Covers that surpassed the originals

[Modax]

Dio's version of Dream On. I was put off at first by the over-the-top guitar solos, but it has since grown on me, and I think I like it more than the original now.

[adam_grif]

I would argue that the Jimi Hendrix version of "All Along the Watchtower" is actually better than the Bob Dylan original.

Yes, it's far better. If I recall correctly, Dylan himself preferred the Hendrix version, but don't quote me on it (probably just one of those memes that gets around).

[YT300000]

I would argue that the Jimi Hendrix version of "All Along the Watchtower" is actually better than the Bob Dylan original.

Yes, it's far better. If I recall correctly, Dylan himself preferred the Hendrix version, but don't quote me on it (probably just one of those memes that gets around).

This is true - to the point that Dylan re-recorded the song in an electric version, and has played it that way ever since.

[Modax]

Sorry for the necro, but I just discovered this cover of Take On Me. I *really* like this. Has anyone heard of these Northern Kings guys?



EDIT: I thought I'd add that I'm a huge fan of the original, but hearing this cover is like discovering the original for the first time--all over again. Which feels awesome.

[Lord Pounder]

99 Red Balloons by Goldfinger



Whiskey In The Jar by Metallica

[YT300000]

Oooh, this thread again.

[Gunhead]

Sorry for the necro, but I just discovered this cover of Take On Me. I *really* like this. Has anyone heard of these Northern Kings guys?



EDIT: I thought I'd add that I'm a huge fan of the original, but hearing this cover is like discovering the original for the first time--all over again. Which feels awesome.

Yes, I have. Here's another great cover from the same singer

In case you missed it, he's the singer of Teräsbetoni. Here's an original song from them

Northern kings is a group of musicians from my country who did a whole album of various pop covers made awesome by the power of heavy metal.

Like so

-Gunhead

[Modax]

Thanks man! Those are all pretty cool songs. I just googled 'Finnish metal bands' and I have to say I think I just hit the mother-load. I never knew Finland made so much great music. As an ignorant Canadian, I mostly knew Finland for its great hockey players, and secondly for Nokia cell phones. Now I can add "power metal"...

[charlemagne]

You can't seriously be "into metal" and never have heard of any Scandinavian metal bands can you? Try reading one or two magazines in a while

Anyways I think the high density of metal/rock groups in Finland/Sweden is partly because of their evil freedom-hating socialist ways that provide free rehearsing rooms for all aspiring musicians.

[Norade]

Scandinavia is fucking metal. Half of the best death and black metal bands ever come from there and the airport security guard from 'Metal a Headbangers Journey' just about sums it up.

[Modax]

A few things. One, I haven't been 'into metal' for that long. Second, I knew about black metal in Norway and Sweden, but I'm not into that stuff. Death metal I can listen to in small doses, but I'm not a big fan. Third, I don't read music magazines. The metal bands I listen to are mainly WarCry, Symphony X, Kamelot, and Epica. Also Mägo de Oz but a lot (recently most) of their stuff isn't metal at all but celtic folk rock.


To stay on topic, this is Mägo de Oz (one of my all time favourite bands) covering Queen (another one) This isn't a cover surpassing the original, but I think it is an unusually good cover. And also it is in Spanish, which I think is cool.



And here is one of their metal numbers, in case you were wondering. So far as I can make out, this song is about a future where the entire population has been mentally uploaded into a sort of bad MMORPG.

[charlemagne]

Mägo de Oz fucking rock. I go through phases of heavy rotation of their stuff myself And yeah, they do some cool covers, I absolutely love their version of Rainbow's "Gates of Babylon":



Oh, and no need to apologize or anything, no one's seriously bashing you. It's just that saying "oh hey there sure are a lot of Scandinavian metal bands" is a bit like saying "oh hey Mexican food sure is spicy"

[Lord Relvenous]

I really like A Perfect Circle's version of Imagine:

[tim31]

This is decent work!

[SpiralOut]

I really like A Perfect Circle's version of Imagine:

That is an amazing cover, but I'm not sure I'd agree that they did it better. It is a lot different and takes a much darker tone, and I'm not sure how I feel about that. Regardless, still a great cover.

I agree with Rye about the Fear Factory ones, plus them covering Nirvana's "School".



I don't dare say that this is better than the Dio original, but a damn great cover.




Pantera covering Ted Nugent, not sure if I like the vocals as much but I definitely like the amped up guitars.



Metallica covering Nick Cave, far better than the original... they added a whole new level of lust and passion to a very sexy song.

[Utsanomiko]

I would argue that the Jimi Hendrix version of "All Along the Watchtower" is actually better than the Bob Dylan original.

Wouldn't really call that an argument; Even Bob Dylan said he liked Hendrix's version of Watchtower more. The man has been well aware his vocals aren't exactly silky.

I'm rather fond of covers that have a greatly different from the original; gives a good reason to listen to both and not measure them directly against each other.

Cowboy Junkies did a really nice low-key rendition of the Velvet Underground's Sweet Jane in '87.




Also, I'm quite a sucker for pretty much anything that was covered by Laura Brannigan.

But perhaps that's just me.

[fgalkin]

Once upon a time, there was an incredibly shitty FPS from Russia called "Stalin's Subway" ("Metro 2" in Russia).

This track is the only good thing that came from it.

And the original, for comparison:



Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[The Yosemite Bear]

how about a song where the cover came out before the original?

or purhaps my favorite Ronstant cover of Little Feat

[KhyronTheBackstabber]

Faith No More's cover of "War Pigs"

[Havok]

Aight Lunger... let's do it.

Serious though, one of my favorite covers of all time.

[Siege]

[JointStrikeFighter]

Protip for this thread: making it "METALLLLLLL" does not automatically make a cover better.

[Norade]

Unless one likes metal that is.

[The Yosemite Bear]

well there's always love spit love's cover of Morrissey's "How long till now"

hey look you loose the red haired duche and the song is so much better...

[fgalkin]

The Original



The Cover:



Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin