GREAT COVERS OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS

[nyadrn]

For many an original song that they love cannot and will not ever be duplicated by a cover, but there are many songs that have been done equally (debatebly) well by others..

So do you have favorites?

What are your favorite covers of favorite songs?

[MaVolta]

EH and TJ, my faves. I had an album of each with this song. 

[dl73698250]

The German lyrics actually mean something else. Das Tu Ich So Gerne Für Dich means "I'd love to do that for you". I don't speak German, but I know bits & pieces.

[Vexed]

A beautiful song ...

"I Who Have Nothing" 
based on an Italian song "Uno dei Tanti" (in English "One of Many") - written by Carlo Donida and Mogol  -- recorded by Joe Sentieri (61)

Ben E. King -  (63) (First to bring to record in US) Ben heard it in Italy and his producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller translated the lyrics.

There are many covers of King's version, these are my favorites out of the ones I have heard. You may have others.

Terry Knight and the Pack - (66) - (They would become Grand Funk Railroad)

Joe Cocker - (04)

Cliff Richard - (08) - (released many years after recording it) 

[MaVolta]

That’s a great song to pick. I didn’t know it was originally Italian. Just for kicks, I looked up the Italian version. 
https://youtu.be/bmg9xXLKX38

So here’s my take on them. 

Ben E King stayed fairly close to the original, full of drama, and somewhat heavy for a pop song. I like both of them.

I didn’t much care for the Terry Knight version mainly because I’m not a fan of spoken words in songs, but otherwise okay.

Joe Cocker’s gravelly vocals are a good match, too, and it has a nice guitar solo.

Cliff Richard gives the song a more tender feeling of heartache, and the opening acoustic guitar is really a beautiful touch. 

But Tom Jones would still be my definitive version. His vocal style is more fluid, which gives it a more romantic feel, and his voice full of passion, which he is so well known for. 

[dl73698250]

The version I remember is Tom Jones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8Q4vpE9DAs

Speaking of Tom Jones, he has a song A Man Without Love (written by Barry Mason) that had several covers.... (see next post).

[Vexed]

"White Room" - original by Cream (68)

cover --- Apocalyptica - guest vocalist Jacoby Shaddix (from Papa Roach) (2021) 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDuMpS02BWY 

Of course "Cream's" is still the definitive version, but this is impressive. Of course, I like Apocalyptica's music.

[ripvanwinkle96]

Daryl Hall & John Oates 1983 cover of  Mike Oldfield's "Family Man"  Pretty good cover, but when I heard the original sung by Pepsi Demacque, definitely more 'steamier'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7tMkcAc6Ug&ab_channel=MrThuumeya

[Raynyky]

Three Dog Nights cover of Nilsson’s One

[MaVolta]

Welcome To The Machine - Arjen Anthony Lucassen

(Pink Floyd cover)

https://youtu.be/j61HfEGNP5Q

I think that a lot of Pink Floyd songs are practically made to order for the progressive metal artists. AAL gives this one a punch of his own style but doesn’t destroy the original in the process. 

[ripvanwinkle96]

"I Can Hear Music" * The Beach Boys  {1968}  cover of the Ronnettes {1966} 

Written by Phil Spector & E Greenwich/JBarry, the Ronnettes took it to #100, while Carl Wilson lead vocals took the BeachBoys version to the top 25. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtmWWkJYY8w&ab_channel=jarichards99utube

[dl73698250]

I'll never get tired of that song. They definitely hit that one out of the park.

[MaVolta]

Rock Me Amadeus - Edguy (Falco cover)

https://youtu.be/Kwpy1IQTdHY

Falco video

https://youtu.be/cVikZ8Oe_XA

I like them both, and the videos are really cute.

[Vexed]

Thanks @MaVolta those were fun.

[Vexed]

"The Thunder Rolls" - written by Garth Brooks and Pat Algar (first recorded by Tanya Tucker 89, first released by Garth Brooks 90) - Garth Brooks video

I really like this cover of "Thunder Rolls"  by  All That Remains (2017)

[MaVolta]

This is my favorite GB song! Here are two more. A great song can be good in almost any genre given the right artists. 

I’m a long time fan of this next group. 

Celtic Thunder   (Seems appropriate! 😹 ) 

https://youtu.be/h_hxYngSXm8

State Of Mine ft No Resolve  (metal version)

https://youtu.be/4YS-CO2CRew

[dl73698250]

State Of Mine has a good sound. Never heard of them before. I should check them out. They're giving Garth a good run for their efforts.

[MaVolta]

@dl73698250  I don’t know much about them but they have done a few good covers like …

Danger Zone (Kenny Loggins cover)

God’s Country (Blake Shelton cover)

RIse (Katy Perry cover)

[Vexed]

"To Love Somebody" - original by The Bee Gees (67)

Covers I like. (Links open in another page)

Gary Puckett and the Union Gap - (68)

Michael Bolton - (92) -- (Goofed up the link, but it is fixed now)

Lightning Seeds - (98)

Buddy Miller (2015) 

[Vexed]

"Your Mama Don't Dance" - original 1972 Loggins and Messina

1988 Cover by Poison 

I like them both. They fit different moods. Poison did it in their style without ruining the song.

[ripvanwinkle96]

"It's All in the Game" * Tommy Edwards  {1958}

 A fav song of mine when I was a kid,  whose most successful version was recorded by Tommy Edwards in 1958. Carl Sigman composed the lyrics in 1951 to a wordless 1911 composition titled "Melody in A Major", written by Charles G Dawes, who was later Vice President of the United States under Calvin Coolidge.  It is the only No. 1 single in the U.S. to have been co-written by a U.S. Vice President or a Nobel Peace Prize laureate (Dawes was both).

The song has become a pop standard with cover versions by dozens of artists, some of which have been minor hit singles.

 But Edwards' song ranked at No. 47 on the 2018 list of "The Hot 100's All-Time Top 600 Songs is the most notable of all. 

Melody in A Major - Tommy Dorsey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGguBa19ngk&ab_channel=the78prof

[Vexed]

"Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter" - written by Trevor Peacock for a play called "The Lads" he was in and sung by Tom Courtenay in the play.

Peter Noone (Herman's Hermits) saw the play and taped the song. The band learned it and would play it often at gigs. The song didn't require royalties.

Tom Courtenay first recorded it in 63.

The cover then would be:

Herman's Hermits needed a song to fill out an album, so they recorded it in '65. (My fav)

[dl73698250]

Interesting. Even tho the HH's version has a better sound quality, I think Tom's version (with minimal instruments) somehow captures that melancholy vibe better. HH's always did have more of an upbeat bubblegum sound; and it shows thru in this melancholy song.

[Vexed]

I agree about Tom's version. Herman's Hermits was what I heard first and their band was a lot of fun to watch. As I got older, I would appreciate quality in arrangements and vocals in any song. Back in the "old days" most of us probably never really got a chance to experience other's interpretations. A lot of things we never knew were covers. Many of  us were limited to a few radio stations and what we could afford at the store or a concert. 

[ripvanwinkle96]

"Ain't She Sweet" * the Silver Beatles [ with John on lead vocal], P Best on drums & Produced by Bert Kamphfort 1961. The 1927  original  was sung by Gene Austin [RCA records]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1FSRMfNtLU&ab_channel=1234crackerboxpalace

[dl73698250]

I thought that the Silver Beatles was a Beatles' tribute band, not the real Beatles.

[ripvanwinkle96]

Check this out: The Silver Beetles | The Beatles Wiki | Fandom

[dl73698250]

That was interesting. Thanks.

[MaVolta]

That’s All Right Mama - Paul McCartney (covering the Elvis version with members of his original band) 

https://youtu.be/tDWfOSKccLM

Macca has this remarkable inner Elvis (and Gene Pitney) voice that he can just let go at will. Amazing how he does that! This was, of course, Elvis’ first recording and hit single from 1954. My memory is from a few years later on tv and radio.

The original was by Arthur Crudup, a Delta blues singer who wrote it back in 1946. If you’re like me, and never heard it before, then here it is.

Arthur Crudup original: https://youtu.be/uxHQUvCkV20

There are numerous other covers.

Canned Heat, 1970, Blues version: https://youtu.be/bX5420VVNd8

Marty Robbins, 1954, Country version: https://youtu.be/5kzskaa3NWI

And of course, Elvis! ❤️ https://youtu.be/DCP_g7X31nI

[dl73698250]

I dunno... What is it about Paul McCartney that can breathe new life into a tired worn out song? This is no special/remarkable song. Yet somehow, he can make it sound good again. Maybe it's because that he really likes making music; it's not just a job for him.

I miss the Beatles. They were really good together; all of them. What are the chances that another group like that will find each other? (the Traveling Wilburys were close)

[Vexed]

"Wild Horses" - written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards - Recorded in '69

- First released by The Flying Burrito Brothers in '70

- Released in '71 by The Rolling Stones - was a big hit

- My favorite cover is by Molly Hatchet - 2008