Do you know any examples of covers which are better than the original?

I may be mistaken on this, but I think the Johnny Cash version of hurt is a cover. and it is by far superior to all other versions imo.

@poisonedantidote I was stunned when I first heard Johnny Cash sing that, I was driving and pulled over. to the side of the road. No other song ever hit me like that. I’ve seen a couple of other people react the same way.

@jaytkay Yes, it is a very powerful song. i’m actually listening to it now. i still can’t quite put in to words the emotions it stirs up within me. sadness, regret for things past, regret for things to come, depression, grief, and yet it some how makes me kind of happy.

I think its probably so powerful because he has the authority and reputation to make you fully believe he means every word of it.

Jeff Buckley’s cove of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.

Jeff Buckley was perfect.

Peter, Paul, and Mary’s cover of Dylan’s “Blowing In The Wind”.

Jimi Hendrix’s cover of Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower”.

I don’t know if Dionne Warwick’s version of “I Say A Little Prayer” is the original, but I think it preceded Aretha Franklin’s and I prefer Aretha’s.

I had not heard the Johnny Cash version of “Hurt” but found it here and have to agree that is pretty intense (almost like it was written FOR him to sing they way they put the video together).

My favorite remake is in Dutch. The original is sung by Blof and the remake is sung by Sarah Bettens with orchestra The chorus of this song just grabs my heart every time I hear it (you don’t need to speak Dutch to find it moving).

@janbb It happened again, You gave the answer I was thinking of. Leonard Cohen as a singer is a good poet. Jeff Buckley’s cover was sublime.

@Christian95 I also preferred Adam Lambert’s version.

@poisonedantidote I had never heard that either. It brought me and my husband to tears listening to it. The original was by Nine Inch Nails.

Pretty much anything by Weird Al Yankovich

@Cruiser cover, not parody ;-)

RIVETHEAD – Sexy Back

Somewhere over the Rainbow – Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

Disturbed – Land of Confusion

This betters the Soft Cell original….....for me anyway.

Kashmir by Escala

“Hurt” by Johnny Cash is definitely superior than the original by Nine Inch Nails. I believe Reznor even said that Cash made the song his own.

I probably won’t receive a favourable response for this one, but I enjoy Ray Charles’ cover of Yesterday more than the original. And both “With A Little Help From My Friends” by Joe Cocker oozes brilliance.

Take Another Piece of my Heart by Janis Joplin (originally sung by Erma Williams.)

I love the Carpenters version of Superstar. Not the biggest fan of Sonic Youth’s version, though.

I’m sure I’m forgetting tons of covers I’m fond of, but these are the ones that jumped out at me.

Got To Get You Into My Life, originally by Paul McCartney/The Beatles, was surpassed, IMO, by Earth, Wind and Fire.

Earth, Wind and Fire’s version always makes me wish I was a Broadway dancer, ca. 1975. Can you imagine the spectacular dance routine that could be choreographed to this? Jazz hands!

smiles from the trenches ‘bad romance’

oh yeah and ‘hey ya’ by matt weddle of obadiah parker

Trouble No More by The Allman Brothers. I like it better than Muddy Waters.

@Neizvestnaya I agree!! GA!

I like Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version of Shake for Me over Howlin Wolf’s.One of my favorites

@lucillelucillelucille Stevie Ray’s version of pretty much any song he covered spanks the original! Good song choice

@Cruiser—I know.So,there. XD

Tool’s version of “No Quarter” by Led Zeppelin. As righteous as Zeppelin’s version is, Tool’s blows my mind.

Radiohead’s Karma Police by Brass Roots

Sorry to keep going on about Radiohead, but this is quite something.

Travis’s cover of Britney’s Baby One More Time was great.
Tina Turner doing Son Of A Preacher Man is fantastic.
I like Rufus Wainwright’s version of Hallelujah.