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

[difalcojr]

 

[fresh_42]

Elvis had a lot of good Blues songs. Unfortunately, they rarely make it on air, at least over here.

 

[robphy]

"I am a Viking" is a track #5 on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marching_Out
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yngwie_Malmsteen
https://www.yngwiemalmsteen.com/

(see also #25 from Favorite Electric Guitar Rock Solos )

• (1984) Yngwie Malmsteen - I Am A Viking (live version) [Jeff Scott Soto on vocals]
  
  
  
• Yngwie J Malmsteen - I Am A Viking (2021 Remaster by Aaraigathor)

---

studio covers in #1,110

Here are live covers --- in front of an audience. Battle of the bands?
(I didn't stumble upon any live covers for the original thread)

(2025) Adagio I am a viking (yngwie malmsteen) tribute - Deja-vu - from Korea; nice guitar playing
&t=1m56s



(2018) I Am a Viking - Y.Malmsteen Acoustic Cover, Live at Jumestock 2018 - Yet Another Superstrat and Maarit Aura - from Finland

(they did a studio cover in the earlier thread)


(2008) Yngwie Malmsteen - I am a viking (Korean band FDM) - from Korea, good vocals



(2011) I am a Viking (Flamenco Version) by Yngwie J. Malmsteen, played by Ben Woods and John Gilliat

(he did studio covers in the earlier thread)


(2019) I AM A VIKING - Scared Star - "Sacred Star", from Texas , good vocals and stage-presence

---

Honorable mentions:

(2016) I am a VIKING (Yngwie Malmsteen) covered by Rising Force Session Band with KellySIMONZ - from Japan, guitar good, vocals so-so
(studio) (2021) I Am A Viking Cover - Silenced Moment - interesting cover; I love the only comment "close enough"

 

[pinball1970]

Elvis had a lot of good Blues songs. Unfortunately, they rarely make it on air, at least over here.

The first few albums and before you know it he is doing film albums. Luckily because he was such hot property, they did give him some decent songs, old standards, country. His voice was so good he could make a mediocre tune sound amazing.
He would have been 90 this year.

 

[difalcojr]

@robphy, I like the lyrics of "I am a Viking" but couldn't understand them from the singings. :) Old complaint of some rock music. Here's the lyrics: https://genius.com/Yngwie-malmsteen-i-am-a-viking-lyrics. Like the Korean man's voice best, flamingo instrumental cover best. None looked or sounded like Vikings, though Malmsteen does. He does sound like an electric guitar covering classical songs. Wish he'd do Peer Gynt's "In the hall of the mountain king". Think the lyrics could be slightly changed too like was done in old song "Shenandoah" to be, maybe, "I am a Mongol", or, for the flamenco, maybe, "I am an Aztec".

@pinball1970. His stay at Las Vegas from '69 to '76 led to musical pilgrimages made by his countless fans to the desert (casino). They were supposed to be memorable. Wish I would have seen him. Here's another one of his early blues and a couple good covers.

 

[symbolipoint]

Just one quick comment about a couple of the versions of "Reconsider Baby".
Both Tina and Elv. Very good, but the instrumentation and the pace (tempo) better in Elvis version.

 

[symbolipoint]

Continuing some on that one, many artists did cover versions for "Reconsider Baby". Interested in the piece? Do a search both on YouTube and on Wikipedia. Put in "Reconsider Baby" and separately another search on "Lowell Fulson".

 

[difalcojr]

Slightly different tempos in them all, yes, good ear. Elvis original still the best, though, I think.
Do like the Lowell Fulson cover studio version, thanks.



Didn't realize how many covers there were of this song, and tempos. Here's one last one, not sure if listed. Charles Ford was the father of 3 sons on lead guitar, harmonica, and drums. From Ukiah, California, north of SF.

 

[symbolipoint]

difalcojr,
Lowell Fulson's version is not a cover. He made the piece, original artist. I like the one (cover) which done done at the slower pace.

 

[difalcojr]

Oops. Thanks. Thought Elvis had written it for some reason. No wonder Lowell Fulson's version sounds so good; it's the original! Like one cover, though, of a song Elvis is well-known for, that I like better than Elvis' version:

 

[fresh_42]

I like Elvis 8 minute (or 7 sth) version better.

 

[difalcojr]

You make a good point. I now just listened to the 7:04 Elvis version that I think you refer to, and it is excellent. Better than the first few I listened to. Closer to the studio version which I really like best, anyway.



I'm just a sucker for duets, I think. The studio version on the Outlaws album is better than the live one above.

Music surely is a wonderful thing, isn't it? Something for everyone to like, so varied it is.

 

[symbolipoint]

Thanks for pointing up in post #2143. The instrumentation is less pleasant than what I recall from the original, but not able to sense more certain unless listening to it.

 

[robphy]

@robphy, I like the lyrics of "I am a Viking" but couldn't understand them from the singings. :) Old complaint of some rock music. Here's the lyrics: https://genius.com/Yngwie-malmsteen-i-am-a-viking-lyrics. Like the Korean man's voice best, flamingo instrumental cover best. None looked or sounded like Vikings, though Malmsteen does. He does sound like an electric guitar covering classical songs. Wish he'd do Peer Gynt's "In the hall of the mountain king".

I agree. Lyrics in heavy rock and metal songs are sometimes hard to understand.
I appreciate covers that do songs in a completely different style so that the lyrics are clearer
(e.g. Tori Amos's cover of Slayer's Raining Blood in #775 ,
PostModernJukebox's cover of Ozzy's Crazy Train in #530).

Maybe that was on his list,
but that was already done by Ritchie Blackmore in #1,920 In the Hall of the Mountain King
and then Savatage did its take on it in #1,921 Hall of the Mountain King .

@robphyThink the lyrics could be slightly changed too like was done in old song "Shenandoah" to be, maybe, "I am a Mongol", or, for the flamenco, maybe, "I am an Aztec".

That's an interesting idea for some groups to take up.

 

[difalcojr]

Thanks for pointing up in post #2143. The instrumentation is less pleasant than what I recall from the original, but not able to sense more certain unless listening to it.

Here is to compare. She sings in a higher pitch, I guess it is. The song sounds more urgent, plaintive, and it's her coming in with that striking, heart-breaking "Let our love survive" that makes me like this cover a bit better. However, the stage genuflection in the Elvis video is also striking, I think, very dramatic. This album and Merle Haggard made CW popular throughout the entire U.S. is the way I remember it now.

 

[pinball1970]

Here is to compare. She sings in a higher pitch, I guess it is. The song sounds more urgent, plaintive, and it's her coming in with that striking, heart-breaking "Let our love survive" that makes me like this cover a bit better. However, the stage genuflection in the Elvis video is also striking, I think, very dramatic. This album and Merle Haggard made CW popular throughout the entire U.S. is the way I remember it now.

This is a nice version and country is not my genre as a rule.

I really disliked this guy's voice and thought this was awful.

 

[difalcojr]

yes, not good. Like the part near the end when the guitar player keeps losing his balance spinning around. :)
Well, one bad cover deserves another, no, but even the experts can err as seen here. (caption underneath reads that they exchanged instruments with each other for this recording, though you cannot tell from their stoic expressions.) ((I'd rather be known as a tin whistle player than a tinhorn.))

 

[fresh_42]

yes, not good. Like the part near the end when the guitar player keeps losing his balance spinning around. :)
Well, one bad cover deserves another, no, but even the experts can err as seen here. (caption underneath reads that they exchanged instruments with each other for this recording, though you cannot tell from their stoic expressions.) ((I'd rather be known as a tin whistle player than a tinhorn.))

What a nightmare! It should come with a warning.

 

[robphy]

yes, not good. Like the part near the end when the guitar player keeps losing his balance spinning around. :)
Well, one bad cover deserves another, no, but even the experts can err as seen here. (caption underneath reads that they exchanged instruments with each other for this recording, though you cannot tell from their stoic expressions.) ((I'd rather be known as a tin whistle player than a tinhorn.))

Here's a Metallica-Permuted cover
of a Metallica cover of a Diamond Head song
original posted in

#1,555
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Am_I_Evil? (1980)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_Head_(British_band)

Diamond Head - Am I Evil? (Live in 1979)
"Diamond Head performing 'Am I Evil?' at West Bromwich College in 1979. This was the first ever filmed performance by Diamond Head."
- Am I Evil (1982 audio) - Diamond Head Official
- Diamond Head - Am I Evil (Official Video) (1982) Remastered HQ Audio
- Diamond Head - Am I Evil? (Official Video) - 2020 version

Metallica: Am I Evil? (Oslo, Norway - June 26, 2024)
"Filmed at Tons of Rock at Ekebergsletta in Oslo, Norway, on June 26, 2024, and featuring Brian Tatler on guitar." (Tatler formed Diamond Head.)
- Metallica- Am I Evil? (Studio Version) (1984 audio)
- Am I Evil? - Band Switch Lars on Vocals, James on Drums Rare Live Performance! 1992.02.13 Metallica

Am I Evil? - Band Switch Lars on Vocals, James on Drums Rare Live Performance! 1992.02.13 Metallica
(Lars has a potty-mouth)
&t=1m30s

• Am I Evil? Band Switch Rare Live Performance Lars on Vocals James on Drums 1989.09.23 メタリカ Metallica
• Metallica - Lars & Kirk switch instruments each other - (Nothing, Am I Evil) - Bologna - 2003
  

 

[pinball1970]

yes, not good. Like the part near the end when the guitar player keeps losing his balance spinning around. :)
Well, one bad cover deserves another, no, but even the experts can err as seen here. (caption underneath reads that they exchanged instruments with each other for this recording, though you cannot tell from their stoic expressions.) ((I'd rather be known as a tin whistle player than a tinhorn.))

That's hilarious.How on earth did those guys end up in a professional orchestra?

 

[Ibix]

That's hilarious.How on earth did those guys end up in a professional orchestra?

The comments say it's the Portsmouth Sinfonia, which turns out to have a Wikipedia page. Brian Eno was a member, apparently, playing clarinet.

 

[pinball1970]

The comments say it's the Portsmouth Sinfonia, which turns out to have a Wikipedia page. Brian Eno was a member, apparently, playing clarinet.

Ok that makes sense reading the wiki.

"Instead of picking the most competent musicians he could find, he encouraged anyone to join, regardless of talent, ability or experience."

 

[pinball1970]

Another horror show from The Fine Young Cannibals.

 

[pinball1970]

The 1980s was a swirling cesspool of bad players, awful sounds,singers and covers.
Here is another.

 

[pinball1970]

Another Elvis classic that should have been left alone. UB40 did a great track called "Food for thought," so why would they think this dross was worth putting out when they could actually write?

 

[pinball1970]

"Instead of picking the most competent musicians he could find, he encouraged anyone to join, regardless of talent, ability or experience."

That applies to a lot of 80s music actually.

 

[difalcojr]

It came to me this morning. I thought the conductor gave it away a bit when he made that funny face at the end and pushed it aside with his arm. Thought I recognized him, Elmer Bernstein, but it was Victor Borge, the real musician and conductor who also did parody and humor. He was really popular in U.S. https://www.classicfm.com/lifestyle/culture/victor-borge-videos/

funny part starts around 3:50

Victor Borge / Marylyn Mulvey - Verdi "Caro nome" and interview (17 May 1989)​

 

[robphy]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_and_Let_Die_(song) (1973)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney_and_Wings

(1973) Paul McCartney & Wings - Live And Let Die (Live In Liverpool 1973)

- audio (1972) Paul McCartney & Wings - Live & Let Die (1972 Session)
- (1973) Paul McCartney & Wings - Live And Let Die (James Paul McCartney TV Show 1973)
- (1974) Paul McCartney & Wings - Live And Let Die [Rehearsal] [High Quality]

• (2022) Critics BERATED This Solo Beatle's FIERCE 70s Rock Song...Became His Biggest Hit | Professor Of Rock

---

(2010) Pato Fu - Live And Let Die (Paul & Linda McCartney)
&t=17s


(2022) Live And Let Die - Paul McCartney and Wings (Cover by Emily Linge and Sina)

(more Emily Linge on PF , Sina on PF)

(1991) Guns N' Roses - Live And Let Die (Live)


(2021) David Garrett: "Live And Let Die", Paul McCartney, Violin Music. (Garrett-live playlist)


(2023) 'Live And Let Die' (WINGS) Cover by The HSCC | Rock Band Cover

- in concert (2025) 'Live & Let Die' (WINGS) Cover by The HSCC

Honorable mention

• (2015) 2CELLOS & LANG LANG - Live And Let Die [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
• (2013) Gregorian - Live and Let Die

 

[robphy]

from #2,116 Spirit of Radio

(2014) THE SPIRIT OF RADIO - RUSH (7 year old Drummer) - Avery Drummer Molek

- Hot For Teacher (6 year old Drummer) - HOT FOR TEACHER (6 year old drummer) LIVE on Stage
- TOM SAWYER - RUSH (7 year old Drummer) /\ Avery Drummer

Here are other notable drum covers by Avery Drummer Molek

(2013) Ozzy Osbourne (6 year old Drummer) Over the Mountain

#1,354 Over the Mountain

(2013) Master Of Puppets played by 6 year old Drummer

#1,410 Master of Puppets, #1,942 Master of Puppets

(2012) Welcome to the Jungle (6 year old drummer)

#500 Welcome to the Jungle

(2013) "Wipeout" - Drumming PRODIGY Reveals Jaw-Dropping LIVE Performance!

#458 Wipeout

(2014) PAINKILLER - JUDAS PRIEST (7 year Old Drummer)

- Judas Priest - PAINKILLER (Drum Cover) age 14
#1,915 Painkiller

(2015) RADAR LOVE (8 year old Drummer) Drum Cover

#961 Radar Love

more recent: https://www.youtube.com/@AveryDrummer/videos

 

[morrobay]

Ya all ready for this: