Covers of Covers of Songs

[Kevin Davis]

A conversation about Eddie Vedder performing "Hurt" (originally by NIN, though EV's performance seems very distinctly modeled after the Johnny Cash version) in another thread got me thinking about this. What are some instances of artists covering songs, but modeling their cover on a different artist's cover rather than coming up with their own arrangement (or sticking close to the original artist's)?

Eddie Vedder covering NIN's "Hurt," but using Johnny Cash's arrangement, is an example. PJ's cover of "All Along the Watchtower" is also based much more closely on the Hendrix version than on Dylan's original, as many covers of "Watchtower" are (including many of Dylan's own performances).

Here's one non-PJ example that springs to mind: Leonard Cohen's original "Hallelujah" was released in 1984. John Cale covered it in a solo piano version on a 1991 tribute album. Rufus Wainwright's cover from the Shrek soundtrack in 2001 seems very clearly based on Cale's version rather than Cohen's (Jeff Buckley's version from 1994 is a different thing entirely, but also leans closer to Cale's style than to Cohen's).

Spoiler: show

Any other examples of this out there?

[Bammer]

Any other examples?

No.
-JA

[wease]

There have been some covers of Aretha’s version of Respect.

[warehouse]

There have been some covers of Aretha’s version of Respect.

same thing for 'Proud Mary'

i imagine a lot of bands refer to the black crowes version of 'hard to handle'. its not super different, just more guitars.

[liebzz]

I haven’t heard Dave Matthews cover Just Breathe, but my wife’s friend saw him play it and bragged to me that she now knows a Willie Nelson song. I felt compelled to correct that.

[warehouse]

i think Dave Matthews started covering Just Breathe b/c of Willie Nelson, he inducted him into the rnr hof right around the same time he started covering it. i think he's mentioned EV when playing it though.

[oasisfan35]

Noel Gallagher essentially plays the Ryan Adams arrangement (phrasing?) of Wonderwall acoustic now. It bothered me for a bit but Noel mentioned that it made his own song speak to him... fuck do I know, it's his song.

[coptheriotact]

it does seem strange to want to cover something that somebody already covered.

i notice music sampling samples alot..

find your own sample.

[wease]

Pearl Jam covering The Who’s version of Leaving Here

[daft twat]

This is a pretty narrow topic. How about Nothing Compares 2 U - Prince < Sinead O’Connor < Chris Cornell?


How many covers are so good that the cover is maybe considered the superior version?

Metallica’s Turn the Page (Bob Seger)
Gwen Stefani’s It’s My Life (Talk Talk)
Bananarama’s Venus (Shocking Blue)
arguably Goldfinger’s 99 Luft Balloons (Nena)

[wease]

This is a pretty narrow topic. How about Nothing Compares 2 U - Prince < Sinead O’Connor < Chris Cornell?


How many covers are so good that the cover is maybe considered the superior version?

Metallica’s Turn the Page (Bob Seger)
Gwen Stefani’s It’s My Life (Talk Talk)
Bananarama’s Venus (Shocking Blue)
arguably Goldfinger’s 99 Luft Balloons (Nena)

Hurt
You Really Got Me
All Along the Watchtower

The only one on your list I agree with is Venus.

[i got bugs]

Goldfinger 99LB is far superior to nenas, prob a top 5 ever cover

Rage Tom Joad
Reel big fish take on me
Cake I will survive
Lauryn hill killing me softly
Moe in a big country

Possibly pantera planet caravan, that's pretty even with BS

[Buby]

Lauryn hill killing me softly

*Pushes up glasses*

Well That's Fugees. And you know because Wyclef doesn't know when to shut up.

"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" on the other hand

[Jorge]

The bar band from last night was definitely playing Nirvana's version of "The Man Who Sold the World"

[i got bugs]

Lauryn hill killing me softly

*Pushes up glasses*

Well That's Fugees. And you know because Wyclef doesn't know when to shut up.

"Can't Take My Eyes Off You" on the other hand

It's the fugees but it's all Lauryn

Minus the 32 ONE TIMEs

[Buby]

Minus the 32 ONE TIMEs

[warehouse]

I heard Lorde singing "Take Me to the River" on the radio, a cover of the talking heads covering al green.

side note-paramore also covered 'burning down the house' and its awesome

[i got bugs]

I heard Lorde singing "Take Me to the River" on the radio, a cover of the talking heads covering al green.

side note-paramore also covered 'burning down the house' and its awesome

Just heard the original TMTTR recently n it blew my mind that the TH version was a cover

[warehouse]

yeah it's def one of those songs where the cover is more popular than the original. dmb has done it a few times, most notably with al green on vocals.

[Jorge]

I don't think the TH version of "Take Me To The River" is more famous than the Al Green version.