Covers that stole the original...

[Magic]

^^^ Very interesting. The original version is actually very good.

I think so, too. Jake Holmes was a one man band and did you notice there are no drums?

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

If we're talking about a head and shoulders better cover than the original then I think I'll take Patti Smith's rendition of Them's "Gloria". The original is cute but Patti turns it into a dangerous, intense, building punk song.

 

[Aero]

Got another one (and this one really was stolen).


Original by Jake Holmes "Dazed and Confused"




Made famous by Led Zeppelin:





Factoid: Led Zeppelin never credited Jake for the original and a huge court battle took place which finally was settled last year (2012) out of court.

That guy must've cleaned up on that lawsuit. I don't know why they didn't just credit him in the first place. It's not like it's open to interpretation on whether or not the two songs are alike. They even stole the title of the song.

 

[Aero]

If we're talking about a head and shoulders better cover than the original then I think I'll take Patti Smith's rendition of Them's "Gloria". The original is cute but Patti turns it into a dangerous, intense, building punk song.

I expected to disagree with this like I have with pretty much all the other songs in this thread but I actually liked this version. Still not as good as the original by THEM but a very nice, original take on the song.

Now...staying with this song, I'm gonna make my own declaration of a better version...and that's done by The Doors. Jim Morrison is much more sexual with the lyrics (what he does best) and even ad libs a few new lyrics himself, plus the music matches the original which cannot be improved upon.

 

[Jake T]

This cover may not be better or even more popular than the original, but it's the version that introduced me to the song.

Blue Cheer - Summertime Blues

 

[Fever]

I prefer Dreams(I'll Never See) by Molly Hatchet over the original by the Allman Brothers



I like Nantucket's version of It's A Long Way To The Top(If You Wanna Rock and Roll)

 

[Fever]

Jeff Healey's Stuck In The Middle With You is pretty good



I prefer Steve Miller's version of Jet Airliner

Here is the original by Paul Pena

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

I expected to disagree with this like I have with pretty much all the other songs in this thread but I actually liked this version. Still not as good as the original by THEM but a very nice, original take on the song.

Now...staying with this song, I'm gonna make my own declaration of a better version...and that's done by The Doors. Jim Morrison is much more sexual with the lyrics (what he does best) and even ad libs a few new lyrics himself, plus the music matches the original which cannot be improved upon.

The sexy part in the middle was a bit of a lull for me but they rest of it was really really great. I still like Patti's a bit more myself, even though the vocals aren't as good.



Probably close to half of Janis Joplin's recorded catalog was made up of covers and WOOO were the doozies.

To Love Somebody (originally by The Bee Gees)



Ball & Chain (originally by Big Mama Thornton)

 

[Magic]

Manfred Mann stole the spotlight from Springsteen with "Blinded By the Light"







Manfred Mann's version is also one of the best songs for misheard lyrics

 

[Fever]

Here are two more Springsteen songs that Manfred Mann's Earth Band did.I always thought Chris Thompson had one of the best voices.

Spirits in the Night



For You