Live versions that are substantially better than the original

[Syd]

I'm going to post some "newer" stuff, considering most of you post things from the 60's and 70's. This is Green Day's 'King For A Day'. A rather funny song, but when played live it's really awesome and powerful, mainly because of the lead singer's interaction with the audience and some things they introduce to the song.

 

[Hardnecker]

Beth by Kiss off of the Unplugged album. The crowds reaction alone made me shiver. I'd always hoped Kiss would get the original members back together and I saw them twice and the shows were everything you'd expect. I do think that Gene, Paul, Bruce and Eric was the best lineup from a musicians viewpoint. The Revenge album as well as the Carnival of Souls record were the heaviest records they did.

 

[Nololob]

Two best live albums.

 

[tribalfusion]

Rainbow's Mistreated, Catch the Rainbow, 16th Century Greensleeves and Man on the Silver Mountain are all better on On Stage as far as I am concerned...

Also Deep Purple's Lazy and Child in Time on Made in Japan

 

[hawk11]

Fool For The City - Foghat
Slow Ride - Foghat
Man On The Silver Mountain - Rainbow
Kill The King - Rainbow
Exciter - Judas Priest
Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul McCartney

Also feel that most of the songs on Kiss Alive sounded better than the originals.

 

[Travelin' Man]

At the risk of sounding self-serving....

Travelin' Man/Beautiful Loser ~ Rockin' Robert Seger - I have a specific and sentimental reason for loving these songs.

Turn the Page ~ The aforementioned

Must Have Got Lost ~ J. Geils Band

Do You Feel Like We Do ~ Frampton

I Don't Need No Doctor ~ Humble Pie (speaking of Frampton)

Goodbye Norma Jean ~ Reg

 

[gabriel cash]

ain't no love in the heart of the city by whitesnake

 

[gabriel cash]

oh and everything on live at budokan by cheap trick

 

[Big Ears]

The Green Manalishi by Judus Priest is better than their studio version.

 

[Khor1255]

That's funny that I don't even remember the studio version. Are you sure you aren't thinking of Diamonds and Rust?

I like soooo many things better live than studio it ain't funny but all I'm comming up with now is 'What you're Doing' by Rush. Geddy absolutely wails and it just seems like the perfect live interpretation.
Some songs can utterly rise above mediocraty when performed live and I get why. There is a cumulative energy that cannot be reproduced in the studio.


I don't think I would have liked to hear the studio version of 'Asbury Park' by Crimso for example. har har.