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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
 Posted - 01/04/2007 : 12:18:01
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Sometimes the original song is good, but it takes another artist to come in, tweak it a little and make it better than it was to start with.
I'd argue with anyone that Jarvis Cockers cover of Whisky in the Jar is fabulous. Same as Johnny Cash covering U2's One, Jeff Buckley covering Hallelujah and Jimi Hendrix All Along the Watchtower.
I think all these artists have taken a song and made the best possible versions of them.
Any others examples where the cover has probably become the definitive version of the song? I'm not asking for a good cover song, there's many good cover songs, but are there many cover songs which are far superior to the original?
Idiot. |
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fbc
-= Modulator =-
United Kingdom
4903 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 13:06:24
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| I don't know about if being the definitive, but the Pixies' 'Wild Honey Pie' is far superior to the original. |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 14:58:26
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Any Leonard Cohen cover...
 Numberwang? |
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rockmusic84
= Cult of Ray =
USA
256 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 15:55:02
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"Love Hurts", by Nazareth. Several people did this before them (The Everly Brothers were first, then Roy Orbison, Then Gram Parsons/Emmylou Harris).
Join The Cult of U-MASS - IT'S EDUCATIONAL!!! |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 21:50:32
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Springsteen -- Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
 Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho? |
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whoreatthedoor
> Teenager of the Year <
Spain
2873 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 23:48:44
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In my opinion Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" gets too much praise just because he died in a very literary way. There's a hundred better versions of this one.
Like Cheeseman said, Cohen doesn't do the definitive versions of his own songs. Same can be said of Dylan.
This time we ride roller coasters into the ocean
We feel no emotion as we spiral down to the world |
Edited by - whoreatthedoor on 01/05/2007 07:20:16 |
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prozacrat
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1186 Posts |
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Crispy Water
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
819 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 01:26:42
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I am a Jeff Buckley listener, but have to agree that while his Hallelujah is pretty damn good, I've heard others do it much better. My favourite would have to be the job k.d. lang did with it to close the tribute party for Cohen's birthday last year. There's a video of her performing it in '05 on Youtube, but it's not even close to the one I'm talking about - whomever ups that to Youtube gets a really sloppy kiss. I'm not even a fan of hers, but seeing her belt out this song that night made my eyes water.
Nothing is ever something. |
Edited by - Crispy Water on 01/05/2007 01:27:16 |
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Cheeseman1000
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Iceland
8201 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 01:33:51
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Good point on the Dylan...
My favourite song (maybe) of this last year was a cover of Shelter In The Storm by a chap called Steve Adey, and I think it's far superior to the original. Dylan's a wonderful songwriter, but his performance generally doesn't do the pieces justice.
Numberwang? |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 05:10:54
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UB40, Many Rivers To Cross.
 I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 06:12:58
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I agree with whoreatthedoor and Crispy Water that Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah" isn't the best version of that song. I don't think the definitive version has come along yet. Maybe Johnny Cash did it for his "American" series, and it's still sitting on tapes somewhere, waiting to be released. THAT would be the one, I'm sure. He did such a good job on "Bird on the Wire."
I've been collecting "Hallelujah" for several years now. I have about 20 versions of it. k.d. Lang's is outstanding. So is the original. Jeff Buckley's live version is better than his studio version. The worst one I've come across is Dylan doing it live. You can hardly even find the melody in Dylan's butchering of it. I think my favorite might be John Cale's version from the "I'm Your Fan" tribute album. Rufus Wainwright virtually copied Cale's version for the Shrek soundtrack.
Oh, and there ARE some Leonard Cohen songs he does better than his followers, but not many. Off hand, I can think of "Chelsea Hotel No. 2" (the only song in history where the singer talks about Janis Joplin giving him head), "Famous Blue Raincoat" (though Tori Amos' is pretty damn good), and "Suzanne."
Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho? |
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NimrodsSon
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1938 Posts |
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Carolynanna
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Canada
6556 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 08:56:13
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Diego informs me that any cover that GnR did is better than the original.
Lately he's been telling me how much McCartney's Live & Let Die sucks in comparison to GnR.
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For Chrissakes have a cup of tea. |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 09:10:00
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Diego? From "Dora the Explorer"?
Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho? |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 09:19:18
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quote:
Originally posted by Carolynanna
Lately he's been telling me how much McCartney's Live & Let Die sucks in comparison to GnR.
__________
For Chrissakes have a cup of tea.
And he'd be right.
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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speedy_m
= Frankofile =
Canada
3581 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 09:46:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Homers_pet_monkey
quote:
Originally posted by Carolynanna
Lately he's been telling me how much McCartney's Live & Let Die sucks in comparison to GnR.
__________
For Chrissakes have a cup of tea.
And he'd be right.
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
Macca gets bashed way too much. Live and Let Die is great, and Axl Rose should stick to what he does best. Whatever the hell that is. Though Ween does a ripping version of Band on the Run.
maybe I'll kick it
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Crispy Water
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
819 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 10:29:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Carolynanna
Diego informs me that any cover that GnR did is better than the original.
Lately he's been telling me how much McCartney's Live & Let Die sucks in comparison to GnR.
__________
For Chrissakes have a cup of tea.
I'm far from familiar with their work, but I would definitely disagree with regard to their version of Soundgarden's "Big Dumb Sex." Soundgarden wrote that song to make fun of bands like GnR; they covered it just because they thought it was cool to say fuck 30 times in a song.
Nothing is ever something. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 10:33:31
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quote:
Originally posted by starmekitten
I'd argue with anyone that Jarvis Cockers cover of Whisky in the Jar is fabulous. Same as Johnny Cash covering U2's One, Jeff Buckley covering Hallelujah and Jimi Hendrix All Along the Watchtower.
I think all these artists have taken a song and made the best possible versions of them.
I didn't know Jarvis covered that. Metallica's cover of the Thin Lizzy-version is woeful. I never liked One in the first place...Cash did some wonderful covers suggested by Rock Rubin, though. Watched some of Shrek over Christmas, I forgot that John Cale's decent version of Hallelujah was in that. The Buckley version is of course terrific, he played with such passion. Apparently, Dylan wrote All Along The Watchtower with Hendrix in mind.
Oh yeah, Crispy, apparently original Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto left the band because of songs like that, which, as you say, were really meant to be tongue in cheek and taking the piss out of cock rock bands! Chris Cornell said in one interview something like that he was sick of all these disco bands that wouldn't come straight out and say what they were suggesting!!
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Edited by - Carl on 01/05/2007 10:40:47 |
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Carolynanna
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Canada
6556 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 11:12:18
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quote:
Originally posted by coastline
Diego? From "Dora the Explorer"?
Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?
Heh, he's pretty sick of people saying "Go Diego Go!".
I must say I do like GnR's Knockin on Heaven's door.
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For Chrissakes have a cup of tea. |
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Carolynanna
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Canada
6556 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 11:15:46
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quote:
Originally posted by coastline
I've been collecting "Hallelujah" for several years now. I have about 20 versions of it. k.d. Lang's is outstanding. So is the original. Jeff Buckley's live version is better than his studio version. The worst one I've come across is Dylan doing it live. You can hardly even find the melody in Dylan's butchering of it. I think my favorite might be John Cale's version from the "I'm Your Fan" tribute album. Rufus Wainwright virtually copied Cale's version for the Shrek soundtrack.
Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho?
Who did the Shrek version?
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For Chrissakes have a cup of tea. |
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coastline
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
3111 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 12:11:42
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Rufus Wainright did the Shrek version. Here's a link that includes an article about that by a colleague of mine at The Denver Post:
http://www.webheights.net/speakingcohen/denver.htm
Is that a real poncho or is that a Sears poncho? |
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mcil
- FB Fan -
United Kingdom
148 Posts |
Posted - 01/05/2007 : 12:58:49
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Pixies version of Head on is far better than the Mary Chain.
My band does a pretty mean Books About UFOs by Hüsker Dü :P
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http://www.myspace.com/mcil13 |
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starmekitten
-= Forum Pistolera =-
United Kingdom
6370 Posts |
Posted - 01/06/2007 : 05:20:27
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Jarvis did it for a childline album way back in the day. He always sounds a little bit flippant when he sings so he just throws off the lyrics casually and it really works. I think. I'll see if I can find it somewhere, I forgot to thieve the CD from my dad over christmas.
Idiot. |
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Homers_pet_monkey
= Official forum monkey =
United Kingdom
17125 Posts |
Posted - 01/08/2007 : 04:55:54
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quote:
Originally posted by speedy_m
quote:
Originally posted by Homers_pet_monkey
quote:
Originally posted by Carolynanna
Lately he's been telling me how much McCartney's Live & Let Die sucks in comparison to GnR.
__________
For Chrissakes have a cup of tea.
And he'd be right.
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
Macca gets bashed way too much. Live and Let Die is great, and Axl Rose should stick to what he does best. Whatever the hell that is. Though Ween does a ripping version of Band on the Run.
maybe I'll kick it
I've nothing against Macca, and I do like his version, I just think the G&R version is better. I also think G&R are hugely overrated.
I'd walk her everyday, into a shady place
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