And I’m not saying that the original is bad. You have to have a good song to have a good cover in my opinion. But sometimes the cover artist just understands the mission and takes what the original song did and expands on that a hundred times over.
What’re some of your guys’s favorites?
Very common opinion, but “Hurt” originally by NIN covered by Johnny Cash. He really puts his mark on it, especially considering how old he was when he did the cover.
I might be the only person who prefers the original
I don’t prefer one or the other. The two are so different from each other that it’s hard to even think of them as being the same song. It just depends on my mood which one I want to listen to.
I share this view. Someone elsewhere on the thread said that the best covers are ones that recontextualise the original, and this song/cover feels like the perfect example of it. I just can’t directly compare the original to the cover because they’re going for such different things
Good point.
I definitely prefer the original. The layering and orchestration is better and more complex (but not too complex). I prefer Rezner’s voice in that as well. I don’t hate Cash’s version, but I don’t love it.
Nah, I also prefer the NIN one. It’s just that Cash did a great job at the cover.
I think Kermit’s cover of Cash’s cover was brilliant.
Definitely a classic.
There’s also the Sevendust version from Southside Double-wide Acoustic Live… just to stir the pot a little more 🙂
Haven’t heard it. I know what I’ll be listening to next. Thanks.
Jimi Hendrix’s version of All Along The Watchtower by Bob Dylan. It’s likely to be the only version of the song most people have ever heard.
And even Dylan agreed it was better
Is it still a cover if the original artist agrees to let you adopt the song? Dylan said it’s Hendrix’ song now.
yeah I love that Dylan said he felt like he was covering jimi when he played it.
I’m not sure I’d agree that it’s jimis song though considering he never played it out, just made the studio cover for Are You Experienced
Nirvana did a bunch of great ones during their brief time together.
The Man Who Sold The World has already been mentioned, but their versions of Turnaround by Devo, Plateau and Lake of Fire by Meat Puppets, and Where Did you Sleep Last Night and They Hung Him On A Cross by Leadbelly are all beautiful renditions in their own ways.
Of those, I’d say that Where Did You Sleep Last Night and both of the Meat Puppets covers are just as distinctly re-stanked by that Nirvana magic as their Bowie cover was. I like their version of They Hung Him On A Cross more than the original too, but tbh it always made me feel a bit weird hearing a white man singing that one. I get that it came from a place of reverence and compassion, but…idk man. I am both mixed race and have mixed feelings on that one lol. At the same time though, if any white man was to cover that one, I’m glad it was him since the hurt inherent to Kurt’s voice was a perfect match for the vibe and tone.
Have you heard the original meat puppet versions? Nirvana basically covered them exactly.
Not saying that’s bad. But when you look at songs like “All along the washer tower” by Jimi, or “Whiskey in the Jar” by Metallica. Those covers are completely changed to fit their style. In my mind, that’s what makes a cover great.
A lot of Nirvana’s style is the Meat Puppets
Good covers, but they lack original twists. Meat Puppets even played the music in the unplugged performance. So really it’s wasn’t Nirvana covering them as much as Kurt Cobain singing.
It’s what I have against Weezer’s cover of Toto’s Africa. Good cover, but it doesn’t scream Weezer at all.
huh I’ve never heard the originals, didn’t realize they were 1:1. I think Kurt’s voice suits them perfectly but yeah agreed that the best covers are transformative, as you can see clearly if you wanna go look at my main comment on here haha
I love Weezer’s Africa just because it’s so fucking funny that they did that but yeah, it doesn’t recontextualize anything or even sound like Weezer. would be a lot cooler if it did
I have heard them and was aware that the Puppets performed with Nirvana on those songs, as well as of the former’s overall influence on the latter.
Still, I think there is a depth to Kurt’s voice and an eccentricity to how he played that nudges those versions over a certain metaphysical edge, but that’s just my take on it. As much as he learned from MP, he was also an avid parasocial student of Leadbelly, and that influence makes each version of those songs very distinct pieces in my ears. Still very similar ofc, but also each their own worlds, with their own flavors.
If you disagree, that is perfectly okay, and, either way, I appreciate you adding a bit of context for the uninitiated.
also Jesus doesn’t want me for a Sunbeam which came from unplugged too.
some of my favorite covers nirvana did though were not off unplugged, Love Buzz, Molly’s Lips, And I Love Her
I completely forgot about Love Buzz somehow (that bass line tho) and have already kicked myself for not mentioning their The Vaselines covers. Glad someone brought em up!
I think Incesticide was one of their most vibiest releases and the covers on their are all wonderfully done. Molly’s Lips very much included!
My personal favorites that I like better than the originals and I LOVE the originals:
Whiskey in the Jar - Metallica
Take On Me - Reel Big Fish
99 Red Balloons - Goldfinger
Land of Confusion - Disturbed
La Isla Bonita - Twilight Guardians
Spaceballs - Majestica
Black Betty - Spiderbait
Thriller - Scandroid
Electric Avenue - Skindred
That Spaceballs cover made my day
The Donnie Darko (slowed down version) of Tears for Fears, Mad World.
Great choice. That was done by Gary Jules, btw.
This is almost the gold standard for me, when this question comes up
Both versions are good, but I still prefer the original. I love sad songs that sound happy.
Also it’s funny how everyone including myself initially thinks that the original is the cover.
I love sad songs that sound happy.
OutKast’s “Hey Ya!” has entered the chat.
Nirvana’s version of The Man Who Sold the World.
Crooked Fingers - Long Black Veil
Johnny Cash - Hurt
I will survive by cake.
My first high school dance freshman year they played the original and i belted out every word from memory because i spent all summer listening to Fashion Nugget.
Were you surprised that the original lock was only stupid, not fucking?
faith no more’s easy
The Disturbed cover of Land of Confusion
Or Disturbed’s cover of Sound of Silence
I grew up listening to the original and I still like it very much, but that cover is one of the greatest songs I’ve ever listened to
Yea, that song+video might be the origin of the phrase “goes hard”.
Whitney Houston’s “I will always love you”. I love Dolly Parton but Whitney slayed this song.
I think this is the main one. That song (as performed by Whitney) is absolutely iconic and absolutely transcendental. The Dolly version is good, but if it weren’t for Whitney it would be just another Dolly Parton song.
Goldfinger version of 99 red balloons absolutely nails it in my opinion
A weird one:
“Sludgefest”, an old Alvin and the chipmunks pop record slowed back down to the speed the vocals were recorded.
The result is unironically good – a grimy, moody sound, with deep growling guitar.
This is absolutely awesome, thanks for the introduction to it.
This is fucking awesome. Thank you for sharing!!
i also enjoyed this
Against All Odds by The Postal Service
my mind was blown when I learned that was Ben Gibbard from Death Cab For Cutie on vocals
this live version is especially fantastic, from an album of covers by them, I think the Baby One More Time cover is more popular but I prefer the recontextualization of this one
ridiculously emotional, can really feel his pain in it. I would never have thought this was a Black Sabbath cover had it not been mentioned at the top of the video
no notes. perfect cover.
never would have thought this would work as a duet but it’s perfect, 10/10
Someday I Suppose by Drug Church
Boston.
I love a good cover, the best covers recontextualize the meaning of the song imo
The Civil Wars pretty much made everything perfect.
And sad. But perfect.
That cover of Billie Jean, though. Chills.
I will survive by cake is incredible! 100%. Couldnt agree more.
Way better understanding of the holy mission, ×1699 times expansion on what the original did
No one can compete with the king of parodying Weird Al
