Songs that got even better when covered by another artist

[JustRob]

I love covers! Familiar, but new.

Every song by Me First And The Gimme Gimmes.

And this guy (who needs a PRS).

EARWORM WARNING. Don't listen if you don't want to sing it all day.

 

[mad monk]

Even though I've been cursed at for saying someone did it better than "The King", I like Dwight Yoakam's version of Suspicious Minds.

 

[Ovibos]

How did you all miss this one?

 

[Ovibos]

Seriously tho,

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Fire -- Pointer Sisters
Venus -- Bananarama
You Really Got Me -- Oingo Boingo
War Pigs -- Dresden Dolls
Summer Breeze -- Type O Negative
Unchained Melody -- Righteous Brothers
(anything) -- Tori Amos, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Type O Negative, Elvis Presley
Suspicious Minds -- Dwight Yoakum (?sp) (not next level better, but still, considering what I just said, I'm surprised how much I prefer his version)

A friend of mine has a band, Gunsmoke & Cheap Perfume, and his covers of The Way (Fastball) (done as a surf-ish instrumental) and If I'd Shot Ya Sooner (Whiskey Chimp) (played a little straighter, more rock'n'roll, with a little less country twang) are superior to the originals by a fair margin

 

[Johan Allard]

Sweet Dreams - Marilyn Manson

Personal Jesus - Johnny Cash

Close My Eyes Forever - Device (with Lzzy Hale)

Baker Street - Foo Fighters

Bad Romance - Halestorm

But the best one ever must be Zakk Wylde playing N.I.B on a Hello Kitty mini acoustic:

 

[Herr Squid]

Hellz yes on "Sweet Dreams"!

Also:

"All Along the Watchtower" - Hendrix (mentioned in another thread, but a cover!)
"Land of Confusion" - Disturbed

I'm sure there are more that aren't coming to me. There was big streak of 80's-era covers several years ago that were all really good.

Honorable mention to a late-night live TV show cover of "Back in Black" in 1989(?) by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. They played half the song in a 30-second blast and I nearly died of laughter.

 

[Michael_DK]

Oh yeah, and "one" by Johnny Cash

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Voodoo Child - the Stevie Ray Vaughan version...

YIKES!!!! Very first post, and I'm out... before I stroke out.

 

[Huggy Love]

Written by Bo Diddley, but as you can hear, a woman's voice and a waycool guitar solo made the difference.

 

[ScottR]

Mainly because I'm not a Garth Books fan...this kills and check the PRS dudes got in the video!

The Thunder Rolls...All That Remains.

 

[Lee B.]

John Mayer’s instrumental cover of “Human Nature.”

 

[Lee B.]

Oh, and Sco with the Mule covering moe’s “Opium.”

 

[Lister]

Not a Garth fan, but this is a great version of Hard Luck Woman!

 

[DISTORT6]

 

[Deleted member 21959]

Megadeth's version of "These Boots Were Made for Walking" without a doubt craps over Lee Hazelwood's/Sinatra's original version. An infinitely preferable version, indeed.

 

[rugerpc]

I love covers! Familiar, but new.

Every song by Me First And The Gimme Gimmes.

And this guy (who needs a PRS).

EARWORM WARNING. Don't listen if you don't want to sing it all day.

These were hilarious, Rob!

 

[Coral Sky Music]

I cannot honestly not say this is better than the original but to me when a band can cover a song and make it their own that is where the magic lies
( i.e. early Metallica Breadfan, The Prince)

 

[jxe]

i think ‘funny’ ‘punk’ covers are especially cheap, cf pennywise.

the metallica cover of ‘turn the page’ is as unfunny and dire as the bob seger original.

 

[Herr Squid]

the metallica cover of ‘turn the page’ is as unfunny and dire as the bob seger original.

Which is umm.. good, right?

(regarding Metallica, I loved "Crash Course in Brain Surgery," but I've never heard the original)