Covers you like better than the original.
 

I was listening to Pete Mulvey's "Oliver's Army" and thought how much more I liked his version over Elvis Costello's. I thought there was a thread on this, but the only one close I found in a search was covers that are different from the original, which isn't quite the same thing.

List 'em, and the original artist.

Here's the ones off the top of my head:

Peter Mulvey--Oliver's Army (Elvis Costello)
Jimi Hendrix--All Along the Watchtower (Dylan)
Moxy Fruvous--I've Gotta Get A Message to You (Bee Gees)
Stone Coyotes--Paranoid (Black Sabbath)
Manson--Sweet Dreams (Eurhythmics)
Buffalo Tom--Going Underground (The Jam)

Most songs, I think it's hard to outdo the original. Some acts either make the song better (Jimi) or make a song I wouldn't normally like listenable (Moxy Fruvous). And almost any Sabbath Cover could make the list, because Ozzy's vocals make my eardrums sad.

If i say it you'll probably tomahawk my head off

I will echo your sentiment on Manson's Sweet Dreams. One of my favorite covers of all time. I also really enjoy Rufio's cover of Like a Prayer by Madonna and Twiztid's covers of People Are Strange (The Doors) and The Joker (The Steve Miller Band).

?

What mesum scalpum youm for?

Van Halen- You really got me(kinks)
Marylin Mason- Personal Jesus(depeche mode)

Powerman 5000 - Relax(Frankie Goes To Hollywood)

Rage Against The Machine - The Ghost of Tom Joad (Bruce Springsteen)
" - Maggie's Farm (Bob Dylan)
" - How I Could Just Kill A Man (Cypress Hill)
Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (Eurthymics)
Foo Fighters - Darling Nikki (Prince) This one is close though. I'd say I really like them about the same.

Most Guns and Roses covers, but especially Knocking on Heaven's Door, and Hair of the Dog.

I prefer almost all covers of Personal Jesus over the original (Gravity Kills, Johnny Cash, Manson, Lollipop Lustkill)

Oh, and for the sake of stirring the pot.

Johnny Cash's cover of "Hurt."

Motley Crue - Smokin In The Boys Room
Motley Crue - Helter Skelter
Motley Crue - Anarchy In The UK
Guns N Roses - Pretty much all of them
Poison - American Band
Dynamite Hack - Boys In The Hood
Dimmu Borgir - Burn In Hell

Soooooooo many more

Megadeth - Anarchy In The UK

Letters to Cleo - I Want you to Want me (Cheap Trick)

You know, I love Dynamite Hack's version of Boys in the Hood as a stand alone song... I can't compare it to the original though. They're so different.

Gary Jules - Mad World (Tears for Fears)

Not one I like, but if anyone says Stone Coyotes cover of Ace of Spades is better than the original I will hunt you down and eat ur intestines...or give you a neg rep as it is easier.

Rasputina - Barracuda (Heart)
Rasputina - Wish you were here (Pink Floyd)
Dixie Chicks - landslide (Fleetwood mac)
Nickel Creek - Tomorrow wasn't such a long time (Dylan)

The Dresden Dolls' version Of War Pigs is pretty good too.

There is a Gravity Kills cover of Personal Jesus? Nice.

Van Halen-Pretty Woman (Roy Orberson)

Yeah, it's on their Farstrucker cd.

Also, I forgot about Mad Worlds, and the Dresden/Rasputina covers... Although I still like the original Wish you Were Here better.

Brand New's cover of "Am I wrong" by Love Spit Love.

Isn't Lake of Fire by Nirvana a cover?
Metallica's Turn the page is pretty good. I do like the Original too, they're both different.
I do agree with Manson and Sweet Dreams.

Hurt by Cash

Jimi Hendrix - All Along The Watchtower (Dylan)
Nirvana - The Man Who Sold The World (Bowie)
Gary Jules - Mad World (Tears For Fears)
Xiu Xiu - Asleep (The Smiths, actually, I like them both about equally)
Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal (Michael Jackson)
Jimi Hendrix - Hey Joe (Forget who the original was by)

And of course:
Bernie Williams - Dust In The Wind (Kansas)

Oh, yeah, forgot Turn The Page by Metallica.

Hurt- Johnny Cash
Original was by Nine Inch Nails

I think Cash's version/cover sounds so much better.

\
*sezures, froths at the mouth, screams in tongues*

I'm better now.

You know, it's sad. I never knew who did the original. Both the LTC songs in 10 things were superior to the originals, IMO. Though I've only heard the original "I Want You To Want Me" like once...

Cash's cover of Hurt is good, but the original is much better, IMO

Sheryl Crow--Sweet CHild o'mine

just to really stir the pot!!

William Shatner - Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

Yeah that is probably worse.

The original is ok, but gets annoying really fast, LTC's cover rocks.

Kay Hanley and co rock period. :D

-EDIT- Yes, even when she did Josie and the Pussycats...

Sorry but the first time I heard the song it was Eddie's Tribute and It just sounded so much better then when I heard the original IMO, then I heard it again/seen the video I just like it better then they original.

Also I like all of Enter Sandman - by Motorhead except the chorus better then the original.

Being that I hate NIN

Johnny Cash - Hurt

Theres lots. The ones I can think of now are

Sublime - Scarlet Begonias
STP - Whichita Lineman
Velvet Revolver - Money
Guns N' Roses - All of them

etc

Yeah that's the first one that always comes to my mind.

Also "Boys of Summer" by The Ataris is better than the original by Don Henley (sp).

No.

The Ataris one is awesome...but Henley's verision is still better.

I'm going to have to agree with David on this one.

I'm also going to agree with everyone on the Manson cover.

hmm what else?

Everywhere by Yellowcard :D

Lately I've been liking Bedlight's cover of Jumper by Third Eye Blind better, but I think that might pass.

Rufio's Like A Prayer :D

Shit, forgot Faith No More's cover of "Easy." That song is addictive (well, their version, anyways.)

Velvet Revolver - Money(Pink Floyd)

Uncle Kracker - Drift Away (Dobie Gray)
Kid Rock - Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company)
Kenny Chesney - I'm On Fire (Bruce Springsteen)

I agree. Screw Wadding.

:shifty:

Out of your mouth-Music(Madonna)

:y:

I dont think they released an album stateside. Cant find them anywhere.

Nah, they were canadian. I don't think they ever got distribution in the US.

Rufus Wainwright - Across the Universe (Beatles)

Almost every other Beatles cover is the worst cover of all time, though

I know someone is bound to say shit but:

The Donnas - Strutter (Kiss)

Sucks, cause i hear it on 102.1 the edge, and it pisses me off that i can't buy it.

Lotta good ones on the Punk Goes 90's compilation

Emery-All I Want (Toad The Wet Sprocket)
Scary Kids Scaring Kids-Losing My Religion (REM)
Cartel-Wonderwall (Oasis)
The Killing Moon-You Outta Know (Alanis Morisette)
Anberlin-Enjoy The Science (Depeche Mode)

Not gonna lie, I really like Limp Bizkit's covers of George Michael's "Faith" and The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes". Probably the only Bizkit songs I can really say I enjoy and not be ashamed.

:y: :y: :y:

I like Limp Bizkit's version of Faith too. Gonna download it now.

Metallica- Turn the Page

Ryan Adams cover of "Wonderwall" is pretty sweet as is Nonpoints cover of " In The Air Tonight"

Damn, those were the first two I thought of. Cartel's version is amazing. Ryan's version is so different and slower, it makes the song much more haunting. I also like a couple songs of the Policia album of Police covers. Brandston's "King of Pain" and Underoath's "Wrapped Around Your Finger" I thought were outstanding.

Ryan Adams has a lot of good covers though. He does a killer version of "Always On My Mind" that I think Willie Nelson did originally. On his recent tour he's been playing Sonic Youth's "Expressway To Yr Skull" that has sounded incredible.

Land Of Confusion - Disturbed(Genesis)

:y:

Metallica - Whiskey In the Jar(Thin Lizzy)

I do not care for Thin Lizzy. They sound like Blue Oyster Cult's younger emo brother. "The Boys Are Back In Town" kind of makes me want to set people on fire.

Edit: Yes, I'm aware that Thin Lizzy weren't the first to perform Whiskey In The Jar, and that it's an Irish folk song. If you can come up with who wrote it, I'll correct the post.

Never heard it.

Folk songs are generally called such because they've been around long enough that the original author has been lost to time.

Well, that and they were done by their nations equivalent of rednecks and are now public domain.

There's a reason Whiskey is almost exclusively listed as (traditional).

Lacuna Coil and It Dies Today versions of Enjoy the Silence

Just listened to it, can't believe I didn't think of it earlier: Concrete Blonde's version of "Everybody Knows" (Leonard Cohen).

Faith maybe, but no cover of Behind Blue Eyes can better the original.

I bet someone could beat BBE, but not Limp Bizkit. Not even close.

Blood Brothers- Under Pressue
Alexisonfire- Passing Out In America/Tonight I Am Going To Wash The Hippy
Napalm Death- Nazi Punks Fuck OIff

I've never heard the original, but I love Norah Jones' version of Tom Waits' "The long way home."

Pixies - Head On (Jesus and Mary Chain)
Pixies - I've Been Waiting For You (Neil Young)

I'm gonna say the Pixies cover of Winterlong is better than the Neil Young version, but I love the Neil Young version as well

is that even a cover? :?:

I don't think it is.

There's the Richard Cheese cover.

But that's not the original.

Head like a Hole - AFI

Racal Flatts - Life is a Highway

Really, I could give a fuck less about them...but what a great cover.

oh, and Pat Boone - In the Metal Mood: No More Nice Guy is a GREAT covers album.

Mentioning Pat Boone makes me want to punch you in the face.

H2O - Like A Prayer

Jay-Z - I Just Died In Your Arms Tonight

Actually, I don't like either song, but it's hilarious that he'd cover Cutting Crew of all things.