Remakes of Popular Songs - Which One Is Better - The Original Or The Remake...?

4/06/11 | MplsSteve

[MplsSteve]

You know, I started thinking about popular music and how artists do remakes of popular songs.

Here are two songs - one from the original artist and the other who re-did it. Which version was better?

"I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" The Byrds (1965)- from the album "Mr Tambourine Man"

"I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" Tom Petty (1989) - from the album "Full Moon Fever"

++++++++++++++++++++++

"The First Cut Is The Deepest" Rod Stewart (1976) - from the album "A Night On The Town"

"The First Cut Is The Deepest" Sheryl Crow (2003) - from the album "The Very best Of Sheryl Crow"

+++++++++++++++++++++++

Yes, I know that other artists have done versions of these songs too. If you think another artist has done a better version, let's hear about it.

[mylife]

Yes Kottke is excellent but has a voice like goose farts on a foggy morning.

Keith richards does as well.

They still rock

[sleddogs]

Here’s another

Summertime Blues - The Who, Eddie Cocheran, or Blue Cheer

[TheDingoAteMyBaby]

“Major Tom” - both versions by Peter Schilling and Shiny Toy Guns

“Bizarre Love Triangle” - Both versions by Frente and New Order

[Richard Kimball]

Aw man, why'd you have to bring up the Carpenters? I loved Karen Carpenter.

A Song For You The Carpenters

A Song For You Leon Russell

[Tainan]

Wow...Thank You...Thanka verry much...(Elvis voice)

[ExTxMarine]

I like Janis Joplin’s “Me And Bobby McGee” better than Roger Miller’s version - heck better than all the other versions.

[Revolting cat!]

Listen to the original(s) and tell me that this is not the best remake of all remakes ever:

Down the road apiece

[upsdriver]

LOL, yep SNAPPY

The only way I learned about the original is from an interview that Harrison gave when his album came out. Of course, as an avid record collector and music buff, I had to look up the original.

[upsdriver]

Karen Carpenter was one of those rare artists that could take others songs and make them her own.

[Errant]

The Drifters-Under The Boardwalk

Rolling Stones - Under The Boardwalk

Bette Midler - Under the Boardwalk

Beach Boys - Under The Boardwalk

[ExTxMarine]

I absolutely LOVE Otis Reddings version of “Try A Little Tenderness” over the orginal version from the 1930s or 1940’s.

But, I like Aretha Franklin’s version of “Respect” more than Otis’ version.

[ConservativeTeen]

Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along the Watchtower” over Bob Dylan’s
Van Halen’s “You Really Got Me” over The Kinks’ (although The Kinks’ is still really good.)

I’m sure there are more, but these two come to mind.

[Vince Ferrer]

I like Roy Orbison's remake of his own song "Crying" in the 80s vs his earlier one in the 60s, although they are both good.

[ExTxMarine]

I agree!

[re_nortex]

Were you a “Rocker” in the 50s?

I was pretty much a square back in my youth, preferring musicians like Mitch Miller, Jo Stafford, Les Paul and Mary Ford as well as Pat Boone as mentioned a few posts back. By the 60's, I acquired a taste for country since I went to college in the South. I never really cared much for rock or R&B other than songs that got pounded into my brain due to frequent airplay on the radio at various places that I worked with peers who did like those forms of music.

Here's the unusual part. My two favorite genres are traditional old-timey Southern Gospel (Happy Goodmans, Florida Boys, Blackwoods and such) AND...get this: mob music! Tony Bennett, Jerry Vale, Al Martino, Louis Prima. No accounting for taste, eh? :-)

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Gene Pitney - Liiberty Valance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDN4L7cAQf0

The Royal Guardsmen - Liberty Valence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahNJ-KUNhV4

[ExTxMarine]

I like Jørgen Ingmann’s version of “Apache” more than the Incredible Bongo Band or the rap remake by the Sugarhill Gang!

[Richard Kimball]

In the movie Tommy Boy, when Chris Farley and David Spade are driving down the road and neither one of them admits they want to listen to her singing "Superstar," and in the next scene they're both singing along and crying, that's how a lot of people feel about her. She was so syrupy I never wanted to admit I liked her, but she projected this incredible vulnerability that would suck you in and open you up.

I wish I could explain it better, but when you listen to Karen Carpenter sing, she makes you as vulnerable as she was.

[buccaneer81]

I lived in Gene Pitney’s hometown for two awful years. I know exactly why he sang “Town Without Pity.”

[Tainan]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEfClyDO06M