Cover songs versus the original track, which ones are better?

[robphy]

War Ensemble (1990)
is the first track on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasons_in_the_Abyss
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slayer

(1990) Slayer - War Ensemble
drum fill &t=2m22s

• (drummer, 2011) Dave Lombardo -- War Ensemble -- Yankee Stadium (drums) - drum fill &t=2m58s

more covers at: #2183 (jazzy nightclub #2338) (kids: #2368 #2376 )

See also https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/most-hard-driving-music.1078565/post-7311817

(2023) "War Ensemble" (drum cover, instrumental) Slayer - Aiden 8 years old - The AJ Drumming Show



(2024) War Ensemble Surf Cover || Metal Goes Surf Vol. 2 - Ivan Semeshchenko



(2024) War Ensemble - Acoustic Slayer Cover - Jeff Vicario --haunting



(2021) Slayer - "War Ensemble" (Bass Cover) - Kello Gonzalez



(2013) Slayer - War Ensemble - On two floppy drives + arduino - Sergii Samoilenko


(2016) SLAYER - War Ensemble (Guitar Cover) Performed by Kiana Shotgun

- Two Thrash Metal sisters!!!
- METALLICA - FOUR HORSEMEN (Performed by Vixen Vendetta)
- Vixen Vendetta - BLACK SABBATH - Symptom Of The Universe
- (#1911 Electric Eye)

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

They appear to be from Malaysia.

 

[robphy]

Master of Puppets (1986)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Master_of_Puppets_(song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallica

more covers at:
#1410 Master of Puppets (kids)
#1942 Master of Puppets (keyboards, acoustic, Tina S)
#2159 Avery Drummer (6 years old)
#2224 Ami Inoi (acoustic)
#2460 Ariel Hyatt (tapdancing)

more covers at #2,528 (kids, flute, brass, Nemophila)

I forgot to add these covers of Master of Puppets
by this Indonesian band Voice of Baceprot "VOB"

• #138 in Talent Worthy of Recognition - more V.O.B on PF
• #1551 Sabotage

---

The guitarist and vocalist Firda Marsya Kurnia (a.k.a. Marsya) is about 17 in these videos.

• (2018) VOB - Master Puppets - ( dahSyat TV show in Indonesia )
  
  
  
  
• (2018) Voice Of Baceprot Master Of Puppets (Metallica Cover) - SynchronizeFest
  
  
  
  
• -- poor audio, near the drummer, but has a lot of energy
  (2017) VoB (Voice of Baceprot) - Master Of Puppets (Metallica Cover) - Live At Super Rawk Fest Final 2017
  

 

[Hornbein]

She is from Jakarta.

 

[robphy]

Fives (2006)
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erotic_Cakes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guthrie_Govan
https://the-aristocrats.com/

(2007) Guthrie Govan - Fives from "Erotic Cakes" at JTCGuitar.com

• Why This Guy Is Rock’s Scariest Guitarist - Rick Beato

---

(2026) Guthire Govan's Fives. We had great chemistry. - MaituoGuitar -11yo

(Maituo on PF: #84 Talent Worthy , #128 Playing the Guitar)


(2014) Michael Hermes (newer: Michael Hermes) - Fives by Guthrie Govan - LIVE - 13yo



(2018) Guthrie govan 'fives' cover. By Vineet Dhamankar - piano



(2018) Guthrie Govan - Fives Live with band - (Cover) - Johannes Persson

(Johannes Persson on PF)


(2017) Guthrie Govan - Fives - Matteo Mancuso

(Matteo Mancuso on PF: #780 Cover and #107 and #110 Playing the Guitar)

honorable mention:
(2010) Miki Kato - Fives (Guthrie Govan)
(2023) Guthrie Govan - Fives - Guitar Cover - Bailey Buckley (Bailey on PF)-12yo?
(2013) Guthrie Govan "Fives" Cover / Li-sa-X (Japanese 8 year old girl) (Li-Sa-X on PF) -8yo

 

[A.T.]

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

Well whaddya know. BStr wrote it.

 

[A.T.]

 

[A.T.]

 

[A.T.]

 

[A.T.]

 

[A.T.]

 

[Hornbein]

A pretty version.

 

[Hornbein]

BSpr couldn't finish the lyrics so Patti did.

 

[Hornbein]

That graphic is the signal from a pulsar.

 

[robphy]

Groveman Drums is like a human drum machine...

• (first, not a cover) (2026) Groveman Drums - Drum Solo in Chicago with Delvon Lamarr

now, the covers...
...of course, I saved the best for last....

(July 2026) The Power by SNAP! Drum Cover

As a drummer, I can say that most people have no idea how challenging it is to do what he’s doing

• Snap! "The Power" LIVE!! It's Showtime at the Apollo! 1990
• Snap! - The Power (Elf 99 - spezial, 25th August, 1990)

(2026) Everybody Wants to Rule The World (Drum Cover W/ Percussion) By Tears For Fears

• Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Live 1985)

(2026) Funkytown by Lipps Inc. Drum Cover

Man this was sick to do all of this basically 1 handed while playing 2-4 separate sections at the same time. Amazing stuff man.

• (1980) Lipps, Inc. - Funkytown, Full HD (Digitally Remastered & Upscaled)

(2026) Maniac by Michael Sembello Drum Cover

• (1983) Maniac American Bandstand Michael Sembello
• MANIAC - The most INSANE drum pattern of the '80s | Drum Patterns Explained

(2025) Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' by Michael Jackson Drum Cover

• (2018) Michael Jackson's Drummer Jonathan Moffett Performs "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin"

please...


(2023) Groveman Drums Peter-Piper - Run-D.M.C. Drum Cover --excellent ! !

If you watch every single other version of this drum cover on youtube you'll notice that not one single other drummer hits the bells. All of them just do the cymbal, tom, and bass. This dude is unmatched.

- (2025) Groveman Drums Groove of The Day at Pro Drum Hollywood “Peter Piper” by Run-DMC
- (2023) Nandi Bushell - Run DMC - Very Tricky! Playing 2 parts at once! Peter Piper

• (1986) RUN DMC - Live in Japan 20-12-1986 (Peter Piper &t=30m30s)
• (1986) RUN DMC - Peter Piper (Official Audio)
• (2018) DMC Peter Piper Live at the Chip Shop Brixton 2018
• How to program "Peter Piper" Tr 808
  

 

[A.T.]

 

[robphy]

Lose Yourself (2002)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem

(2020) Eminem - Lose Yourself • LIVE • The 92nd Academy Awards • Oscars 2020

• • (2020) Eminem on his 2020 Oscars Performance | Hotboxin' with Mike Tyson -explains the malfunction
  • (2021) Salma Hayek Was So Excited Meeting Eminem At The Oscars She Spit Water On Him - Kelly Clarkson Show
  • (2020) Barbara Streisand on FB
    

    Eminem, I had voted for your song too! Was really looking forward to handing you the award. Next time!
    #Repost Eminem.
    ・・・
    Look, if you had another shot, another opportunity... Thanks for having me The Academy. Sorry it took me 18 years to get here.

• (2003) Barbara Streisand presents:
  Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from '8 Mile' Wins Best Original Song
• (2003) [live] Eminem - Lose Yourself (2003 Grammy award)
• (2007) Eminem - Lose Yourself - 493M views

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(2016) purely music's - singing With talent what a beautiful couples - short funny cover with a volleyball

(2020) Eminem - Lose Yourself ( cover by J.Fla )


(2020) Eminem - Lose Yourself (8 Mile OST)⎪Fingerstyle guitar - Eiro Nareth


(2019) Lose Yourself (VIOLIN COVER) - Eminem | Caio Ferraz & Anna Murakawa


(2022) Kasey Chambers - Lose Yourself (Eminem Cover) LIVE @ Civic Theatre, Newcastle AU --the intensity slowly ramps up



(2018) Maria Fiselier - Lose Yourself | Beste Zangers 2018 --a Dutch opera singer

• Maria Fiselier FB - Over 7 MILLION VIEWS! Thanks for all the love And please do let me know where you are in the world!! Loving the global spread!
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Fiselier "is a Dutch mezzo-soprano."
• (2014) Ombra Mai Fu - De Tiende van Tijl - Maria Fiselier

 

[A.T.]

 

[Hornbein]

Orig


AI version


Face it, AI is better at music than humans.

 

[robphy]

Rap God (2013)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rap_God
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminem


(2013) Eminem - Rap God (Explicit)
Fast Part &t=4m22s

• (2022) - Rap God (Live at Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2022 Induction) 4K, Pro Multicam
  - Fast Part &t=1m20s
• https://www.eminem.com/song/rap-god/ (lyrics, with annotation)

• In the part that begins at 4:26, Eminem raps 99 words containing 157 syllables in 16.45 seconds—an average of 6.1 words per second, or 9.5 syllables per second—which he describes as "supersonic speed".

---

(2015) 12 Year Old Girl Kills Rap God [Full Version] - Kimi Varasteh
Fast Part &t=4m28s


(2014) Eminem - Rap God (Acoustic Cover) - Dylan Andre
Fast Part &t=3m45s



(2015) Eminem - Rap God | Performed In 40 Styles | Ten Second Songs - Anthony Vincent (and see next)
Fast Part &t=4m26s


(2015) Eminem - RAP GOD | Set The Charge cover --this is different
Fast Part &t=3m55s



(2015) RapGod COVER Tamsin Rae ORIGINAL
Fast Part &t=4m20s

- reply (and cover of Eminem's Till I Collapse) by Tasmin Rae

honorable mention:
(2021) Morna - GIRL RAPS "EMINEM - RAP GOD" WHOLE SONG LIVE ONE TAKE! -- Fast Part
(2014) TheRestIsStillUnwrit - "RAP GOD" by Eminem (TheRestIsStillUnwrit CLEAN Live Cover Female with fast part) - Fast Part
(2020) YNL - Rap God - Godzilla 보다 커버하기 어려운 곡이 있다?ㅣEminem - Rap God -- Fast Part

 

[Hornbein]

From Slovenia. He sings well too.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig w. Mick Taylor


Cover

 

[Hornbein]

 

[robphy]

The Audience is Listening (1990)
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passion_and_Warfare
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Vai

SteveVaiHimself

(2015) The Audience Is Listening
"Steve Vai plays a camper's guitar on "The Audience Is Listening" during Vai Academy 2015."

• alternate view: Vai playing "The Audience is Listening" on my Parker Fly
  
  
• OFFICIAL VIDEO - Steve Vai - The Audience Is Listening (official video)
  • McRocklin - Shredding on LIVE TV when I was kid!!!
  • THOMAS McROCKLIN Amazing Boy GUITARIST 'Genius' on Little & Large Show (March '89) Steve Vai
  • McRocklin - Embarrassing Guitar Fail with Steve Vai and Record Label

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(2013) vaiband_The Audience Is Listening in BeatIn - stanley kay (drums) - Tatsuhito Uto (guitar) - 10 yo

- (2011) ★7歳でスティーブ・ヴァイ★The audience is listening(8 y/o guitarist)

(2023) Steve Vai -The Audience Is Listening DRUM COVER by Tora (Khuat Hoa Xuan)


(2011) Steve Vai The audience is listening cover - András Szabó --bass cover


(2010) The Audience is listening (full) on a keyboard - metalpianoman

steve vai has favourited this video,,, just as you know

(2015) Steve Vai - The Audience is Listening (Live Cover) - Fito Moreno

 

[A.T.]

 

[A.T.]

This is where it gets interesting.
Agree this is amazing BUT I hated it compared to S&G. That is what this thread is about.
As a stand alone, amazing Vocals and live so respect there BUT with that gentle minimal 1960s sound and harmony S&G had, that is absent here, this version destroys it.

Exactly. If I want a bombastic orchestral song about silence, then I can listen to this:

 

[Point Conception]

Brook st, London. Hound Dog