Banging Song Covers better than their original version OR shockers :yikes:

[Bobby Dandruff]

The "songs you don't like" thread had something in there which I had to stop myself from replying to as was off topic but then thought deserves a thread of its own.
Red Red wine by UB40 was put forward as a "don't like" which I have to agree was awful (UB40 were a popular band at the time) and I think it was No. 1 in the "hit parade" for a while but nowhere near as good as Neil Diamond's.

Conversely, there were songs I grew up with and only later found out that they were covers, some better than their originals.
One I immediately think of is State of Independence by Donna Summer.
I loved the original by Jon and Vangellis but I the late Donna's when I first heard it blew the original out of the water.

Any others?

"Raspberry Beret" by the Hindu Love Gods is miles better than the original.

But I have a theory about this subject: I reckon that if you hear a cover and don't know that it is a cover at the time of first hearing it, and only find out subsequently, it is highly unlikely that you will ever prefer the original. Discuss.

[Bobby Dandruff]

"Raspberry Beret" by the Hindu Love Gods is miles better than the original.

But I have a theory about this subject: I reckon that if you hear a cover and don't know that it is a cover at the time of first hearing it, and only find out subsequently, it is highly unlikely that you will ever prefer the original. Discuss.

I used to think that 'Pretty Woman' by Van Halen was better than the original, and the same about 'Femme Fatale' by REM but not any more....