Cover to Cover: Guns and Roses v Anthony and the Johnsons - Knockin' on Heaven's Door

Henry Irving

Two covers versions of the same song. Listen to both without prejudice and say which you prefer.

No other versions not even the Dylan original

Is it the heavy rock cover by Guns and Roses or the soulful version by Anthony and the Johnsons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyRKh5Czbmo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNpCx_TDO24

Greenie

Ahh Henners what did you do that for, they are polar opposites and both excellent versions.......I'm gonna have to go for the feel and soul of Antony and The Johnsons.

cfgs

As a child born into the mid 1970s and having been bought up with an older sister obsessed with WHAM, it was the obvious step for me to go with the opposite and by the age of 11 I already owned Iron Maiden and ACDC LPs, then in my very early teens GN'R erupted and I have worshiped Slash ever since.......basically I am saying I can't even bring myself to contemplate an alternative version to any of their songs.

lolwray

i dont like either but i dislike AATJ s a bit less ...so them

Henry Irving

cfgs said:

As a child born into the mid 1970s and having been bought up with an older sister obsessed with WHAM, it was the obvious step for me to go with the opposite and by the age of 11 I already owned Iron Maiden and ACDC LPs, then in my very early teens GN'R erupted and I have worshiped Slash ever since.......basically I am saying I can't even bring myself to contemplate an alternative version to any of their songs.

Fair enough but not "their" song

Bedsaddick

GN'R all day long

Alex Wright

Hate the GnR version, I could never understand what made them record it. Such a poor thing to do after great things like Paradise City and November Rain.

I hadn't Heard the Anthony and the Johnsons version before. I listened to I am a bird now when it was released. Interesting voice that I tired of too quickly. (As I've also done with Rag n Bone Man).

So which version? I guess Anthony and the johnsons by a whisker.

cfgs

Henry Irving said:

cfgs said:

As a child born into the mid 1970s and having been bought up with an older sister obsessed with WHAM, it was the obvious step for me to go with the opposite and by the age of 11 I already owned Iron Maiden and ACDC LPs, then in my very early teens GN'R erupted and I have worshiped Slash ever since.......basically I am saying I can't even bring myself to contemplate an alternative version to any of their songs.

Fair enough but not "their" song

But the art of a good cover is to take a song and make it theirs

Friend Or Defoe

Alex Wright said:

Hate the GnR version, I could never understand what made them record it. Such a poor thing to do after great things like Paradise City and November Rain.

November Rain is pretty poor as well! That and Knockin' on heaven's door are from the same over the top, over produced double album which pretty much finished the band off. Axl's ego and delusions of grandeur were running wild! Watch the video for Estranged to see it at its worse.

Can't listen to them at work but remember a random phone call on the song that made no sense, however, I'm going for the G'N'FN'R version due to Henry's awful comment.

Johnnysummers5

Guns N Roses, like Bob Dylan's better, but I suppose I should not say that as I don't want to upset Henry in this heat.

seth plum

Isn't this a day early?
Anyway, for a start neither are even close to the Dylan original. The Dylan one has that beautiful choir like platform for a very accessible vocal for those often put off by Dylan's (brilliant) voice. Personally I have never heard a version that comes close.
It was a bedroom strummers and buskers favourite in my day, and to an extent the Guns and Roses is a production values, stadium rock, searing guitar, almost Spinal Tappish development of that aspiration. It has a high threshold to meet in the Dylan version, and I see it as an easy singalong at Guns and Roses concerts.
The Anthony and the Johnsons version is quite a contrast. stripped back and led by a clean piano sound, and his sweet beautiful voice occasionally supplemented by the subtlest of harmonies. However listening to that version I was distracted by wondering why he recorded it at all. Was it to make him accessible in the USA? His award winning work is very fine stuff indeed, and it is the furrow I would think he is best off ploughing.
Back to the comparison, for me is is Anthony and the Johnsons by a lot of furlongs. I am a fan of voices and in comparison to Guns and Roses vocal on this number he is more satisfying to listen to, more sympathetic and better in that regard.

Covered End

I love the Guns 'N Roses version 9/10

I really like AATJ's version 8/10

I remember AATJ's winning the Mercury Prize in 2005 (relatively unknown compared to Kaiser Chiefs) and thinking how good & different they were.

I've not heard of them much since and often wondered what happened to them.

It looks like Antony became Anohni.

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

LawrieAbrahams

Detest the Guns n roses version.

cafctom

Guns N Roses without question. Saw them performing it live on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in dedication to those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower.

And as for songs like 'November Rain' and 'Estranged' being "pretty poor", I would love to know what's on your iPod Friend of Defoe!

Friend Or Defoe

cafctom said:

Guns N Roses without question. Saw them performing it live on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in dedication to those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower.

And as for songs like 'November Rain' and 'Estranged' being "pretty poor", I would love to know what's on your iPod Friend of Defoe!

Well they're both on it! They never topped Appetite.

cafctom

Friend Or Defoe said:

cafctom said:

Guns N Roses without question. Saw them performing it live on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in dedication to those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower.

And as for songs like 'November Rain' and 'Estranged' being "pretty poor", I would love to know what's on your iPod Friend of Defoe!

Well they're both on it! They never topped Appetite.

If they had topped it then it would have taken a pretty phenomenal effort.

If they had combined the best tracks from Use Your Illusion I and II then they would have certainly run it close.

Friend Or Defoe

cafctom said:

Friend Or Defoe said:

cafctom said:

Guns N Roses without question. Saw them performing it live on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in dedication to those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower.

And as for songs like 'November Rain' and 'Estranged' being "pretty poor", I would love to know what's on your iPod Friend of Defoe!

Well they're both on it! They never topped Appetite.

If they had topped it then it would have taken a pretty phenomenal effort.

If they had combined the best tracks from Use Your Illusion I and II then they would have certainly run it close.

If you get rid of the spinal tap stuff there was some good stuff on there. Especially the cover of live and let die.

maidstoneaddick

Guns N Roses

garfield

Guns & roses by a whisker, first time I've AATJ version very good as well

lolwray

seth plum said:

Isn't this a day early?
Anyway, for a start neither are even close to the Dylan original. The Dylan one has that beautiful choir like platform for a very accessible vocal for those often put off by Dylan's (brilliant) voice. Personally I have never heard a version that comes close.
It was a bedroom strummers and buskers favourite in my day, and to an extent the Guns and Roses is a production values, stadium rock, searing guitar, almost Spinal Tappish development of that aspiration. It has a high threshold to meet in the Dylan version, and I see it as an easy singalong at Guns and Roses concerts.
The Anthony and the Johnsons version is quite a contrast. stripped back and led by a clean piano sound, and his sweet beautiful voice occasionally supplemented by the subtlest of harmonies. However listening to that version I was distracted by wondering why he recorded it at all. Was it to make him accessible in the USA? His award winning work is very fine stuff indeed, and it is the furrow I would think he is best off ploughing.
Back to the comparison, for me is is Anthony and the Johnsons by a lot of furlongs. I am a fan of voices and in comparison to Guns and Roses vocal on this number he is more satisfying to listen to, more sympathetic and better in that regard.

what a wonderful Critique Seth ...you could have cut and pasted that from "sounds c1972" ..you ve missed your calling unless of course you are really whispering Bob Harris

cabbles

cafctom said:

Guns N Roses without question. Saw them performing it live on Saturday at the Olympic Stadium in dedication to those who lost their lives at Grenfell Tower.

And as for songs like 'November Rain' and 'Estranged' being "pretty poor", I would love to know what's on your iPod Friend of Defoe!

Estranged is my favourite song of all time. I could never tire of listening to it. G'n'R are one of my favourite bands of all time. I would love to have been old enough to go to a gig of theirs in their heyday. I would loved to have been there on sat @cafctom , you must've been buzzing mate

In answer to HI's original question, G'n'R's version for me

AddicksAddict

Henry Irving said:

Two covers versions of the same song. Listen to both without prejudice and say which you prefer.

No other versions not even the Dylan original

Is it the heavy rock cover by Guns and Roses or the soulful version by Anthony and the Johnsons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyRKh5Czbmo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNpCx_TDO24

Would you rather be hit in the face by a hammer or a pick axe, @Henry Irving? Not being hit is not an option.

24 Red

AATJ on the basis that soulful beats heavy rock every time, all else being equal.