Are Cover Versions Better Than the Originals?

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Discussion Overview

This thread explores the subjective nature of musical covers, inviting participants to share cover versions of songs they believe surpass the originals or that they simply enjoy. The discussion encompasses various genres and artists, reflecting on the artistry involved in creating covers and the personal connections listeners have with different renditions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants argue that creating a cover is as challenging as writing an original song, emphasizing the importance of personal interpretation and arrangement.
  • Several examples of covers are shared, including David Gray's cover of Dylan's "Meet Me in the Morning," which some participants suggest is better than the original.
  • There is a discussion about the merits of various covers, such as Johnny Cash's rendition of "Rusty Cage," originally by Soundgarden, and the differing opinions on whether these covers improve upon the originals.
  • Primus's cover of Pink Floyd's "Have A Cigar" is highlighted, with mixed opinions on whether it is better than the original, with some participants enjoying it for its unique style.
  • Participants mention other covers, such as Eric Clapton's version of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," with some expressing a preference for Clapton's interpretation over Dylan's original.
  • There are conflicting views on the cover of "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda," with some asserting that the Pogues' version is definitive, while others recall different impactful renditions.
  • Discussions also touch on the subjective nature of musical preference, with some participants expressing nostalgia for specific versions based on personal experiences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of opinions on the quality of various covers compared to their originals, with no clear consensus on which versions are definitively better. The discussion remains open-ended, reflecting diverse tastes and interpretations.

Contextual Notes

Some participants acknowledge their personal biases and experiences influencing their preferences, which may affect their views on the quality of covers versus originals.

  • #61
An emotional yet corporate-positive rendering of U2:

 
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  • #62
micromass said:
Awesome! I will be playing this song on the next full moon, when we sacrifice a person to the Lord Satan.
Who will you sacrifice? A physicist?
 
  • #63
A geeky cover of "I will survive":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9dpTTpjymE

(A trained eye will of course see immediately that these people are not mathematicians since they're using Stewart)
 
  • #64
jbunniii said:
Who will you sacrifice? A physicist?

I said a person. So clearly physicists don't qualify...
 
  • #65
micromass said:
Think nobody can sing the beatles like the beatles?? Then check out this cover of [STRIKE]Letter B[/STRIKE] Let It Be.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvPugOWeZiA

OMG, this is our first line of defense?! That's it, I'm moving to Sweden..
 
  • #66
micromass said:
I said a person. So clearly physicists don't qualify...
You're just jealous because you can't use Einstein summation in your daily work. It's ok, I'm here to help you through this.
 
  • #67
Pat Boone's electrifying take on "Smoke on the Water"

 
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  • #68
Of course Wing's fabulous cover of The Beatles has to be in here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0690V_-ypBw
 
  • #69
micromass said:
Awesome! I will be playing this song on the next full moon, when we sacrifice a person to the Lord Satan.

Upon hearing that "song", Lord Satan will be regurgitating your sacrifice. That goat's going to spit out one big bezoar. :smile:
 
  • #70
jbunniii said:
Pat Boone's electrifying take on "Smoke on the Water"



"It died with an awful sound."

'Nuff said. :rolleyes:
 
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  • #71
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o10W_63spDE

Cover of some Bob Marley song
 
  • #72
Micromass, I know you are on the supreme court of physics forums, but I am appealing to you to RECUSE yourself of this thread and start another one, perhaps entitled, "Even worse than the real thing."
 
  • #73
And then there is Avril Lavigne's touching performance of imagine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJrwTgFt3Ek
 
  • #74
micromass said:
Of course Wing's fabulous cover of The Beatles has to be in here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0690V_-ypBw

Micromass, I know you are on the supreme court of physics forums, but I am appealing to you to RECUSE yourself of this thread and start another one, perhaps entitled, "Even worse than the real thing."
 
  • #75
Some old guys doing a horrible, horrible cover of one of the best songs ever made by Justin Beiber
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXcNQTa3zgs
 
  • #76
The Rolling Stones are nothing compared to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sutk4BDorXg
 
  • #77
What the hell? Is that actually real? I mean I knew Britney Spears was trash and the scum of the singing world but to have the audacity to cover a Stones song not to mention one of their best...god my ears are bleeding
 
  • #78
DiracPool said:
Micromass, I know you are on the supreme court of physics forums, but I am appealing to you to RECUSE yourself of this thread and start another one, perhaps entitled, "Even worse than the real thing."

*Gasp* You don't like wing?
 
  • #79
Already seen Beatles, Stones, Led Zeppelin, time for The Who:

 
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  • #80
Ok now for a serious one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyCFuP3rM2w
 
  • #81
I absolutely hate skrillex, but this is a decent cover

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrcFe0_pZEs
 
  • #82
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXHkG5G5qH8
 
  • #83
micromass said:
The Rolling Stones are nothing compared to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sutk4BDorXg


I used to love to hate Britney Spears and her "kind" until I saw this video..Not the big one on the screen but THIS one...



Then I started ordering more peanuts on my flights and asking the stewardesses what "mile high club" meant.
 
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  • #84
I wouldn't call it better than the real thing, but it's cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a41bERTFBUI
 
  • #85
Best rendition of the US anthem ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcZKkZO7CTI
 
  • #86
Money (That's What I Want)

 
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  • #87
A cover of Metallica:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP6rkf3qB0c
 
  • #88
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc1eirTklMI
 
  • #89
I think I've fallen madly in love again >.<

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEe9sXO1M-I
 
  • #90
WannabeNewton said:
I think I've fallen madly in love again >.<


You said that would never happen again, you FRAUD!
 

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