Covers versions of songs

**worldbasketball** · 06-28-2010, 02:19 AM

Here is a thread for cover versions of well-known and not so well-known hits. Please also mention the original tune if you know who is it by.

The songs can be a straight cover without much change, a cover in another genre of music or even in an altogether another language. It may be a country-specific version we generally never hear about.

PS: It can be good or bad, a version you adore or a version you hate. What you hate though may be a gem to another person.. and yes we will have the disparaging comments that nobody can do better than the original or that a new artist has ruined a classic... oh yeh!

**worldbasketball** · 06-28-2010, 02:22 AM

"Only You" done by Joshua Radin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DntmcaYPv5A

The song written by Vince Clark when he was with Depeche Mode and made very famous by Yazoo (Alison Moyet).

**worldbasketball** · 06-28-2010, 02:33 AM

Beatles classics done as arias by Cathy Berberian (American-Armenian singer)

"I Want to Hold Your Hand"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHRb35H4kLc

"Ticket to Ride"

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

They are from her album "Revolution" in 1969 re-released as "Beatles Arias" in 2005 with bonus tracks as well. The songs she covered:
-"Can't Buy Me Love"
-"I Want to Hold Your Hand"
-"A Hard Day's Night"
-"Girl"
-"Help!"
-"Eleanor Rigby"
-"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"
-"Here, There and Everywhere"
-"Yellow Submarine"
-"Michelle"
-"Yesterday"
-"Ticket to Ride"

**sinobball** · 06-28-2010, 03:14 AM

Originally Posted by worldbasketball

nobody can do better than the original

This is mostly true I'm afraid, even some of the best covers. Many cover songs are great, but if a cover version is to be TRULY memorable it needs to have a completely different outlook and feel (unless the original singer is far less famous). I liked your Cathy Beberian covers of the Beatles songs, even though I rarely listen to opera(tic?) music.

Here's a cross-cultural example of completely transforming a song's mood:

Original: Faye Wong - "I Will"/Mandarin Chinese, sad

Cover: Lene Marlin - "Still Here"/English, happy

**worldbasketball** · 06-28-2010, 04:20 AM

Wheatus version of Erasure's "A Little Respect"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqgGfC8A5-c

Live version of "A Little Respect" by David Fonseca (Portugal) (starts with yet another cover of Phil Oakley's Together In Electric Dreams then goes to A Little Respect starting at 3:30)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcgTOf8z-Mg

**b3lowzro** · 06-28-2010, 04:34 AM

This one is cross genre cover of songs, from dnb to jazz

Here's a great song "Inner City Life" by Goldie

here's an equally great cover version by [re:jazz]

**worldbasketball** · 06-28-2010, 07:27 AM

Roch Voisine (Canadian singer) singing "Let It Be Me / Je t'appartiens"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKBKlxd0mKU

The original "Je t'appartiens" is by French singer Gilbert Becaud - adapted to become a famous country song....

--

I suggest you give a listen to Roch Voisine's Americana and Americana 2 albums with a big number of American classics. THose marked * are with bilingual English / French lyrics

"Americana" album

City of New Orleans
Ring of Fire
Let It Be Me
Lay Lady Lay
Crazy
Suspicious Minds
You Never Can Tell
And I Love You So
Always on My Mind
Ode to Billy Joe
I Will Always Love You
City of New Orleans / Salut Les Amoureux[*]
Let It Be Me / Je T'Appartiens[*]
Ode to Billy Joe / La Marie-Jeanne[*]

"Americana II" album

That’s How I Got To Memphis
Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
Take It Easy
If I Were a Carpenter
I’m Sorry
Take Me Home Country Roads
Song Sung Blue
Sundown
Johnny B.Goode
Pretty Woman
Heart of Gold
Bon Vivant
That’s How I Got To Mewmphis / Sur la route de Memphis[*]
If I Were a Carpenter / Si j’étais un charpentier[*]
Song Sung Blue / Chanson bleue[*]
Sundown / L’amour c’est comme l’été[*]
Bon Vivant[*]

**worldbasketball** · 06-28-2010, 07:32 AM

Another cover of Roch Voisine I love is:
"Comme j'ai toujours envie d'aimer"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKUlcgZ6hf8

I also know a version by Hervé Villard that was so good, but I can't find the video for it.

Mitsou (a Canadian singer) has a very sexy version of the same song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eANniNxP0Y

--

The original of the song is by Marc Hamilton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8UkJx_TFVw

**prtzn** · 06-28-2010, 10:04 AM

None of the versions is original. Elvis Presley has a version too.
I like Moby's version better...

@Worldbasketball, thanks for starting this thread, I think it's a great idea...

**pomahnitali gnat** · 06-28-2010, 12:26 PM

This is the best cover song ever:

I think most people have heard the original. I also think everyone will be able to determine what's it about from the pics.

**b3lowzro** · 06-28-2010, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by pomahnitali gnat

This is the best cover song ever:

I think most people have heard the original. I also think everyone will be able to determine what's it about from the pics.

i love german beer maids

**rikhardur** · 06-28-2010, 07:35 PM

The Ukrainians covering some The Smiths songs in typical Ukrainian fashion

**worldbasketball** · 06-29-2010, 01:00 PM

**prtzn** · 07-06-2010, 10:36 AM

I like the original more:

cover:

**worldbasketball** · 07-06-2010, 01:35 PM

"I Have A Dream" is an ABBA classic. But how about

Westlife:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy4QFwDPb9o

Angel Voices
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNqM_cXsdXs

Connie Talbot:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzP3b4y1Qb4

Mamma Mia (movie)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4S600qCgVc

Nana Mouskouri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCXIGJ9y9rk

Richard Clayderman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krRlTt1EkXI

**kerouac82** · 07-07-2010, 02:51 AM

Portishead - Glory Box

John Martyn's cover

Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

Johnny Cash's cover

Daniel Johnston - Dream Scream

Death Cab for Cutie's cover

**rikhardur** · 07-07-2010, 03:16 AM

The best ones for me are from Luna (unfortunately only the live version available) and Renegade Soundwave (although somewhat altered). I'm sure there are countless more.

**prtzn** · 07-07-2010, 09:06 AM

I'd like to add that I have always liked Muppet covers.
Here are some, but you can find lots more...

Lime in the coconut (my favourite...)
In the Navy
Surfin' USA
Bohemian Rhapsody
...

And, here's something off topic, since it's not a cover of the song, but I recommend it anyway... (I think this is the best song by Peaches, and the video is hilarious)

**LuDux** · 07-07-2010, 07:23 PM

Young Disciples "Apparently Nothing"
Brand New Heavies

Tubeway Army "Are Friends Electric?"
Moloko | G.Numan & Little Boots

Nirvana "Come As You Are"
Dani Siciliano

Aphex Twin "Come To Daddy"
Dillinger Escape Plan & Mike Patton

Dennis Edwards "Don't Look Any Further"
M-People

The Korgis "Everybody's got to learn sometime"
The Field

The Stranglers "Golden Brown"
Pulshar

Queens Of Stone Age "Go With The Flow"
Royksopp

Grace "Not Over Yet"
Klaxons
Goldfrapp

Goldfrapp "Number One"
Jont

Tweet "Oops (Oh My)"
Ladytron

Olivia Newton-John "Physical"
Goldfrapp

Grace Jones "Pull Up To My Bumper"
Patra

Bryan Adams "Run To You"
En-Rage

Prince "Sign O the Times"
Kode9 & Space Ape

Bryan Ferry "Slave To Love"
Roisin Murphy

Frank Sinatra "I've Got You Under My Skin"
Neneh Cherry

Baccara "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie"
Goldfrapp

The Normal "Worm Leatherette"
Grace Jones
Vitalic

**rikhardur** · 07-08-2010, 01:44 AM

The metal version of The Great Commandment sounds better to me. The original version lacks some density. Atrocity made loads of versions from 80s hits in two albums. Some resulted great while others are complete failures.

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