Cover OR Original?

I like them both for different reasons. Don't make me choose!

But this reminds me...

One time I was in this store, Kohl's maybe, back in high school. (The folks were taking me back to school shopping or something. Anyway.)

So I hear Landslide come on the radio, and since I was only familiar with the Smashing Pumpkins version I was like, "Who is this chick, ruining this song?"

This woman in the next aisle over says, "That's Fleetwood Mac, you little pissant. This is their song."

I was like... oh. Plus, she called me a pissant.

So there ya go: Landslide. Fleetwood Mac or Smashing Pumpkins?

I choose the Pumpkins to this day, cause I really hate Fleetwood Mac. Always have, always will.

Ah! I've been singing "Gone Daddy Gone" by the Violent Femmes all day! How coincidental. But the Violent Femmes rules all.

Pretty much the same thing happened to me a while back while I was driving with my mom, it came on the radio. We got deep into an argument over it, but Google proved me wrong. I fucking hate Fleetwood Mac as well. They can climb a wall of dicks.

I feel the opposite. I think Cash took an emo cry for help and turned it into a poignant reflection on a life coming to a close.

couldn't agree more.

And as for te fleetwood haters; I can't believe you lot. Early fleetwood with Peter green on guitar is amazing. And then Stevie nicks era is, well, it's fuckig Stevie nicks! Right?

That is a good one. I think I pick Cash for this one and give him the slight edge due to his drug use. I felt like he really owned the song.

Across the Universe

The Beatles

or

Rufus Wainright

Rufus Wainright, I choose you!

no effing way, man.

beatles all the way. John fuckin' Lennon people!

I would have a hard time picking between Cash and NIN . If I hear one I usually have to listen to the other. The Beatles on the last one obviously.

Apologize
Timbaland Ft. One Republic

or
Silverstein

I go with Silverstein on this one.

sorry, neither.

I'd have to say Beatles on the previous post as well. They're just god damn magical.

Tougher choices:

The Velvet Underground "All Tomorrow's Parties"

OR

Rasputina "All Tomorrow's Parties"

I give the edge here to Rasputina and their electric cellos.

I really like that Silverstein version of "Apologize". But if you're going to say the Timbaland version is the original....fail.

I love this thread! I'd like to comment on everyone's comparison, but I'll just shoot for the songs I know (compared to some I don't know in a few) in order to make sure this isn't the longest comment ever. Then, I shall proceed to put my original v. cover up.
We Will Become Silhouettes- Original, hands down. I do love the Shins though.
Such Great Heights- Again, original (yes, I'm biased because Ben Gibbard is one of my favorite singer/songwriters, but still...). I did hear the Iron and Wine version on the Garden State soundtrack before I was introduced to The Postal Service though. I like that they are at different speeds, which makes them almost sound completely different.
Wonderwall- Original.
No Ordinary Love- Cover.
Sympathy For the Devil- Mostly even, but the original is closer to number one.
The Thing That Should Not Be- Original. Damned if Les Claypool can't kick some serious tail with those bass skills though!
Gone Daddy Gone- Original.
Hurt- I'm torn there...
Across the Universe- The Beatles, of course. Although, Fiona Apple does a beautiful cover of this song.

And now...

Lake of Fire- originally by Meat Puppets

Cover by Nirvana

I'm gonna go with Nirvana for this one. Maybe it's because I grew up listening to Nirvana on tape, but I didn't know this was a cover until just recently.

One more...

Original- Sally's Song from The Nightmare Before Christmas

Cover by Fiona Apple

And other cover by Amy Lee

I will always love the original for this one, but I prefer the melancholy sound of Fiona Apple's version.

DOWN IN THE FLOOD:

Original by Bob Dylan

cover by Derek Trucks Band

obiesly Dylan. he will always win. in fact i challenge you all to fid a cover of one of his tracks i honestly like more than the original. i challenge you, dammit!

What about the Jimi Hendrix version of All Along the Watchtower?

nope. and that annoys me EVEN more because everyone (except you) thinks Hendrix wrote it. fuck, i love hendrix just as much as the next white fella, but shit. Dylan never gets credit for his songs, everyone steals them and then they soak up the fame. pricks.

Dave Matthews Band did a cover of it too, and you can bet most of his hardcore fans don't realize it's a cover either...

that's cause Dave Matthews Band fans are imbeciles. obiesly.

I know it's a bit late, but I vote for Cash and Fleetwood Mac.

Okay, this one should be tough. I stumbled across this song and it's absolutely amazing in my opinion.

Original:

Cover:

I honestly can't choose. The Seal one has more depth to it in terms of music, but the Sam Cook version is just so good.

Sam Cook all the way. I love that song. My dad used to make me listen to that amongst others.

It's just soooooo powerful. Amazing. I think, after listening to it again, that I agree.

Baby Got Back - Sir Mix a Lot

Baby Got Back - Jonathan Coulton

In regards to Sympathy for the Devil, this is my favorite version:

HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!That Jonathan Coulton is FUCKING GOD AWFUL...funny only because it is soo god awful...but that is a straight up ear-fucking.

SWEET DREAMS:

Original: Eurythmics

or; Cover: Manson, Marilyn

AND:

TAINTED LOVE:

Original: Soft Cell

and; Cover: Manson, Marilyn

imma say manson on both counts. but they'd have to be the only two songs he sings that i like. maybe beautiful people. maybe.

That reminds me: "Beautiful People" by Manson, and "Beautiful People" by Evergreen Terrace. It's not that creative of a cover, and that's a disappointment.

I was not aware that Velvet Revolver had covered this...

Original: ELO

Cover: Velvet Revolver

I like the vibe of the VR cover and of course the Slash solo, but nothing beats the ELO original.

ELO all the way on that one.

Black Sabbath's eternal classic, Children of the Grave

Neurosis Cover

White Zombie Cover

also

Pink Floyd's Set Controls for the Heart of the Sun

Kylesa cover

I cannot decide.

oh, goodie! velvet revolver. yeah, this one's on their second album, Libertad. loves me some revolver. especially all their controvesies. but, i still have to go with the original. i'm a sucker for an original, as much as covers are great, i think it's pretty difficult to top the people that wrote it. except of course, in some cases--there's an exception to every rule.

VR also had a little secret track on the end of libertad, after Gravedancer, called Don't Drop That Dime. it's a super dooper country song, probably one of my favourites off that album. but, they had an alternate secret track picked out, i think maybe for the japen release or something, and it's a cover, too. great great great cover, but i'll still pick the original. so here it is:

PSYCHO KILLER.

original by Talking Heads

or; cover by Velvet Revolver

I just...this thread...so much to comment on and...i keep shaking my head in disappointment.

Anyway.


I'm down with Elliott Smith because he's Elliott Smith.

Also.


CocoRosie always wins.

Original

Cover

or this one
Original

Cover

These are both difficult ones for me, because I've been a fan of Phil Collins since his Genesis days. Nonpoint and The Postal Service bring out a different sound for both songs too. Decisions, decisions...

WHAT THE HELL? REALLY? Seal's version is lame and the way he sings it is just copying Sam Cook's! I hate when artists release other people's songs and don't change it. Covers are lame unless they do something different to the original. It's basically theft! Antway there's hardly enough difference to warrant a cover in this case.

And I can't believe Matthew said Ryan Adams's Wonderwall cover over the original! ARGH NO WAY! It's fuckin' Oasis man! Yeah, they haven't been good for a while, but shit, I am appalled!

My favourite cover/song and the best anti-war song ever written:

Eve of Destruction - written by P.F Sloan, performed by various inspiring bands/artists, such as Barry McGuire and The Byrds etc

When I posted that one, I hadn't listened to Seal's all the way through. I had just listened to the beginning. And I like Seal. But Sam's is DEFINITELY way better.

My cover of the jigglypuff song is stupendous. I don't think any of you've heard it.

Cat Powerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Original

Cover

Definitely Cat Stevens.

Ha, i actually prefer Elliott Smith's. But i'm biased. His voice is my favorite voice besides this one Polish soprano.

Anyway, that video's a bad version of Elliott Smith's cover.

That one was disabled by request, so I guess I'll never know... Unless of course I decide to not be lazy and search for it on youtube...

Elliott Smith always wins.

Not at life, though.

He wins at epic suicides, though.

Or was it murder?

I have to say though, stabbing yourself twice in the heart is some hardass shit. I can't handle papercuts let alone knife wounds.

Easily the most unlikely case of suicide ever, but i won't get into it because someone yelled at me once upon a time a few years ago.

I concur. Who yelled at you and why?

I can't remember. But i do remember making a long post in pointless announcements about Elliott Smith and how he was the only famous person whose death i actually cared about and it depressed me quite a bit.

Pussy.

Kidding.

Sort of.

No, I am.

Fag.