Music Is Universal, Or, Covers That (Respectively) Destroy The Original

Today's post is from our friend HIM.

We all love music. We also enjoy covers. What happens when a cover surpasses an original?

I’ve always thought that Bauhaus’s cover of “Ziggy Stardust” bested the original. Much more raw. Just better. Murphy and Co. tapped into something that Bowie hinted at in the original version. And that is saying something.

Then again, metal is metal. So you gotta’ prove yourself if you are going to top the classics. And imagine topping the original metal band (to my mind), Black Sabbath. Well, Charles Bradley (rest in peace, you sweaty soul God) did. He turned Bill Ward’s lament of a relationship dying into a painful wallop of emotion:

Charles Bradley performs soulful cover of Black Sabbath's 'Changes'

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That kills on multiple levels. Full stop.

And I am sure some of you heard this before (you, the educated BBG! masses). But I had not. And when I did hear it, I fell back in my chair.

Good songs can suffer a bad remake and still retain their luster. But a great song made greater by a great artist is another thing. Bradley didn’t just do the song justice. He did what Sabbath hinted at, and then went beyond them.

Music is amazing. We are lucky to live in a world where Iommi and Co. collided with Bradley.

Comments

[Jeff]

Shinedown's cover of Simple Man absolutely destroys the orginal Skynrd version and it's not even close.

[fletch]

It happens. My bad

[Basileus]

Even though I am not a huge metallica fan I’ve always been partial to Their covers of Astronomy and Whiskey in the Jar.

The Stones’ version of Not Fade Away is also better, in my view.

There’s a ton actually: Ramones’ California Sun, Clash’s I Fought the Law, Hendrix’s All Along the Watchtower, Joplin’s Me and my Bobby McGee, etc.

I know I will catch flack for this, but I MUCH prefer Cream’s version of Crossroads to the original.

[Basileus]

Rainbow’s Since You’ve Been Gone also better than original

[Jack T Ripper]

👌🏻 4 more 👌🏻

[Metalboy!]

Another great topic, HIM!

Agree with nearly all comments except Ripper’s, haha!!

Covers I contend are better than the original:

Cheap Trick’s cover of Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That A Shame”.

Priest’s version of Joan Baez’s “Diamonds and Rust”.

Quiet Riot’s take on Slade’s “Cum On Feel The Noise”.

Clapton’s covers of J.J. Cale’s “Cocaine” and “After Midnight”.

Santana’s rendition of Tito Puente’s “Oye Como Va”.

Blondie’s version of The Nerves’ “Hanging On The Telephone”.

I could go on and on, as well as I’m sure many of you could also, and I probably will if I have time, but now for some interesting trivia ...

Keith Richards once said he liked Devo’s cover of The Stones’ “Satisfaction”. Not sure I agree but quite a compliment to Devo, nonetheless!

Stay tuned ...

[Bkallday]

No cover of any Lynyrd Skynyrd song will ever "destroy" the original. Agree to disagree, Jeff!

[Shawn]

Knocking on Heavens Door by GnR with Heaven a close second. Kick Axe 30 Days in the hole.
Your so Vain Faster Pussycat, 5FDPBlue on Black with guests and Bad Company...I could go on forever I love really good covers -

[Metalboy!]

“30 Days In The Hole” by Kick Axe! Totally, Shawn! Right, HIM?

More to come!

[Basileus]

I agree with MB’s choices.

Also, Govt Mule’s cover of Mongo Santamaria’s Afro-Blue as recorded on Mule’s Live...With a Little Help from Our Friends is not just superior, but it’s one of the greatest extended jams of all time.

[Basileus]

Speaking of the Mule, their version of Dave Mason’s Sad and Deep as You is superior to the original. And while their reggae take on Radiohead’s Letdown is not better than the original, it is fantastic in its own right.

Lastly, not better than the original, but close, is Lynch Mob’s take on Queen’s Tie Your Mother Down, from their massively underrated and forgotten self-titled second album.

[Him]

No doubt, Metalboy!, I love me some Kick Axe! The neglected metal men from Regina (I always want to yell "Dolores!" Seinfeld-style when I say or write that). I was corresponding with a person from said town and mentioned the band. His reply: "Wow, I haven't thought about them since I was a teen cruising around!"

Let me add to your list: Slayer's cover of Priest's "Dissident Aggressor" and Priest's cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)."

Shawn, Kick Axe's cover is certainly cool, as is most of their catalog. Wish they broke bigger.

Some great selections, one and all. Speaking of which, I now have an idea for another post . . . until then, cheers! And I hope you enjoyed Bradley's cover.

[GNR]

Priest's cover of "Johnny B Good" ? Anyone ? Anyone ? Yeah... I thought so :)

But love Rival Sons covering Sabbath at the Grammys:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfzLO54ETto

[Shawn]

@GnR yes I love that one but was afraid to disrespect the great underappreciated metal god Chuck Berry ----@HIM here is my ignorance I did not know Green Manalishi was a cover but that has always been a favorite.

[Gary]

What Bk said...May I offer up Blinded By The Light ((Manfred Man's over Bruce) Nazareths version of Love Hurts? Or the biggie, Van Halen's You Really Got Me???

[Him]

Hey Shawn, I have been in your camp numerous times! I was listening to Slayer and Priest for years--I mean that, years--before I noticed that a Slayer song sounded familiar. I stopped and laughed. Then I looked around, worried that someone had caught me being stupid about something so easy to catch.

Gary, you nailed it with VH. Another great cover!

Thing is, a good cover is its own thing. And I love toggling back and forth between originals and covers sometimes.