What's your favorite remake of a song


I know most remakes fall short of the original, but I suspect that it's usually due to the fact that the original was known and popular. The remake usually pales by comparison, but I've heard a few things lately that I really liked, and wondered what others have enjoyed...
128x128nrchy
Kimberley Locke's remake of "Band of Gold"
Wham's remake of "If you were there"

What about Garth Brooks covers of Chris Gaines songs.
"If you don't know me..." definitive version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DN41XutK61Y
"Gone, Gone, Gone" Alison Krauss & Robert Plant (original by Everly Bros. is still better)

"Jumpin' Jack Flash" Johnny Winter And Live
801 Live (Eno, Manzanera w/ an amazing bass player whose name I am not recalling) did a cover/massive re-do of the Beatle's Tomorow Never Knows, listed as TKN. Runs about six minutes, and burns, baby, burns!
BerkBob
Let's not forget the covers of "Stairway to Heaven." I like the Dolly Parton version.

Even better is the curious "hybrid" version that takes the lyrics from the opening to Gilligan's Island and sets them to Stairway. It's called "Stairway to Gilligan's Island."

I also like the various Porky Pig covers of songs, done by various comedians such as Robin Williams. Springsteen's "Fire" is amusing, as is "Slow Hand" (I'm dwiving in my car. I turn on the wadio. . .").
When I first saw this post I was clueless (probably still the case in a larger context) but the other day on XM Fred I heard Devo's version of The 'Stone's "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"...what a great cover! At the moment, "my favorite remake of a song".
Michael Hedges' remake of JimI Hendrix "All along the watchtower" is pretty good for a lighter version of a clssic but I am not even sure if Hendrix was the first.
Okay, I've been posting both amusing and serious covers.

In the seriously good category, I like the entire album of covers of Carpenters songs: "If I Were a Carpenter" by various alternative rock artists. I particularly liked Redd Kross' cover of "Yesterday Once More," Sonic Youth's "Superstar," Shonen Knife's "Top of the World" and Crakers "Rainy Days and Mondays."

Does anyone else like Johnny Cash's cover of Trent Reznor's "Hurt?"

Although I really like the original much more, Emmylou Harris' cover of Dylan's "Every Grain of Sand" is terrific too.
Check out Devo's "Working in a Coal Mine". Also, view Devo's first appearance on Saturday Night Live in, I think, 1977, 78 at the latest. Kinda like a Beatles and Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show moment - a culture defining moment announcing the arrival of the Punk Movement to the U.S.A.
announcing the arrival of the Punk Movement to the U.S.A.

Ever hear of The Velvet Underground?
just picked up the randy bachman/burton cummings cd called 'jukebox'....great stuff..all covers
Yes, I've heard of The Velvet Underground who I was listening to in 1969, along with local boys The Stooges and The MC 5 - none of whom was called "punk". I know, I know...it's quite popular to now talk about The Stooges as the "first punk band", but I'm talking about pop culture happenings and not the music. (You could call the Flamin Groovies the first "punk rockabilly band" but there ain't no rockabilly 'till it's called that.)

The appearance of New Wave band Devo (like that term better?) on SNL in '77 ('78?) was a moment in pop culture like The Beatles and Elvis appearing on Sullivan. Not as big or far reaching, of course, but still America's first national exposure, as I remember, to the new wave of music coming on the scene. I remember the SNL cast member introducing Devo with an expression on her face of "what or who the hell are these guys???" I also remember me and my friends talking about it the next week.

I think I was behind that trend then since my wife, while still in high school, dressed as a punk rocker (safety pins, chains, and all) for Halloween, 1977. I don't know if the Sex Pistols had even released their only album in the USA by then.
I have to say that STEVIE RAY VAUGHN'S remake of Voodoo child has to be one of the most intense remakes I have ever heard. Evertime I play it for someone , It's not until Stevie starts singing that people don't realize it isn't hendrix.
My friend DEVO was punk. Alot of the music that was popular for them was there mellow stuff, there earlier stuff was much more intense. Another great band from that era that made it big and people don't realize they started punk, was OINGO BOINGO
Oingo Boingo - there's a blast from the past. Kinda remember them for that red haired front man and his threatening punk style attitude. Speaking of punk and remakes - how about Sid Vicious' remake of "My Way"? And Dead Kennedys' "Viva Las Vegas"?
DK'S now your talking. Lets not forget X'S version of breathless from that terrible richard gere movie!!!
also lets not forget agent orange and all there great remake's of all thr great surf classics. Miserlou, mr moto, pipeline. Great band!!
How about Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, I'm going to paint our bedroom tomorrow and this one of their cds will be spinning for sure. Nothin but souped up covers of classic oldies.
Great thread...

Some of my favorite remakes include:

The Bad Plus "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Johnny Cash "Hurt"
Fine Young Cannibals "Suspicious Minds"
Axel Rudy Pell's rock rendition of In the Air Tonight is outstanding...and an excellent recording as well. Phil Collins would be pleased!
Roberta Flack Killing me softly remade by the Fugees. The female singer Lauren Hill sounded as good as Roberta did way back when. One of my favorite remakes.
Just heard "The Pretenders" do Dylan's "Forever Young". Very moving. Can't say it's a favorite - but really good.
This thread wouldn't be complete without mentioning Sid Vicious's version of "My Way", Wilson Pickett's remake of "Hey Jude", and James Brown's wonderful rendition of "The Tennessee Waltz".
The Good;
God Save The Queen-Motorhead. YES SIR!!!

The Bad;
Megadeth-Anarchy In the UK (as Johnny rotten would say 'turn It off, Its f**king torture)?!!

The Incredible;
Kermit The Frog- Creep!
(I can't get no) Satisfaction- Devo.
1000 times better than the original.

Heartbreaker- Dread Zeppelin.
Every Dream Home A Heartache (Roxy Moozick)- Fields If the Nephilim
Knockin' On Heavens Door (Bob Dylan)- Sisters Of Mercy
Hoedown (Copland)- Bela Fleck.
Love Letters (Elvis?)- Noosha Fox
A New England (Billy Bragg)- Kirsty Maccol
Blinded by the Light and Spirits in the Night by Springsteen and covered by Manfred Manns Earth Band. Manfred has covered several songs like The Mighty Quinn, Shelter from the Storm, Play with Fire (Stones) etc. My opinion the best cover band out there.
In 1992, Elektra Records celebrated their 40th anniversary with Rubaiyat, a 2 disc set that had all their current artists covering their older artists.

See the Amazon ad for the tracklist, it's pretty diverse.
Bonnie Raitt doing Guilty by Randy Newman

Bonnie Raitt doing Dylan's It's All Over Now Baby Blue from some soundtrack to a movie I never saw. Steal this Movie...maybe.

Absolutly great covers
"somewhere" by tom waits - it's from west side story
"a case of you" diana krall, prince does a nice one too
"like someone in love" by bjork
"nothing compares 2 u" sinead oconnor's version of the prince song
Sounds damn close to the original but with a heavy metal flavor and sped up. It kicks a$$ and is just good fun to listen to :-)
That would be Alien Ant Farm's remake of MJ's "Smooth Criminal". Sounds damn close to the original but with a heavy metal flavor and sped up. It kicks a$$ and is just good fun to listen to :-)
I just heard a re-make of one of my favorite songs from the 70's, done by one of my all time favorite bands. Metallica's version of Bob Segar's "Turn The Page"