The best ever cover version imo is The Loved One by INXS
I wouldn’t claim that any of these are ’better’ but they are versions not yet mentionned I really like:
Lithium (Nirvana) by The Polyphonic Spree
The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore by Keane - I don’t like to say better but I do think that Tom Chaplin sings it so well
An Arrow in the Wall by Churches (not really a cover entirely (of a Death Cab for Cutie song)
Fall on Me (REM) by Death Cab for Cutie
Love is all Around Me by REM (I just love Mike Mills’s backing vocals)
#9 Dream by REM
Feels like Heaven (Fiction Factory) by Roosevelt
The Fool On The Hill by Sig Ragga
Eleanor Rigby by Pomplamousse
Only heard the unplugged version which is fantastic. Im sure you meant lead vocals when mentioning Mike Mills, something I wish REM had used more. Near Wild Heaven is a beautiful song.
The one time when Neil Diamond paid a tribute to John Lennon at a live concert - Golden Slumbers
That's a Paul McCartney song, or am I missing something?
Certainly McCartney.
Well exactly, so how a tribute to John Lennon?
You can dedicate a song to anyone. Lennon had only been dead a few years when Diamond recorded the medley.
Well quite, but then the reference to Lennon is irrelevant in the context of this thread which is "covers better than the original" where the poster is using the example of a Paul McCartney song.
Neil Diamond covered a Beatles song and dedicated it to John Lennon.
You're over thinking it.
I'm trying to bloody forget about it, but you keep banging on
With the passing of Quincy Jones, I was listening to his “I’ll be good to you” with Chaka Khan and Ray Charles on vocals. I didn’t realise it was originally a much slower song by The Brothers Johnson. Gotta say I prefer the more upbeat Chaka/Ray version but I don’t know if subconsciously I think of that as the original (if you get what I mean) and if I’d known the Brothers Johnson version, I’d think differently.
The Band's cover of Marvin Gaye's "Baby Don't Do It"
Northern Soul v Funky Americana
Not really Northern, just club soul. (ie just general 6ts soul)
Try Little Darling (The Flirtations also did a decent cover that was played on the Northern scene in the late 70s) or Love Starved Heart both great tracks played on the Northern scene by Marvin (Sorry off topic)
I saw him live a couple of times, the first time at the IoW in 1970 and the last in Manchester in 2013 - so 43 years apart but probably my most listened to artist in those intervening years! A remarkable talent and a remarkable man, illustrated in this alone.
I like that speech particularly the quote: ’The great inevitable defeat that awaits us all’
It was interesting to hear how he learnt to play 🎸
I was quite ignorant of Leonard Cohen until I heard ’Suzanne ’ a few years ago and thought ’hey, that sounds like an REM song’ (being that I’m a big fan of REM, I recognised the similarity).
That song is ’Hope’ from the album 'Up’
Just as that led me to listen and enjoy more of Cohen’s music, I recommend all Leonard Cohen fans @charltonbob@bobmunro to listen to ’Hope’ and indeed more of the songs from the album which I consider Michael Stipe’ best writing. Just start with 'Suspicion’ (my favourite of all REM songs) and go on from there.
I just heard Bastille's version of Merry Xmas Everybody and I thought it was well worth broadening out this thread for; cover versions that stink the place out. Also in this category any cover version of Tears For Fears excellent Mad World.
Comments
Im sure you meant lead vocals when mentioning Mike Mills, something I wish REM had used more. Near Wild Heaven is a beautiful song.
Like a Virgin - Teenage Fanclub
Money (Barret Strong) covered by The Beatles
Say Hello, Wave Goodbye - David Gray
I didn’t realise it was originally a much slower song by The Brothers Johnson.
Gotta say I prefer the more upbeat Chaka/Ray version but I don’t know if subconsciously I think of that as the original (if you get what I mean) and if I’d known the Brothers Johnson version, I’d think differently.
The Damned cover of LOVE Alone Again OR .
.
Northern Soul v Funky Americana
I'm losing you The Faces
Try Little Darling (The Flirtations also did a decent cover that was played on the Northern scene in the late 70s) or Love Starved Heart both great tracks played on the Northern scene by Marvin (Sorry off topic)
’The great inevitable defeat that awaits us all’
It was interesting to hear how he learnt to play 🎸
I was quite ignorant of Leonard Cohen until I heard ’Suzanne ’ a few years ago and thought ’hey, that sounds like an REM song’ (being that I’m a big fan of REM, I recognised the similarity).
That song is ’Hope’ from the album 'Up’
Just as that led me to listen and enjoy more of Cohen’s music, I recommend all Leonard Cohen fans @charltonbob @bobmunro to listen to ’Hope’ and indeed more of the songs from the album which I consider Michael Stipe’ best writing. Just start with 'Suspicion’ (my favourite of all REM songs) and go on from there.
Black Magic Woman .. Santana, at least the equal of the P Green/F Mac original
Always on my mind - Pet Shop Boys