I usually don't like covers, and I never feel a cover should replace the original whether it improves it or not, but even a stickler for originality like to me has to admitt when a cover version is better than the original (or at least as good) Here's a few of my picks

Gotta Get You Into My Life (Earth Wind and Fire, The Beatles)
Night On the WatchTower (Hendrix, Dylan)
Respect (Aretha, Otis Redding)
Shake Rattle and Roll (Bill Haley, Big Joe Turner)
Hound Dog (Elvis, Big Mama Thorton)

Feel free to include rap covers, even though I despise them in principle

i'd say about 75% of the times Johnny Cash covered a song, he improved on the original. and i don't just mean his 90'/00's output.

I thought "Call My Name" was much better than D'Angelo's version called "Untitled."

Jimi Hendrix - Like a rolling stone
Eva Cassidy - Time after time (probably)
Joe Cocker - With a little help from my friends (not sure really)
The Youngbloods - Get together
Norah Jones - Crazy
Ozzy Osbourne with Type 'O Negative - Pictures of matchstick men
Norah Jones - Cold cold heart
Prince - One of us

Damn straight, that's the best cover from Emancipation...betcha by golly wow my ass

i can't make u love me - prince
come 2gether - mj
all along the watchtower - jimi hendrix
it's my life - no doubt

Once Aretha covers a song, it's hers....

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T"

"Chain of Fools"

"Eleanor Rigby"

"I say a little prayer for you"

"What a fool believes"

"Young gifted and black" .....

"MacArthur Park" by Donna Summer (1978) ---it kills the original version!
"Superstar" by Luther Vandross (1983) ---more dramatic than The Carpenter's version.
"Got To Get You Into My Life" by Earth Wind and Fire (1978) ---it's hard to top the Beatles,but EW&F pulls it off with ease.

agotajonesmartha said:

And don't forget her cover of Stevie Wonder's "Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)".

DavidEye said: Of course I dind't. BTW this Luther Vandross Album of cover renditions is tight.

agotajonesmartha said:

Luther is one of the few artists who can re-make a song and actually improve on it.Examples....


"Since I Lost My Baby" (1982) ---I prefer this version to the Temptation's original
"A House Is Not A Home" (1981) ---ditto


Even his version of Stevie Wonder's "Creepin" is superb.

many of The Beatles covers

Ike & Tina -- Proud Mary

agotajonesmartha said:

Pretty much. Especially during her prime.

Then there are these:

"How Can You Mend A Broken Heart" - Rev. Al nailed the emotional core of this song, like the Bee Gees never came close to.

"Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" - Otis Redding's rendition of JB's original is at least equally badass, and equalling a groundbreaking song (at the time this was just that) is not easy to do either. Otis just had a great band.

"Take Me To The River" - Talking Heads. Yes, I said Talking Heads. I like the rhythmic slow burn the Heads give this one better than Rev. Al's original. Sue me.

Moonwalkbjrain said:

prince ruined that song...i dont even think he understood the meaning of it...

sosgemini said:

right...

DavidEye said:

How the hell come both of you fools 4get her rendition of Marvin Gaye's "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing"?

Anyway, here're my list:

Whats Going On-Donny Hathaway(Marvin Gaye): Hell, ALL of the songs he covered.
I've Been Loving You For Too Long-Tina Turner(Ottis Reddings)
Man From Mars-Chaka Khan(Joni Mitchell)
I Feel 4 U-Chaka Khan(Prince)
The End Of A Love Affair-Chaka Khan(Billie Holiday)
Got To Be There-Chaka Khan(MJ)
1984-Tina Turner(David Bowie)
Lets Stay Toghether-Tina Turner(Al Green)
Nightclubbin'-Grace Jones(David Bowie)

Harlepolis said:

Harle girl how come you know that ANLTRT is my favorite ReeRee song of all time. I kid you not!

favorites:

Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby
Ain't nothing like the real thing
Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby
Ain't nothing like the real thing

I got your picture hangin' on the wall
It can't see or come to me when I call your name
I realize it's just a picture in a frame

I read your letters when you're not near
But they don't move me
And they don't groove me like when I hear
Your sweet voice whispering in my ear

Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby
Ain't nothing like the real thing

I play the game, a fantasy
I pretend I'm not in reality
I need the shelter of your arms to comfort me

No other sound is quite the same as your name
No touch can do half as much to make me feel better
So let's stay together - together baby - together

I got some memories to look back on
And though they help me when you phone
I'm well aware nothing can take the place of being there

So let me get the real thing
So let me get the real thing
Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby
Ain't nothing like the real thing
Ain't nothing like the real thing, baby
Ain't nothing like the real thing

Thse are some of the versions I like, though some people may prefer the originals....


How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - James Taylor, covering Marvin Gaye

A House Is Not A Home - Luther Vandross covering Burt Bacarach

Anyone Who Had A Heart - Luther Vandross covering Dionne Warwick, Burt Bacharach

Strawberry Letter 23 - Brothers Johnson covering Shuggie Otis

Hey Joe - Jimi Hendrix covering Billy Roberts/Tim Rose

Star Of A Story- George Benson covering Heatwave

Porta De Areia - Earth Wind And Fire covering Milton
Nascimento

Breezin' - George Benson covering Bobby Womack and Gabor Szabo

Send It On - D'angelo covering Kool and the Gang's " Sea of Tranquility"

What A Fool Believes - Doobie Brothers covering Kenny Loggins


Magdelena - Donny Hathaway covering Danny O' Keefe

Summer Breeze - Isley Brothers covering Seals and Crofts

Electric Ladyland - Jean Paul Bourelly covering Jimi Hendrix

Hey Girl - Michael Mcdonald covering Freddie Scott( King,
Coffiin)

Blackbird- Kenny Rankin covering The Beatles

You're Welcome( Stop On By) - Rufus and Chaka covering Bobby Womack

He'll Have To Go- Prefab Sprout covering Hank Williams

Respect and
Tales Of The Brave Ulysses - Rotary Connection covering, Aretha/Otis and Rolling Stones

You Fooled Me- LTD covering Grey and Hanks
[Edited 9/15/04 13:18pm]

paligap said:

Say Pali, how about "People Get Ready" written by Curtis Mayfield performed by The Impressions, covered by Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck? U know I love Curtis, but I do favor Rod's and Jeff's version.

blackguitaristz said:

Oh Yeah! I Like Both versions!!...hmmmm.... Now there, I'm not sure if I prefer one over the other....

What about these?

"I Wanna Hold Your Hand" Lakeside covering The Beatles.
"Heard It Through The Grapevine" Roger covering Marvin Gaye.

blackguitaristz said:

Lakeside tore that up, didn't they?

I dig Roger's take too...

As far as "Grapevine", do you prefer Marvin's or Gladys Knight and the Pips?
[Edited 9/15/04 13:07pm]

paligap said:

Oh shit pali, that's right. I forgot about Glady's version. I have to go with Glady's version. U know, I like all the J5's and Micheal's covers over the o.g.'s. "Daddy's Home" "Aint No Sunshine", etc.

Here's one :

"We Can Work It Out" The Beatles covered by Stevie Wonder. Stevie's version destroys The Beatles.

I agree, Stevie's "We Can Work It Out", EW&F's "Got To Get You Into My Life" and Beck & Stewart's "People Get Ready" are superior to the originals if you ask me. And I'm shocked I feel that way about the latter song, because of Stewart's participation.

Also: for years now there's been a discrepency amongst writers, producers, and artists (even Barry Gordy himself) at Motown about who recorded "Grapevine" first.

Aside from Gladys and Marvin, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles also recorded it, and I THINK the Temptations might have.

But NOBODY at Motown can agree who recorded it first. Marvin Gaye's version sat on the shelf for a while prior to its release, but even with there's never been an agreement among Motown alumni about the original recording.

I'm sure somebody that was there knows, but since they can't agree, we'll always be kept wondering.

I'm much more into Gladys Knight & The Pips version - the band arrangement of the song gets me more than Marvin's more introspective (not to mention overplayed) interpretation.
[Edited 9/15/04 18:44pm]

Thanks fucking insaine

PANDURITO said: