Original or remake?

Question

Which song was better? It could be any song. Like, for instance, who did the better version of "American Pie"...was it Don McLean or Madonna? Like I said before, it could be ANY song.
In fact, is there a song out there where you wondered, "Why the hell did they cover THAT song???!!!"

Answer 1

I wonder why they ever covered that song.
And why people ever covered Louie Armstrong's "a wonderful world" (except for Joey ramone's version)
The only one I can say off the top of my head that the cover is better is Johnny Cash's remake of Nine Inch Nail's "hurt".

Answer 2

99% of all originals are better than the covers.

0.9% of originals and covers are about equal.

0.1% of covers are actually better than the original.

On a related, yet independent statistic, at least 25% of covers are of songs that shouldn't have been done in the first place.

Those are my thoughts on the matter.

For example:
The song Sweet Dreams, but the Eurythmics - Awesome.
Sweet Dreams by Marilyn Manson - 100% garbage.

The Fool on the Hill by the Beatles - Awesome
The Fool on the Hill by Brazil 66 - Equally awesome
(Most of the other Beatles covers by Brazil 66 fall in the pure garbage category.)

I'll be there by the Jackson 5 and the cover by Mariah Carey - Both about equal, both are pure garbage.

Hurt by Nine Inch Nails - Not so good, not garbage, but...
Hurt by Johnny Cash - Awesome.

Again, these are my opinions, but based on my tastes in music, this is what I have found to be true.

Answer 3

Why did Madonna ever cover "American Pie"?

Other examples of bad covers? Martika's entire career, Frank Sinatra's version of New York, New York (Liza's is soooo much better) and anybody who thinks they can cover a Beatles track - and that really does include Paul McCartney now!!

Good covers? Yep, the Johnny Cash version of "Hurt" is a real classic, and the Stereophonics covers of "Angie" and "Handbags and Gladrags" are soooooo much better than the original. And the Tom Jones version of "Kiss".....!!!

Answer 4

I like Jennifer Rush, the original over Celine Dion. "Power of love."
I like the remake of "Shapes of things", originally done by the Yardbirds.
I think most bands that do "All along the watchtower" do it well and have their own twist.
I like the new version of "Turn around bright eyes", but I also like the original.
I also like the new version of "Do the locomotion".
I like the remake of Weirld al's take on whatever the original song was about "White an Nerdy".

I like a twist in original songs.
Not to redo it, but to make it better.
Sometimes it actually happens.

Answer 5

The original the remake made me fall a sleep 15 mins in to the film boring.

Answer 6

For me, the originals are the best in every song I've heard but one. Unchained Melody was done in 1955, originally by some guy who really sucked, then it was covered by the Righteous Brothers ten years later in 1965, to be their biggest selling single, and was absolutely the best song ever, for me!

Answer 7

I prefer don's version of american pie.
but my favorite remake would have to be nobody knows - by kevin sharp. originally done by the Tony Rich Project

Answer 8

-"I'm Real" - The Starting Line's punk remake was better than J-Lo and Ja Rule's original
- "How You Remind Me" - Sum 41's live version was better than Nickelback's original
- "Under Pressure" - The Used feat. My Chemical Romance's version was better than Queen feat. David Bowie's original
- "Happy Together" - Simple Plan's remake was better than The Turtles' original
- "Year 3000" - Busted's original was DEFINITELY better than The Jonas Brothers' lame remake
- "Video Killed the Radio Star" - The Buggles' original was better than Amber Pacific's punk remake
- "Come On Eileen" - Save Ferris' remake was better than Dexy's Midnight Runners original
- "Take On Me" - both A-ha's original version and Reel Big Fish's ska version were really good

Answer 9

turn the page is equally well done by Bob Seger & Metallica

Answer 10

don