THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Ok, I'll start things off then.


Original: Walking in the Rain - Flash and the Pan.
Cover: Walking in the Rain - Grace Jones.

While a cover version is nothing without a great original, what Sly, Robbie, Wally Badarou & the Compass Point Allstars did with Walking in the Rain for Grace Jones is absolutely superb, and it's one of those rarer examples of a cover version that's better than the original, imho.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_in_the_Rain_(Flash_and_the_Pan_song)

Now it's over to you, to champion more cover versions / other versions, that are as good as or better then the original!

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APL Champion 2018 + 2025
APL Hall of Fame Champion 2024 + 2025
140 grounds - 78/92

'Can I expect my team to stay in the Championship when they have to train at a school when the weather is bad?'
'Every year we’re in League 1 is a year too long'
Pete W

Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

Satisfaction

This might be slightly controversial. The Stones original is a genius piece of work. But I rate this as better:

Satisfaction - Devo.

In the decade since the original, Devo were able to invert what had become a rock cliché and further emphasize the original's anti-materialism message.

Honourable mentions go to the versions by:

Otis Redding - when Keef heard this, he stated that the horn sound was what he wanted, not the famous guitar riff. That was a compromise due to deadlines. What a compromise!!

The Residents - from around 1976 I think. Batshit crazy and not a little scary.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Original: Woodstock - Joni Mitchell.
The much better (rock) cover verson: Woodstock - Crosby Stills Nash & Young.
No contest imho, and so much better than the sickly Matthews Southern Comfort version that usually gets played instead.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodstock_(song)

_________________
APL Champion 2018 + 2025
APL Hall of Fame Champion 2024 + 2025
140 grounds - 78/92

'Can I expect my team to stay in the Championship when they have to train at a school when the weather is bad?'
'Every year we’re in League 1 is a year too long'
Pete W

Okay, hear me out.

Original: Radio Ga Ga by Queen
Better Cover: Radio Ga Ga by Electric Six

Yes. The same Electric Six that did Gay Bar and Danger Danger High Voltage. But honestly, it just works so well. Would definitely recommend a listen

And I’m telling you

Original: Jennifer Hudson.

Best ‘Cover’: Jennifer Holliday

Original: I Feel For You - Prince
Cover: I Feel For You - Chaka Khan

Original: Blues Run The Game - Jackson C. Frank
Cover: Blues Run The Game - Headless Heroes

Original: Kathy's Song - Simon & Garfunkel
Cover: Kathy's Song - The Secret Sisters

Original: Wild Horses - Rolling Stones
Cover: Wild Horses - The Flying Burrito Brothers

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

Buckle up, I'm going to diss a classic.

The original 'Police & Thieves' by Junior Murvin is a reggae classic. The Clash did a great version, but I'm going to put forward the best as being done by Dust Junkys Collective (ft Neville Staples and Diane Charlemagne) which exudes joy from every phrase.

I need to go listen to that. JM's version is God-like.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

On the subject of The Clash then their cover of Bobby Fuller's 'I fought the law' when they played it live was rather jolly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKIzjF25sP8

(Geek point: They are singing 'killed my girl, I feel so bad...' as a ref to Sid.)

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment