What's your favourite cover version of a song that's way better than the original.

poopot

https://soundcloud.app.goo.gl/ohTQ5hKmVgTXSTTu6

MagicPigDetective

How about this. It's a faithful cover but the added heft of the Melvins cover really suits the song and is an improvement over the Kiss original, IMHO. Kiss fans might disagree though!

Hurling_Fruitmig

TheBigDipper said:

Heard It Through The Grapevine - The Slits 

No, really. It's great. It was on a cheapo compilationLP of covers by punk/new wave bands called “We Do Em Our Way”. 

That's long been one of my favourites. In a similar punkish vein, I'd like to throw the Stereo Total cover of Push it in to the ring.

Mattharrier

It's not exactly the same, as the "original" wasn't actually by the Animals, but I prefer Frijid Pink's version of House of the Rising Sun (although the Animals' version is very good).

Philly_Q

Mattharrier said:

It's not exactly the same, as the "original" wasn't actually by the Animals, but I prefer Frijid Pink's version of House of the Rising Sun (although the Animals' version is very good).

Leslie West did a really good version too.

PhilKing

Don't know if you'd class it as better than the original, but I always liked Frente's version of 'Bizarre Love Trangle'
https://youtu.be/IJ1c9ErCn7w

khaotic

Ministry - Radar Love

Dead Kennedys - Viva Las Vegas

Les Thugs - Moon over Marin

Motorhead - R.A.M.O.N.E.S

EricTheWeary

One of my favourite covers…

https://youtu.be/cmEVUYidefY

HAL9000

The Sky is Crying - SRV makes it his own.
Song to the Siren - TMC for me is the definitive version.
Brand New Cadillac - The Clash.

robinbowes

HAL9000 said:

Song to the Siren - TMC for me is the definitive version.

I used to think that. In fact, I didn't realise it was a cover until a few years ago.

I now firmly believe that this is the definitive version:

ICBM

robinbowes said:

I now firmly believe that this is the definitive version

[Tim Buckley - Song to the Siren]

I think they're both great, although I do prefer the TMC version.

Just don't listen to the Bryan Ferry version, it's appalling. (And I'm a fan.)

robinbowes

ICBM said:

robinbowes said:

I now firmly believe that this is the definitive version

[Tim Buckley - Song to the Siren]

I think they're both great, although I do prefer the TMC version.

Agree, I love them both.

LastMantra

As I've already said the JF version is the best 

idiotwind

robinbowes said:

HAL9000 said:

Song to the Siren - TMC for me is the definitive version.

I used to think that. In fact, I didn't realise it was a cover until a few years ago.

I now firmly believe that this is the definitive version:

Have you heard this version that he did on the Monkees TV show?

robinbowes

idiotwind said:

robinbowes said:

HAL9000 said:

Song to the Siren - TMC for me is the definitive version.

I used to think that. In fact, I didn't realise it was a cover until a few years ago.

I now firmly believe that this is the definitive version:

Have you heard this version that he did on the Monkees TV show?

Yes, I like that too, but I prefer the album version.

R.

hollywoodrox

Alvin said:

W.A.S.P. - The Real Me

  

Heaps better ,ive still got this on 45 rpm 

HerrMetal

Still I'm Sad. I much prefer the Rainbow version to the original by the Yardbirds which is just commendably strange. Paul Gilbert does a great version too.

Philly_Q

HerrMetal said:

Still I'm Sad. I much prefer the Rainbow version to the original by the Yardbirds which is just commendably strange. Paul Gilbert does a great version too.

Thinking of the Yardbirds, I've heard a number of covers of Heart Full of Soul which I think work better than the original - Relf sings the chorus in a weird sort of herky-jerky way which always sounds odd to me.

DesVegas

Thought this was pretty rad

HerrMetal

Philly_Q said:

HerrMetal said:

Still I'm Sad. I much prefer the Rainbow version to the original by the Yardbirds which is just commendably strange. Paul Gilbert does a great version too.

Thinking of the Yardbirds, I've heard a number of covers of Heart Full of Soul which I think work better than the original - Relf sings the chorus in a weird sort of herky-jerky way which always sounds odd to me.

The Rush version perhaps?  Another one of theirs that might be better as a cover is 'Shapes of Things'. You've got versions by Rush again or Gary Moore - one of my favourite tracks of his.  Wishing Well by Free is another great cover by Gary Moore.