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I thought it would be interesting to compare interpretations of various songs by different bands, it doesn't even have to be the original vs. a cover thereof, it's fine to compare two covers as well. I'll start with a couple.

Land of Confusion
Original by Genesis
Cover by Disturbed

I listened to the Disturbed version first, and didn't know it was a cover until reading the video comments. I grew to like the Genesis version much better. The cover has a somewhat angry tone, and after paying attention to the lyrics, it really doesn't match what the song is saying. Not only that, there's little emotional variance, the stanza that starts with "I remember long ago..." should feel tender, but it doesn't at all. Disturbed's singing really seems to just be going through the paces, there's really not much feeling behind it. Another example is the lines, "But I can see the fires still alight, they're burning into the night." They stick out when Genesis sings them, but when Disturbed does it they sort of get lost amongst everything else.

Of the two videos, I like the original better as well. They both seem to deal with the subject of the song only tangentially, the lyrics don't exactly fit what's going on. The video that goes with the Disturbed version, done by Todd McFarlane btw, is a bit "cooler", but the pure crazyness that is the Genesis video is more fun.



How I Could Just Kill A Man
Original by Cypress Hill
Cover by Rage Against the Machine

The cover is better, hands down, in all categories. RAtM took a mediocre rap song and turned it into pure awesome. The music, the way they sing the lyrics, the emotion behind them, everything is superior by a long shot.

The music videos are kind of meh, on the one hand Cypress Hill's video isn't very good, on the other RAtM's music video is just one long commericial for themselves and has nothing to do with the song. So I'm going to hand it to Cypress Hill for staying on topic.

The cover Blitzkrieg by Metallica is better then the original Blitzkrieg by Blitzkrieg.

Two ties I can think of are the original Easy by The Commodores and the cover Easy by Faith No More. Also the original Hurt by NIN and the cover Hurt by Johnny Cash. I know that most people favor the Cash version, even Reznor, but I find them equally powerful.

The Boys of Summer by Don Henley is far superior to the Ataris popcrapulastic cover.

I really like Limp Bizkit's cover of Faith over George Micheal's original version. It's just way more fun.

More to come...

By the Way - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Waiting 4 - Peter Gelderblom


Technically it's a remix, and not really a cover, but it has my favourite lines in it: Standing in line to see the show tonight and there's a light on / By the way I tried to say I'd be there / Danni the girl is singing songs to me beneath the marquee...

I think the RHCP version is of course, a lot more relaxed, but it's nice to find a dance version of an old favourite. I'm listening to Filthy Rich's What You've Been Waiting 4 Remix at the moment.

Judas Priest is king here.

Mediocre Fleetwood Mac original
Priest obliterates the original

Diamonds and Rust, a silly love song about Bob Dylan.
Diamonds and Rust, a fucking beautiful and mellow heavy metal masterpiece. (Note, this is the best youtube I could find of it, Halford's voice is a little shaky in this particular performance)

Of course there's Bob Dylan's dull "All Along the Watchtower" and Jimi Hendrix's mind-bendingly incredible magnum opus, but that goes without saying.

The cover has a somewhat angry tone, and after paying attention to the lyrics, it really doesn't match what the song is saying.

I didn't know it was a cover for a long time, either - but I like the Disturbed version better, since I think the song sounds better angrily sung.

I've always liked the Goldfinger cover of "99 Red Balloons" more than the original German version (particularly since they sing the second-to-last stanza in German).

I vastly prefer the Quiet Drive version of "Time After Time", although it's still fairly generic stuff.

The cover Blitzkrieg by Metallica is better then the original Blitzkrieg by Blitzkrieg.

Speaking of Metallica, I really like their cover (or rather, variation, since it is a folk song or something like that, apparently) of "Whiskey in the Jar." It's probably my favorite Metallica song, next to a certain StarCraft mix of Metallica's "One."

Covers that are better than the original:

Red Harvest - Dead Men Don't Rape (GGFH)
Anal Stench - Stripped, Raped and Strangled (Cannibal Corpse)
Anorexia Nervosa - Solitude (Candlemass)
Behemoth - Until You Call On the Dark (Danzig)
Emperor - Cromlech (Darkthrone)
Illdisposed - Cromlech
Grope - ...And Justice For All (Metallica)
Graveworm - I need a Hero (Bonnie Tyler)
Fear Factory - School (Nirvana)

Scarlet Begonias--Jimmy Buffet (Grateful Dead)

I would have to say that Tool's cover of Zeppelin's "No Quarter" is better. Tool's version is just awesome. My favorite part of the song is during the breakdown. It starts off with clean guitar and then the bass kicks in. The tone of the bass is excellent. Then an acoustic guitar comes in, playing over the clean electric and the bass. And finally, the electric plays with the reverse tape delay effect. It is simply amazing.

I also think 311's cover of "Love Song" is better than original.

Guardsman Bass wrote:Speaking of Metallica, I really like their cover (or rather, variation, since it is a folk song or something like that, apparently) of "Whiskey in the Jar." It's probably my favorite Metallica song, next to a certain StarCraft mix of Metallica's "One."

Don't forget their cover of Seger's "Turn the Page." Ditching the sax in favor of slide guitar really made it into something awesome in my opinion.

Some covers I find interesting for one reason or another:

Hazy Shade of Winter by Bodyjar

The original Simon and Garfunkel version was excellent, but they were such nice guys I don't think they gave their own song the anger and despair it deserved. My favourite cover ever.


Faith by Limp Bizkit

I don't like George Michael or his songs, but Limp Bizkit make this rock... pity about their new stuff.


Landslide by Smashing Pumpkins

An awesome cover I find interesting because I've never heard the original. I heard the Dixie Chicks version and I think they robbed it of the personal nature Billy Corgan gave it.


American Pie by Madonna

How NOT To Do A Cover 101. This song is epic and holds many special memories for a lot of people. Don't give it a dance feel and don't skip any verses. WHAT? She did fucking what to the song? Oh for fuck's sake...

Hey look Zuul posted a buch of death metal I've never heard of. THAT never happens.

JLTucker
Yeah... I know a lot of people like A Perfect Tool and think they are all godly and stuff, and I have heard that cover. Yeah... No one should cover Zeppelin.

Motley Crue's cover of Helter Skelter is much better than the original Beatles' version, and still better than the version from Across the Universe which I think is a bit of a cross between the two versions.


Other than that I like a lot of more rock oriented covers of good songs.

Red Hot Chilli Peppers cover of Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground
RHCP video, Stevie's Funky version, RHCP live on Arsenio, RHCP Live on Letterman

Queensryche's cover of Simon & Garfunkle's Scarborough Fair
S&G audio version, Queensryche audio with a bunch of LOTR movie stuff , Another Geoff Tate version

Korn's cover of Cameo's Word Up is cool, although I think the official video is kind of lame.

Cameo, try not to laugh at the guy's cod piece. , Korn's video with all the dogs , Korn, live on Jimmy Kimmel

havokeff wrote:Hey look Zuul posted a buch of death metal I've never heard of. THAT never happens.

moar like centurymediacore

Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting by Flotsam & Jetsam - Elton John
The Sound Of Silence by Nevermore - Simon & Garfunkel
Kneel To the Cross by Agalloch - Sol Invictus
My Sharona by Destruction - the Knack
Whiplash by Motorhead - Metallica
Nazi Punks Fuck Off by Napalm Death - the Dead Kennedys
I'm Alive by Luca Turilli - Helloween
Nailed To The Gun by Halford - Fight

Pet Shop Boys - Always On My Mind

Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting by Nickelback, I prefer this version over Flotsam & Jetsam or Elton John

Holy Diver Original by Dio but I prefer the Killswitch Engage version

Simple Man I like both versions so I cant decide between Shinedown or Lynyrd Skynyrd

No mention of Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower or Zeppelin's cover of When the Levee Breaks yet?

Zuul wrote:Graveworm - I need a Hero (Bonnie Tyler)

So I know you're a huge fan of death metal or whatever, but no. Just no. The original is way better.

Qwerty 42 wrote:No mention of Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower or Zeppelin's cover of When the Levee Breaks yet?

Naturally, Hendrix's version is better than Dylan's original version. Since Hendrix basically made the song his own, what with Dylan now covering Hendrix's cover when he performs it, I'm going to have to go with the other cover we all know: Bear McCreary's cover for Season 3 finale of nBSG. The BSG cover is a lot neater, but Hendrix just has more passion in it than Bear's brother.

Qwerty 42 wrote:No mention of Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower or Zeppelin's cover of When the Levee Breaks yet?

I think the fact that I'm a fan of both and know that they are covers and yet still didn't think of them suggests just what amazing covers they are.

RogueIce wrote:

Zuul wrote:Graveworm - I need a Hero (Bonnie Tyler)

So I know you're a huge fan of bland corporate melodeath metal or whatever, but no. Just no. The original is way better.

Bothering Rye is fun

Phantasee wrote:

Qwerty 42 wrote:No mention of Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower or Zeppelin's cover of When the Levee Breaks yet?

Naturally, Hendrix's version is better than Dylan's original version. Since Hendrix basically made the song his own, what with Dylan now covering Hendrix's cover when he performs it, I'm going to have to go with the other cover we all know: Bear McCreary's cover for Season 3 finale of nBSG. The BSG cover is a lot neater, but Hendrix just has more passion in it than Bear's brother.

Best still is Yul Anderson's cover version of it. Imeem has a clip of his version, and if this doesn't make you a Yul Anderson fanatic after hearing it, then check your pulse, 'cause you're probably a soulless corpse.

Qwerty 42 wrote:No mention of Hendrix's cover of All Along the Watchtower or Zeppelin's cover of When the Levee Breaks yet?

Ahem.

I wrote:Of course there's Bob Dylan's dull "All Along the Watchtower" and Jimi Hendrix's mind-bendingly incredible magnum opus, but that goes without saying.

Twoyboy wrote:Some covers I find interesting for one reason or another:

Hazy Shade of Winter by Bodyjar

The original Simon and Garfunkel version was excellent, but they were such nice guys I don't think they gave their own song the anger and despair it deserved. My favourite cover ever.

You missed the Bangle's version from the movie "Less Than Zero", with Robert Downey Jr.

Johnny Cash stealing Trent Rezner's Hurt?

RogueIce wrote:

Zuul wrote:Graveworm - I need a Hero (Bonnie Tyler)

So I know you're a huge fan of death metal or whatever, but no. Just no. The original is way better.

Obviously, my post is not aimed at beardy darkthrone bedwetters or those who do without a shitload of guitars and drums in their listening material.

well since he's the most covered musician of the 20th century

Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) who sings in mono tone <<< most bands covering a Dylan song

Example:
It Ain't me babe- Cash+Carter duet >>> better then Dylans
All Around the Watchtower- Hendrix >>>>>>>> Galactica Version <Bob's original....

Bob Dylan's "Knocking on Heaven's Door" in the context of the Good Old Sheriff's Death Scene in "Pat Garret and Billy the Kid">>All other covers of the damn song since it's been done to death as a movie death theme >>> Bob's regular version of the song<<<<G&R's Regular cover of the song.