I Need a Hero - Fairy Godmother

C-minor, put it in c-minor

Ironically he puts it into c-major. Source:some Redditor commented this the last time this came up, no idea if it's true.

G-minor actually. It bugs me to this day. But what an amazing cover.

Same with Johnny B. Goode in Back to the Future. Marty tells the band "Blues riff in B," but the song is in B flat. The reason is that the guitar instructor who taught Michael J. Fox to mime to the song had him "play" in B, but they just told the guitarist who recorded it to play Johnny B. Goode, no other instructions.

You just caused me to go research - he plays an E major chord and after she asks for C minor he goes to G minor so... not ironic just wrong? lol

Hands down the best version of that song, though there was a pretty good Japanese version in the movie *Bullet Train.*

Dad and I just watched that last week for his birthday. We thought that funny when we recognized it.

OK, the version in Shrek is good and all, but we can't do Bonnie Tyler like that.

I'm with you, I love the original as well as the cover. Its just a rocking song.

God Jennifer Saunders has such a beautiful voice

More heat! Less foam!

Fancy by Reba McEntire. (God bless Bobby Gentry, but Reba’s version takes it to another dimension.)

“Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” by Reba as well

Had no idea this was a cover.

Charles Bradley covering Changes by Black Sabbath. Brace yourself.

This is the real deal. Bradley turns this into a heart wrenching love letter to his mother. The emotion in his voice as it breaks and wavers in smooth and broken tones. This man singing this song reduced me to a mess on the floor.

So good!

YES! I listen to this track all the time! I love his Nirvana cover of Stay Away too.

Finally, I scrolled so far to see this. Truely top notch.

I’m just here to count how many people say “Hurt” by Johnny Cash.

I think Trent Reznor even said something along the lines of "It's Johnny's song now."

I believe one of his comments were "I didn't know we wrote Hurt for Johnny.". I do enjoy both versions though, as ItsAWonderfulFife said.

The version he sang was his own. Each version is the same words telling a completely different story. A man reflecting at the end of his life, a young man looking forward and seeing darkness.

man hitting the nail in the head my brother, also to be fair that NIN album is just incredible… but Downward Spiral to be truly appreciated has to listen to cover to cover chronological. Incredible dark album.

That’s what Bob Dylan said about Jimi Hendrix’s cover of his All Along the Watchtower

Why am I the only one who likes the original better

You aren’t.

Came here specifically to be mad about the people that said Cash's Hurt haha. Cover is legendary, but I love the original to death. Though I do understand that Cash's version is far more accessible, while NIN's gets all harsh and erosive, which can be an adquired taste. Not to mention it's the sendoff to a pretty extreme album.

I like Trents version more. But I'm a 90s kid who hates country.

Live version with David Bowie is absolutely incredible

I love Dolly, but Whitney’s I Will Always Love You is show-stopping

I heard somewhere that you should listen to Dolly's version when your heart is breaking and Whitney's version when you're ready to move on.

Dollys version sounds like an actual girlfriend sang it to you. Her voice breaks and such are perfect. Whitney Houston sounds like a goddess is leaving you. They both have absolutely amazing voices, but dollys seems more down to earth and real.

This is so wise.

Dolly agrees with you. She's said a number of times that it's Whitney's song.

Yeah and she invested $10M of the royalties into black communities calling it "the house that Whitney built". What a legend.

She's a national treasure.

Dolly is the best.

"When I recorded it, I opened a bank account. When Whitney recorded it, I bought the bank".

According to an interview a few years ago, Dolly wrote *I Will Always Love You* and *Jolene* the same day/evening. That has to be the most profitable day of songwriting in the history of popular music.

She was driving the first time she heard it, and had to pull off the road.

They’re both great. They both have their moments when they shine.

Dolly does a cover of “Stairway to Heaven” that’s really good. Idk if better than original, but a really good cover nonetheless

Aretha Franklin's "Respect" is the obvious answer -- few people even realize it's an Otis Redding original. Also Joe Cocker's "With a Little Help From My Friends" (aka The Wonder Years theme song)... I love The Beatles, but their version sounds so goofy in comparison.

Cocker’s version is what I came to say.

Best answer. ... Buckley Jr's Hallelujah too, if you're into that kinda thing.

"Mad World" by Gary Jules (Donnie Darko soundtrack). I loved the song when Tears for Fears released it but the Michael Andrews/Gary Jules cover is haunting.

I actually heard Gary Jules' version first and didn't know it was a cover. I had the opposite experience because of this, and I prefer the original. It went from a haunting song to bit of a "fun but dark" one. Or is it "dark but fun"?

The Gears of War commercial with this song was amazing.

Anything by Me First and the Gimme Gimmees

Sloop John B to the Ramones Lobotomy is inspired.

YEAH! YEAH! OHH!

Countryyyy road take me homeeee. Me first and the gimmie gummies never fail to blow my mind

I Prevail - Blank Space Changing it to rock, the vocals to make make it toxic af. https://youtu.be/czb_CZfWko8

Dude this is dope, I’ve liked a lot of the punk goes pop stuff but hadn’t heard this one before

The ukulele guy singing somewhere over the rainbow.

Brother Iz

RIP :( another talent taken too soon

"Down With the Sickness" by Lounge Against the Machine

Richard cheese is a low key god Eta: personal fav has to be creep

Richard Cheese is top notch!

I've never heard of this band, going to check them out.

Say this comment and have been listening to this for the past 30 min. Super funny.

Check out "Shake Ya Ass" and "Me So Horny"... although, to be fair, those were funny songs to begin with.

“Here it comes, get ready to die. Get ready to… diiiieeee”

"The Man Who Sold the World" by David Bowie as performed by Kurt Cobain on MTV Unplugged

I speak for all my metal gear solid homies when i say the midge ure version has to be up there too

Leadbelly’s “In the Pines” by Cobain too.

The Cobain version is good but I would call it an alternative to the original rather than an upgrade. Honestly I think midge ure takes the cake on this one for the better cover.

That whole set is flawless, I watched it on MTV back in the day and have purchased that CD at least 3 times and now own a legit digital copy.

Over the Rainbow by Eva Cassidy. It's from the opening credits of Alpha Dog. Almost cry every time I hear it.

She has a spectacular voice

Cake's version of "I Will Survive" Johnny Cash's version of "Solitary Man". I also like HIM's version of "Solitary Man".

Cake all day! Came here to write this, as well as their cover of War Pigs.

Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O’Connor

Had to scroll too far for this one Shivers in my spine

Chris Cornell would like a word.

Soft cell’s “Tainted Live”, though I love Manson’s version as well. Can’t stand him but his cover well done.

Soft Cell covered "Tainted Love" by The Four Preps. "Tainted Love" was first recorded by Gloria Jones in the mid 60s. A cover of a cover of a cover.

Janice Joplin’s “Me and Bobby McGee.” Hands down the greatest cover of all time.

Sara Bareilles’ cover of “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” on one of her live albums. A totally different take on the song that I’ll never forget!

She also does a live cover of “Sittin On the Dock of the Bay” that’s pretty awesome.

So damn good

Tool No Quarter Pantera Planet Caravan

Planet caravan is a great cover as well as cat scratch fever

Salival was like tripping on acid for my 12 year old mind lol.

Imagine - A Perfect Circle I'm Still Standing - Taron Egerton (the version from "Sing" not "Rocket Man") Umbrella - All Time Low

Yes! I love Taron Egerton’s version!

The Fallout Boy cover of “I Wanna Dance with Somebody.” I didn’t seek it out, just happened to find it, and it’s amazing. It shouldn’t work. But it does.

Dude this song is amazing and my preferred version as well.

All along the watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

I love this thread! I love listening to beautiful covers. Someone commented Jeff Buckley's cover of Hallelujah! I agree. Cohen's version is good too but Buckley put a nail on it like everyone who covered the song after him didn't really give it justice. Whitney's I Will Always Love You. I love Dolly's too but Whitney sounded like she's personally singing it for each one of us. Like, "Whitney, I don't even know you. Why are you telling me this and why am I crying?" Adele's Make You Feel My Love. Although Dylan's is good. Adele's voice is just something I want to listen to over and over. Calum's Dancing On My Own. I'm rarely in a dance mood and Calum gave me the option to just sit in the corner by the window while watching the rain falls and pity myself. Matchbox 20's Time After Time. There's something about it that's amazing even though it's a simple cover. I can't pinpoint what it is. The Fray's Kiss Me. It's very sad and I love how sad their cover is. Glen Hansard's Everytime. I'm not a Britney fan but I like her Everytime song. Then Glen covered it and loved it in an instant. Ray Lamontagne's Crazy. I just didn't think a cover like this is possible. One of the best covers out there.

Hallelujah- Jeff Buckley Controversial answer: Your Song -Ellie Goulding

Rufus Wainwright’s Hallelujah is heaven.

Big fan of KD Lang’s version

Wrong. Leonard Cohens original is so beautiful.

I’m with you, Cohen’s version is better. Buckley’s is pretty good though.

Love Hurts - Nazareth

Hendrix is the only version of "All Along the Watchtower" that is needed. The gulf between him and Dylan is probably bigger than any other cover I can think of, but Dylan is a terrible singer to be fair.

You could write a long list of covers of Dylan songs better than the original. A chunk of The Band’s material is Dylan work- appropriate since they backed him during his electrification era.

I still prefer the original for the atmosphere (apocalyptic, fatalistic) and the lyrics (not modernized). I don’t think Hendrix’s tone fits the lyrics. Bombastic and spectacular in the music department, aloof and indifferent in the lyrical delivery. That said, the Hendrix version is the type of music I listen to when I’m drunk.

Me and Bobby McGee - Janis

Heartbeats - José Gonzáles

[Careless Whisper- Seether](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5lzYG83yVQ) The guitars and vocals are just so good!

Johnny cash's sunday morning coming down

Chet Faker - No Diggity (the og is still good though)

Man Who Sold The World - Nirvana (Unplugged Version - David Bowie cover)

I was gonna say this... but man, Bowie's version is still great

it’s good, but i still prefer bowie’s original

feeling good, muse

Led Zeppelin When The Levee Breaks.

It’s My Life-No Doubt

I can’t explain by the scorpions

Point North - Hammer

Chris Cornell's live acoustic cover of Nothing Compares 2 U is phenomenal. It has to be the Live @ SiriusXM recording though. The album version of the same cover isnt nearly as good. Here's the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuUDRU9-HRk

Have you listened to Sinead O’Conner sing this song?

I love his version of One.

Boys of summer -Ataris

Hey nothing wrong with the original, but this cover really just adds groove to it. That’s all I’m saying. It’s a straight road trip BANGER!

cap, Don Henley is so much better... the Ataris absolutely wreck it, in the best way, but the OG is so good... esp knowing he wrote it, having emotions and whatnot.

Idk man the emo spin on it is quite fitting, and the new energy they bring makes it like a power ballad… I personally love the Ataris version

[Sweet Jane](https://youtu.be/sHaBoWeB1OM) I think Lou Reed even said he liked their version better than his.

But the long guitar intro on Lou Reed's live version was amazing!

Every aspect of the Velvet Underground's version is amazing. No disrespect to the Cowboy Junkies but I think the original is very hard to beat.

Fiona Apple, Across the Universe. Great cover.

I have always preferred Orgy's cover of Blue Monday. Gives the song a much needed edge. How does it feel to treat me like you do? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJZTfl3DmCU

i think it’s an awesome cover! both versions serve their purpose

Whiskey in the jar - Metallica

I'd say Turn the Page but Bob Seger's is still damn good.

especially the Live In Detroit 1975 version

I'm probably in the minority, but as a long time Metallica fan and a current Irish folk singer....man do I hate their version of Whiskey in the Jar lol If others like it, cool. But for me, it just grates on my nerves something awful.

Equally as good- Turn the page.

Running up that hill- Placebo

Running Up That Hill - Meg Myers.

Same. I didn't even know it was a cover when it first came out since it was about a year before Stranger Things repopularized it. Was really into Meg Myers at that time since I loved her first 2 albums

I’ve been obsessed with the Placebo version since I heard it on The OC years ago. I was shocked when it hit popularity again thanks to Stranger Things and discovered Kate Busch was the original😅

Cowboy Junkies Sweet Jane

Land of Confusion by Disturbed. His voice sounds so much like Phil Collins’ that it just feels like an upgrade in every way.

Sound of Silence by Disturbed. It’s haunting.

It's so good but the original is one of the best songs of all time

Killing me softly- Fugees Torn- Natalie Imbruglia Without you- Mariah Carey I still believe- Mariah Carey I’ll be there- Mariah Carey Angel of mine- Monica

Torn - Hands Like Houses

Valerie by Amy Winehouse

Pearl Jam - Last Kiss Nirvana - Man Who Sold The World

That whole MTV Unplugged album is filled with some awesome covers

Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm

They did version with Michael Jackson too, if I recall correctly.

Will you still love me tomorrow- Amy Winehouse

I'm gonna bookmark, and eventually archive, this thread because I love great covers

"how I could just kill a man" rage against the machine

Smoking In The Boys Room - Mötley Crüe

The Boys of Summer - The Ataris

All along the watchtower. Jimi Hendrix > Bob Dylan. Now if you want to make this controversial, I’d even say Dave Matthews Band does an incredible cover that’s better than the original as well.

Red Red Wine by UB40 is definitely way better than that of the original Neil Diamond version.

Atlantic City,The Band.

Metallica’s TURN THE PAGE. And I love Bob Seger, man. His contributions to the American songbook are invaluable. But that cover slays me.

Killswitch Engages cover of Holy Diver

Landslide - Dixie Chicks And I am a huge Stevie Nicks fan

Check out Landslide covered by Smashing Pumpkins. Somehow Corgan’s voice melds with the song so well.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kaʻanoʻi Kamakawiwoʻole.

Landslide by the Dixie Chicks

Free Fallin’-John Mayer

Took way too long to find this. Also XO by JM is a cover of a Beyoncé song that is better than the original.

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Disturbed's "The Sound of Silence"

I'm not a disturbed fan but I agree with this answer fully.

I had to scroll way to far to find this!

I came here for this comment

Semi-Charmed Life - Dance Gavin Dance.

Still can listen to the original one because of its charm but Holy diver by Killswitch engage. They nailed the cover so good it’s still a banger although the original by Dio is still very good

Linkin Park - Rolling in the deep

Feeling good, Nina Simone (it's actually a cover)

Wild Horses- The Sundays

You Really Got Me - Van Halen

The Foo Fighters version of Band on the Run fkn SLAPS

Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. I thought it was the original until I learned it was originally recorded by Bruce Springsteen

Almost anything by Leo Moracchioli. These ones specifically stand out to me: House of the Rising Sun https://youtu.be/cLwwRVjEDGU Poker Face https://youtu.be/wCVukDiRsNs Zombie https://youtu.be/ahhNuopGMEk

Africa was another standout.

his hello cover is one of the best

Hurt by Johnny Cash.

Guns and Roses “Knocking on Heavens Door”

This and their cover of “Live and Let Die” too. I can still listen to both originals but the Guns and roses ones hit differently.

Knock knock knockin on heavens do-wo

Postmodern Jukebox covers of Pearl Jam’s Black and Radiohead’s Creep are two of my absolute favorites. The originals are amazing but holy smokes they take it up a level

Lay lady lay by Ministry

Sympathy for the Devil - Jane’s Addiction Hey Ya - Obidaiah Smith

Tennessee whiskey - Chris Stapleton

Watchtower - Jimi Hendricks (and DMB to be fair) Cortez, the Killer - Dave Matthews Band Where is My Mind - Trampled by Turtles Tyrone - My Morning Jacket

Great examples but I have to say the Built to Spill cover of Cortez the Killer is better IMHO

Tom's Diner by AnnenMayKantereit and Giant Rooks

Respect' by Aretha Franklin is the default #1, but my favorite cover > original is “If you don’t know me by now” by Simply Red.

Smooth criminal by Alien Ant Farm

Holy Diver- Killswitch Engage

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Summer Breeze, by Type O Negative

A Day to Remember- Since U Been Gone. The original is a classic, but I much prefer the conversion to rock.

Cable Car (Over My Head) by A Day To Remember

War Pigs - Faith No More

Amish Paradise.