Cover songs you like better than the originals

[SheSaidSheSaid]

Never heard that song before in my life. Is it really as well known as "Blinded by the Light" and "Doo Wah Diddy" ?

[FujiSkunk]

Never heard that song before in my life. Is it really as well known as "Blinded by the Light" and "Doo Wah Diddy" ?

It used to get a fair amount of airplay on the oldies station here, back when the station still concentrated on the '50s and '60s. The song was also a big enough concert staple of Mann's that a live version appeared on a greatest hits collection of their '70s and '80s stuff.

Incidentally, "Quinn the Eskimo" is also a cover, originally and less popularly by Bob Dylan.

[DrowGamer77]

Metallica's cover of "Die, Die My Darling" - Original by the Misfits

Nonpoint's cover of "In the Air Tonight" - Original by Phil Collins


god, I know there's more that I'm forgetting

[SheSaidSheSaid]

It's a catchy song, I can see why it'd be popular. I just never heard it before.

[killer_roach]

Nonpoint's cover of "In the Air Tonight" - Original by Phil Collins

Oh hell yes.

Some off the top of my head -

Transatlantic - The Return Of The Giant Hogweed (original by Genesis)
Godhead - Eleanor Rigby (original by The Beatles)
Star One - Knife Edge (original by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer)
Disturbed - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (original by U2)
Blind Guardian - Spread Your Wings (original by Queen)
Apocalyptica - Helden (original by David Bowie)
Dream Theater - To Tame A Land (original by Iron Maiden)
Between The Buried And Me - Three Of A Perfect Pair (original by King Crimson)
Kittie - Run Like Hell (original by Pink Floyd)
Umphrey's McGee - Girlfriend Is Better (original by Talking Heads, occasionally performed live)

[dog037]

Higher Ground by Red Hot Chili Peppers.

[clashcityrocker10]

SheSaidSheSaid mentioned "Hurt" already, but other than that one off the top of my head:

Cap'n Jazz - "Take on Me"
The Clash - any song they covered, really
Ramones - "Surfin' Bird"
Dinosaur Jr. - "Just Like Heaven"
Sonic Youth - "I Wanna Be Your Dog"

Note that I also happen to like the original version of all the songs I listed.

[Onslaught_fei]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vYixpbff9Y and I really really really like the original version.

[Cipher_Peon]

The first that comes to mind is No Use For A Name's cover of "Turning Japanese."
A big NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO moment was had when I learned that it was a cover and NOT the version we were getting in Rock Band ;_;

[soup567]

You Keep Me Hanging on - Vanilla Fudge (Originally by The Supremes)
Season of the Witch - Vanilla Fudge (Originally by Donovan)
People Get Ready - Vanilla Fudge (Originally by The Impressions)
All Tomorrow's Parties - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (Originally by The Velvet Underground)
I'm Gonna Kill That Woman - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (Originally by John Lee Hooker)
Running Scared - Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds (Originally by Roy Orbison)
Free Speech for the Dumb - Metallica (Originally by Discharge)
River Deep/Mountain High - Deep Purple (Originally by Tina Turner)
Here Comes the Sun - Ghost (Originally by The Beatles)
Diamonds and Rust - Judas Priest (Originally by Joan Baez)
Come Away Melinda - UFO (Originally by The Weavers)
I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Creedence Clearwater Revival (Originally by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles)
Plateau - Nirvana (Originally by the Meat Puppets)
Lake of Fire - Nirvana (Originally by the Meat Puppets)
All Along the Watchtower - The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Originally by Bob Dylan)


And also I prefer just about all the covers The Beatles did. And an honorable mention to The Big Medley by Dream Theater, thought I can't really say if I prefer all parts of it.

And on the opposite subject of original songs that I think are better than more well known covers, Ready for Love/After Lights by Mott the Hoople, I think, is a billion times better than what Bad Company did. I don't know why Mick Ralphs decided to rerecord it.