New Mix Tapes: Remakes better than the original
I'll go first!
The most obvious would be NIN's "Hurt" which even NIN lead Trent Reznor agreed that Johnny Cash's remake of "Hurt" was 1000 times better than the original.
Others I would add:
"Get Down Make Love" - I was never a big fan of Queen's "News of the World" album and the song "Get Down Make Love" seems like a bad night of drunk sex. However I love the remake that was done by Nine Inch Nails (NIN) where they turn a bad Queen song into something very mesmerizing!
"I'm Your Boogie Man" - Who would have thunk that anyone would want to remake bad disco music from the 70s but White Zombie did a remake that is a hardcore metal dance version that really makes this song amazing.
and finally the one remake where I can't decide if I like the remake more than the original but I love them both equally
"Give a Little Bit" - I love this song by Supertramp because even on my shittiest of days this song will turn my mood around and make me happy happy happy. The Goo Goo Dolls did a remake of this song that made it their own and is equally as good as the Supertramp version. I have a playlist of my 100 favorite songs of all time and "Give a Little Bit" is the only song that is on there twice from 2 different bands.
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I like the Byrds' version better than Dylan's.
Don't get me wrong, I like Dylan, I think he's an awesome songwriter, but the song as done by the Byrds is my favorite (unless I need a laugh, and then I listen to William Shatner's version).
Heck, if it meant getting Joe Strummer back, I'd buy an album of Yoko Ono covers if they did it!!!
Who doesn't love the Mary Tyler Moore Show original?
But, have you heard the Joan Jett and the Blackhearts version?
If you have, you know why it's even more full of win.
Joan Jett is one of those few women I'd be tempted to switch teams for.....
... off the top of my head, here are a few covers that are arguably better than the originals.
"Twist and Shout," Beatles over Isleys.
"Sympathy for the Devil," Guns 'n Roses over Stones.
"All Along the Watchtower," Hendrix over Dylan (in general, I'd say most covers of Dylan tunes are better than Dylan's version, which is not intended as snark. And that includes the Four Seasons cover of "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right," although I admit that could be snark).
"Baby Got Back," Hightower over Mix-a-Lot.
"Twisted," Joni Mitchell over Annie Ross.
In the category of "Flip a coin" is "As Tears Go By." Hard to pick between the Stones and Maryann Faithful. And "Ling Ting Tong," Five Keys or Charms, take your pick.
A different interesting topic would be songs where the better-known and more-popular cover is not as good as the original. "Barbara Ann" comes immediately to mind for me. Some people don't even know the Regents did it before the Beach Boys. Two others that fit this category gained fame when Elvis did them: Big Mama Thornton's "Hound Dog" and Carl Perkins's "Blue Suede Shoes." If you haven't heard Big Mama's version (which was #1 on the RnB charts for seven weeks in 1953), you ought to.
"You're the One" also fits in this category. Pet Clark's version preceded the Vogues, but the latter were more popular in the US. I think her version has a lot more energy.
-- Mal
Reading is Fundamental!
"Staying Alive"
Ozzy Osbourne and Dweezil Zappa did a Ozzy-flavored verson of the old Bee Gees tune.
Ozzy even growls, "I am Disco Man" during the song. 
"Land Of Confusion"
Disturbed did a good cover of the classic Genesis tune.
I'd like to see this 100 song playlist of yours!
Last edited Mon Aug 4, 2014, 05:48 PM - Edit history (2)
since my husband has discovered them, it's "All Mumford and Sons all the time"!!
I like Mumford and Sons, but I certainly wouldn't say that all 25 of my most favorite songs are Mumford and Sons!
So, I did some compiling and editing and I have an approximate top 25 (since you were kind enough to post yours)
The Distance - Cake
Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand
Kiss Off - Violent Femmes
Respectable Street - XTC
Hem of Your Garment - Cake
Mysterious Ways - U2
Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks
Mexico - Cake
Champagne Supernova - Oasis
Cuyahoga - REM
Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones
Ball and Chain - Social Distortion
Change - Tears for Fears
White & Nerdy - Weird Al Yankovic
I Fought the Law - Clash
Hot Hot Hot!!! - Cure
White Lines (Don't Don't Do It) - Grandmaster Flash
Lust For Life - Iggy Pop
Love Is All Around - Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
Mirror People - Love & Rockets
Wings of a Dove - Madness
Love Profusion - Madonna
Enola Gay - OMD
Last Night I Dreamt that Somebody Loved Me - Smiths
Ring of Fire - Social Distortion
on further edit: it's Blitzkrieg BOP not Bob! 
The grooves CCR produced in these two tunes always transport me to a different place. Amazing band, and a couple of outstanding covers.
H8r. 
