Are covers of songs or the atual song better?

It's not impossible, and depends on the song.Neon-Tiger

Covers can be of the same quality or even better. Just depends how the band/artist chooses to tackle the song.

Wonderwall:

Original - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hzrDeceEKc

Cover - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gVxRvNfFLg

Hurt:

Original - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvJKVKglIRs

Cover - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clq01TXQR0s

Hallelujah:

Original - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrLk4vdY28Q

Cover - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8AWFf7EAc4

A good cover shouldn't be exactly the same as the original song anywaySaturos3091

To a certain extent, I don't even really understand why we need the word "cover" to refer to something. Someone writes a song and performs it. Then someone else performs the song. I don't get the big deal.

really depends. i will say this... my gf and my best friend love Gary Jules' version of "Mad World," which was used in the movie Donnie Darko. however, i contend that the original version, by Tears for Fears is far better. (that is to say, i hate Gary Jules' version. a lot.).

on the other hand, there've been a number of covers that i enjoy more than the originals. i like the Simon and Garfunkel's cover of "The Time's they are a' Changin'" more than the original. i like Jimi Hendrix's version of "All Along the Watchtower" more than Bob Dylan's. (just a coincidence i mentioned two Bob Dylan songs lol). i like John Mayer's version of "Bold as Love" more than Jimi Hendrix's.

drawing a blank on other songs.............. uh Stone Sour did a decent cover of "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak, but i still like the original more.

Johny Cash's cover of hurt is way better than the NIN version.

It's very possible.

Shadows Fall did a really good cover of Bark At The Moon.

Tankard did a good cover of Iron Maiden.

Cake did a better version of a Bread song, in my opinion.

Anthrax did a good cover of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

The Devil Wears Prada has more views on it's youtube than the original.

Dead and Gone cover byAvertine

as an added note, i just listened to the HIM version of "WIcked Game," and it was a good try. there were definitely decent parts in it. but is was only so so. it really lost me right at the end how he sang the line "nobody loves no one," then he did a little Michael Jackson gasp* to conclude the song.

Johny Cash's cover of hurt is way better than the NIN version.

TSNAKE617

For the most part 90% of cover songs feel forced. Like the MCR cover. That felt like the most forced song ever, with just random bebade dop days thrown in there. When Freddie Mercury sang it, it felt so natural, and beautiful lol. That was just like.. bleh. Same goes for most cover songs you can tell that they are just playing a song rather than expressing themselves with a song

The Devil Wears Prada has more views on it's youtube than the original.

Dead and Gone cover byAvertine

FrostyPhantasm

I hate screamo, especially when it ruins my Vomitorymoment.

[QUOTE="FrostyPhantasm"]

The Devil Wears Prada has more views on it's youtube than the original.

Dead and Gone cover byAvertine

CRS98

I hate screamo, especially when it ruins my Vomitorymoment.

To be fair TDWP isn't screamo, and the second band is more pop punk, and even then it's not really screamo. I hate the majority of screamo as well so no fret.

[QUOTE="CRS98"]

[QUOTE="FrostyPhantasm"]

The Devil Wears Prada has more views on it's youtube than the original.

Dead and Gone cover byAvertine

FrostyPhantasm

I hate screamo, especially when it ruins my Vomitorymoment.

To be fair TDWP isn't screamo, and the second band is more pop punk, and even then it's not really screamo. I hate the majority of screamo as well so no fret.

Definitely depends on the song. If a small band with not much talent and/or bad sound recording equipment, but an amazingly written song on their hands. A huge signed band with (hoepfully) good talent and professional quality recording equipment could absolutely make a far better version. mike_me

Johny Cash's cover of hurt is way better than the NIN version.

TSNAKE617

Hmmm...

Well anyway, like everybody has said so far, it depends on the song and the band. 99% of covers are garbage. I've heard 2 that I really like and those 2 are "All along the Watchtower" which is a cover from Jimi Hendrix to the Bob Dylan song, and "Blue Monday" which is Orgy's tribute to New Order's song.

[QUOTE="Saturos3091"] A good cover shouldn't be exactly the same as the original song anywayPannicAtack

To a certain extent, I don't even really understand why we need the word "cover" to refer to something. Someone writes a song and performs it. Then someone else performs the song. I don't get the big deal.

[QUOTE="mike_me"]Definitely depends on the song. If a small band with not much talent and/or bad sound recording equipment, but an amazingly written song on their hands. A huge signed band with (hoepfully) good talent and professional quality recording equipment could absolutely make a far better version. mike_me

You can't cover Under Pressure.

You can only ruin it. No, I usually find that the original song is much better. The first one that came to mind was American Woman covered by Lenny Kravitz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91h6qUikXjA Cradle of Filth- Hallowed be Thy Name (Iron Maiden cover) NinjaSnowmans

Anyways, Agent Orange's cover of Seek & Destroy is freaking awsome :D
I can't say better because they put it into a totaly differant genre, but it sounds so freaking awsome...

Covers are not meant to be better in my opinion. They are usually meant to be humble homages to the band that wrote the original. I rarely take covers seriously if they are the exact same as the original. Covers should be renditions, not note-for-note covers. The best covers IMO are the ones that take themes and ideas from the song in question and transcribe it to either a different genre or simply look at the song from another perspective, adding elements of their own. Although there are some precise covers that I enjoy, I just don't think covers should be done like that.

If a band covers a song, do you think that it's impossible for the cover to be better or of the same quality? For examples, these songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91h6qUikXjA Cradle of Filth- Hallowed be Thy Name (Iron Maiden cover) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgFQ6WmxdMs Shinedown- Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd Cover) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adrjxbVOtXk My Chemical Romance/The Used- Under Pressure (Queen/Bowie Cover) I think that covers can be better or of the same quality. Those are 3 of the best covers I've ever heard. NinjaSnowmans

Cradle of Filth ruined Hallowed Be Thy Name, but i yes i do think in some cases a cover can be better than the original.

I prefer the Ramone's version of Palisades Park as appose to Freddy Cannon's, but i guess it depends as i'm not a fan of Freddy Cannon but a huge Ramone's fan so i'm probably being biased.

Well the Rasputin cover by Turisas is complete ownage...

I always tend to prefer the original, because you really have to give credit to the people who originally wrote the song in the first place.

I really hate it when bands use covers of songs in their own studio albums as well, that's just lazy.

There are 3 things that should be taken into account for this, The song for one, then the original band, and the cover band. Usually, I like the covers more, but it's always different. One of my favorites is Holy Diver from Killswitch engage. Which was originally wrote by the late Ronnie James Dio(RIP).

There are many song covers that are better than the original.

[QUOTE="Saturos3091"] A good cover shouldn't be exactly the same as the original song anywayPannicAtack

To a certain extent, I don't even really understand why we need the word "cover" to refer to something. Someone writes a song and performs it. Then someone else performs the song. I don't get the big deal.

[QUOTE="Neon-Tiger"]It's not impossible, and depends on the song.Saturos3091

I don't listen to covers usually..

They can be.

Like others have said, it depends on the song. I like Cash's cover of NiN's Hurt, but I prefer the original, especially live versions. I think a cover only sounds good when the artist puts their own style into the song.

i used to think covers were a bad idea, and that bands needn't bother. but then i reminded myself that musicians are usually inspired by other musicians. probably one of the first thing one does when one picks up an instrument is learn to play a song by an artist they like. and the reason musicians play songs by other artists is quite simple. they love the song, and they love to play it. and also, as one becomes enthusiastic about a song they like, they think other's should hear it too. it's kind of an extension of showing people what's on your iPod, except you have the tools to play it yourself.

Coldplay made me a Johnny Cash fan lol.

i play guitar and sing. i was 19 when i started. it's a journey i never thought i'd take, not in a million years. but it's amazing, what a journey it is. i look at songs, and music in general, very differently than i used to. now when i look at songs that have been written by other people, i find it difficult to see them as "set in stone," or in any case "final products." firstly, because i've heard multiple live versions of a single song (all done by the original artist), and they were all awesome. hell, i've heard bands cover their own songs, and their cover was better than the album version. and i've seen covers by other artists be more successful than the originals. (probably everyone here has heard a Robert Johnson song that was NOT sung by Robert Johnson). "Crossroads" anyone? anyway, sometimes even i look at songs i love and think "oh, man this song is awesome! maybe it would be cool to add this element though, or reiterate this section, or make the intro last one more measure. maybe add a harmony to give the song a sense of community, or take away a harmony to give this part a more solitary sound." the reasons don't really matter. i just think that the idea and the motivation behind song covers are valid.

Definately depends on the cover itself, jsut as there can be bad songs there can be bad covers as well.

However my perosnal opinion on good covers include:

• Take on me by Reel Big Fish
• Come on Eileen by Save Ferris
• Crying by the Morning Benders
• Hurt by Johnny Cash
• Lean on Sheena by The Bouncing Souls (This is easily the best example of a cover surpassing the original in my opinion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDoqw51G3Do)

word up

orginial

seems like covers that get played on the radio are the bad ones like shinedowns abomination of simple man, but there are good ones out there since so there's so many bands covering great songs, for some reason they just don't seem to get played on the radio.

Led Zeppelin's "When the Leeve Breaks" was much better than the origonal in my opinion.

Origonal

Led Zeppelin

I like a few covers better than the original.Peirce the Veil did a good cover of Don't Fear the Reaper and it sounds awesome, especially if you like breakdowns.

also, Alien Ant Farm did a cover on smooth criminal that sounded pretty nice.

Punk & Ska covers are awesome.Daavpuke

Ska covers usually come off really natural feeling.

I like some bands covers of songs. Like Hallowed be thy name by Cradle of Filth and Alien Ant Farns cover of Michael Jacksons Smooth Criminal