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Song covers that are better than the originals

I was listening to Billy Idol's cover of LA Woman, and I thought to myself that his version is way better than the original. So I thought I'd post a few covers that I enjoy more than the originals and see what others can add. My top five in no particular order:

LA Woman - Billy Idol
Just a Gigolo - David Lee Roth
Feelin Alright - Joe Cocker
Roll Over Beethoven - The Beatles
MacArthur Park - Donna Summer
slanski62
thepigdog's avatar
thepigdog
255 posts
 
The Band - Atlantic City
Sara K. - Brick House
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,156 posts
 
K D Lang's version of Leonard Cohen's original "Hallelujah "

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7oZN2eTgvVs

Reverse this to original better than the cover version - Glen Campbell's version of "The Highwayman" then performed  by Willie Nelson 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iaeGfMeSKX0

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,445 posts
 

I am hesitant to comment on Harold’s post, but sheesh!

Hendrix not only turns a beautiful, subtle, personal prayer into a crass display of vulgar guitar pyrotechnics (okay, I admit to not caring for Jimi’s playing. I know, a minority opinion), but he also obviously has NO idea what the song is about. Just awful.

"Superstition" by Beck, Bogart & Appice better than Stevie’s own?! Wow---I’m speechless. Beck’s worst band, he absolutely butchers a song done magnificently by Mr. Wonder, who plays every instrument on his recording. On this, Harold, I do believe you may be alone in your opinion. Nothing wrong with that (in principle)!

bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,445 posts
 
Dave Edmunds’ electrifying reinvention of Smiley Lewis’ "I Hear You Knocking".
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,139 posts
 
BDP24, yes you are truly in a minority regarding Jimi's playing and his version of "All Along the Watchtower".  On multiple occasions Dylan has acknowledged that Jimi's version is superior to his.

"Superstition" is one of my favorite Jeff Beck solos, but his version is not better than the original.  There's a story that Wonder wrote the song specifically of Beck.

Otis Redding said "the girl stole my song".  Aretha's version of "Respect" is probably better.
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