Do you like the original versions of songs, or their covers better?

1. 56

   aaplethoraoffposted 12 years ago

   Do you like the original versions of songs, or their covers better?
   
   I hear a lot of mixed reviews about this topic. Personally, I tend to like the originals because I feel like they have more meaning.

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2. 60

   MickSposted 12 years ago

   Generally the originals by  the original artists, if they are also recording artists, are better.  There are exceptions, look at the original, 'Anna' by  Arthur Alexander, abysmal, compared with the Beatles version, and the same can be said for his 'You'd Better Move On', when compared to the version by the Rolling Stones.

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3. 91

   Sherry Hewinsposted 12 years ago

   I'd agree in general that I usually like the original better. But there are lots of exceptions to that. Whitney Houston's version of "I Will Always Love You" was certainly a lot more popular the the original recorded by the composer Dolly Parton, although I still do love Dolly's version.

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4. 0

   Larry Wallposted 12 years ago

   I despised the term cover.
   
   Bob Dylan writes great songs and records them. With very few exceptions, I perfer the versions recorded by Joan Baez and Peter, Paul and Mary.
   
   Some songs are best sung by the original artist, especially if he/she wrote the song or it was written with a particular music style in mind.
   
   John Denver wrote "Leaving on a Jet Plane."  For him it was another song, for Peter, Paul and Mary, it was their only hit single.
   
   Sometimes you can enjoy both versions equally, which is great. However, some very good singers, do not write their own music. So they have to do "cover versions."

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   1. 91

      Sherry Hewinsposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with most of what you said, but why despise the word?

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   2. 0

      Larry Wallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Cover has a negative sound  to it. Back in the old days, when we listened to vinyl LPs,there were many popular singers we saw on TV and heard on radio, everyone sang songs recorded by others. Some were good, some were bad, but you had more choices.

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5. 76

   Kimberly Vaughnposted 12 years ago

   I like both depending on how well they are done. Ring of Fire by Johny Cash is great. However, Jack Savoretti came out with a cover that sounds completely different and completely amazing.

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6. 63

   cat on a soapboxposted 12 years ago

   There are many great points here. I agree w/ both  Larry and Mick that some songs are better performed by others than by the songwriter. My observation is that remixes of hit songs  are generally poor. In fact, I often think that there are SO many today that it is a form of laziness just as in new versions of classic and highly popular films.  I've no problem w/  multiple versions of classic songs or traditionals, just don't "bastardize" them and use enough innovation to not be a lazy copycat unless you are a legit "cover band" like the Fab Four.

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7. 70

   Maria-Argposted 12 years ago

   In my opinion, it depends. Most of the time I really just like the original version of a song, but sometimes I don't even realize that the version I like is a cover from another singer or band. I really like 'Wild Horses' by the Rolling Stones. They sang it beautifully. But, and maybe I'm biased because I'm a 90's kid, I also really love the cover by The Sundays.

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8. 61

   IDONOposted 12 years ago

   I don't mind covers as long as they are rearranged. Example:" Had a little help from my friends." Beatles, Cocker.    " Proud Mary" Creedence, Tina Turner. Exact copies give me no reason to think they are any better.

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9. 61

   First Colonyposted 12 years ago

   It al depends which one I hear first.  If I hear the cover first, then that is usualy the one that I like.  I actualy wrote a Hub about my top 5 Cover Songs, and most of the ones on my list are because I heard the cover first.

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