Alternative Covers of Well Known Songs

heckington_reds said:

Kula shaker hush .... original deep purple......I think the cover is miles better.

The Deep Purple version was a cover of the original by Billy Joe Royal. (Written by Joe South.)

Valiantphil said:

Say hello wave goodbye - David Gray
Running up that hill - the Lemonheads
Big Yellow Taxi - counting Crows.

Almost a flag for this

David Gray wishy washy cover lacks the soul and feeling of the original, which was an absolute belter.
the Lemonheads flipping floppy hair doos not fit to hold a candle to Kate Bush

Daggs said:

You're the one that I want.
Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker

I heard on the radio recently that a month or so after the recording Hylda Baker heard the original & said to Arthur Mullard that someone has recorded their song, not knowing about Grease.

Re other Covers ; there was an Australian talk show in the 90's that asked their guests to do their take on Stairway to Heaven. I have Rolf Harris' version on 7" vinyl. Also version done by the Australian Doors.

The Fall - Jerusalem. Love a bit of Mark E Smith!

Daggs said:

You're the one that I want.
Arthur Mullard and Hylda Baker

Arthur Mullard was another wrong 'un.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Mullard

This one is a variation on the thread, one piece of music overlaid on another (a bit like Creep over All I need is the air...) Charlie Parker made a habit of it. Here's Donna Lee (Indiana).
Now a word of warning, if you don't like Jazz wanking you'd hate this. If, like me, on the other hand you love your hands you're in for great 6.5 minutes.
https://youtu.be/dR155fY2MXk

Leroy Ambrose said:

No cover of Enjoy the Silence can possibly hold a candle to the original. Because it is the best so g ever written.

However, Tori Amos' version is infinitely better than the execrable symphonic metal version posted above:

https://youtu.be/_heCSicZvbo

At least it wasn't the Susan Boyle version.

This cover of nothing compares to you by Chris Cornell (RIP) gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Superb

https://youtu.be/IuUDRU9-HRk

LennyLowrent said:

This one is a variation on the thread, one piece of music overlaid on another (a bit like Creep over All I need is the air...) Charlie Parker made a habit of it. Here's Donna Lee (Indiana).
Now a word of warning, if you don't like Jazz wanking you'd hate this. If, like me, on the other hand you love your hands you're in for great 6.5 minutes.
https://youtu.be/dR155fY2MXk

Good old contrafact.

Probably the most famous example - well, if you're into jazz - of a piece being "whored out" in this regard is Gershwin's I Got Rhythm. Here's a very incomplete list of songs that rip off the Rhythm changes.

One of those was the Flintstones, and here's a jazz version by Jacob Collier:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zua831utwMM

I've always liked Flying Lizards - I was want money.

Briston_Addick said:

Almost anything by Ten Masked Men, death metal versions of well-known pop songs.

There are some dodgy ones but Staying Alive, You Spin Me Round, and their Madonna covers are quite good.

Hahahaha... I was going to say 10 masked men.... somebody needs to post a link