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Blasphemy! (Covers that surpass the originals)

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    #46
    An interesting aspect of cover records is if they are your first introduction to a song, as you get older, originals reveal themselves of songs that barely hinted at being covers, peoples reactions in those instances are worth note.

    As a case examples, it wasn't until I was in my 20's that I knew the instrumental at the museum scene in Ferris by Dream Academy was a version of Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths, so in my eyes that Smiths version is secondary to the one I had first come across.

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      #47
      Originally posted by QualityChimp View Post
      Although I understand where you are coming from and agree that cover songs are usually inferior to the original, there are some flaws in your argument.

      I agree that when All Saints covered the Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge", I doubt they understood the feelings of loneliness and regret at taking drugs as a source of solace that Anthony Kiedis felt and inspired him to write those lyrics.

      Conversely, I doubt Britney Spears had a single thing to do with "Hit Me Baby One More Time", musically or lyrically, it was Max Martin who wrote it. He's also worked with N-SYNC, Backstreet Boys, Pink, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson and Usher, so he knows how to write a tune that ticks the Popular Music boxes.

      Naturally, the rocker side of me rejected the track because of the marketing and hype that went with it, but when Travis covered it as a stripped-down acoustic version on Mark & Lard's show, it showed me that it's actually a well-written and very catchy song and actually appreciate it more. Neither Travis nor Britney wrote the track, so your argument that the original is superior because of that reason doesn't apply.

      Kate Bush wrote "Wuthering Heights" when she was 18 in a couple of hours after seeing the last ten minutes of the film adaptation. It's her song, granted, but it's about somebody else's characters and story, so again I think "The original was written by someone to whom those words were 100% relevant" doesn't apply because how can an 18-year-old writing about a fictional ghost in an 1847 novel ever be 100% relevant?

      However, at the end of the day, usually a cover version is just a bit of fun and it's interesting to see what other people can do with them. Once in a while that version can be better than the original.
      Now look here, you roustabout. If you continue to take this confrontational tone, I shall be forced to send you a kung poo through the post.

      Yeah, Wuthering Heights has the misfortune of totally opposing what I said. Although something inspired her to write about it. Songs about that novel are hardly ten-a-penny. And that something perhaps gives it that extra edge over covers. Well, I'm being pedantic.

      Your conclusion is spot on - I just find a cover I really like to be a very rare beast indeed.

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        #48
        Originally posted by prinnysquad View Post
        The second thing that makes my head hurt is the music. After all my ranting about lyrics you would think I listen to the words first and foremost, right? Wrong. I seem to have some weird aural defect whereby the music of a song can 'get to me' far more than the words. I hear the sounds of instruments and they can stimulate a greater emotional response than words. It can be a guitar note, a violin note, whatever. I'm sure I read once that Hendrix tried to find the key notes that can have such an effect. I also 'hear' the singing instead of listen to the words (at first). The voice essentially acts as another instrument. Often, I've been listening to a track with someone else and they've said, "Good lyrics, yeah?" I then realise that I haven't listened to a single word, instead I've been blending in the vocals as part of the sonic arrangement. Consequently, when covers have radically different singers to the original, and/or a different sound to the song, it grates on me for a bit, because I'm so used to the original as a cohesive whole.
        I am exactly the same with the music I listen to. I can easily recall an awesome guitar solo yet if you ask me to say the lyrics I would struggle

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          #49
          Originally posted by prinnysquad View Post
          Now look here, you roustabout. If you continue to take this confrontational tone, I shall be forced to send you a kung poo through the post.
          You know I'm only sparring with verbal bokkens!

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            #50

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              #51
              Quite enjoyed this Hounds of Love cover by the Futureheads:



              Good stuff!

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                #52
                I prefer Mary Clayton's version of Gimme Shelter over the Stones' original. She was however a backing singer on the Stones version as well. The intro on the Stones version is better though

                Original:


                Mary Clayton

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                  #53
                  The mostly unknown version of the The Only Way is Up by Otis Clay, is miles better than the Yazz cover (i know it's the wrong way around but the cover is much more famous)

                  Otis Clay



                  Yazz

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                    #54
                    I love this thread.
                    I can't remember some of my suggestions now.

                    However, I really like this cover of Toto's "Africa" by Leo Moracchioli feat. Rabea & Hannah.
                    I'm not particularly precious about the original, so this is okay with me.
                    Some of Leo's covers are great, some less successful, but this one has an amazing breakdown and solo and the outro "thanks" section at the end is brilliant.

                    I watched this loads of times!

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                      #55
                      Any cover of any Bob Dylan song, by anyone.

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                        #56
                        I also only hear the voice as an instrument. I have to read lyrics to get them. But i can hum all my favourite guitar solos.

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                          #57
                          Step On. Think i still prefer the Happy Mondays.

                          Last edited by AlanM; 23-02-2018, 13:27.

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                            #58
                            Love Radiohead but when Prince covers any song he truly makes it his. As with Creep...

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                              #59
                              Really interesting but personally prefer Bill Bailey with Kiran and the Bollywood Pandits but can't find a clip to post here.

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                                #60
                                Just watching a news item which is talking about "Can't Live (If Living is Without You)".

                                Didn't realise it was by a band called Motorfinger. They were signed to Apple Records and their first single, "Come and Get it" was written by Paul McCartney.

                                They were duped by an unscrupulous manager who took all their money and both writers of "Can't Live" ended up taking their own lives.

                                Nilsson saw the potential in the song and it's his version that's best known, with even the band conceding it was a great interpretation. Over 180 artists have covered it!

                                Original version:



                                Nilsson version:



                                BEST cover version:

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