Who Rocked it Better?Music

[TexRex]

Isley Brothers!

Original by John Denver:



Cover by The Decemberists:



What are the odds it gets answered before New Years?

Should also note that there's a cover by Alan Jackson, but new country suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks and I deigned to include it as an option.

 

[Sanji Himura]

Denver. I could tell which version is better by the opening line.

Note about this one: This song underwent a name change between the covers, but this is essentially the same song. Also, there were multiple covers, but I picked the two most popular covers for this contest.

Original by Kaye Ballard (1954):


Cover one by Frank Sinatra and Count Basie (1964):


Cover two by Claire (1995):

 

[TexRex]

Good grief this thread is due for a bump.

Tough call. Very, very, very tough call; but not necessarily for any reason those at all familiar with how I swing would expect.

Impulse is to go with Frank. It's what I know best and I love Frank anyway. However, that second cover has a samba-y appeal that hits me in all the right places.

Very tough call, indeed, and an admirable effort on the latter cover version.

Okay, I don't really believe in an afterlife, but if there is one and I end up in the same place as Frank, I really don't want this choice looming over my head when I meet him.

Frank.



Here's one that's proven to be a tough call for me because I do so love Cheap Trick, but I think the cover is that good...

Original by Cheap Trick from their 1979 release Dream Police:



Cover by former alt-rocker and current film composer Jon Brion, from his 2001 debut solo release Meaningless:

 

[990cc]

Cheap Trick is better

Billy Joe Royal - Hush 1967
Somebody's Image - Hush 1967
Kris Ife - Hush 1967
Merrilee Rush - Hush 1968
Deep Purple - Hush 1968
The Love Affair - Hush 1968
Five by Five - Hush 1968
Johnny Hallyday - Mal (Hush) 1968
I Colours - Hush 1968
Tom (Tom Körberg) - Hush 1968
The Avengers - Hush 1968
Joe South - Hush 1969
Quelli - Hush 1969
Woody Herman - Hush 1969
Las Ventanas - Murmullo (Hush) 1969
Los Rockin' Devils - Murmullo (Hush) 1969
Los Yaki - Murmullo (Hush)
Santo & Johnny Hush 1970
Jeannie C. Riley - Hush 1973
Funky Junction - Hush 1973
Blue Swede - Hush I'm Alive 1975
Linda Fletcher - Hush 1978
Russell Morris & The Rubes - Hush 1980
Santa Esmeralda - Hush 1981
Charles Cannon - Hush 1981
Funk Machine - Hush 1982
The Prisoners - Hush 1984
Little Bob Story - Hush 1987
Milli Vanilli - Hush 1988
Killdozer - Hush 1989
The Prime Movers - Hush 1991
Gotthard - Hush 1992
Dinho Ouro Preto / Vertigo - Hush 1994
Björn Skifs - Hush I´m Alive 1995
Dan Baird - Hush 1996
Mr. Ed Jumps The Gun - Hush 1996
Joe Lynn Turner - Hush 1997
Kula Shaker - Hush 1997
Complex - Hush 1999 1971
Captain Jack - Hush (Na nanana) 2003
Bjorn Berge - Hush 2013

 

[Danoff]

Deep Purple

 

[TexRex]

Love Dolly, but Livvy takes it easily. The White Stripes bring up the rear simply due to the source rather than the execution (however it was slower than I think it ought to be), and a studio recording or more subdued live environment would likely have it sitting at third.

Original by The Beatles:



Cover by Nick Cave:

 

[Sanji Himura]

Beatles.

Original by Stan Jones (1948)


Cover by Johnny Cash (1979)


Cover by The Outlaws (1980)

 

[TB]

Mr. Cash

 

[Draggon]

No contest, has to be The Cranberries ( on of my favorite songs too ).

Original Fox on the Run


Cover by the Regrettes

 

[TexRex]

The Sweet!



Original by Buzzcocks (1978):



Cover by Fine Young Cannibals (1986):



Cover by Pete Yorn (2004):

 

[prousonhairy]

Pete Yorn



Original: Rolling Stones



Cover: Townes Van Zandt



Cover: Dax Riggs

To me the original is a classic and hard to beat, but both the covers are excellent versions as well, with their own unique spin. Dax slays on this cover with his vocals, I’m partial to that version if I had to choose, but I really like all 3. 👍

 

[Draggon]

It's got to be the Stones. This took me back about 40 years. 👍

Here's two distinct styles, one more rock oriented and the other one, well, not quite punk and not quite new wave. You make the call.

 

[prousonhairy]

Jonathon Richman & the Modern Lovers. That’s a classic.



Ken Hensley



Uriah Heep

 

[TexRex]

I mean...does that really count?



I'll go Ken Hensley...

...

...

...with Uriah Heap.



How about another Modern Lovers original? Minor language warning (it's pretty benign, but better safe than sorry).

Original by Modern Lovers (1976):



Cover by John Cale (1975...yep, it's indeed a cover):



Cover by Burning Sensations (1984):



Cover by Television Personalities (1998):



Cover by David Bowie (2003):

 

[Sanji Himura]

Have to give it to Television Personalities.

This one has four choices, one of them a link, but you'll know why when you load up the videos.

Hoyt Axton original (1971):


Three Dog Night cover (1971):


Elvis Presley cover (1972):


KLUV Mix (2006ish):
http://www.coffeeshoptimes.com/NeverBeenToSpain-BarricklowSummersReMix.mp3

Why the fourth selection? Around 2006, KLUV (Dallas, TX) DJ John Summers produced the above mix, and it became a passive hit locally.

 

[BKGlover]

While I'd like to give the local the nod, Three Dog Night.

This one perplexes me. I like both, but I cannot give an honest answer which is the better version.

The Original:


The Cover:

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

The Offspring, no contest.

The original Alice Cooper performance;


Or the cover from The Hollywood Vampires;

 

[Sanji Himura]

The only thing that Hollywood Vampires has against it is that it has "Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2" on it.

Alice Cooper.

The Original by Little Eva (1962 [#1 on the Pop Charts])



Cover by Grand Funk Railroad (1974 [Also #1 on the Pop Charts])



Cover by Kylie Minogue (1988 [#3 on the pop charts])

 

[TexRex]

GFR!!!

Original by David Bowie (1977):



Cover by Book Of Love (1993):



Cover by The Sea And Cake (2003):



Cover by Matthew Dear (2008, featured on a tribute compilation):



And one last one, reworked by Sonjay Prabhakar from the original master tapes for a Sony smartphone ad campaign, as "Sound And Vision 2013":