What the title says.

Over the past weeks/months I've become obsessed with a cover of "Bulls On Parade" by Denzel Curry. Video below:



I one hundred and ten percent believe that is the best version of that song and I'll die on that hill. Rage Against The Machine are on of my favourite bands of all-time, but that cover captures the feel and power of that song more than the original and I absolutely love it. I've listened to it several hundred times and it's incredible.

There's a bit of a stigma about covers, mainly the whole "YOU CAN'T BEAT THE ORIGINAL, BRO," that people tend to throw out there whenever a cover hits mainstream.

But staying on the topic of RATM, did anyone notice when they released an entire album of covers, and Renegades of Funk dominated the radio?

Beyond that, what if a cover is entirely different from the original and appeals to a different audience that may have never given said original the time of day? Example below:



Or this other example that also happens to feature Michael Jackson:



So the point of this thread: what covers do you believe are better than the original? Do you feel guilty or blasphemous for liking the cover better? Discuss covers and whatnot here.

The Denzel Curry cover was great...only downside is they left out Tom Morello's incredible solo, the one where he made his guitar sound like a DJ inserting cuts into the record. So I can't rank it better based on that alone.


Alien Ant Farm's cover of Smooth Criminal is one of my all-time favorites, a great example of a cover I prefer.

Knocking on Heaven's Door and Live and Let Die by G'NR are also covers I prefer over the original.

Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss's version of "Whiskey Lullaby" absolutely murders the original as Bill Anderson couldn't sing for shit.

Finally, who can forget All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix, easily the definitive version of that song. Dylan himself even said it was Jimi song now.

Not necessarily better, but some personal favorites:

Reducing Robert Plant to tears is quite the feat:



Instrumental genius Jeff Beck at work, Beck >>> Hendrix :



DMB's take on All Along The Watchtower, a regular part of their set since the beginning:

Pearl Jam's cover of Wayne Cochran's "last kiss" 



Hope - Time To Say Goodbye

Loooooooooooove the AAF version. In fact, whenever I'm in the car and the MJ original is on my initial thought is anger... I want to hear the cover. Other ones like Weezer's Africa have the opposite where I'd rather hear the original. I love Disturbed's Land of Confusion. Don't believe I participated in the cover countdown sadly.

Hazy Shade of Winter by The Bangles is another one I would consider better than the original. In fact, for a long while, a lot of people considered this version the standard-bearer of how to do a great cover.

Pantera's version of "Planet Caravan" by Black Sabbath is superior to the original in my opinion, Dime made the solo waaaaaaaay better.

Aug 4, 2019 1:57:51 GMT shinobimusashi said:

Pantera's version of "Planet Caravan" by Black Sabbath is superior to the original in my opinion, Dime made the solo waaaaaaaay better.

I fucking love that song. Totally forgot about it. I know what I’m doing right now.

Aug 4, 2019 1:57:51 GMT shinobimusashi said:

Pantera's version of "Planet Caravan" by Black Sabbath is superior to the original in my opinion, Dime made the solo waaaaaaaay better.

Pantera's video for it is awesome as well.

Wow, haven't seen that in a long time. They definitely took that song to the next level and made it way better in every way.

I don't know if this qualifies as better than the original... But it is incredible:

I like this waaaay better than the original Adelle version

My default answer is always going to be Cash’s version of “Hurt,” much more my emotional speed than the original version.

Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.”

Gary Jules’ “Mad world.”

Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from my Friends.”

Sept 20, 2024 12:57:33 GMT RagnarokMike said:

Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.”

I really love Marilyn Manson's version. Yes, better than even Soft Cell's.



I prefer No Doubt's version of "It's my Life" better than Talk, Talk's.

Sam Kinison's "Wild Thing" is a lot better than The Troggs' version.

... Randomly heard this on local radiation station WMMR on my drive home a few days ago, and was very impressed. 😂

Sept 20, 2024 13:50:06 GMT iron maiden said:

Sept 20, 2024 12:57:33 GMT RagnarokMike said:

Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love.”

I really love Marilyn Manson's version. Yes, better than even Soft Cell's.



I prefer No Doubt's version of "It's my Life" better than Talk, Talk's.

I like Manson’s “Sweet Dreams,” though not better than the original, but can’t get into his “Tainted Love” at all.