Versions of Songs, that I'd rather hear

[EZway2go]

I often prefer the softer AC version over its harder original...

"The Weight" Jackie DeShannon over The Band
"Ticket To Ride" Carpenters over The Beatles
"Superstar" Carpenters over Leon Russell
"Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" Carpenters over Klaatu (although the Klaatu version really isn't that much harder)
"Danny's Song" Anne Murray over Kenny Loggins (but I can't say the same for "Daydream Believer" - The Monkees over Anne Murray)
"You Won't See Me" Anne Murray over The Beatles

I'm completely neutral on some remakes because they're so different, they don't even sound like the same song...

"Breaking Up Is Hard To Do" Neil Sedaka's original or his slower remake
"Hooked On A Feeling" B.J.Thomas or Blue Swede
"You Keep Me Hangin' On" The Supremes or Vanilla Fudge
"Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell or Diana Ross
"Spanish Harlem" Ben E. King or Aretha Franklin

I'm completely neutral on some remakes because they're too much alike to my ear...

"The Boy From New York City" The Ad-Libs or Manhattan Transfer
"I Can See Clearly Now" Johnny Nash or Jimmy Cliff
"Please Mr. Postman" Marvelettes or Carpenters
"You Can't Hurry Love" The Supremes or Phil Collins
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" Righteous Brothers or Daryl Hall & John Oates
"Angel Of The Morning" Merilee Rush or Juice Newton

And finally, I think I prefer the Faces' version of "Ooh La La" over Rod Stewart's only because of its use in that Blue Cross commercial, but both are pretty good.

 

[radioman148]

IMO Neil Sedaka shouldn't have remade Breakin Up Is Hard to Do, but that's just me.

 

[firepoint525]

"Angel Of The Morning" Merilee Rush or Juice Newton

I prefer Juice's version, mainly because she didn't have the unnecessary "harmony" vocal on hers, thus giving her version a "cleaner" sound.

 

[firepoint525]

"Hooked On A Feeling" B.J.Thomas or Blue Swede

I definitely prefer the Blue Swede version, but that is probably because I was about 10 years old when it came out, thus I loved the "ooga chaga"s! ;D

But I thought that B. J. Thomas did a nice cover of the Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby," even changing the second verse to take out all the drag-racing references. (And I am a big Beach Boys fan! 8))

 

[Jay F]

I liked Carl Carlton's version of "Everlasting Love" better than the original. I think this is just a case of the studio technology improving, the orginal sounds hollow in comparison.

I love Gloria Gaynor's cover of "Never Can Say Goodbye". I liked the early versions of the song too, but am impressed how she transformed it to a fast pace pioneering disco hit, very strong vocals as well.

 

[radioman148]

"Hooked On A Feeling" B.J.Thomas or Blue Swede

I definitely prefer the Blue Swede version, but that is probably because I was about 10 years old when it came out, thus I loved the "ooga chaga"s! ;D

But I thought that B. J. Thomas did a nice cover of the Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby," even changing the second verse to take out all the drag-racing references. (And I am a big Beach Boys fan! 8))

I gotta take BJ Thomas' version, but that's just me.

 

[firepoint525]

"Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" Carpenters over Klaatu (although the Klaatu version really isn't that much harder)

Neither one of these were very big hits. I can't help but believe that this was out of character for the Carpenters, and may have confused their fans. I haven't heard either version in recent years.

"Danny's Song" Anne Murray over Kenny Loggins (but I can't say the same for "Daydream Believer" - The Monkees over Anne Murray)

"I'm A Believer," Monkees over SmashMouth, although the latter wasn't too bad.

"The Boy From New York City" The Ad-Libs or Manhattan Transfer

The Transfer's version benefits from the more recent technology, can't understand why their version isn't the preferred one, and why the Ad Libs' version still gets any airplay, especially considering that it is 50 years old now, and most other 50 year old songs don't get much airplay anymore.

 

[firepoint525]

I liked Carl Carlton's version of "Everlasting Love" better than the original. I think this is just a case of the studio technology improving, the orginal sounds hollow in comparison.
I love Gloria Gaynor's cover of "Never Can Say Goodbye". I liked the early versions of the song too, but am impressed how she transformed it to a fast pace pioneering disco hit, very strong vocals as well.

Both of those benefited from the "disco treatment." I would also add "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart to that list, but it's hard to argue against the Memphis soul of the Eddie Floyd original.

And on a related note, I will take the original artist's version of anything that was later mangled by Gloria Estefan. Too many to mention here.

 

[radioman148]

I liked Carl Carlton's version of "Everlasting Love" better than the original. I think this is just a case of the studio technology improving, the orginal sounds hollow in comparison.
I love Gloria Gaynor's cover of "Never Can Say Goodbye". I liked the early versions of the song too, but am impressed how she transformed it to a fast pace pioneering disco hit, very strong vocals as well.

Both of those benefited from the "disco treatment." I would also add "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart to that list, but it's hard to argue against the Memphis soul of the Eddie Floyd original.

And on a related note, I will take the original artist's version of anything that was later mangled by Gloria Estefan. Too many to mention here.

Is it possible to like both versions of "Knock on Wood" because I do. I may prefer Eddie Floyd's but Amii Stewart's is very good also.

 

[hornet61]

Like I sadi Earlier...99% of the time I love both versions.

 

[firepoint525]

I liked Carl Carlton's version of "Everlasting Love" better than the original. I think this is just a case of the studio technology improving, the orginal sounds hollow in comparison.
I love Gloria Gaynor's cover of "Never Can Say Goodbye". I liked the early versions of the song too, but am impressed how she transformed it to a fast pace pioneering disco hit, very strong vocals as well.

Both of those benefited from the "disco treatment." I would also add "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart to that list, but it's hard to argue against the Memphis soul of the Eddie Floyd original.
And on a related note, I will take the original artist's version of anything that was later mangled by Gloria Estefan. Too many to mention here.

Is it possible to like both versions of "Knock on Wood" because I do. I may prefer Eddie Floyd's but Amii Stewart's is very good also.

Yes! I like 'em both!

 

[firepoint525]

As for cover versions. What I noticed is if the remake becomes a big hit (whether I like it, hate it or am indifferent) I often lose interest in the original. One example of many would be "Drift Away". I used to like it until the Uncle Kracker version came out..now I'm burned on the song alltogether.

Can't understand why the original artist (in this case, Dobie Gray) would want to be a participant in the butchering of his own song! Definitely prefer the original "Drift Away" over the wannabe's remake of it. :

 

[hornet61]

As for cover versions. What I noticed is if the remake becomes a big hit (whether I like it, hate it or am indifferent) I often lose interest in the original. One example of many would be "Drift Away". I used to like it until the Uncle Kracker version came out..now I'm burned on the song alltogether.

Can't understand why the original artist (in this case, Dobie Gray) would want to be a participant in the butchering of his own song! Definitely prefer the original "Drift Away" over the wannabe's remake of it. :

speaking of participating...I realize artists do re-recording of their hits down the road for, monetary reasons cause they probably got ripped off the first time,but...99% of the time those re-recordings are horrendous.....especially those on Gusto, Dominion, early K-tel (They eventually got better)...crack me up the disclaimer on those records "new recordings by the original artist"

 

[radioman148]

As for cover versions. What I noticed is if the remake becomes a big hit (whether I like it, hate it or am indifferent) I often lose interest in the original. One example of many would be "Drift Away". I used to like it until the Uncle Kracker version came out..now I'm burned on the song alltogether.

Can't understand why the original artist (in this case, Dobie Gray) would want to be a participant in the butchering of his own song! Definitely prefer the original "Drift Away" over the wannabe's remake of it. :

speaking of participating...I realize artists do re-recording of their hits down the road for, monetary reasons cause they probably got ripped off the first time,but...99% of the time those re-recordings are horrendous.....especially those on Gusto, Dominion, early K-tel (They eventually got better)...crack me up the disclaimer on those records "new recordings by the original artist"

I hate it when they do that.

 

[firepoint525]

I can't say for certain, but it seems to me that WQSV in Ashland City may be playing some of those original artist re-recordings. I believe I have heard one such re-recording of Brewer and Shipley's "One Toke Over the Line." Being that this is the internet age, you don't have to take my word for it. You can listen to them online at http://www.wqsvam790.com.

 

[hornet61]

I can't say for certain, but it seems to me that WQSV in Ashland City may be playing some of those original artist re-recordings. I believe I have heard one such re-recording of Brewer and Shipley's "One Toke Over the Line." Being that this is the internet age, you don't have to take my word for it. You can listen to them online at http://www.wqsvam790.com.

I believe you , a local a/c station was playing a horrendous version "Rainy Night in Georgia"..the owner didn't know the difference.

 

[firepoint525]

I can't say for certain, but it seems to me that WQSV in Ashland City may be playing some of those original artist re-recordings. I believe I have heard one such re-recording of Brewer and Shipley's "One Toke Over the Line." Being that this is the internet age, you don't have to take my word for it. You can listen to them online at http://www.wqsvam790.com.

I believe you , a local a/c station was playing a horrendous version "Rainy Night in Georgia"..the owner didn't know the difference.

Now that's scary! I hope you busted him on it!

As for WQSV, they probably don't care. And the listeners likely don't either, for what that is worth! :

 

[firepoint525]

speaking of participating...I realize artists do re-recording of their hits down the road for, monetary reasons cause they probably got ripped off the first time,but...99% of the time those re-recordings are horrendous.....especially those on Gusto, Dominion, early K-tel (They eventually got better)...crack me up the disclaimer on those records "new recordings by the original artist"

On a similar subject, I heard on the radio yesterday that Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, the Doobie Brothers, and maybe others, now "own" their "own" albums, having "bought" them from their respective labels. This may be why we are seeing reissue projects like Springsteen's Darkness on the Edge of Town, that spiral notebook package, which probably contains some previously unissued songs, different mixes of other songs, etc.

I like the Paul McCartney reissues that I have heard so far, but I know that through MPL Communications, he already owns all his post-Beatle work.

 

[Jay F]

I loved Steve Forbert-Romeo's Tune in 1980. But then I heard a version where he remade the song in the late 80s and it was terrible, his voice was totally shot. Keith Urban has covered the song but I never heard his version.

 

[CatCall]

Bobby Vinton’s version of “Sealed With A Kiss” from 1972 is far better than the Hyland version from 10 years earlier. What a great summer song.