Originals VS. Covers
So I was talking with a friend recently and this subject came up: What's better...the origianl song or the remake?" My initial reaction is to say "The original is always better." But then I got to thinking about some songs and found that I would actually consider some remakes to be better then the original. Some examples?
Here is "With a Little Help From My Friends", originally written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released on The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967. It is sung by Ringo Starr.
And here is a cover by Joe Cocker as performed at Woodstock in 1969.
Now normally, I would automatically say the Beatles version, hands down, is the better version. But I actually prefer Joe Cocker's cover. Maybe it's because I don't really like any song that Ringo sings. Maybe it's because Joe's is more soulful.
Another example? How about another song written by Paul McCartney? "Live and Let Die" is the theme song to the 1973 James Bond film.
And here is Guns N' Roses cover from 1991 on their Use Your Illusion I album.
Again, typically I would say Paul's version is better. Don't get me wrong...I love Paul's original. But I think one of the reasons I'm siding with GNR's cover is because I actually heard theirs before I heard the original. So that brings me to an important question...If you hear the cover before you hear the original, will that affect which one you like better?
For example, the Black Crowes did a cover of "Hard to Handle" on their Shake Your Money Maker album in 1990.
I actually was unaware for years that the original was by Otis Redding in 1968.
As much as I've come to love the original by Otis, the Black Crowe's version will always be my favorite because I've loved it longer.
Of course there's a long list of covers that should NEVER have been released in comparison to the originals. But there will always be those remakes that hold a place dear to my heart. What do you think? Do you have any covers that you prefer?
Here is "With a Little Help From My Friends", originally written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, released on The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967. It is sung by Ringo Starr.
And here is a cover by Joe Cocker as performed at Woodstock in 1969.
Now normally, I would automatically say the Beatles version, hands down, is the better version. But I actually prefer Joe Cocker's cover. Maybe it's because I don't really like any song that Ringo sings. Maybe it's because Joe's is more soulful.
Another example? How about another song written by Paul McCartney? "Live and Let Die" is the theme song to the 1973 James Bond film.
And here is Guns N' Roses cover from 1991 on their Use Your Illusion I album.
Again, typically I would say Paul's version is better. Don't get me wrong...I love Paul's original. But I think one of the reasons I'm siding with GNR's cover is because I actually heard theirs before I heard the original. So that brings me to an important question...If you hear the cover before you hear the original, will that affect which one you like better?
For example, the Black Crowes did a cover of "Hard to Handle" on their Shake Your Money Maker album in 1990.
I actually was unaware for years that the original was by Otis Redding in 1968.
As much as I've come to love the original by Otis, the Black Crowe's version will always be my favorite because I've loved it longer.
Of course there's a long list of covers that should NEVER have been released in comparison to the originals. But there will always be those remakes that hold a place dear to my heart. What do you think? Do you have any covers that you prefer?
Comments
Oh and people who cover Garth Brooks The Dance ought to be shot.
So to me Ring of Fire is owned by the man in black.
Oh I agree on the Black Crowes and GNR.
The perfect example of this is the song "Every Time We Touch" the original was done by Maggie Reilly, however the group Cascada was extremely more popular (at least in the US) and arguably the better version.
I also feel many songwriters take lyrics and put them to music that just doesn't do it justice, take the song Mad World, in my opinion tears for fears just took the lyrics and tried to make it fit their style of music, but when Gary Jules and Michael Andrews did the cover they were able to capture the essence of the song.
It's unfortunate that this kind of thing happens and it happens way too much in my opinion.