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View Full Version : Songs and Cover Versions

DroppinScience
10-10-2005, 02:53 PM
My dad says to me when it comes to songs and their cover versions, "the first version you hear is always your favorite" (whether it's the original or a cover).

Would you say this is true? Because somehow I've doubted that...

So if I heard Britney Spears' cover of "Satisfaction" before I heard the Rolling Stones' original, I'd be inclined to think that Britney did a better job? :confused:

Discuss away...
Mr_Complex
10-10-2005, 03:08 PM
Galaxie 500 did a better version of Ceremony than New Order.
bigblu89
10-10-2005, 03:21 PM
I would say that was true for the most part, at least for me, but I heard Metallica's version of "Turn the Page" before the original, and i like the original much, much better.
yeahwho
10-10-2005, 05:00 PM
Manfred Mann's Earth Band scooped quite a few songs throughout the years, but I would never buy one of thier albums. Manfred Mann's Earth Band are sort of the equivalent to MUZAK....when I finally heard Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's version of "Blinded by the Light" I knew the song was about unbounded joy........ not synths and studio trickery.
Documad
10-10-2005, 07:29 PM
Manfred Mann's Earth Band scooped quite a few songs throughout the years, but I would never buy one of thier albums. Manfred Mann's Earth Band are sort of the equivalent to MUZAK....when I finally heard Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band's version of "Blinded by the Light" I knew the song was about unbounded joy........ not synths and studio trickery.
I grew up with Manfred Mann and I thought those were the originals. I never liked them, but it bothered me when I heard Springsteen doing it. :p I was going to mention this in another thread, but Rita Coolidge's Higher and Higher is THE version for me because I loved it as a kid. Today, I get that the original is better. And the Pointer Sisters' version of Fire still kicks ass.

I generally have a huge bias against remakes. This always bothered my parents who would point out that a good song is a good song and people should get to cover it. They were of the generation where all kinds of vocalists covered songs by great songwriters.

I have some exceptions to the no covers rule but I can't think of them now.
RaZoRbLaDe KiSs
10-10-2005, 07:39 PM
I dont know about that, I heard the cover version of the Cure's love song, by 311 first (sadley), and I think the Cure's version is 100% better.
But then again I hear Bo Bice's version of Bohemian Raphsody and I think theres NO way you can beat Queen's version, yet the remaining members of Queen thought it was so good that they were using him to sing it for a new greatest hits CD their putting out.
So.. who knows? :confused:
ToucanSpam
10-10-2005, 09:22 PM
Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal > Alient Ant Farm's Smooth Criminal
Junker
10-11-2005, 07:08 AM
Listen to Renegades and you'll realize RATM covers are much better than the originals. Some are as good as the covers like "Kick Out The Jams" or "In My Eyes" or "Renegades of Funk" or "How I Could Just Kill a Man". An example of cover better than original: Ratm's "Maggie's Farm" are way much better than Bob Dylan's.
ms.peachy
10-11-2005, 07:24 AM
Listen to Renegades and you'll realize RATM covers are much better than the originals. Some are as good as the covers like "Kick Out The Jams" or "In My Eyes" or "Renegades of Funk" or "How I Could Just Kill a Man". An example of cover better than original: Ratm's "Maggie's Farm" are way much better than Bob Dylan's.

Um, no. Pretty much everything you've said there is complete bollocks. (IMHO, of course.)
bigblu89
10-11-2005, 09:52 AM
Gotta disagree with you on that Peach.

Unless you just don't like Rage's style, or love Dylan, I can't see how you would prefer his version of Maggie's Farm over RATM's.

I also liked their version of Micophone Fiend better then the original.

But that's just me.
mickill
10-11-2005, 09:59 AM
Are you people joking? I'm especially appalled at the fact that you think they improved on Microphone Fiend. But Street Fighting Man, Kick Out The Jams, How I Could Just Kill A Man and Down On The Street can't even be improved upon, first of all. Maggie's Farm isn't really anywhere near my favorite Dylan tune, so I can sorta agree, but the rest, nah. They're good covers, but not better. Oh, and I'm Housin is alright, but then, I was never a fan of the original.
The Notorious LOL
10-11-2005, 10:23 AM
The Rage version of "How I could just kill a man" is great but its not touching the original with a 10 foot pole.

To be totally honest, I like the Tool cover of No Quarter better than the original. I realize thats heresy but whatever.
Mr_Complex
10-11-2005, 10:42 AM
Speaking of Dylan covers, Magnet's version of Lay Lady Lay is better, even though Magnet is a faggot who makes gay music. Homo.
bigblu89
10-11-2005, 10:43 AM
Are you people joking? I'm especially appalled at the fact that you think they improved on Microphone Fiend. But Street Fighting Man, Kick Out The Jams, How I Could Just Kill A Man and Down On The Street can't even be improved upon, first of all. Maggie's Farm isn't really anywhere near my favorite Dylan tune, so I can sorta agree, but the rest, nah. They're good covers, but not better. Oh, and I'm Housin is alright, but then, I was never a fan of the original.

I never really said it was head and shoulders about it, I just think it's better. Other than that one, Maggie's Farm, and Beautiful World, I prefer all of the originals.

But I do think they do a decent, to more than decent cover of each song on that album.

And like I said, that's just me. We'll agree to disagree.
Junker
10-11-2005, 11:15 AM
Um, no. Pretty much everything you've said there is complete bollocks. (IMHO, of course.)

Ok....so you're a Bob Dylan's fan........ Thats ok, Im not perfect too ;)
abcdefz
10-11-2005, 11:17 AM
In the mid-'80's, Robert Hazard put out a version of "Blowin' in the Wind" that tore my head off. Wonder what I'd think of it now.
mickill
10-11-2005, 11:49 AM
Ok....so you're a Bob Dylan's fan........ Thats ok, Im not perfect too ;)
People that consider liking Bob Dylan a flaw (even though the post you were responding to didn't really indicate anything to suggest that) shouldn't be allowed to voice their opinions on music.

That being said, I think George Harrison's version of If Not For You is better than Dylan's. And I heard Dylan's version first.
bigblu89
10-11-2005, 12:03 PM
People that consider liking Bob Dylan a flaw (even though the post you were responding to didn't really indicate anything to suggest that) shouldn't be allowed to voice their opinions on music.

That being said, I think George Harrison's version of If Not For You is better than Dylan's. And I heard Dylan's version first.

Bob Dylan as a songwriter (y)

Bob Dylan as a musician (y)

Bob Dylan as a singer (n)
Parkey
10-11-2005, 12:16 PM
Schneider TM's cover of The Smiths 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' is much better than the original, whilst tAtu's version is fucking deplorable.
monkey
10-11-2005, 12:24 PM
ok, this is weird and off topic, but as im reading this thread, im listening to bob dylan's maggie farm. yep yep.

and that was my moment.

as for covers... sometimes, when the song is sung by the writer, it tends to have a special layer, a special meaning, and a specialness to it that a cover cannot convey. on the other hand, artists are called such because of their abilities to see things where others couldnt. and that's why certain covers by certain talented peoples are fantastic.
abcdefz
10-11-2005, 03:34 PM
Bob Dylan as a songwriter (y)

Bob Dylan as a musician (y)

Bob Dylan as a singer (n)




Dylan's a good singer. There have been times when he's lazy, but when he's on, he's on. (y)
yeahwho
10-11-2005, 03:40 PM
When Bob Dylan heard Jimi Hendrix's cover of "All Along the Watchtower" even he admitted I played that song all wrong.

That's part of why I'm sticking to my theory, Bob Dylan (http://www.beastieboys.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=57309) is the Forrest Gump of music.
TAL
10-11-2005, 03:57 PM
When Bob Dylan heard Jimi Hendrix's cover of "All Along the Watchtower" even he admitted I played that song all wrong.
Hmm, you played that song too?
abcdefz
10-11-2005, 03:58 PM
When Bob Dylan heard Jimi Hendrix's cover of "All Along the Watchtower" even he admitted I played that song all wrong.




:D




























Yeah; I like Jimi's arrangement better, but Dylan sings circles around Hendrix.
So Ruff
10-11-2005, 03:58 PM
Hmm, you played that song too?

And since you quoted yeahwho, now you played All Along The Watchtower too.
TAL
10-11-2005, 03:59 PM
No.
yeahwho
10-11-2005, 04:46 PM
Can't we all just get along the watchtower?
cookiepuss
10-11-2005, 05:02 PM
there's one song that has never been good no matter how many times it's been remade. and that's the locomotion. (n)
Matt
10-11-2005, 10:38 PM
Devo's version of Satisfaction was better than the Stones' one. fuck you.
Documad
10-11-2005, 11:12 PM
there's one song that has never been good no matter how many times it's been remade. and that's the locomotion. (n)
Little Eva's version is good.

I can't remember who did the horrid one when I was little, but I remember it blaring over the loudspeakers every single god damn day when I was swimming at the city pool.


Pet Shop Boys -- You Were Always on My Mind (y)
mickill
10-11-2005, 11:16 PM
I think that Cowboy Junkies pretty much made Sweet Jane their own. It doesn't eeven use all parts of the original.
DroppinScience
10-11-2005, 11:30 PM
I think that Cowboy Junkies pretty much made Sweet Jane their own. It doesn't eeven use all parts of the original.

Is it me or is "Sweet Jane" the alternative rock equivalent to "Yesterday"? There's a LOT of cover versions for that song!
Documad
10-12-2005, 12:51 AM
It's too bad Cowboy Junkies record their own songs. They do an awesome cover of Ooh Las Vegas. That's one of my favorites.
Rancid_Beasties
10-12-2005, 08:36 AM
This is a big call, but I think as far as Kick out the jams goes, its MC5's original version ahead by a mile, then the presidents of the USA's version and rage's just after them. I mean rage's version is too slow for my liking.
abcdefz
10-12-2005, 01:05 PM
Little Eva's version is good.

I can't remember who did the horrid one when I was little, but I remember it blaring over the loudspeakers every single god damn day when I was swimming at the city pool.






That might've been Grand Funk Railroad.

My brother's copy of the "We're An American Band" 45 was clear gold vinyl.
abcdefz
10-12-2005, 01:07 PM
The Police's "Don't Stand So Close to Me ('87)" is waaaaaaaayyyy better than the Police's "Don't Stand So Close to Me."































































i keed, i keed
DroppinScience
10-12-2005, 03:53 PM
i keed, i keed

Thank God you were. Because that remix or whatever they did was awful, awful, awful.
yeahwho
10-12-2005, 05:25 PM
here is a cover blog (http://copycommaright.blogspot.com/) I checkout once a week as they update, the "I'm Eighteen" alice cooper cover is pretty hilarious.

About once a month they have a real gem on there.
BangkokB
10-16-2005, 10:53 AM
You and your camera will rot in Hell

Violent
pacification

VIOLENT
Pacification
Junker
10-17-2005, 09:12 AM
People that consider liking Bob Dylan a flaw (even though the post you were responding to didn't really indicate anything to suggest that) shouldn't be allowed to voice their opinions on music.

That being said, I think George Harrison's version of If Not For You is better than Dylan's. And I heard Dylan's version first.

Ok.........so you're saying I have no rights in disliking Bob Dylan, right?

Since when? There's a law about this?

I know I was kinda ironic in my post but I dont have to like Bob Dylan ok. Btw, I didnt criticize him. I respect him as a song writer and as a musician. But as a singer.........jeeezzzzz......... I cant stand his voice
(Im with ya bigblu89)

hahahahahaha..........I'm not "allowed to voice my opinions in music"..... Thats so funny !!! :D
DroppinScience
10-17-2005, 11:12 AM
Ok.........so you're saying I have no rights in disliking Bob Dylan, right?

Since when? There's a law about this?

I know I was kinda ironic in my post but I dont have to like Bob Dylan ok. Btw, I didnt criticize him. I respect him as a song writer and as a musician. But as a singer.........jeeezzzzz......... I cant stand his voice
(Im with ya bigblu89)

hahahahahaha..........I'm not "allowed to voice my opinions in music"..... Thats so funny !!! :D

You can voice your opinions, but your credibility will be very low if you start posting about your love for Spice Girls and your dislike of Dylan. ;)
Junker
10-17-2005, 12:52 PM
You can voice your opinions, but your credibility will be very low if you start posting about your love for Spice Girls and your dislike of Dylan. ;)

Spice Girls?? What tha fuck??? :confused:
Dude, now you lost yourself on your sarcasm. There's nothing to do with my posts and you know this.

Plus, Im much more into RATM than Bob Dylan. Thats why I prefer Rage's Maggie's Farm. Also, I've never said Dylan suck. I just cant stand his voice. But without any doubts hes a great musician.... :)
DroppinScience
10-17-2005, 03:20 PM
Spice Girls?? What tha fuck??? :confused:
Dude, now you lost yourself on your sarcasm. There's nothing to do with my posts and you know this.

Hold your horses, son. I'm just messin' with you.

So yeah... new Spice Girls just ain't the same as their vintage "Spiceworld" days, huh?
Junker
10-18-2005, 11:12 AM
Hold your horses, son. I'm just messin' with you.

So yeah... new Spice Girls just ain't the same as their vintage "Spiceworld" days, huh?


hehehehe......... Im cool calm collected
For sure they arent the same anymore. But I confess I used to like to watch their videos cause they were hot
Victoria (Mrs. Beckham) is the hottest of them (y)