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

[pinball1970]

I have some catching up to do!

 

[Point Conception]

Looked around and have not seen a vocal cover that can hold a candle to the original .

 

[robphy]

Run to the Hills (1982)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Run_to_the_Hills
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Maiden

(1982) Run To The Hills Iron Maiden 1982 Live

- Iron Maiden - Run To The Hills (Official Video)

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(2013) Run to the hills Acoustic (Iron Maiden) - Mari e Maya

- #1915 Painkiller

(2009) Melba Toast - The Ironin' Maidens - Run to the Hills


(2015) Steve “Steve'n'Seagulls” Seagulls - Run To The Hills (Live)

- #2410 Antisocial

(2011) Iron Maidens - Run To The Hills

- #1407 Wrathchild

(2026) HAGANE -【Cover】Iron Maiden / Run To The Hills

( Hagane on PF , #131 in Talent Worthy , Sakura Yoshida on PF , Junna on PF )

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Honorable mentions:
- (2024) Nirvana y Aixa tocan Run to the Hills de IRON MAIDEN
- (2018) The Heimatdamisch: Run to the Hills (Iron Maiden) --polka
- (2017) IRON MAIDEN - Run to the Hills (Harp Twins)
- (2026) Iron Maiden - Run to the Hills (Tavern Version) - Algal the Bard - Lute-Guitar, Bouzouki, Whistle (G), Chanter and Percussion

 

[robphy]

Black Sabbath (1970)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath_(song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath_(album)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sabbath

(1970) Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (Pop Shop 1970) (4K 60fps)
&t=2m20s

In 1970, RTB cameras filmed the British group in concert, in Brussels, in its original formation. 1st Broadcast: 21st January 1971

- - (1970) BLACK SABBATH - "Black Sabbath" (Official Video)
(Black Sabbath on PF)

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(2020) Septogram - Black Sabbath [Black Sabbath Cover]



audio - (2019) Black Sabbath - Midnite String Quartet --classically interpreted

audio - (1992) Black Sabbath - Dance Or Die -- electronic dark-wave dance music?

audio - (2008) Combo de la Muerte - Black Sabbath --"voodoo latin jazz"




audio - (1970) Flower Travellin' Band - Black Sabbath (album: Anywhere 1970)

Flower Travellin' Band are an esoteric Japanese psychedelic rock/ heavy metal outfit that was first active in the late 1960s and early 1970s,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anywhere_(Flower_Travellin'_Band_album)




audio - (2015) Type O Negative - Black Sabbath (From the Satanic Perspective)


audio - (2020) Zakk Sabbath - Black Sabbath [Black Sabbath Cover]

 

[Hornbein]

Orig by the MIssissippi Sheiks.



He clearly says "sitting".

There are many versions of this, mostly by country musicians. I think this one is too melodramatic.



When Cream recorded it they gave the composer credit to Howlin' Wolf.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[robphy]

Girl U Want (1980)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Girl_U_Want
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devo

(1980) Devo - Girl U Want (Live on Fridays 1980)

- (1980) Girl U Want (Official HD Music Video)
- (1982) Devo - Freedom of Choice/Girl U Want EZ (In Studio Practice 1982) &t=5m14s --alternate studio version
- (1979) Devo –Girl U Want (Live 1979) --demo

- (2025) The Story Behind DEVO's "Girl U Want" with Mark Mothersbaugh &t=24m00s
- (2010) Devo | Girl U Want | live Coachella, April 17, 2010
- (2026) Devo Girl U Want live Coachella Weekend Two Friday 04-17-2026

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(2019) Garrett T. Capps "Girl U Want (Devo Cover)" // Half Stop Sessions


(2011) audio - Freelance Whales - Girl U Want (Devo Cover) --mellow



(2011) audio - Zombie Ghost Train - Girl U Want (Psychobilly, Devo Cover) - Zombie Ghost Train
(2008) audio - Soundgarden - Girl You Want (Devo Cover) --slow, doom-metal?
(2011) audio - Superchunk - Girl u Want (Devo cover) --upbeat

(1994) Robert Palmer – Girl U Want (Official Music Video) Remastered @Videos80s (Robert Palmer song)


(2018) Girl U Want by Weird Al Yankovic, Ace Theatre, 5/11/18


(2021) Howlin' Jaws - Girl U Want (DEVO cover)

 

[WWGD]

You will never hear the song the same way again......

Lucy. In the. Sky. With diamonds...

 

[Hornbein]

 

[robphy]

La Grange (1973)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Grange_(song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ZZ_Top

(1982) ZZ Top La Grange live 1982

- ZZ Top “La Grange” on the Howard Stern Show

• RIP Frank Beard (the beardless band member)
  https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/frank-beard-zz-top-drummer-dead-obituary-1235607415/
  
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Beard_(musician)

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(2022) 7 yo Bay Rocks ZZ Top's La Grange at The Bitter End for Kids Rocks For Kids - Nov 2022



(2025) ZZ Top – La Grange (Asian Folk Metal Cover) | NiNi Music



(2026) Colt Clark and the Quarantine Kids play "La Grange"



(1976) Van Halen - La Grange & Honolulu Baby (Unreleased)



(2025) La Grange (Live Cover) - ZZ Top - Rumpus Machine - Live Classic Rock & Originals Band

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

Covering LvB's Ode To Joy with extreme enthusiasm by the Keith Moon of Nihon.



Everyone covers it wrong. The line that comes in half a beat early is too weird to deal with. So they don't do that.

Encore! Twice as frantic. And the splash cymbal is back, baby.

 

[Point Conception]

What nice smooth singing. What happened?

 

[Point Conception]

The original (breakthrough) version with Wayne Newton

 

[A.T.]

Lucy. In the. Sky. With diamonds...

My first encounter with Shatner's recitations of known songs was 'Common People', originally by Pulp. And I actually like his version. Some possible reasons:

- The lyrics of this particular song lends itself well to such narration style.

- As a non-native english speaker I finaly understood all the lyrics properly, which gave me additional appreciation of the original song writing.

- Shatner (or the producer Ben Folds) wisely added actual singing by Joe Jackson and a choir.

 

[WWGD]

My first encounter with Shatner's recitations of known songs was 'Common People', originally by Pulp. And I actually like his version. Some possible reason:

- The lyrics of this particular song lends itself well to such narration style.

- As a non-native english speaker I finaly understood all the lyrics properly, which gave me additional appreciation of the original song writing.

- Shatner (or the producer Ben Folds) wisely added actually singing by Joe Jackson and a choir.

And you're yet another one of those embarrassing us. By. Speaking( Or at least writing) way better than. Natives.

 

[WWGD]

I do 100% prefer ZZ Top's Under Pressure to Queen's, however impressive Queen is overall.

 

[WWGD]

Ah,I had forgotten. Kiss' 2000 man light years ahead of that of the Rolling Stones.

 

[WWGD]

 

[robphy]

Heartbreaker (1978)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Darren

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartbreaker_(Pat_Benatar_song) (1979)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Benatar

(1978 song) Jenny Darren Heartbreaker Promo Video 2018

- Jenny_Darren - Heartbreaker: Best Of 1977-1980 (playlist)

- The Judges are SHOCKED by Jenny Darren's ROCKSTAR transformation! | Britain's Got Talent
- Jenny Darren From Britain's Got Talent | Good Morning Britain - describes Heartbreaker


Jenny sings "Heartbreaker" live with Kev Moore


https://secondhandsongs.com/performance/188190

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(1980) Pat Benatar - Heartbreaker (Live on Countdown, 1980)

(more Benatar on PF )

(2024) Heartbreaker (Pat Benatar) • Drum Cover - sina-drums

(more Sina on PF )

(2018) Heartbreaker - Pat Benatar - Les Gémeaux cover

(more Les Gémeaux on PF )

(2020) "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar Cover by Moriah Formica

(more Moriah on PF )

( see also #2189 Daria Zaritskaya's cover of Heartbreaker posted by @Hornbein )

 

[pinball1970]

Lucy. In the. Sky. With diamonds...

You may like post #37 and beyond in this thread. Shatner legend in space, as a Columbo villain and alternative "vocalist."