Cover Songs That Stand on Their Own

[jon_berzerk]

Townes Van Zandt poncho and lefty

by

Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard

 

[DriftingSand]

Original: "Oh Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison (loved it).

Covered by Van Halen (loved it a little more):

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSEGQqcqq3A]Van Halen - Oh, Pretty Woman + lyrics - YouTube[/ame]

 

[DriftingSand]

"House of the Rising Sun" originally sung by Texas Alexander back in 1928. More popularly sung by The Animals but I like the Frijid Pink version (I'm an old acid-head, rock-n-roller):

House Of The Rising Sun by Frijid Pink:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t40INnb6DnY#t=30]Frijid Pink - House of the Rising Sun - YouTube[/ame]

 

[shart_attack]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xg-clbLyRNY]Quiet Riot, Cum On Feel the Noize[/ame]

(^ IMHO that's durned near a thread-ender, right there. ^)

 

[Bill Angel]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSWdug1HiCg]Pete Townshend- Save It for Later - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Mojo2]

"House of the Rising Sun" originally sung by Texas Alexander back in 1928. More popularly sung by The Animals but I like the Frijid Pink version (I'm an old acid-head, rock-n-roller):

House Of The Rising Sun by Frijid Pink:

Frijid Pink - House of the Rising Sun - YouTube

Now THIS is what a great post in this thread does.

It acknowledges the original by name. It mentions the cover that might be more well known and then it introduces the poster's selection.

Perfect, DriftingSand.

Perfect!

 

[Dr Grump]

 

[Dr Grump]

 

[Mojo2]

Original: "Oh Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbison (loved it).

Covered by Van Halen (loved it a little more):

Van Halen - Oh, Pretty Woman + lyrics - YouTube

This absolutely stands on its own!

A fresh remake.

Nice.

 

[Mojo2]

Mama Cass - Dream A Little Dream Of Me (with lyrics) - YouTube

Who did the original?

Sharing that would be part of the fun of sharing the cover song, imho.

"Dream a Little Dream of Me" is a song, from c.1931, with music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt[1] and lyrics by Gus Kahn. It was first recorded in February 1931 by Ozzie Nelson and also by Wayne King and His Orchestra, with vocal by Ernie Birchill. A popular standard, more than 60 other versions have been recorded, but some of the highest chart ratings were in 1968 by Mama Cass Elliot with The Mamas & the Papas.

Dream a Little Dream of Me - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thanks for this. Please everbody, some readers may not bother listening to your obscure songs posted with no background info.

Please, consider naming the original at LEAST.

Helena, your addendum is above the call of duty!

Thanks!

And the Ozzie Nelson mentioned in the wiki text can ONLY be THE Ozzie Nelson of Ozzie & Harriet TV fame.

He sired David and more notably musically, Ricky Nelson, who became a teen idol in the 50's and 60's.

His last big hit was, Garden Party.

He died in a plane crash in the early 1970's along with his band mates and traveling entourage.

Nelson's former wife, Kristin Nelson, is sister of NCIS star, Mark Harmon.

Thanks for the info!

 

[DriftingSand]

I'm not sure if this qualifies but Eric Clapton played one or two "unplugged" cover songs that he originally performed "electrically." The newer versions are a bit softer and toned-down but I believe they stand alone based on the totally different style in which they were/are done:

Layla by Eric Clapton (unplugged):
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y9T15kAF8U]Eric Clapton - Layla Unplugged (7/14) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Mojo2]

I'm not sure if this qualifies but Eric Clapton played one or two "unplugged" cover songs that he originally performed "electrically." The newer versions are a bit softer and toned-down but I believe they stand alone based on the totally different style in which they were/are done:

Layla by Eric Clapton (unplugged):
Eric Clapton - Layla Unplugged (7/14) - YouTube

Man, you cite great examples and your posts give me everything I need to know before ! dive in to listen.

Great!

 

[DriftingSand]

Not to overdue one of my favorite musicians, Eric Clapton, I can't help but bring up the tune, Crossroads. Originally sung by the old blues singer, Robert Johnson, I MUST say that Clapton's rendition is the better of the two and a total stand-alone:

Crossroads by Eric Clapton and Cream:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvouiDJSTUE]Cream ( Eric Clapton ) - Crossroads ( best match ) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[DriftingSand]

Although I'm generally a fan of hard rock (especially rock of the 70s) I am captivated by the voice of Johnny Cash. Some may have heard of a band called "Nine Inch Nails." In the mid 90s they came out with a tune called "Hurt." It was pretty obscure but also cool to listen to with a "Goth" feel to it. I enjoyed it but I really enjoyed Johnny Cash's remake of it. You can feel and hear the true pain in Cash's voice as he was truly suffering pain in his final years on earth.

Hurt by Johnny Cash:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aF9AJm0RFc"]Johnny Cash - Hurt - YouTube[/ame]

Beware ... a tear jerker if you really stop to listen.

 

[DriftingSand]

Back in 1985 a band called "The Family" headed by the pop icon, Prince, sang a song called "Nothing Compares To You." I'm not even sure if it got much radio time and I'm not sure I even knew that it was a "cover tune" when Sinead O'Connor remade the song in 1990. I didn't find that out until later. Again ... this isn't usually my style of music but Sinead put such deep feeling into the tune that I couldn't help but be a fan:

"Nothing Compare To You" by Sinead O'Connor:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUiTQvT0W_0]Sinéad O'Connor - Nothing Compares 2U - YouTube[/ame]

 

[DriftingSand]

Again ... I'm not too sure this qualifies as a "cover tune" but the story behind it is interesting. A song called "Shambala" was written by a man named Daniel Moore (date unknown). In 1973 two different groups recorded and released the tune. The first to record and release it was B.W. Stevenson who sang it with a country flavor. Later that same year the song was released by Three Dog Night. I remember listening to it on 8 Track Tapes way back then.

Shambala by Three Dog Night:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmTx9y7ePTg]THREE DOG NIGHT- "SHAMBALA" (W/LYRICS) - YouTube[/ame]

 

[DriftingSand]

Everyone knows the tune, "Dream On," by Aerosmith. How many folks know that Ronnie James Dio covered the tune in his typical style? I like the Aerosmith version better but this one isn't bad (I think he was trying to feature his guitar work).

Dream On by Ronnie James Dio:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xGfoppeZTk"]RONNIE JAMES DIO - DREAM ON - YouTube[/ame]

 

[asterism]

The original by The Eurythmics:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeMFqkcPYcg]Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - YouTube[/ame]

The cover by Marilyn Manson

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7cPgonpbwo]Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams [Music Video] - YouTube[/ame]

 

[asterism]

The original by New Order:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOFO1XOZXRM]New Order - Blue Monday - YouTube[/ame]

The cover by Orgy:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8gVmD39AmI]Orgy "Blue Monday" - YouTube[/ame]

 

[asterism]

The original by Seals & Crofts:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsW8rXPcnM0]Summer Breeze - Seals & Croft #1 Hit(1972) - YouTube[/ame]

The AWESOME cover by Type O Negative:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNo7ZZryuSQ]Type O Negative - Summer Breeze - YouTube[/ame]