Favourite Cover Songs

[dwanollah]

I HATE HATE HATE Smashmouth's "I'm a Believer." Pointless and stupid. GRRR.

ITA. If you don't, like, make the song MEAN or DO something DIFFERENT, then what's the point?! *huff* *stamp*

The Old 97s do a cover of "El Paso" that's so fun and rollicking that I can't help but sing along. The original was pretty dull to me.

The Marty Robbins song?! And... how DARE you say Marty Robbins is dull! *throws dirt clods*

[Deleted]

I love "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley but I heard another version of the song acoustically played by Ray Lamontagne which was good in his own way.

Which came out first? If it's the Ray Lamontagne version then GB's version is now my favorite cover song.

[starskin]

carrier76 said:

I like Sheryl's version of "The First Cut..." I'm not big on Rod Stewart, though.

But....Cat Stevens did the original of "The First Cut is the Deepest". Rod did a cover before Sheryl Crow, but I don't like either. Nothing compares to Cat's original, IMO.

On the note of 'why cover something if you're not going to do something interesting': I really hate the Mary J. Blige version of "One". Oh, I know it's a collaboration with U2, but still. It was slightly different musically, but the emotional impact was nil. Somehow they took one of the most touching songs I've ever heard and made it...boring. Grrrrr.

ETA: Wikipedia says that the Gnarls Barkley version of "Crazy" is the original. It also says that *shudder* Paris Hilton plans on doing a cover of the song on her debut. If that's true, I have to go vomit now.

[franticjoy]

dwanollah said:

The Old 97s do a cover of "El Paso" that's so fun and rollicking that I can't help but sing along. The original was pretty dull to me.

The Marty Robbins song?! And... how DARE you say Marty Robbins is dull! *throws dirt clods*

Clods of dirt won't wake me from a boredom coma, missy. I'll just have to file this one away under my own personal unpopular opinions (you don't even want to know what else is in there- stuff I'm afraid to say even on this nice, nonjudgmental board).

OT, I really like Tegan and Sara's version of the White Stripes' "Walking with a Ghost", even though they barely changed a thing. I also wish I could find a good download of the original version of "Crystal" by Fleetwood Mac. Stevie Nicks redid it by herself for the Practical Magic soundtrack, but I like the softer, sweeter original. It says in the liner notes of the CD that vocals for the original were done by Nicks, but I call shenanigans. I'd know that bleating voice anywhere- it definitely wasn't sung by her.

[ratscabies]

dancedancexenu said:

Also a fan of Don Henley's version of 'Everybody Knows' by Leonard Cohen. I like the original too, but I just find that there's too much going on in the background for me.

I prefer the Concrete Blonde version. It was on a movie soundtrack, and is on a greatest hits collection.

[WitchyPoo]

Johnette Napolitano creates a whole new song with "Everybody Knows". As much as Leonard is mysterious and reserved, Johnette is confrontive and emotional.

[Casino Bride]

dwanollah said:

U2's version of "Dancing Barefoot."

I've never heard the U2 version (shame on me!), but the Johnette Napolitano version is gorgeous.

Speaking of which...

Johnette Napolitano creates a whole new song with "Everybody Knows". As much as Leonard is mysterious and reserved, Johnette is confrontive and emotional.

Hell yeah! I love that woman to bits.

But: best cover EVER? Radiohead doing Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better". Thom: "This is the sexiest song that was ever written!" Don't sell yourself short, sweetheart.

[dancedancexenu]

franticjoy said:

OT, I really like Tegan and Sara's version of the White Stripes' "Walking with a Ghost", even though they barely changed a thing.

Tegan and Sara did the original version of 'Walking With a Ghost' and then the White Stripes covered it. They're a local band, so I think that's pretty cool.

I love Rufus Wainwright's cover of 'Across the Universe' but hate Fiona Apple's whiny, downtrodden, downtempo version.

ETA: Uncle Kracker's version of 'Drift Away' is pointless.

[Deleted]

I'm going to add Tiffany's "I Saw Him Standing There." I realize the Beatles are considered sacred but the song suits a then-teenage Tiffany. She's all excited like a schoolgirl should be. I found Paul McCartney to be smug in the original.

Oy! You're breaking my heart over here!

But you know, Paul McCartney was a teenager when he wrote that song, and 20 when he recorded it, so it's not like he was all that older than Tiffany when she sang it. And with the amount of pussy he got, he could afford to be smug. <g>

[franticjoy]

dancedancexenu said:

franticjoy said:

OT, I really like Tegan and Sara's version of the White Stripes' "Walking with a Ghost", even though they barely changed a thing.

Tegan and Sara did the original version of 'Walking With a Ghost' and then the White Stripes covered it. They're a local band, so I think that's pretty cool.

Really? I didn't know that. That is very awesome. I heard the T&S version after I heard the White Stripes' version, so I assumed it must be the other way round. Now I don't feel so bad that I like the T&S version better!