A cover version/original version rarity

"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" by Neil Young, cover by Saint Etienne

"(I Know) I'm Losing You," by the Temptations, cover by Rod Stewart

 

There are so many factors that go into making a cover better than the original or equal to the original. For some people, it's reinventing the song. For others, it's staying true to the song but adding a little something to it.

A couple of people I met at the Millennial New Year's were convinced that John Fogerty covered Tina Turner on "Proud Mary." She does a killer job on the song, but it was originally a CCR tune.

I also think Joe Cocker's "With A Little Help From My Friends" outpaces The Beatles version. Then again, I'm not a big fan of their original and I love Joe's, so I'm biased.

I give props to Stevie Nicks for her cover of Led Zeppelin's "Rock And Roll." Thanks to her much-lower-than-Robert Plant's register, I can now sing the song in my range. I also credit her cover of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers' "I Need To Know." Even Tom Petty has been quoted as saying, "you've never heard it until you've heard Stevie sing it."

Jimi's version of "All Along The Watchtower" has been mentioned, of course. Even Bob Dylan said Hendrix did better on the song than he did.

Let's not forget Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt." When Trent Reznor heard it, he thought something along the lines of, "it's not my song anymore."

 

"Proud Mary" is an outstanding call.

 

Killdozer's version of American Pie is superior to the original.

 

As much as I love the Clash's original "Guns of Brixton"...

 

Courtney Love's "Gold Dust Woman" is a much edgier version -- gee, there's a &$!#&$ surprise -- of the Fleetwood Mac original..

Also, the Beatles went so far as to take out an ad in one of the trade pubs congratulating Joe Cocker for "(I get by with) A little help from my friends."

 

The Violent Femmes "Do you really want to hurt me" matches Culture Club's.

 

Does Eric Clapton count for his two versions of "After Midnight"?

Also, props to G 'N' R for its cover of Dylan's Knockin' On Heaven’s Door. That was the song that made me go back and start listening to vintage Dylan stuff.

 

Dwight Yoakum's versions of Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," Elvis' "Suspicious Minds" and Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" are at least equal to, if not better than, the originals.

Also, Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal" was excellent, perhaps as good as Michael Jackson's original.

Echo what people said about Cash. His versions of U2's "One," Dylan's "It Ain't Me, Babe" and Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" are phenomenal, just to name a few.

Also, not a lot of people know that Aretha's "Respect" is actually a cover of an Otis Redding song.

 

And one more:

"Peace, Love and Understanding" nicely done by both Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

 

Yoakam's version of "Suspicious Minds" is the best Elvis cover ever.

"Statesboro Blues" has been covered dozens of times but for me the definitive version is on the Allman's Fillmore East album.

And speaking of old, rhythm and blues, boogie woogie numbers, Pat Travers's version of "Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)" will always be the definitive one.

 

Can't believe I forgot Nirvana's "The Man Who Sold the World," (a Bowie song) from the Unplugged CD. Incredible.

Speaking of Unplugged, STP's "Dancing Days" was one of the few Zeppelin covers that anyone ever pulled off.

The Rolling Stones did a few good Motown covers, most notably The Temptations' "Just My Imagination."