Author Topic: When a cover song is better than the original.  (Read 27446 times)

Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #105 on: March 02, 2020, 12:09:23 PM »
The song "Money (That's What I Want)" was written by Berry Gordy and Janie Bradford and was the hit that launched the Tamla (Motown) label. The single by Barrett Strong was released in August 1959 and made it to #23 on the Billboard Hot 100:



A cover by the Beatles was released in November 1963 on their U.K. LP With the Beatles:



A cover by the Rolling Stones was released 10 January 1964 on their self-titled EP:



A cover by the Flying Lizards was released in July 1979 and became a surprise hit reaching #5 on the U.K. charts.



All the above versions are very good. Take your pick!

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« Last Edit: March 02, 2020, 12:18:11 PM by Hepcat »
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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #106 on: March 03, 2020, 01:46:21 AM »
One more: John Belushi on the Animal House soundtrack:


Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #107 on: March 03, 2020, 12:16:22 PM »
See See Rider was first recorded by Gertrude "Ma" Rainey on 16 October 1924:



A take recorded by Wee Bea Booze in 1943 made it to #1 on Billboard's "Harlem Hit Parade":



Here's Lightnin' Hopkins take from 1959:



But it wasn't until this uptempo version entitled C.C. Rider by Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels was released in late 1965 that the song came into its own:



An even better cover by the Animals was released in 1966:



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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #108 on: March 04, 2020, 12:39:08 PM »
Solomon Burke was one of the R&B artists that the Stones liked to cover.

Cry to Me by Solomon Burke was released in 1962:



A cover by the Rolling Stones was included on their Out of Our Heads LP released 30 July 1965:



If You Need Me by Solomon Burke was released in April 1963:



A cover by the Rolling Stones was included on their Five by Five EP released 14 August 1964:



Everybody Needs Somebody to Love by Solomon Burke was released in February 1964:



A cover by the Rolling Stones was included on their The Rolling Stones, Now! LP released 13 February 1965:



Here's a very cool live performance:



I really like them all!

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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #109 on: March 05, 2020, 02:02:01 PM »
A Taste of Honey was an instrumental track written by Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow for the 1960 Broadway version of the play of the same name:



Lenny Welch had a hit with a vocal version in 1962:



The Beatles included an excellent cover on their U.K. LP Please Please Me which was released on 22 March 1963:



Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass made it a major hit again with their excellent instrumental version released in August 1965:



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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #110 on: March 06, 2020, 12:44:54 PM »
Make Me Your Baby by Barbara Lewis was released in September 1965:



A disco influenced cover by Canadienne chanteuse Suzanne Stevens was released in late 1975 and did quite well in Canada:



While Barbara Lewis' soulful singing was definitely better on the original, I prefer the instrumental arrangement on Stevens' cover.

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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #111 on: March 07, 2020, 02:30:17 PM »
Sookie Sookie by Don Covay & the Goodtimers was released in January 1966:



An acid rock tinged version by Steppenwolf was released as a single in February 1968:



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Mord

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #112 on: March 07, 2020, 03:26:47 PM »
 I was always a fan of that Steppenwolf single. They were the very first band i ever saw live (at age 13). I remember the opening acts being 3 Dog Night and the Grass Roots. As a kid, i always thought their singer, John Kay, was blind (since i had never seen him without sunglasses).

Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #113 on: March 08, 2020, 10:20:09 PM »
George Gershwin wrote the aria Summertime in 1934 for the opera Porgy and Bess which hit the stage in 1935.

The song was finally given justice and brought to full flower by Big Brother & the Holding Company on the LP Cheap Thrills released on 12 August 1968:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A24JZkgvNv4


I was very wrong about Big Brother & the Holding Company being the first to do the song justice. Billy Stewart's take from 1966 was the best:



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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #114 on: March 09, 2020, 12:28:56 PM »
The rockabilly number I'm Gonna Love You Too by Buddy Holly was released 12 September 1957:



A cover by Blondie was released as a single in September 1978:



Both excellent!

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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #115 on: March 10, 2020, 12:58:09 PM »
Down Home Girl was first recorded by Alvin Robinson. His version was released in August 1964:



The Rolling Stones included a great cover on their The Rolling Stones, Now LP which was released in February 1965:



The Stones' version stripped out the jazz element from the original and gave it a funkier, bluesier flavour.

The Rainbow Girls' recorded a really excellent cover that was released on 22 February 2019:



The Rainbow Girls added more country twang to the song!

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« Last Edit: March 10, 2020, 01:02:44 PM by Hepcat »
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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #116 on: March 11, 2020, 11:43:54 AM »
If I Had a Hammer was written by Pete Seeger and Lee Hays in 1949 and the performed it publicly for the first time on 3 June 1949 at St. Nicholas Arena in New York City during a testimonial dinner for the leaders of the Communist Party of the United States!!!  :o

Here's the recording released in 1950 by the Weavers the singing group to which Seeger and Hays belonged:



They were somewhat better as musicians than political economists but that's not saying much.

The cover by Peter, Paul and Mary released in 1962 was a lot better:



Trini Lopez did it best though with this cover released in 1963 that got to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100:



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Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #117 on: March 12, 2020, 01:52:02 PM »
Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry was released in May 1956:



It was then covered by the Beatles and released on their With the Beatles LP on 22 November 1963:



I'm not entirely sure that the Beatles' cover was superior, but they certainly did it well.

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Mord

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #118 on: March 12, 2020, 02:09:06 PM »
Both were good, Chuck's was better (imo).

Hepcat

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Re: When a cover song is better than the original.
« Reply #119 on: March 15, 2020, 09:34:39 PM »
The first release of Fever was the one by Little Willie John in May 1956:



A very decent rendition, it topped the Billboard R&B chart and peaked at #24 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A cover by Peggy Lee was released in June 1958:



Though it peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, I find it unlistenable (and Peggy Lee unwatchable).

The McCoys cover released in 1965 got to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is the one I like the most:



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