What songs are better covered than the original song/group?

Styx ^ | 5/7/23 | ME

[DallasBiff]

Music video by Styx performing I Am The Walru

[Yardstick]

Jeff Buckley’s cover of Hallelujah

Also his cover of Lilac Wine on the same album

Clapton’s cover of After Midnight (the slow version, like in the Michelob ads)

[bicyclerepair]

ELO’s Rollover Beethoven. 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5H5ZSaLD7s

[null and void]

Final Solution, Peter Murphy >> Pere Ubu

[MikeSteelBe]

“Come Together - Aerosmith better then Beatles.

[pas]

Damn Yankees version of Renegade.

[Billthedrill]

The Sound of Silence - covered by Disturbed

Oh, yeah. That video is the last thing I ever expected from those guys but Dave Draiman raised that song to another level. Paul Simon thought so too.

I'd add a weird one - The Boxer off Jerry Douglas's Traveler album. Weird because is it really a cover if the uncredited singer is Paul Simon himself? Background vocals by Mumford & Sons, Alison Krauss; Eric Clapton, Dr. John, and Omar Hakim are also on that album. Serious talent.

[Poser]

You’re no good.
Heat wave.
Allison.
Back in the USA

[Yardstick]

You beat me to the Jeff Buckley Hallelujah. That whole album is pretty amazing.

[Clemenza]

“Every Time You Go Away.” Paul Young version is far superior to the original Hall & Oates version.

“All Through the Night.” Cyndi Lauper version better than the original Jules Shear version.

“Gloria.” Both the Shadows of the Night and Doors versions are better than the original by Van Morrison.

[Joe 6-pack]

The song, “Only the Young,” has a curious history. Written by members of Journey, it was first recorded by Journey in 1983, recorded/released by Patty Smyth in 1984, then released by Journey in 1985...so in that case, the “cover” is the better of the two versions, even though the “cover” was recorded before the, “original,” and was performed by the band that wrote it in the first place.

[JerryWest_44]

Linda Rondstat says hold my beer!

[ez]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9X6e7uctAww

You really got me. Van Halen

[Clemenza]

The Slits version of “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” is pretty good: https://youtu.be/IQxvo_9DEqY

[Tench_Coxe]

Same here.
In fact, even Trent Reznor thought so:

Trent Reznor talks Johnny Cash

[Clarancebeaks]

Stevie Ray Vaughn covering Hendrix’s Voodoo Child. IMHO.

[Olog-hai]

Vanilla Fudge cover of You Keep Me Hanging On?

[Clemenza]

Like both Johnny and Glenn’s versions, but the definitive version IMHO is by Isaac Hayes: https://youtu.be/9bbdJSW3pvM

[Olog-hai]

Thanks to you, I recalled another Supremes cover.

[Olog-hai]

I am also partial to Tavares’ version of “She’s Gone” (Daryl Hall & John Oates).

[Clemenza]

“Viva Las Vegas” by the Dead Kennedys