When a cover song is better than the original.

[Hepcat]

Let It All Hang Out by the Hombres was released in 1967:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRIr1PPz2uM

A cover was included on John Cougar Mellencamp's LP Big Daddy released on 9 May 1989:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP3OJUk001k

I don't think that Mellencamp's cover was musically superior, but the promo video for the track was a cut above.

[Hepcat]

Doing research for this thread I learned that this great tune was released way back in 1956!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DbyAdxp4DQ#

Wow! Mickey and Sylvia's delivery was smoking hot! Nor has it ever been topped. Here though is a video with enhanced audio:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5p9fpGxv48#

[Hepcat]

The first recording of Twist and Shout was by the Top Notes and was released in 1961:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsDpc-8iR8g#

A cover by the Isley Brothers that was released on 16 June 1962 was much superior and got to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZx-yoYb4aM#

A cover by the Beatles was included on their U.K. Please Please Me LP that was released on 22 March 1963:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RicaUqd9Hg#

The Beatles' version was even better than that of the Isley Brothers. Not surprising. The Beatles were a pretty good band indeed.

[Wicked Lester]

I disagree. I don't think the changes and additional elements they've added to the Stones' classic constitute an improvement.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wCUlPNlQuA

YMMV. I still say this is the better version and ALL done by one guy. I understand if you are a purist though.

[Wicked Lester]

Sultans of Swing Cover by Leo 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0RV0kgdqJU

[Wicked Lester]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WekfTZpX8Mk

[Wicked Lester]

Chicago vs OZZY!   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90rhdKzLVfE

[Hepcat]

Moon River was composed by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer for Audrey Hepburn to sing in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. As such the track won an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". It was also released as a single in October 1961 and won the 1962 Grammy Awards for "Record of the Year" and "Song of the Year":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEdPe1SxitI#

The Henri Mancini's Orchestra's version reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 late in 1961:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV25eE0TH-Q#

Jerry Butler's cover also got to #11 late in 1961:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NN_o59jiZw#

A cover by Andy Williams was included on his 1962 LP Moon River and Other Great Movie Themes which reached #3 on the album charts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK4pmJQ6zgM#

None of these versions exactly rocked of course. But check out the live version Jeff Beck rendered with Eric Clapton's assistance in Toronto in 2010:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BanCoA9VDI0#

[Hepcat]

With a Little Help from My Friends was a track included on the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band LP released on 26 May 1967:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C58ttB2-Qg

A cover by Joe Cocker was released in October 1968 and went in an entirely different direction than the original:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXV4WyQMHFM

[Hepcat]

Another Saturday Night by Sam Cooke was released on 2 April 1963 and reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard's R&B chart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0O8m0mMDpHw

A cover by Cat Stevens was released in July 1974 and reached #6 on the Billboard hot 100:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjXu_pixArs

I liked the Cat Stevens' cover back in the 1970's but now I much prefer Sam Cooke's original.

[Mike Scott]

Another Saturday Night by Sam Cooke

Man! Somebody put a lot of effort in illus. those lyrics!

[Hepcat]

Born Under a Bad Sign by Albert King was released in 1967:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Py37G9qsfY#

A cover by the Cream was included on their Wheels of Fire LP released on 9 August 1968:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1pzXJuvdAY#

Interesting that I used to prefer the Cream's version, but I now like Albert King's original better.

[Hepcat]

I Am the Walrus by the Beatles was released on 24 November 1967:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1Jm5epJr10

A cover by Spooky Tooth which I like better was contained on the LP The Last Puff which was released in July 1970:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6lUiphOTVY

I prefer Spooky Tooth's version because the original by the Beatles was somewhat overblown and even bombastic.

[Hepcat]

So Long, Marianne by Leonard Cohen was a track on the Songs of Leonard Cohen LP that was released on 27 December 1967:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XzAjfwQtvM

A really good equally plaintiff cover by Brian Hyland was released in 1971:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mh-JIvL0QC8

[Mord]

Great song! As  Canadian, you should be very proud of Cohen. He is a national icon.