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

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I have some catching up to do!
 
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Hornbein said:

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



(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 )


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
 
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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)



(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]
 
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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.
 
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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


(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)
 
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hutchphd said:
You will never hear the song the same way again......


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



(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
 
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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.

 
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What nice smooth singing. What happened?
 
The original (breakthrough) version with Wayne Newton
 
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WWGD said:
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.

 
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A.T. said:
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.
 
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I do 100% prefer ZZ Top's Under Pressure to Queen's, however impressive Queen is overall.
 
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Ah,I had forgotten. Kiss' 2000 man light years ahead of that of the Rolling Stones.
 
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


(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 )
 
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WWGD said:
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."
 
robphy said:
#2505
Nene Royal
(2026-July 7) 16-Year-Old Nene Royal Is Shy... Until She Starts Singing "Zombie" | Auditions | AGT


(2024) Zombie - The Cranberries (Live Cover By Nene Royal feat. Headbanging Mike)

(2020) Zombie - The Cranberries (Cover by Nene Royal 9 y/o
another from (2020) Zombie - The Cranberries (Cover by Nene Royal)


more Nene Royal on PF (a preview of upcoming performances on AGT??)
#1410 Master of Puppets, #1545 Highway Star (and when Nene was 10y.o.) , #1702 The Final Countdown


Nene Royal
has been making waves on the America's Got Talent auditions, which are released on the web.
The live shows on TV will begin soon.

Since her audition (above) with
her version of #2505 Zombie by The Cranberries ,

she did well on the "Judges' Callback with Howie Mandel":

Nene Royal CRUSHES "Hysteria" by Muse | Judges' Callbacks | AGT 2026


and then (released) earlier this week

Golden Buzzer: Nene Royal ROCKS OUT To "Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden | Quarterfinals | AGT 2026

- (presumably-unedited-by-NBC fan video on location) Nene Royal @ Pasadena Civic - AGT - 8/25/26 - Black Hole Sun

- https://www.billboard.com/culture/t...n-cover-praise-cornell-wife-watch-1236326257/




She just turned 16 and seems to have been playing guitar since she was 7 (she said on AGT)
- Hotel California - The Eagles | NeneRoyal 6 years ago become viral!
- Nene Royal in the age of 9 covering Metalica like a rockstar- solo &t=2m30s (Enter Sandman)

- from above:
#1410 Master of Puppets,
#1545 Highway Star (and when Nene was 10y.o.) ,
#1702 The Final Countdown
#2505 Zombie - The Cranberries (Cover by Nene Royal 9 y/o)

- Here's her playlist of her live covers:
- Recorded stream of live covers:

- Nene Royal, At Age 14, Stops Audience From Fighting While Playing “Killing in the Name”
 
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This is the theme song for a TV show. Does any other nation have stuff like this?



It was about a band of high school girls who form a rock band. This inspired real girls to do the same while thinking this level of difficulty was normal. They grew up and today Japanese women dominate the world of metal.

Well, maybe except for Daria Zaritskaya.

 
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