaiser wrote:
I totally concur with this one.  When I hear the NIN version I find it pretentious but the Johnny Cash version is beautiful.

I know some people will give me crap for this one, but I really like the David Bowie version of "Cactus" which was originally done by the Pixies.

Also, I'm not going to necessarily say it's better, but I do think the version the The Sundays did of "Wild Horses" is just as good as the Rolling Stones.

I once had an hour long conversation with someone who was CONVINCED that Cash was the original version!

I like both a lot.

Can I put this here?
original: Warning vulgar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwPMKozHPCM

new: Warning vulgar and white people saying the n word.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeL9gagV_VA

I don't think I *actually* can think of a good song that was covered better that hasn't been mentioned.

Compass Rose Studios wrote:
Jane's Addiction - Sympathy for the Devil. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6p3GnxBYOQ

And I don't say that lightly.  I revere the Stones version

I'm going to have to say after hearing this version...I still prefer the Stones version...

Gary Melton wrote:

I HEAR you - Steve Perry is GREAT...but take a listen to Collin Raye's cover - you might be surprised!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXPRlZEKi5I

Of course Steve Perry is a great singer, but I like this version!   Open Arms is a good song to put the country twang to with the steel pedal guitar and Collin sounds great!  This coming from a hard core Journey fan who normally ONLY likes Journey with Steve Perry on lead vocal. 

Gary Melton wrote:

I'm going to have to say after hearing this version...I still prefer the Stones version...

I like them both but Jane's version resonates with me more.

Patrick Walberg wrote:
Of course Steve Perry is a great singer, but I like this version!   Open Arms is a good song to put the country twang to with the steel pedal guitar and Collin sounds great!  This coming from a hard core Journey fan who normally ONLY likes Journey with Steve Perry on lead vocal. 

Glad to hear someone agrees with me on this one.

Trust me - there are few bigger Journey fans than me...which is why when I saw that Collin had covered it, I had to nearly laugh - but Collin NAILS the choruses even more strongly than Steve Perry.  If someone doesn't listen to the youtube link at least until the end of the first chorus (at 1:30), they're not giving it a fair shake!

Gary Melton wrote:
Very nice cover!

I'm going to give you another Sara Niemietz cover;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sdvyh5Sa6a4  Set Fire To the Rain!  Adele
Sara attacks it! 

Sara first got on stage when she upstaged BJ Thomas when she was only 4 years old!  She is 20 or 21 and setting the LA music scene on fire!  She has even reunited with BJ Thomas after so many years!

K I C K H A M wrote:
I FOUND ONE!

This was voted the best cover of all time by the Rolling Stone.

All Along the Watchtower. And I wholeheartedly agree.

Original
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YanjY9CsPDQ

Jimi Hendrix
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_L4RtU1iRg

*edit* Here is the whole list, if you're interested:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictu … s-20110302

Forgot about this one - forgot that Dylan had done it before Hendrix.  I'm a HUGE Hendrix fan, and "All Along the Watchtower" is probably my favorite song of his!

K I C K H A M wrote:
I FOUND ONE!
...
*edit* Here is the whole list, if you're interested:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/pictu … s-20110302

I certainly agree with Rolling Stones #6 choice: "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles...the fab four hit the bullseye with their rendition!

Gary Melton wrote:

I certainly agree with Rolling Stones #6 choice: "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles...the fab four hit the bullseye with their rendition!

I was actually a huge fan of most of the list.

I agree with Joe Cocker as well (With A Little Help From My Friends)... But I really like the Wonder Years so maybe I'm biased.

Greg Holt Photography wrote:
“Nothing Compares To You” - Sinéad O'Connor

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower

Jeff Buckley - 'Hallelujah'

It's hard to NOT think of Sinead O'Connor as a "one-hit wonder"...but without that song - her career would hardly merit a foot note in music history...

Gary Melton wrote:
I certainly agree with Rolling Stones #6 choice: "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles...the fab four hit the bullseye with their rendition!

K I C K H A M wrote:
I was actually a huge fan of most of the list.

I agree with Joe Cocker as well (With A Little Help From My Friends)... But I really like the Wonder Years so maybe I'm biased.

"Twist and Shout" is one of those songs that if you'd only heard the Isley Brothers version and loved it, you'd just about have to laugh if you heard The Beatles had covered it.  It was one of those odd quirks of fate that it worked so frickin' well!!

Monad Studios wrote:
Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin

I'm a HUGE Janis Joplin fan.

"Me and Bobby McGee" was not one of my favorites of hers, but I did like it better than the original version by Roger Miller, or the one by Kris Kristofferson (who, with Fred Foster, co-wrote the song).

Gary Melton wrote:

Gary Melton wrote:
I certainly agree with Rolling Stones #6 choice: "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles...the fab four hit the bullseye with their rendition!

"Twist and Shout" is one of those songs that if you'd only heard the Isley Brothers version and loved it, you'd just about have to laugh if you heard The Beatles had covered it.  It was one of those odd quirks of fate that it worked so frickin' well!!

I'll check it out!