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

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The discussion centers around the merits of cover songs compared to their originals, exploring which covers are considered better and which should have been avoided. The subjective nature of evaluating music is emphasized, with opinions varying widely based on personal taste. Notable examples include Jimi Hendrix's cover of "All Along the Watchtower," which many argue surpasses Bob Dylan's original, and Johnny Cash's rendition of "Hurt," which evokes deep emotion. Other covers, such as those by Eva Cassidy and the Bare Naked Ladies, are praised for their unique interpretations that enhance the originals. Conversely, some covers are criticized for lacking originality or failing to add anything new, with specific songs mentioned as examples of covers that should have been left alone. The conversation also touches on the broader implications of musical interpretation, the role of the listener in evaluating art, and the complexities of genre classification, particularly in jazz. Overall, the thread highlights the rich landscape of music covers, showcasing both celebrated interpretations and those deemed unnecessary.
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Hornbein said:

She is amazing.
 
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Don't he look like Jack Nicholson here?
 
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Hornbein said:

It reminded me of a cover I forgot about. In 1978, KISS released a solo album for each of their four members. When You Wish Upon a Star was on the Gene Simmons' album:

 
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Speaking of KISS, there was their song Hard Luck Woman that was covered by Garth Brooks:



 
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I think I found a song that is a cover for two songs at the same time!

Phunk Junkeez - I Love It Loud:



Kiss - I Love It Loud:



M|A|R|R|S - Pump Up The Volume:

 
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robphy said:
Was it one of these?
No - all those versions are good in different ways. The Stones and Ciara are very different reactions to a personal loss, or are at different stages of grief. The Hidden Citizens and Valerie Broussard versions turn it into loss on a grander scale, like for all the people who died in an alien invasion movie. Wednesday's version is more foreboding than lamenting. The PMJ version is a technical challenge.

The version I heard was just elevator music (as @pinball1970 put it). I was slightly taken aback by the implied existence of a thought process that wants to make elevator music and decides to start with such a emotionally loaded song.
 
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The orig.



Cover



Hasbro has a line of colored plastic fillies called My Little Pony, and started a cartoon show for little girls to promote the product. The show stunk and was unpopular. At this juncture cartoonist Lauren Faust approached Hasbro about marketing a line of dolls based on Hermeticism (an ancient form of thinking combining astrology and alchemy). Executive Lisa Licht said no, but offered her the failing My Little Pony show. Faust made the bargain and revamped the whole thing on alchemical principles, with one of the fillies a student of ancient Hermetic texts.

Since the whole show is an advertisement it made sense to release it to Youtube, where this girl's show surprisingly became a hit with men. One could make some sort of psychological analysis, but I think its just plain good drama. It isn't easy to build an attractive imaginary world. In watching one may for a while see the world with different eyes. I never understood the horse fascination my sisters had, but the animators have clearly studied horses with love and captured their movements, and even I can see the beauty. Today I came across a heavy metal guitarist in Iron Maiden T shirt and covered with tattoos playing the theme song. Faust left after two years, but the story line and characters are strong enough that the show goes on. Also the show teaches how to have a friend, such education sadly lacking in the world of many young men. That could be the attraction.

Faust made a bargain with Licht[Light]! It hardly seems real.

The basic view of Hermeticism is that good and evil are to some degree illusory, that both ultimately serve the purpose of good. In the first season the conflict is an attempt by the queen's evil sister to usurp the throne. She is defeated. Now here comes the difference. The next season focuses on her rehabilitation. They have to help her reintegrate into society. Not easy, as everyone is terrified of her. But it has to be done. This is a lot more realistic than the trope where they just kill everybody, problem solved.
 
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Hornbein said:

The flute solo was included but I should not be surprised.
 
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We had the orig of Red Rubber Ball, here's a cover. The guy with the 6-string guitar co-wrote the song with Paul Simon when he was still a folkie.



When I was a kid folk music was a big deal. It's still around but more or less underground, completely excluded from mainstream media. Too bad.
 
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Hornbein said:

Yousician is a music instructional program, not a real band. Huh. Pretty good song.
 
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morrobay said:

That is a remix combining both the original song and the cover. This is the [original?] cover:



Interesting.
 
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Orig



Cover



 
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Train - Hey, Soul Sister​


Dang that guy's a soprano.



Their vocal blend is magical. That sort of thing is luck. Either it happens or it doesn't.



As a bonus, an Andrei Cerbu guitar solo that I think is great.
 
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Hornbein said:
Orig
The girl in the third video is a quite good bass player.
 
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Not sure if this counts here (might be more a parody than a cover), but I enjoyed it. Original:

Cover:

An interesting point about this is that the Dr Who theme was originally composed by Ron Grainer on paper (on holiday in Spain, if memory serves) and air mailed to the BBC, where Delia Derbyshire and the Radiophonic Workshop did the arrangement and recording as posted above. Many years later, when electronic music was a much easier proposition than it was in the 1960s, Grainer released an arrangement of the theme more or less as he'd envisaged it when writing it. It's... um... not quite what the Radiophonic Workshop came out with. So here's the original composer covering the BBC's original version of his original tune:
 
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Gabriella Quevedo outdoes herself.

 
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Most covers of this song fail to get the vocal harmony. That's the best part.

 
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We're All Alone by Boz Scaggs is my favorite ballad. He said he wrote it on the way to the studio. The backup band later made it big as most of Toto.



When I was playing ebass in Roxbury, The Three Degrees had a breathy hit song called When Will I See You Again. I had no idea they could sing with power.



This one is a real exhibition of power singing. Too much for this song, but you've gotta be impressed.

 
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Orig. Not that exciting.



Cover by Asterism. The guitar is double tracked.



Here's another song that sounds pretty similar.

 
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She is a great singer but the drums are wrong here.

 
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Guys, I am an old soul, but also like new stuff, so when there is a new cover that faithfully keeps to the old-school, but makes it modern without AutoTune, it is the best of both worlds. And I have not seen "Grease" yet, but that can be added to my movie watch list.


Cover (2010s) [Indie Pop]:


John Travolta's Original (1970s) [Soft Rock], due to copyright, video is only available on YouTube:
 
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AlexB23 said:
I have not seen "Grease" yet, but that can be added to my movie watch list.
It's great fun. "Hopelessly devoted to you" is a nice track.
 
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pinball1970 said:
It's great fun. "Hopelessly devoted to you" is a nice track.
I can check that one out as well. Thank you for recommending "Grease". :)
 
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The trooper - Renaissance style:



The original by Iron Maiden:

 
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In @robphy 's style, here are multiple covers of a single song: Chop Suey! Never seen so many good versions in so many different styles and arrangements.

The original:



Let's start on a high note:



Jazz:



Rock orchestra:



Asian folk metal:



Metalcore by Ankor:



"Way Too Happy" acoustic cover:
Classical piano:
Epic piano:
Vocal ensemble:
Classical orchestra:
Kid's Christian Metal:
And because ... on the Internet ... there's everything ... I love it when people have fun!

20 style cover:

A Latin version?

Commuting:
And a ... speed bag cover!
 
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Speaking of Ankor, I thought I posted it before but I cannot find it. At the risk of repeating myself:

Bad Guy by Billie Eilish:



The cover by Ankor:

 
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