Can a music cover ever compare to original?

Question

What is says in the title really. Having recently heard absolutely abysmal "cover" of Alanis Morisette's brilliant "Uninvited" recently, not mentioning absolutely anything by Cats Being Strangled (sorry, Girls Aloud), I was wondering how others feel about covers of songs.

Are there any covers that are better than the original or should modern artists stick to writing their own material?

Answer 1

It's happened a DOZEN of times.

Compare the following three (six):

Against All Odds - Phil Collins

http://youtube.com/watch?v=-OiV_5kEt6A

Against All Odds - Mariah Carey (more emotive)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=sjhkLwD6RPg

Alone - Heart

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pr3SzrXH8sg

Alone - Carrie Underwood (Prettier, and better voice)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ltfJFF5BnXA

I'm Every Woman - Chaka Khan (Classic R&B)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VumbN1weA2g

I'm Every Woman - Whitney Houston (But she did it better!!)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FD-BNnroarQ

Surely, you think one of the updates is better.

:-)

Answer 2

The originals are always better then the cover versions. There's only ever been 1 or 2 good covers. Like Take That's versions of the Bee Gees song How Deep is Your Love.

Answer 3

Most of the covers are just horrible. But sometimes a band can make an old song completely different, give something of their own to it. Then it's not so much comparing them to each other, but appreciating them in different levels. For example I love Metallica, but I think the Apocalyptica's cello versions are great as well.

Answer 4

The main ones that come to mind are Knockin on Heaven's door by Guns N Roses Give a Little Bit by The Goo Goo Dolls Hair of the Dog by Guns N Roses

Answer 5

Have you ever heard Big Brother and the Holding Company perform "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess? Janis Joplin could cover anything and make it hers.

A lot of people have covered Dylan songs and made them popular with people who would otherwise have no appreciation for Dylan's work. Hendrix did an excellent cover of "All Along the Watchtower."

The Stones covered "I Wanna Be Your Man." Blue Cheer covered "Summertime Blues" and "Satisfaction." Santana covered "Black Magic Woman," which was written by Peter Green who founded the original Fleetwood Mac. Clapton covered J.J. Cale's "Cocaine" and Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff." Juicy Lucy covered the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider." Vanilla Fudge covered "You Keep Me Hanging On." Quicksilver Messenger Service covered Bo Diddley's "Mona" and "Happy Trails" by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. On his first album, Dylan covered Ric von Schmidt's "Baby Let Me Follow You Down."

Answer 6

Covers will always be a salute to its original. Still, the covers can be very interesting on their own. I point to the soundtrack of "Across the Universe" as an example.

Answer 7

I thought Scissor Sisters cover of 'Comfortably Numb' was pretty inventive. I think a cover is pointles unless a certain amount of re-invention is involved.

Answer 8

I despise most covers--nothing EVER compares to the original!


p.s.Kelly Sweet's version of Aerosmith's 'Dream On' is a prime example of 'cover crap'!!

Answer 9

Well, I like the cover Eric Clapton did of Layla, or would that be considered a remake since it was his own song? I like Alannis Morrisette's cover of Seal's "Crazy"

Answer 10

if someone is doing a cover, they're usually doing it to bring it into another genre. (a lot of sting and beatles songs have been made into rap). personally, i think it's lame. they should just stick to making they're own music instead of stealing it from someone else.