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

[Hornbein]

Lv Beethoven's Ode To Joy

Orig



Cover.



Most covers play it incorrectly. That note that comes half a beat before the one is too weird for them. They have to play it on the one. I once tried to get some amateurs to sing it the right way. They could not do it.

 

[jack action]

I love Junna. One of the few female drummers who incorporates incredible showmanship in her performances:

​

Music Post in thread 'Cover songs versus the original track, which ones are better?'

Oct 13, 2023

from the "Music to Lift Your Soul" thread,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makenaide
https://lyricstranslate.com/en/makenaide-負けないで-dont-give.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izumi_Sakai
負けないで （What a beautiful memory 〜forever you〜）[zardofficial]

​

(2021)【 JUNNA 】負けないで(MAKENAIDE) / ZARD - Drum Cover - [ JUNNA has done many covers]


(2021) Marty Friedman - 負けないで Makenaide - Official Music Video

See also...

• robphy

• 
• 

 

[Hornbein]

Ordinary World

 

[Hornbein]

Orig Fatback Beat



Today's (literally) version. For a good time, click on da blue.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig Fatback Beat



Today's (literally) version. For a good time, click on da blue.

More contemporary fatback.



Hallucigenia was a huge worm that lived half a billion years ago. It's appearance is so weird that at first its head was confused with its tail, and its spines were thought to be its legs. Then they thought maybe it was part of some larger animal. More fossils found clarified the issue.

Dennis Chambers first got recognition when he was fourteen or so playing the fatback beat. A passerby in the music business business heard Dennis practicing at home. James Brown tried to hire him but wouldn't supply a tutor for young Dennis so Mom said nix.

 

[Hornbein]

Whadda know, the great Patrick Bartley Jr. playing Hallucigenia. The keyboard player burns it up too in a rare appearance.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

Original September Gurls



Cover by the Bangles. That harmony is as lush as it ever gets.



Bonus: A case where low quality recording may have improved the sound.

 

[jack action]

We get it, you like it. We heard you the first time!
(Still, thank you for sharing)

 

[pinball1970]

A Gibbo SG??

 

[robphy]

#489

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Pigs

BLACK SABBATH - "War Pigs" (1970)

#1834

(2025) uKanDanZ - WAR PIGS (Official Music Video)

• footnote:
  (Another link from that site) "War Pigs" re-imagined by Dustin Ballard with help from AI
  https://laughingsquid.com/john-denver-black-sabbath-war-pigs/
  ( John Denver sings "War Pigs" (Black Sabbath) - There I Ruined It )

(1972) Van Halen Brothers cover Black Sabbath's War Pigs | 1972 rare Mammoth song ( The Tapes Archive )

- Van Halen Opened for Black Sabbath in 1978
(followup to Ozzy Reminisces About Van Halen & Randy Rhoads Rivalry)



(2007) Cake - War Pigs [fan-made video contest entry]

• Cake - https://www.cakemusic.com/ - - - [ Cake cover of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive ]
• (2013) Cake - NYC - War Pigs (Black Sabbath Cover) Bowery Ballroom - NYC - January 11, 2013
• (2025) CAKE - War Pigs - Louisville KY - 4/21/2025

(2017) Black Sabbath "War Pigs" (Larkin Poe Cover) [search Larkin]


(2017) Dirty Revival - "War Pigs" by Black Sabbath LIVE at Waterfront Blues Fest


(2022) Puddles Pity Party - WAR PIGS (Black Sabbath Cover) [search Puddles]

 

[Hornbein]

A Gibbo SG??

Hey Hendrix play'ed 'em in his bluer moods.

 

[Hornbein]

The orig was The Stones' first hit record.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[robphy]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copacabana_(song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Manilow

(1978) Barry Manilow - Copacabana (Live from The 1978 BBC Special)

---

(2024) Copacabana - Harvard Din & Tonics


(2020) Copacabana - Barry Manilow (Orchestral version) | Arr. Emma Wieriks


(2017) Copacabana re-enacted by Kids
&t=2m00s


(2021) [KWAK DUO] Copacabana (Barry Manilow) - 곽다경 (재즈 트럼펫 / Jazz Trumpet)


(2014) James McAvoy Performs Copacabana w/ Barry Manilow | The Jonathan Ross Show

 

[Hornbein]

jimi lives.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig Use Me



That singing is hard to match, but maybe it can be done.

 

[Hornbein]

The Vengaboys with their monster hit.



(In eastern Asia this dancing would be thought very sloppy.)

Take it away, Romanians.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig



Cover by The Byrds

 

[Hornbein]

Orig



Cover by Keith Richards and Nora Jones



Took him 60+ years with an example constantly before him to learn to sing like that. Well, whatever it takes. Better late than never, eh? Congratulations Mr. Richards. I hereby honor you with the title of True Artist. Once bestowed, this can never be rescinded.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

Encore! The best version of this song.

 

[jack action]

The Vengaboys with their monster hit.



(In eastern Asia this dancing would be thought very sloppy.)

Take it away, Romanians.

I didn't know that song, but when I read "Shalala Lala", I was thinking about Jersey Girl from Tom Waits, which is so extraordinary with the rich voice of Holly Cole. THIS is how you sing "Shalala lala":

​

Which I already shared a live version of in a previous post:

I love Holly Cole. Her voice just melts my heart every time. She made a lot of covers, here are a few of my favorites:

[...]

Original (Jersey girl):

​

Cover:

​

[...]

 

[Hornbein]

Orig Green Tambourine by the Lemon Pipers



Semi-cover by the Bangles. Many of their songs remind me of something prior. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I kind of like it. I'm sure it's deliberate. That Echoplex thing is a dead giveaway. There are also hints of Say You Love Me, Incense and Peppermint, Raspberry Beret.



I'm listening to the whole Bangles back catalog. I haven't done that for many, many moons. 50 years?

 

[Hornbein]

I didn't know that song, but when I read "Shalala Lala", I was thinking about Jersey Girl from Tom Waits, which is so extraordinary with the rich voice of Holly Cole. THIS is how you sing "Shalala lala":

​

Which I already shared a live version of in a previous post:

One man's shalala is another man's lala sha.

Reminds of Brenda Lee's Fever.

 

[Hornbein]

Here's another good Use Me courtesy Teddy Swims.

 

[Hornbein]

Mary N could never make it as a session man. It would be way too distracting.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig. Pretty nice.



After the Shakalabbits every other cover sounds wrong.

 

[Hornbein]

The Dukes of September - Hey Nineteen (Live)​

Now dat's some groove son.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig



Cover. I like those two-beat measures you sometimes got in country music.

 

[Hornbein]

Parrot sings Here Comes The Sun.



Improvising melodically, on pitch and in rhythm. Can't beat that.

 

[pinball1970]

1969 cool.



1980s typical talentless garbage.

 

[KVN]

The composer said (I quote by memory) that he loves all three of them. He has been lucky to have created a song that was sung differently by 3 artists, but all were very good.

I love that songwriter is diplomatic and appreciative. I think Cyndi Lauper and Roy Orbison are best... they both sound steamy and intense and desperate like maybe they really drove all night.

 

[robphy]

#1,865
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copacabana_(song)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barry_Manilow

(1978) Barry Manilow - Copacabana (Live from The 1978 BBC Special)
.
.
.

Copacabana (Lounge Version) | Acoustic Cover by The Distance


Sledge X Cover of Barry Manilow's - CopaCabana


7Minds - Copacabana [Ska Punk]


(Dave Grohl - Foo Fighters Copacabana) Kurstin x Grohl: The Hanukkah Sessions 2021: Night Three

 

[robphy]

(1980) Take Your Whiskey Home
https://www.vhnd.com/women-and-children-first/take-your-whiskey-home/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_and_Children_First
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Halen

Van Halen - Take Your Whiskey Home (2015 Remaster)

• (audio) VAN HALEN Take Your Whiskey Home Live 5/1/80 Largo MD
• (audio) Take Your Whiskey Home - Van Halen ( Cherokee Demos ) - Earliest Known Demos 1974
• - Van Halen TAKE YOUR WHISKEY HOME Isolated Guitar Track
  - Alex Van Halen - ISOLATED Drum Track - "Take Your Whiskey Home" off "Women & Children First" (1980)
  - Van Halen - Take Your Whiskey Home (Bass Only) -starts at 43s

- David Lee Roth tells the story behind the "no brown M&Ms" legend

---

Unchained - all female tribute - Take Your Whiskey Home (Van Halen cover) 7/21/2017

- drummer Janna Brunner "Take Your Whiskey Home" covered by Unchained (All Female Van Halen Tribute)


Take Your Whiskey Home (Failed Covers) Pete Spiby



Rounder's Station - Take Your Whiskey Home (Live on The WDVX Blue Plate Special)




Brown M&M's "Take Your Whisky Home (cover)" Van Halen tribute

 

[Hornbein]

 

[pinball1970]

Parrot sings Here Comes The Sun.



Improvising melodically, on pitch and in rhythm. Can't beat that.

The parrot hits the "little darlin" but holds the third and wacks a load of vibrato on that note, the owner notices this and smiles. Even extant, dinosaur descendants love the Beatles.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig



Recording very low budget. The drum part is primitive.

Cover by a family band from Atlanta. They are going to be touring eastern Europe (!).



I'm not wild about this cover but you can hear how good the ebass part is.

 

[pinball1970]

Orig



Recording very low budget. The drum part is primitive.

Cover by a family band from Atlanta. They are going to be touring eastern Europe (!).



I'm not wild about this cover but you can hear how good the ebass part is.

I adore that song. I like the band in the woods better than Atlanta, her voice is more similar.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig



David Lee Roth

 

[jack action]

Cover by a family band from Atlanta.

Great one!

I'm not wild about this cover

But, but, but ... it's made in Canada! I could almost taste the maple syrup!

 

[Hornbein]

Great one!

I like the way she's filled with anger and hate for having been bamboozled by lies, this having killed all her joy.

 

[Hornbein]

Orig of Tulsa Time



That seems pretty hard to equal. Here's a worthy effort.

 

[Hornbein]

 

[morrobay]

Little Eva cover, original by Neil Sedaka.

 

[robphy]

#1433

#1895

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfortably_Numb
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pink_Floyd

from #1442
COMFORTABLY NUMB (Pink Floyd) Band Cover by KNULP

( more KNULP , #973 )

solos - interpreted by these shredders

• (2014) Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb Solo Cover - Tina S
  
  ( more Tina S )
  
  
• (2020) Igor Paspalj - "Comfortably Numb" solo - long take
  
  ( more Igor Paspalj, #1611, #1789, Igor Paspalj - in the Talent Worthy of Wider Recognition thread )
  
  
• (2025) Pink Floyd - Comfortable Numb - Cover by Evlee
  
  ( more Evlee , #1611, #1789, Evlee - in the Talent Worthy of Wider Recognition thread )

 

[Hornbein]

 

[Hornbein]

I like the ebass player.



They are from Hungary.

Here's again that Atlanta family.

 

[Hornbein]

Mister Blue