Superior Cover Versions

[Jazzy G]

3 hours ago, Frankie Crisp said:

 

 

 

Edited March 19 by Jazzy G

[HandsomeButchIII]

 

 

And the king of em all

 

 

Edited March 19 by HandsomeButchIII

[hallicks]

 

[Accident Prone]

What's great about music now is that you have this generation of artists who grew up with music channels, Limewire, Kazaa, Pirate Bay, the early days of YouTube and a billion music blogs/MySpace pages, and for the past 15 years they've grown into musicians covering their own unique tastes. What's better is the generation after them who grew up with early Spotify algorithms and Pandora and Last FM, who are doing the same. It's different to the same old standards being trotted out to fill up CD space.

Julien Baker covering Jawbreaker's Accident Prone (where my username-sake comes from) is a great example:

What I also love about the wider YouTube reach is Outsider Covers (so like Outsider Art but for amateur 'tubers), so you get gems like this:

 

Then we also have excellent bands paying semi-ironic homage to the hits of yesteryear, here's Cymbals Eat Guitars and Cursive teaming up to over the mighty 'Hey Jealousy' by The Gin Blossoms:

 

To bring it full circle, remember what I said about the next gen covering songs that aren't just the same old standards? Here's Circus Trees covering Julien Baker's 'Go Home':

 

Edited March 19 by Accident Prone

[Statto]

12 hours ago, Carbomb said:

Willie and Merle Haggard did a really good version of Pancho & Lefty too.

Probably one of those that gains some embellishment with each telling, but I do like the story that Willie's daughter played it to them, Willie decided there and then that they should record it (basically in the middle of the night), he ended up knocking Merle from his bed to record his vocal, Merle half-arsed it because he was half asleep assuming he'd be able to do a better take in the morning, but when morning came he found out they'd been up all night and finished it, and shipped it off to New York to be pressed.

Here's one from Waylon:

 

 

 

[Jazzy G]

 

Edited March 19 by Jazzy G

[Carbomb]

The original Simon & Garfunkel version of A Hazy Shade of Winter is good, but it's really more in The Bangles' wheelhouse:

 

[poetofthedeed]

People should hear it and it doesn't belong in the shit thread, but it fits the scene perfectly in the movie and the original wouldn't, so it counts.

 

 

[air_raid]

On 3/15/2026 at 8:52 AM, Jazzy G said:

Genuinely thought that the lad from Sale who introduced me to it was the only other human being who knew the Joyrider version. Kudos.

Not sure it tops Jane though. ((insert gratuitous Go-Gos/“Sluts” anecdote))

[Jazzy G]

I used to play it when I DJed in Barnsley during my music student days. 

[ReturnOfTheMack]

Oh.

 

Every Smiths song covered by Rick Astley and The Blossoms. Every. Single. One.

[Thunderplex]

 

[Jazzy G]

9 hours ago, ReturnOfTheMack said:

Oh.

 

Every Smiths song covered by Rick Astley and The Blossoms. Every. Single. One.

There's a Smiths cover/tribute album called The Smiths Is Dead, which is a track by track recreation of The Queen Is Dead. Highlights are probably Placebo's version of Bigmouth Strikes Again, and the Divine Comedy's version of There Is A Light That Never Goes Out. It's very hit and miss. 

The whole thing is there as a playlist. 

[davertfnewman]

 

[theironshake]

Elvis Bridge Over Troubled Water.

The arrangement is similar to the Simon and Garfunkel original But he takes it to a different place. Almost like Hymn at times. I feel he is totally at his peak in 1970.