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[Shake Your Rump]

True story. I was with my parents at Kmart and they said I could buy a cassette. I had Tiffany in one hand and Beastie Boys (Licensed to Ill) in the other. I chose Tiffany, partly because of that song and partly because she was cute.

I got the Beasite Boys tape a bit later and realized that I had made a poor choice initially.

 

[Yerd]

I love covers. I can't think of many off the top of my head because I have bad memory. I will have to peruse my music collection. But, as I was scrolling through the comments one cover came to mind. I don't know if it's better, but it's pretty damn good.

Also, Disturbed's cover better than Simon and Garfunkel? Worst take ever. I absolutely hate that cover. I also hate that people like it.

 

[rogr rogr]

Videogames covers allowed, right?

 

[AJUMP23]

This is probably the single greatest cover of all time:

This is not better than Simon and Garfunkel. It is decent but not better.

 

[Agent_Nobody]

Another that came to mind.

The original:

 

[Yerd]

This might be one of the most famously "better than the original" covers.

 

[kevboard]

This is probably the single greatest cover of all time:

I wouldn't say the greatest, but yeah good

 

[bender]

 

[Yerd]

The original

 

[INC]

Because I'm oddly a fan of big band and 30s style music

 

[T8SC]

Far better than Supertramp's original.

 

[diffusionx]

Beatles' cover of Twist & Shout is the best version of it and one of the best rock songs ever.

CCR's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is the best version of that one, too, but if you prefer the Marvin Gaye version, that's also a cover.

 

[Yerd]

 

[Bartski]

 

[Mihos]

 

[Mihos]

Because I'm oddly a fan of big band and 30s style music

I go see these guys every time they are in town. I think I like their cover of 7 nation army the best

 

[Dr Cowley]

Mustard covers creep

 

[daffyduck]

Far better than Supertramp's original.

 

[INC]

I go see these guys every time they are in town. I think I like their cover of 7 nation army the best

Black hole sun is also decent

 

[Kraz]

She does great covers. Her version of Raining Blood is so evocative of Hell.

I really like this cover of Creep for the way it sardonically adjusts the song.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

Nine Inch Nails Version of Metal by Gary Numan. Shit is fire.

 

[jufonuk]

 

[Phobos Base]

 

[Grildon Tundy]

This was one of the first chiptune songs I'd ever heard. It's a banger and better than the original in every way:

 

[Sledge]

Too many, here's a few:

I Put A Spell On You - Natacha Atlas
The sole English language track from an album of Arabic-fused bangers, which also includes a cover of Ne Me Quitte Pas, which I also prefer to the original. If you like those, also see You Only Live Twice.


Firestarter - Torre Florim
Amazing arrangement that hits surprisingly hard towards the end.


Hey Sah-Lo-Ney - Detroit Cobras
Maximum energy cover of an already upbeat track.


Trouble In Mind - Freddie King
Always conjures up the image of a smoky jazz club in my mind. Song's a downer but this version never gets me down.


Bonus track!

 

[Davesky]

 

[SpiceRacz]

First one that came to mind. Easily the best cover of the song.

 

[AJUMP23]

Which one is the cover

 

[winjer]

 

[Lord Panda]

This one probably doesn't count:

 

[edbrat]

I love Overmono's cover of The Streets Turn the Page

 

[Kadve]

Might be a controversial opinion but it think the Mötorhead version of Enter Sandman is better than the original.

 

[Kadve]

Also nothing against Carl Carlton (his verion its good in its own right). But Love Affairs version is something else entirely.

 

[lughnasadh123]

Half these I've heard and are fantastic! The rest I'll check out later, just wanted to add some that hopefully aren't up yet.

 

[newtypepilot]

 

[NeverYouMind]

Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald collaborate to create the definitive version of the Gershwins' classic jazz "Summertime" tune.

https://youtu.be/mgSH4A-V9HQ<=Original

---

Bobby Darin's American cover titled "Beyond The Sea" of the French classic "La Mer" by Charles Trenet kicks it up a notch.

https://youtu.be/fztkUuunI7g<=Original

---

The Kingsmen's soulful rendition of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie" makes the original sound amateurish.

https://youtu.be/z-2CKsaq5r8<=original

---

Elvis' cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" adds personality to an otherwise unremarkable song.

https://youtu.be/Kv7K9ghgcgA<=Original

---

Nancy Sinatra's smooth cover of Cher's "Bang Bang" makes for easy listening.

https://youtu.be/KfyBHZc9rK4<=Original

---

Canned Heat's version of Henry Thomas' "Bull Doze Blues" titled "Going Up the Country" smooths out the vocals while keeping the catchy instrumentals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1xBwWm46ug<=Original

---

Led Zepplin's heavy cover of Jake Holmes' "Dazed and Confused" adds refinements to another cover by The Yardbirds (which Jimmy Page was also part of) to become the definitive version.

https://www.youtu.be/pTsvs-pAGDc<=Original

---

Blue Swede's cover of B.J. Thomas' "Hooked On A Feeling" adds hypnotic rhythm and style to the original.

https://youtu.be/Wqt_iZBvtCo<=Original

---

The Gipsy Kings version of the Eagles' classic "Hotel California" adds flamenco stylings that are sorely missed upon hearing the original.

https://youtu.be/BciS5krYL80<=Original

---

Talking Heads' cover of Al Green's "Take Me To The River" adds catchy rhythm and sexually suggestive vocals to become a classic.

https://youtu.be/9FBUgdhxe9M<=Original

 

[Yerd]

Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald collaborate to create the definitive version of the Gershwins' classic jazz "Summertime" tune.

https://youtu.be/mgSH4A-V9HQ<=Original

---

Bobby Darin's American cover titled "Beyond The Sea" of the French classic "La Mer" by Charles Trenet kicks it up a notch.

https://youtu.be/fztkUuunI7g<=Original

---

The Kingsmen's soulful rendition of Richard Berry's "Louie Louie" makes the original sound amateurish.

https://youtu.be/z-2CKsaq5r8<=original

---

Elvis' cover of Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" adds personality to an otherwise unremarkable song.

https://youtu.be/Kv7K9ghgcgA<=Original

---

Nancy Sinatra's smooth cover of Cher's "Bang Bang" makes for easy listening.

https://youtu.be/KfyBHZc9rK4<=Original

---

Canned Heat's version of Henry Thomas' "Bull Doze Blues" titled "Going Up the Country" smooths out the vocals while keeping the catchy instrumentals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1xBwWm46ug<=Original

---

Led Zepplin's heavy cover of Jake Holmes' "Dazed and Confused" adds refinements to another cover by The Yardbirds (which Jimmy Page was also part of) to become the definitive version.

https://www.youtu.be/pTsvs-pAGDc<=Original

---

Blue Swede's cover of B.J. Thomas' "Hooked On A Feeling" adds hypnotic rhythm and style to the original.

https://youtu.be/Wqt_iZBvtCo<=Original

---

The Gipsy Kings version of the Eagles' classic "Hotel California" adds flamenco stylings that are sorely missed upon hearing the original.

https://youtu.be/BciS5krYL80<=Original

---

Talking Heads' cover of Al Green's "Take Me To The River" adds catchy rhythm and sexually suggestive vocals to become a classic.

https://youtu.be/9FBUgdhxe9M<=Original

Did not know the talking heads track was a cover.

 

[Kraz]

 

[Paasei]

 

[NeverYouMind]

That's an interesting nu metal interpretation of ABBA's disco march tune. It is kind of wierd to have it sung predominantly by a man given the lyrics though.

 

[Ulysses 31]

Original

 

[Ulysses 31]

 

[Kraz]

That's an interesting nu metal interpretation of ABBA's disco march tune. It is kind of wierd to have it sung predominantly by a man given the lyrics though.

It's a stand out in the mountain of Abba covers. The deep Peter Steele like voice works great with the co-vocalist. Singing together in the chorus brings out spooky narratives, like a ghostly entity(Incubus?) observing and implanting suggestions from the other side to the woman.

 

[Pegasus Actual]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm a dick and I kind of hate covers. Like hey you want to cover a song live? Cool, knock yourself out. You want to record an album version? Well... so long as it's like a deep cut... Wait... you want to put it out as a single? And you're like... a band? That should be putting out their own songs? Fuck off.

If you're an olden times band from the days where they didn't really write their own songs to begin with and the same damn song would be put out by like 10 bands over a period of 4 years... fine whatever I guess that's just the way it was.

I will counter with a cover that is worse than the original.


That's right, the dreaded re-cover. How pathetic is that? It's not that it's that bad in a vacuum... but let's face it the vocals are way too try-hard and the charm of a fun teen song from my youth has been wrung from its corpse.

And here we have the pinnacle crap cover. Just a straight cover trying to sound as close to the original as possible, cynically shat out as a single to make the most money possible. Just like their Take On Me cover actually.

 

[LegendOfKage]

Can't stop listening to this. I don't even like japanese music.

What's the name of the song and who did the original?

 

[Cha]

My mind always jumps to Alien Ant Farm's Smooth Criminal when I think of exceptional covers. As OP said, perhaps not better than original but an excellent take that goes toe to toe with the original.

Similarly, "Careless Whisper" by George Michael was covered beautifully by Seether.


I do prefer the cover.

 

[AJUMP23]

Toto's version is still superior.

 

[Yerd]

What's the name of the song and who did the original?

 

[TheloniusFabdul]

 

[John Marston]