What are some cover songs you find better than the original versions?

John Legend - Love Won't Let Me Wait (Luther Vandross Cover)


Stevie Wonder - Upside Down (Diana Ross Cover/Tribute - 2007 BET Awards)


Elliott Yamin - Whiter Shade Of Pale (Procol Harum Cover)

Luther's version of that song, was a cover as well. The original was done by Major Harris and in my opinion, is BETTER that both John's and Luther's version combined. It beats theirs, hands down.



Check it out.

Strawberry Letter 23: Brothers Johnson
House is not a Home: Luther
Creep: Prince
Tutti Fruity: Pat Boone.....just kidding.

The Stones to this day say they try and capture the vibe of the Redding version in their performance of this song.


Maybe not better than the Hendrix cover...but certainly better than the Dylan original, and definitely my favourite version. The Edge plays a great guitar solo in this


BETTER than the original? Hmmm, maybe not, but for me equally as good, but in a different way....


*shrugs* I just prefer it to the Beatles version. OK?!

pretty much everything that J5 covered. AND OFCOURSE...


actually every cover of Beatles' songs better than the original

shorttrini said:

Co-sign.

LightOfArt said:

What is it you like better than the Beatles version on this...?

To me it just sounds like an over-processed, overblown pastiche.

rocknrolldave said:

Where do I begin?

main isse i think's gotta be the vocals. MJ is just the superior vocalist.

And I cant rock out to the original. I like how MJ's version turned the bass line into a guitar riff. or is that a slap bass what ever it is it just sounds delishh
[Edited 9/2/09 9:14am]

The Jacksons' version of Blame It On The Boogie is still more popular than Mick Jackson's original: http://prince.org/msg/8/317496
[Edited 9/2/09 9:28am]

Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal

LightOfArt said:

give a fucking break.


his cover sucks.. manufactured pop shit

Sdldawn said:

Aerosmith version is much better as well

LightOfArt said:

Got To Get You Into My Life - EW&F
Lets Stay Toghether - Tina Turner
Whats Going On - Donny Hathaway
I Feel For You - Chaka Khan
Proud Mary - Ike & Tina
Young Gifted & Black - Aretha Franklin
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - Nina Simone
Light My Fire - Minnie Riperton
Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You - Lauryn Hill

Manfred Mann's cover of Springsteen's - Blinded By The Light

Harlepolis said:

I didnt know those were covers Who by?

Sdldawn said:

I agree. Come Together, though a rip off, was a cool rock-bluesy song from 1969, it totally captured the zeitgeist.

MJ's version was just unnecssary, in the film and especially on the album. It doesn't fit. His version features drum machines, and though it suits him more than let's say It Won't Be Long (1963), it's an awful cover.


My choices

Stevie Wonder did a funky cover of We Can Work It Out and I think it's slightly better than the original

George Michael did amazing covers. I really prefer his version of They Won't Go When I Go, Killer, The Long And Winding Road, If You Were There.

Aretha's version of Until You Come Back To Me is better than the original, but it's not really a cover since SW's version was not released at the time, was it?

MJ's version of Wing's Girlfriend is better. Superior production, better vocals. The only thing missing is the cool bridge from the Wing's version.

I also prefer the Beatles's version of Please Mr Postman. Young Lennon sound so cool, still full of excitement, he wasn't spoliled by fame yet. The Marvelette's version sounds too neat.

Donny did a better cover of "You've Got a Friend" than "What's Going On" but that's the Marvinite in me talking.

Anyway this version I'll forever dug over the Beatles':



And of course:

Yesterday: Donny Hathaway

Graycap23 said:

http://www.imeem.com/rich...yesterday/

I miss him

LightOfArt said:

now you suck totally

LightOfArt said:

Nice try, but no...


http://www.youtube.com/wa...dRMQTEIORI

The Four Tops - Michelle

Examples of great Beatles covers





There is an actual music video for this one but I could only find this clip from the movie (which I never remembered seeing)

You've Got A Friend- Donny Hathaway & Roberta Flack

Nature Boy- James Brown


What's Going On- Donny Hathaway
http://www.imeem.com/arti...p-version/

You're Not Alone- R.Kelly (Not necessarily a cover)

LightOfArt said:

Don't let me be misunderstood, was originally done by "The Animals"

Proud Mary - Credence Clearwater Revival

The Supremes - People:



They actually recorded this song in 1964 but their live version was boss to me.

rocknrolldave said:

Beatles version its the best.
Ike & Tina comes second imo
Lennon own solo verstion third

MJ... I don´t know.

Didn´t Aerosmith have also a cover of this one?
[Edited 9/2/09 11:25am]
[Edited 9/2/09 11:28am]