Cover songs better than original

[opieshuffle]

Super cool real story


"Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child", also "Motherless Child", is a traditional spiritual. It dates back to the era of slavery in the United States.


Richie Havens was tasked with an eight-song set at Woodstock, which was a mix of his originals and covers of songs by other artists. As his set neared its end, the next performer was nowhere to be found, which forced him to do encores with Beatles hits such as “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Hey Jude”.

With pressures mounting, he began to play an impromptu groove, uttering the word “freedom” as it was the first thing that came to his mind, supplementing the lyrics with a few lines from the traditional song, “Motherless Child” .

According to him (via Songfacts): “When you hear me play that long intro, it’s me stalling. I was thinking, ‘What the hell am I going to sing?’ I think the word ‘freedom’ came out of my mouth because I saw it in front of me. I saw the freedom that we were looking for. And every person was sharing it, and so that word came out.”

I was working Mariposa and taking the staff bus to Barrie and Havens was on the bus so I asked WTF the lyrics meant at 3:20 "I got a telephone in my front yard and I can call it from my heart" he said the lyrics were " i got a telephone deep in my soul and i can call it from my heart"

He was making lyrics up on the spot


He performed an exact replica of his woodstock performance at Mariposa

Richie Havens did TONS of amazing covers. Everyone in this thread should go look them all up. His voice and style were so unique!

 

[Toronto Passions]

 

[Toronto Passions]

I can’t really say which one is better because they both have good qualities, but I’ve always been a fan of Phil Collins harmonizing. He nails it on so many of his songs with multi layers.

Philip

 

[Horndog64]

Possibly the best song ever. Thanks for sharing this

 

[Horndog64]

Surprised this one isn't here:

Barenaked Ladies - Lovers in a Dangerous Time

 

[xmontrealer]

Better than The Beach Boys original?

 

[xmontrealer]

Better than The Velvet Underground original?

 

[xmontrealer]

definitely better than the Joy Division original...

 

[xmontrealer]

Better than The Velvet Underground original?

 

[K Douglas]

I can’t really say which one is better because they both have good qualities, but I’ve always been a fan of Phil Collins harmonizing. He nails it on so many of his songs with multi layers.

Philip

I wouldn't say as good as the original but Phil did a more than admirable job. Sometimes I don't think people realize just how successful his solo career was. He was a hit machine in the 80's.

 

[K Douglas]

definitely better than the Joy Division original...

I'm looking to pick up this vinyl. One of the most stellar albums of the 80's.

 

[xmontrealer]

As good as Archie Bell & The Drells?

Great in its own way...

 

[ogibowt]

the Beach Boys have always been a guilty pleasure of mine....and theircover of the Ronettes I Can Hear Music is top shelf.....and does justice to Ronnies original....and many posters on here are well aware of my love for Ronnie Spector

 

[ogibowt]

the Beach Boys have always been a guilty pleasure of mine....and theircover of the Ronettes I Can Hear Music is top shelf.....and does justice to Ronnies original....and many posters on here are well aware of my love for Ronnie Spector

oops try it again

 

[ogibowt]

ok 1 last time lol

 

[Hybrid7]

Beyoncé’s Blackbird is just as good if not arguably better than the Beatles original. I love the vocal harmonizing in her version. Also fitting that a black woman, the subject of the original song, gets to do such a nice rendition of it.

 

[ogibowt]

ok 1 last time lol

Ronnieeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

[jeff2]

 

[Hybrid7]

The song Black Sheep from the Scott Pilgrim movie. Brie Larson’s cover is way more popular and widely seen as superior to Metric’s original. I think even Emily Haines, the lead singer of the band, said that she liked Brie’s version more.

 

[jeff2]