Youtube cover songs better than the original or just as good as...

[fidler4]

The Chicago Tour 2017 thread prompted me to start a new thread:

I have found myself (now that I ER’d) spending time watching and listening to bands on YouTube and even though most are marginal at best every once in a while I come across bands that perform a cover song that is good as or better than the original. Here are a couple of songs that are on my unofficial list:

Here is a Russian band doing Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4”:

https://youtu.be/9_torOTK5qc

Heart doing “Stairway to Heaven” I would never say any band could perform Stairway to Heaven better than LZ but.....damn this is good.

https://youtu.be/2u-PjvRyr0I

Morgan James cover of “Take me to Church” by Hozier

https://youtu.be/9C0xGB73Uuc

Edited to add song titles at RB’s suggestion . Thx

 

[Music Lover]

These guys nail Pink Floyd. Perfect guitar tone:

 

[RunningBum]

The Chicago Tour 2017 thread prompted me to start a new thread:

I have found myself (now that I ER’d) spending time watching and listening to bands on YouTube and even though most are marginal at best every once in a while I come across bands that perform a cover song that is good as or better than the original. Here are a couple of songs that are on my unofficial list:

https://youtu.be/9_torOTK5qc

Heart “Stairway to Heaven” I would never say any band could perform Stairway to Heaven better than LZ but.....damn this is good.

https://youtu.be/2u-PjvRyr0I

https://youtu.be/9C0xGB73Uuc

Could you edit your post to list the other 2 songs? I know youtube links aren't exactly blind, but it'd be nice to set a precedent for the thread so readers don't waste time loading songs they didn't care about the originals in the first place. Thanks.

 

[Sojourner]

Two songs come to mind immediately.

Cat Power's cover of the Nina Simone original "Wild Is The Wind". Her voice is simply mesmerizing, and the song has a haunting beauty to it.

A Perfect Circle's cover of Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks". I love both versions, but A Perfect Circle's dreamlike cover is the one I listen to more often.

 

[FireBug]

I thoroughly enjoy the Web Show “Live From Daryl’s House” ( Live From Daryl's House with Daryl Hall :: About | Live From Daryl's House ). Some of the best remakes I’ve run ever heard. I wish I was able to download the songs. Two of my favorites are:
Butch Walker

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...247413B0F588F08F5AD2247413B0F588F08&FORM=VIRE

and Darius Rucker

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...247413B0F588F08F5AD2247413B0F588F08&FORM=VIRE

Check out the full show episodes…..real nice.

 

[dirt_dobber]

remarkable that these guys pull it off well.
Foreplay/Long Time (Jon's One Man Band Boston Cover)

 

[audreyh1]

The Chicago Tour 2017 thread prompted me to start a new thread:

I have found myself (now that I ER’d) spending time watching and listening to bands on YouTube and even though most are marginal at best every once in a while I come across bands that perform a cover song that is good as or better than the original. Here are a couple of songs that are on my unofficial list:

Here is a Russian band doing Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4”:

https://youtu.be/9_torOTK5qc

Heart doing “Stairway to Heaven” I would never say any band could perform Stairway to Heaven better than LZ but.....damn this is good.

https://youtu.be/2u-PjvRyr0I

Morgan James cover of “Take me to Church” by Hozier

https://youtu.be/9C0xGB73Uuc

Edited to add song titles at RB’s suggestion . Thx

Heart performed Stairway to Heaven live at a big awards ceremony for the remaining Led Zeppelin band members and they seemed to very much enjoy the performance. 2012 Kennedy Center.

 

[zinger1457]

A Perfect Circle's cover of Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks". I love both versions, but A Perfect Circle's dreamlike cover is the one I listen to more often.

If it wasn't for your description I never would have guessed that was a take off on the Led Zeppelin song, it sounds nothing like it.

 

[ERD50]

Originally Posted by Sojourner View Post
A Perfect Circle's cover of Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks". I love both versions, but A Perfect Circle's dreamlike cover is the one I listen to more often.

If it wasn't for your description I never would have guess that was a take off on the Led Zeppelin song, it sounds nothing like it.

Agreed - it sounded interesting, and I might get into it if I listened to it on it's own merits, but trying to compare to the original? It's barely recognizable as the same song, even looking for it. I thought it was a long intro, I was waiting for that signature "dah-dah-dah-da-dah" rhythm to start.

-ERD50

 

[Midpack]

I’ll just agree with the OP, most covers aren’t as good as the originals, but a few are as his/her examples show.

Just my taste, I always thought:

• Buffett and Everclear both had better performances/arrangements of Brown Eyed Girl than the original (Van Morrison).
• Buffett’s Mexico was better than the original (James Taylor).
• Jennifer Nettles Hello Again, also at Kennedy Center Honors ***, was better than the original (Neil Diamond). https://youtu.be/E1iRkoPXupY

OTOH I don’t know of any cover of a Beatles song that equals or betters an original?

Extra credit: Best performance of the Star Spangled Banner? My answer, no one has matched Whitney Houston’s Super Bowl Star Spangled Banner IMO, the hairs on my arms were standing on end, powerful and mesmerizing.

*** The tribute covers on Kennedy Center Honors are generally memorable every year IME!

 

[RunningBum]

Aerosmith's original is one of my very favorites, but Fisher's version of "Dream On" is really good too. I heard this on some TV show a few years ago about a group of friends that won a lottery jackpot.

 

[38Chevy454]

I think the cover of "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed is much better than the Simon and Garfunkel original.

for comparison the Simon and Garfunkel original.

 

[W2R]

I think it's all in individual opinions. I just love this version of "Think" by Siobhan Magnus. I adore her high pitched scream/squeal so much in this song!!! At 1:19, for example, but throughout. Nobody can beat Aretha, but gee.... if anyone could.....

 

[candrew]

Heart performed Stairway to Heaven live at a big awards ceremony for the remaining Led Zeppelin band members and they seemed to very much enjoy the performance. 2012 Kennedy Center.

+1

I'm a Zeppelin fan and have to admit - rather grudgingly - that Heart, and especially Ann Wilson can cover their songs equally if not better than the original.

 

[Gumby]

OTOH I don’t know of any cover of a Beatles song that equals or betters an original?

Joe Cocker - With a Little Help From my Friends

Elton John - Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

 

[candrew]

remarkable that these guys pull it off well.
Foreplay/Long Time (Jon's One Man Band Boston Cover)

Jon's one man band ensemble did a great cover of Foreplay. Maybe the most difficult part of covering Boston's music is the job of lead vocals and trying to match the range of Brad Delp. That dude could flat out wail.

 

[turbo89]

I'm on my phone and can't figure out how to post links, but anything on YouTube by Mike Masse.

His cover of Toto's Africa is amazing, but his Boston, Bowie and other covers are all fantastic.

Hopefully someone can find him on YouTube and share some links.

 

[aja8888]

Heart doing “Stairway to Heaven” I would never say any band could perform Stairway to Heaven better than LZ but.....damn this is good.

https://youtu.be/2u-PjvRyr0I

They may be good, but not LZ and certainly not Jimmey Page.

 

[fidler4]

I'm on my phone and can't figure out how to post links, but anything on YouTube by Mike Masse.

His cover of Toto's Africa is amazing, but his Boston, Bowie and other covers are all fantastic.

Hopefully someone can find him on YouTube and share some links.

Good call on Mike Masse I like his version of Toto’s Africa also: https://youtu.be/MLrC7e3vSv8

 

[48Fire]

An interesting post and topic. I've seen Heart cover Led Zeppelin live just a few rows from the stage. They do well with Battle of Evermore and other simple, acoustic songs.

I've also seen Led Zeppelin and Page and Plant live. They're at another level in my opinion. Nancy is no Jimmy Page, sorry.

And that cover of "When the Levee Breaks"? Wow, am I missing something or is that a troll. I'll concede that everyone has different tastes, but that's a difficult one to swallow.

As far as covers in general, I think it can work when the artist covering the song is better than the original. And it's even harder to cover classic song or classic band.

That said, one cover that comes to mind is Rod Stewart cover of Van Morrison "Have I told you lately that I love you". Even Van thanks Rod for making this a hit

 

[Sojourner]

I've also seen Led Zeppelin and Page and Plant live. They're at another level in my opinion. Nancy is no Jimmy Page, sorry.

+1 ... Ann and Nancy covered "Stairway" pretty darn well, but I'll take the Page and Plant original any day. I didn't really like the gospel choir aspect of the cover.

And that cover of "When the Levee Breaks"? Wow, am I missing something or is that a troll. I'll concede that everyone has different tastes, but that's a difficult one to swallow.

You are missing something, and it wasn't a troll. But hey, everyone has different tastes. It's definitely not your typical cover, and that's one of the reasons I like it so much. It has a very dreamy, slow-burn, somewhat jazzy, piano-y feel that I really like in comparison to the LZ version. To each his own, though, obviously.

 

[CitizenK]

Thanks all for sharing these links. There is a lot of great music on YouTube.

Boyce Avenue has a lot of really good covers.

Fast Car (Tracy Chapman)

I really like this cover of Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper) by Sam Tsui & Casey Breves.

 

[48Fire]

Ok, I'll give it another listen on a full stereo Listening on the phone is a little weak

 

[fidler4]

A very moving rendition of Ben E. King’s “Stand by me” sung by Sara Niemietz.

https://youtu.be/0Qv4eUJQsvk

from Wikipedia:
Niemietz first appeared on stage at age 4, when BJ Thomas helped her on to the stage. On video, BJ Thomas appears delighted that the youngster is completely at ease with singing "Hooked on a Feeling" in front of an audience. Following her brief time on stage, Thomas can be heard to say, "I can't believe she knows the words!" and repeats an inaudible comment from the audience, "...she knows all my songs?"[3][4] Reunited in 2012, Niemietz and Thomas recorded "Hooked on a Feeling" for Thomas' The Living Room Sessions (2013) album.[5][6]

 

[bloom2708]

Stevie Nicks unplugged:

(Long version)

vs.

Susanne Sundfor