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.
  • #2,191
Someone told me this was the worst cover in the world. I think it's really good, the drummer especially. Shows how subjective this stuff is.

 
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  • #2,192
Hornbein said:
Someone told me this was the worst cover in the world. I think it's really good, the drummer especially. Shows how subjective this stuff is.



Here's a video of this song on stage

(Nov 2025) Black Sabbitch "The Wizard"


They sound good to me... and I really like "The Wizard".
 
  • #2,193
Hiroshima Mon Amour (1983)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Parole_from_Rock_'n'_Roll
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcatrazz

It was newborn and ten feet tall
But they called it little boy
And C7, H5, O6, N3 they called him
T-N-T

https://genius.com/Alcatrazz-hiroshima-mon-amour-lyrics

Hiroshima Mon Amour | Alcatrazz 1984 ( Nakano Sun Plaza, Tokyo , January 28, 1984 )

Yngwie is 21 here. Graham is 36.
https://www.songfacts.com/facts/alcatrazz/hiroshima-mon-amour
  • Alcatrazz lead singer Graham Bonnet wrote the lyrics to this song, which are about the nuclear bombs that America dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, effectively ending World War II.

    Bonnet was inspired by the 1959 French film Hiroshima Mon Amour, (translation: "Hiroshima My Love"), which he had seen in school. The film recounts the Hiroshima bombing and tells of the human suffering in the aftermath. "We played in Japan a lot, and I thought this would be a nice little tribute to what happened," Bonnet said in our 2013 interview. "I was always horrified by what happened. And Hiroshima, my love, it was like, goddamn, you know, I didn't want that to happen again. So I read up a little bit about it, and that's how that came about. It was something I thought should never have happened. It was just a horrible thing. I couldn't believe that the Americans would do this, or anybody would do that to anybody. It was sort of a protest song in a way."


Following an internal disagreement and split in 2020, there are currently two separate and distinct Alcatrazz line-ups, one featuring Bonnet, and another featuring Waldo and Shea.

The Waldo-Shea Alcatrazz lineup [Waldo (keyboards & backing vocals) and Shea (bass & backing vocals)] features Joe Stump on guitar and Giles Lavery on vocals. This lineup just re-recorded some classic songs from the Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai eras in (2025) Prior Convictions .

So, this selection is a different type of "cover".

(2024) ALCATRAZZ -"Hiroshima Mon Amour" (Giles Lavery vocals) The King Of Clubs Columbus Ohio April 3, 2024


-- To me, it's hard to top Graham Bonnet on these songs.


(2014) ALCATRAZZ - HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR [Full band collaboration cover] - Drums by Pauly G (Australia) plus others from Mexico, Romania, Japan


(2016) Alcatrazz - Hiroshima Mon Amour [보컬커버 - 와일드정] Vocalist 와일드정 -vocal cover


(2013) Hiroshima Mon Amor(ALCATRAZZ) from MEGATON CLUB - Kelly SIMONZ ケリーサイモン




Honorable mention
(2010) Yngwie Malmsteen - Hiroshima Mon Amour (Resurrection)
(2025) Alcatrazz Hiroshima Mon Amour 2025 cover - TheTenkop - instrumental cover (is this AI or processed MIDI?)
(2025) Wolfman & Engvay - Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alcatrazz Cutting Room Floor Clip) - playthrough
 
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  • #2,194
 

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