Topic: Covers that are better than the original.

[Slack]

Might be fun, open to all genres, I’ll start.

Original: Feeling Alright - Traffic
Cover: Joe Cocker

[David Kaatz]

Good topic. But Can't Find My Way Home was first on the Blind Faith album, wasn't it?

[Johnm]

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"--original version a great one by Gladys Knight and the Pips
A year later, Marvin Gaye's version took it to a new level.

[David Kaatz]

The oft covered song Halleluah by Leonard Cohen comes to mind. Personally, since I don't care for Cohen's singing, just about any cover of the song would be superior, to my mind. Most well known may be Jeff Buckley's version: https://youtu.be/y8AWFf7EAc4?si=bD5u-V26RSGW8Bp1

[Slack]

Your absolutely right David, I'll delete my side reference! (Just a flare up of my Alzheimer's)

[Stuart]

Re: Leonard Cohen and "Hallelujah" I saw Jake Shimabukuro play a live instrumental version on the uke years ago when he opened for Leo Kottke at a Zoo Tunes concert. It's not really a cover in the strictest sense since Jake didn't sing the lyrics--he let his instrument do that, but it was still a very moving performance.

And here's a bit of trivia: Leonard Cohen recorded for Folkways in 1957, but as a poet:

https://folkways.si.edu/six-montreal-poets/poetry/album/smithsonian

[Blues Vintage]

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"--original version a great one by Gladys Knight and the Pips
A year later, Marvin Gaye's version took it to a new level.

I enjoy the Creedence Clearwater Revival version too.

[David Kaatz]

I've heard others praise the Creedence version of Through the Grapevine as well. I find it overly long and perhaps repetitious - but I haven't heard it many years. To each his own!
I'm thinking probably several Dylan songs could qualify for this subject. Maybe those Byrds poppy versions of his songs.
Here's one: Adele's version of Make You Feel My Love.
I guess in general I prefer a prettier voice than these song-writers like Dylan, Cohen, or Tom Waits. Perhaps those are too easy pickings. I'll try to think of a song that doesn't fall into that category.

Dave

[Nicolas Dussart]

I'm thinking probably several Dylan songs could qualify for this subject. Maybe those Byrds poppy versions of his songs.

Yes, it reminds this awesome cover of Blowin In The Wind by Neil Young :

https://youtu.be/fjaZTJkwLRs?si=QoFrZ4MAexvurdO9

[GhostRider]

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine"--original version a great one by Gladys Knight and the Pips
A year later, Marvin Gaye's version took it to a new level.

I enjoy the Creedence Clearwater Revival version too.

Yea, that's the best version of the song I've ever heard.

Alex

[Parlor Picker]

I don't know if I would qualify this as "better than the original", but I really like it. Dylan's original is, in fact, not entirely original itself, as he "stole" it from Martin Carthy's version of "Scarborough Fair" and who knows where that started in the British folk tradition?

[Johnm]

I would put Robert Pete Williams' version of "Louise" over Johnny Temple's original version, and I love Johnny Temple's singing of the song. Robert Pete's version just seems altogether remarkable--what a mysterious sound.

[eric]

John, Wow, I had not heard that version of Louise. It doesn't seem like any sort of blues at all, more like a religious chant. Very cool.

[MarkC]

Looking back a few posts, seeing Marvin Gaye mentioned reminded me of this. I have no idea who first recorded this, but there have been countless “covers”.

[Lignite]

I always thought William Harris' version of Kansas City Blues outshone the very popular original by Jim Jackson.