Original songs and the best cover versions

[RHB]

Quite simple really, you probably all have some favourite music from your past which others have then recorded as a cover version. Some covers have become more 'famous' and that is the main driver of this thread. I'll kick it off with Handbags and Gladrags. Originally recorded by Chris Farlow and then covered by Rod Stewart and then the Stereophonics. My favourite is the Stereophonics which I think is the best version of the lot. So what's yours?

[video=youtube;51GuG6N2qHE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51GuG6N2qHE[/video]

 

[rigsby]

Rolf Harris...Stairway to Heaven.

 

[londonblue]

I quite like the Guns N' Roses version of Live and Let Die

 

[MK Shrimper]

Bit obscure maybe, but The Jayhawks version of Bad Time To Be in Love (originally by Grand Funk Railroad) is a great cover.

 

[Mad Cyril]

Candy Flip's cover of Strawberry Fields Forever.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Candy Flip's cover of Strawberry Fields Forever.

is awful.....

 

[Firestorm]

The wife and I were discussing last night which was the best version of Macarthur Park, She said Richard Harris , I preferred Donna Summer

My personal favourite Covers

Born to be Wild - Slade
I Fought the Law - The Clash
David Watts - The Jam
Message to Rudy - The Specials

 

[Supernaut]

Beatles is good, Breeders is better...

[video=youtube;l8K0yLAtzCY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8K0yLAtzCY[/video]

 

[Supernaut]

Springsteen is good, Bowie is better...

[video=youtube;_pDYK4Ns-co]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pDYK4Ns-co[/video]

 

[Supernaut]

Bowie is good, Nirvana is better...

[video=youtube;fregObNcHC8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fregObNcHC8[/video]

 

[MK Shrimper]

I Fought the Law - The Clash

Much prefer the Bobby Fuller Four version.

 

[LCBB72]

Quite simple really, you probably all have some favourite music from your past which others have then recorded as a cover version. Some covers have become more 'famous' and that is the main driver of this thread. I'll kick it off with Handbags and Gladrags. Originally recorded by Chris Farlow and then covered by Rod Stewart and then the Stereophonics. My favourite is the Stereophonics which I think is the best version of the lot. So what's yours?

[video=youtube;51GuG6N2qHE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51GuG6N2qHE[/video]

Mike Dabo who wrote the song will tell you that Chris Farlowes version is the best .

 

[MK Shrimper]

Some more:

Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding >>> Elvis Costello's
Kirsty MacColl - New England >>> Billy Bragg's
The Pogues - The Band Played Waltzing Matilda >>> Eric Bogle's
Johnny Cash - Hurt >>> Nine Inch Nails.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Kirsty MacColl - New England >>> Billy Bragg's
.

Dear me. No.

Anyhow, far be it from me to be dismissive of the great Lead Belly but....

Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan > Lead Belly
Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana > Lead Belly

 

[MK Shrimper]

Dear me. No.

Anyhow, far be it from me to be dismissive of the great Lead Belly but....

Rock Island Line - Lonnie Donegan > Lead Belly
Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana > Lead Belly

Haha, I think even BB prefers it!

 

[Uncle Leo]

Haha, I think even BB prefers it!

Last time I saw Billy Bragg live he did perform her version rather than his!

Not necessarily a better version, but Jose Gonzalez deserves some credit for his complete re-make of The Knife's 'Heartbeats'

Original - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPD8Ja64mRU

Gonzalez - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruQQ5UvICvA

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Saw Neil Young do an excellent version of the Beatles Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds a few years back..Don't think he's ever recorded it but I loved his version.

Also remember Billy Bragg shouting down a few members of the audience here, (including me), who were demanding that he played A13 as an encore.He chose The Smiths Ask (me) instead.Rather droll I thought.:smile:

 

[Napster]

The wife and I were discussing last night which was the best version of Macarthur Park,

Four tops for me.

 

[RHB]

Mike Dabo who wrote the song will tell you that Chris Farlowes version is the best .

Good old Mr D'abo is welcome to his opinion. The whole idea was to give a poster's opinion. Hence the Stereophonics, even though I was around and buying records when Chris Farlow released it.

 

[Mad Cyril]

I don't like any of Nirvana's albums with the exception of the acoustic unplugged one.