Cover songs that surpassed the originals.

[Tanooki]

Those aren't "covers" - they're parodies.

And it's "Weird Al" Yankovic

(or was that in reference to Jessica Sampson?)

[HaLoPhReAk]

Zombie by Cranberries

Zombie cover by Miser

I prefer Miser, probably because it's the one I'm used to.

[Gibbzilla]

Hendrix's cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

I think NIN's version of "Hurt" is better than Johnny Cash's.

[BobCox2]

best version of "Hurt"

[Johnny]

Kermit needs to get with the times. Dolls are out. 3D is in.

[Tanooki]

Apparently Bob Dylan wrote a decent song - but he couldn't sing it well.

Original


Turtle's Cover

[pancakeman]

Whoever mentioned Over the Rainbow was only halfway there. They got the song, but the neglected to put the superior version.

Clapton's Acoustic Version

Also, on a more obscure note, Depeche Mode's Stripped.

Original
Drist's Cover

I like Drist's, it is neat. Faster, yes. Rawkinger, yes. Awesomer? Yes.

[Dondrei]

Rarely happens, only one I can think of right now is Venus:

Shocking Blue version:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=U2DBcbZc3ck

Bananarama version:
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=iQkxYrPP43A

Don't really care for either version of Hurt but Johnny Cash's does seem better.

Oh, and another good MM remix:

Personal Jesus (Depeche Mode)
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=KW3aEimWW10

Personal Jesus (Marylin Manson)
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=BtuQMmgiCj4

Umbrella

original by Rihanna (what's with the contact lenses?

Metal cover by swedish band "little sister"

That's hilarious. Good old Swedish metal bands, always good for a laugh.

Also, I also prefer Alian Ant Farm's cover of Smooth Criminal when compared to Michael Jackson's original.


Michael Jackson:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wgS5PNTvgg

Alien Ant Farm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OB_yIGt7_Dg

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

Sweet Dreams (are made of this) by Eurythmics

and (yet another) superior cover by Marilyn Manson

He does good covers, and that's a good one, but it's not better than the original.

Hurt

Original by Nine Inch Nails

This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by a third party.

There's not many I agree with so far, maybe Hurt and anything Aerosmith covered with the possible exception of Love Me Two Times.
Here's a couple I think were kicked up a notch:
White Wedding - Billy Idol
and
White Wedding - Deathstars

Pretty good cover, but not better than the original.

*
Summer Breeze - Seals and Crofts
and
Summer Breeze - Type O Negative
**

Yeah, that's one of the ones I thought of. I like both versions in different ways though.

Cum on Feel the Noize - Slade
and
Cum on Feel the Noize - Quiet Riot
***
There's more, I'm bored with thinking of them though.

Wow, I'd never seen the original before. The weird thing is, they're pretty much exactly the same. That always seemed like such an 80s song to me...

The Devil Went Down to Georgia
Charlie Daniel's Band
Primus
One of those songs that's been covered a thousand times, but I like the Primus version the best. I think the Guitar Hero 3 version by Steve Ouimette is about the worst.

There are some good remixes of that song, but the original will always be the best.

"You keep me hanging on"

Original - The Supremes

Cover - Vanilla Fudge

Jesus Christ... I thought you were going to say the Kim Wilde version... that is atrocious.

Zombie by Cranberries

Zombie cover by Miser

I prefer Miser, probably because it's the one I'm used to.

You can't be serious.

That's one of those songs that no-one should ever try to cover anyway.

Kermit needs to get with the times. Dolls are out. 3D is in.

Get the hell out of here, Lucas.

[whitey]

CAKEs cover of "I Will Survive" probably the best cover ever, love it.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=10C68Gzd5GM

Metallicas cover of "Turn the Page"
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=dOibtqWo6z4

Rage Against the Machines cover of "The Ghost of Tom Joad" bonus funny video!
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=OLYV6F...eature=related

I love both versions but I think Tools cover of "No Quarter" is a bit better, mostly because of Maynards creepy voice.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=xzKWge...eature=related

Johnny Cashs version of "Hurt" is sooo much better then NIN and probably one of the most moving videos I've ever seen.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go

Mansons cover of "Personal Jesus" and "Sweet Dreams"
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdf1Q5__uvg
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=1JFyIaybXbU

A Perfect Circles cover of "The Fiddle and the Drum"
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=_B6kheJ8zks
Joni Mitchell just sang her own song like garbage
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=VOJLqdcJZJ0

[Croup]

I'm more of a fan of the Foo Fighters cover of Baker Street, although I like both versions.

Gerry Rafferty:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS7OnTdJUVY

Foo Fighters:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5kmaX2bnes