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Cover songs that are better than the originals.

There is an active thread about terrible cover songs so I thought I'd start one about cover songs that are better than or have completely eclipsed the originals. I'll start:

Randy Newman wrote Momma Told Me Not to Come for Eric Burdon who recored it with the Animals and Newman recorded it too. I have the Newman version and like it but Three Dog Night really seem to capture the mood of the song best in my opinion.
n80

Showing 2 responses by oblgny

oblgny's avatar
oblgny
845 posts
 
Really?  No mention of Joe Cocker turning “A Little Help From My Friends” over under sideways down and then inside out at Woodstock?  Sheesh!  Hard to believe it’s the same song and it continues to give me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Absolutely OWNED it. 

So far as “Respect” by Otis Redding goes I’ll give the nod to Aretha but both versions are damn fine in every...respect.  Aretha pretty much OWNED it as well but when ya listen to Otis - anything by him - you can’t help but...well, same goes for Aretha.  Truly incredible artists.  

Fun thread...
oblgny's avatar
oblgny
845 posts
 
A very big “DITTO” regarding David Lindley’s version of Mercury Blues - just an unabashed freakin’ love letter to rock n’ roll that needs and deserves to be played LOUDLY.  The rest of the album is damn good, too.  

On the “repeat when necessary” list, “Oh Carol” off Get Yer Ya’s Ya’s Out by the Stones. I can never listen to this just once.  Man, dey was good in them days. 

Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow duetting the living heck outta “The Shoop Shoop Song” on SNL - I remember sitting on the couch and being absolutely 
wowed by the performance.  Made me buy more Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow records. 


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