I know we have covered covers many a time, but the Independent wants suggestions for covers that are better than the original. They suggest ‘ All Along the Watchtower’ by Jimi Hendrix.
Any ideas to top10 @independent.co co.uk
Pull the covers tight
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Joe Cocker – With A Little Help From My Friends
Sorrow by Bowie though I love the original as well.
I think the whole Pin ups album is wonderful.
Can I also suggest A hard rains gonna fall by Brian Ferry – I think it is far better than Mister Happy’s original.
Agree on pin ups Jack
Not on Hard rain tho I like Ferry version I feel it detracts from the horror of the impending Armageddon described in Dylan’s lyrics and starkly recounted by him.
Ferry’s cover of Positively 4th St is really beautiful.
As is his ‘To Make You Feel My Love’ and ‘Don’t Think Twice…’. He does Dylan very well, with great care and love.
He’s a masterful singer, much better than the mannered poltroon he came across as in early Roxy Music. His covers on As Time Goes By are impeccable.
I listened to the remastered first Roxy album recently. It’s a very shrill mix. It was amusing to note his apeing of Noel Coward though. Rather brave at the time.
Agreed. That is one of the worst production jobs ever.
Thanks for confirming. I was honestly worried my ears were going.
Leon Russell did a good Hard Rain back in the day
And a pretty mean Watching the River Flow.
CCR
Heard it through the grapevine
You’re kidding, Junior. Tell me you’re kidding.
Nope I’m not HP. Got heaps of Marvin, love it all, I just love a boogie and CCR give me one.
Not that I’ve been giving it much thought:
Clash – I Fought The Law
Johnny Cash – Hurt
Sinaed O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
Patti Smith – Because The Night
Beatles – Twist & Shout
More Dylan covers
Byrds – Mr Tambourine Man
Manfred Mann – Mighty Quinn
Have a soft spot for Fairport’s cover of Percy’s Song, not least because I heard it years before I heard Dylan’s version.
That’s a really storming version. That and ‘A Sailor’s Life’ make the album.
Just seen that for some reason I’ve typed co co. That should of course be .co.uk
Co co? I should.
This Mortal Coil – ‘Song To The Siren’.
Ferry also does a lush and lovely version on ‘Olympia’.
Hallelujah – John Cale or Jeff Buckley
Norma Waterson – Black Muddy River
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy0QwMwPMME
(Whaaat, 2 by Chumbawamba, surely not!!!)
The Unthanks would do a decent New York Mining Disaster.
Martin Carthy does.
OK, so the original, by a 17 year old girl is phenomenal, and the version by her 2nd band stupendous, isn’t this just so right.
Along the same lines…..
First time hearing this! I have the complete Louvin Brothers but this is new to me. I didn’t bother with his solo stuff at all, I reckon he is Ernie to Ira’s Eric.
I find that one interesting enough but I can’t see me listening again. But I’m glad I know it exists.
Add to that Hurt “by” Johnny Cash and you’ll see the point
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt1Pwfnh5pc
I’m sure I’m not the only one that would suggest that is not exactly hard to get better than a Dylan original and is proved a couple more
Absolutely Sweet Marie by Jason and the Scorchers
All along the Watchtower by XTC
Eric Bogle is a fine songwriter but others take his songs and improve them immeasurably. In particular, these two.
yep nice pick
Good choice with Waltzing Matilda. Last time I saw The Pogues, they did this brilliantly, the pissed up crowd were silent, Shane was actually singing and damn near brought a tear to my eye.
My favourite version of Eric Bogle’s “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda” is by the 1970s Manchester folk band Tickawinda, who had Clive Gregson playing with them occasionally, before he became well-known.
Tickawinda aren’t very well known, but if you’re of a folky persuasion, I can certainly recommend their “Rosemary Lane” album (the same title as one of Bert Jansch’s best LPs).
Do we have any other Tickawinda fans here on the Afterword?
Never heard of them till now. Big fan of Clive Any Trouble onward.
Not a fan on the basis of this twee effort, sorry
Me too!
Sir Tom of Jones : Tower of Song.
No, because it doesn’t have the irony of the original. Tom doesn’t hare his tongue firmly lodged in his cheek at any time.
But……. (Eric Bogle)
Nah, Liam Clancy has the best version. He becomes the old man and his very eyes are part of the story telling process.
Not suggesting this is the best cover ever, but I heard it this week. It made me smile and it made me dance around the room so has to get some kudos:-
Kate, Rocket Man
In the parlance of the Britain’s Next Big X Factor panellists Bjork owned this one.
This is beautiful & way more moving than the Eagles’ original
IIRC the girl singing was 10 years old at the time. I get something in my eye every time I play it.
The Hot Chocolate’s contemporary cover (Apple, ’69) of ‘Give Peace A Chance’.
‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ by The Stones.
I like many Dylan covers (Hendrix – ‘Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window’, Them- ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’, The Byrds – ‘My Back Pages’) but I’m not sure I like them more than his own versions, and that includes ‘All Along The Watchtower’.
What album is the Hendrix cover on, deram?
The BBC Sessions.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Sessions_(The_Jimi_Hendrix_Experience)
And another!
Have to assume there’s some love for the genius of Big Daddy on the AW.
Loads of their treatments of other folks’ songs supercede the originals IMO.
I think I win.
https://youtu.be/DpMjDzz9ZTM
iannes
It’s on the BBC Sessions.
Not a really famous Bob song, so both versions still sound quite fresh.
Motörhead – Leavin’ Here
Cowboy Junkies – Walking After Midnight
Hendrix BBC Sessions – is it worth getting?
Re Dylan- the other argument is that they are such wonderful songs that they can sound great in the hands of many. And if you like a certain band/ certian sound you will then opt for their version.
having reviewed the above my # 1 pick is Sinead and her cover of Nothing Compares 2 U
I love Dylan and Dylan covers – this has been my favourite for the last year or so. Effortlessly brilliant.
I love Sandy’s singing of this, but I also love this.
Nina’s cover of ‘Who Knows Where the Time Goes’
I recently discovered this take on ‘Its All Over Now Baby Blue’ by Dion, when he was trying to reboot his career in the mid 1960s. It’s gorgeous
This, on the other hand, is very strange.
As strange as this?
In a polka style this takes some beating…
nice version of Tom Thumb- I imagine Dylan would have loved Dion.Puple haze now that is fucking awful.
I heard Siouxsie’s Helter Skelter before I heard the original. I thought her version was much better.
They do a great job of Dear Prudence too.
You really got a hold on me – The Beatles
At the moment this is better than the original. Just.
Ron Sexsmith – Heart with No Companion
And ‘Sweet Jane’.
Kirsty MacColl’s version of ‘Days’.
Or Billy Bragg’s A New England.
So many of these are wrong I don’t know where to begin. Joe Cocker for a start-terribly overwrought, in a style unsympathetic to the lyrics. Hallelujah by John Cale is however spot on. He nails it.
Greg Dulli helps reshape most of his covers. This is a good example:
damn right
More June Tabor (and the Oyster Band)
Of course, the Oysters have form on the Oven Glove manufactureres
Tel.
https://youtu.be/za17qwfWgMY
Blancmange – Abba’s The Day Before You Came…
Absolutely not. Misses the subtlety and feeling of the original, and commits the ultimate sin of mentioning bloody Barbara Cartland. Horrible.
Apologies for my inferior opinions.
Not inferior, just different. I don’t believe it’s possible to improve on the original, and I don’t think Blancmange got anywhere near.
Fellas, fellas…you’re *both* right.
ABBA have it from the perspective of a woman reflecting how her life was. We are not sure if she’s happy or sad about how things are now (which is a brilliant touch).
The Blancmange version is definitely more bleak. He sings as if on the verge of tears, depressed and regretful – it’s as if he’s standing over the body.
Can you not try to be pleasant for once?
The bestist ABBA cover is this one right here doncha know.
Like I said before, maybe you should try it sometime. I won’t bother with your posts again. You’re just not worth the hassle.
Maybe will put you off riding your high horse again.
James Carr – To Love Somebody
I like the Bee Gees’ original, of course, but I reckon this just about trumps it:
Why, yes. It does….
I see that and I raise you Dusty. Sadly not the studio take lost in the fire but she knocks this out of the park
But……….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfbHScyol1k
Gram can crack anything with his voice.
I can’t see past this whenever this question comes up. This should have been a hit.
Well said. Clive Gregson rates it better than the original. Weirdly on the same album – Wrong End of the Race – they did several covers of their own songs that are better than the original.
Only Love Can Break Your Heart – Saint Etienne
how about a remix of a cover that’s better than the original that is better than the cover that’s better than the original?
Brief and painfully beautiful, Cat Power – I Found A Reason.
Much respect for Prince but at least two of his songs were improved immeasurably when covered:
https://youtu.be/ObjLb6ElTvs
(I Feel for You – Chaka Khan)
Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U
Talking of Cat Power, how’s about this as a cover that has you scratching your head, by missing out the hook and the chorus. But, shit, it works!
The Otis live version of this is absolutely storming. He can get a bit overwrought at times, but this was perfect. Keef said it was the closest to the version he’d wanted.
The Jam – David Watts
The answer is always Aretha Franklin’s take on ‘Respect’. Even Otis Redding said “That little girl stole my song”.
This thread and the intros one warrant Spotify threads
Great idea Junior.
I’ll happily do it when I have a mo.
How about Third World’s Now that we found love? A fabulous version.
Given we have a Tickawinder and an Any Trouble, here’s more Gregson, doing the oft covered Slit’s fave, with Christne Collister
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYZxI3xr2Hs
More Cat Power. None of the previously mentioned Dylan covers are actually better than the originals (except Hendrix, obv.) But this one might just be. I believe in you:
Here’s one of my favourite songs of the 80s, by the Associates, redone better, by Heaven 17
This is good
Did he cover anything else?
Silly me, of course he did!
Robert Wyatt did Victor Jara’s “Te Recuerdo Amanda”, as well.
This is a good Dylan cover
Good old Tom. More easy listening on the blog.
https://youtu.be/Z7Wkg80VXbg
Folowibng on from my earlier comment re why there are so many Dylan covers- coz they are good songs, usually v melodious and not very complicated so eveyone could have a go,
but shouldn’t the challenge be to turtn what is are mediocre or at least less than stellar, and turn it into something really excellent.
sorry -typos-distracted
The totally unknown Scott McCarl just about edges it on a Beatles song!
Admittely the HJH version sounds unfinished, like they lost interest in getting a good master, and some of the harmonies are slightly off
https://youtu.be/7uVRIAinA3E
Don’t forget to send your ideas in to the top10 @independent.co co.uk
I remembered this one at the weekend. Might be better than the original: