Alternate versions of classic songs starting with Wish You Were Here

After going through my collection I remembered this amazing version of one of the greatest songs ever so I am hoping that other people will have other similar songs to share.

WIsh You Were Here by Pink Floyd

Such a classic song that just about everyone knows or can appreciate in it's commercial release form. Sadly just as many people can relate to the isolation or mental issues of a friend that Roger Waters was dealing with when writing it.

Like many bands their are alternate versions of their classics though and this is one that I really love. The essence of the classic version is there and it's unmistakable as Wish You Were Here just from the opening riff but their are changes to vocal delivery, composition, atmosphere and most importantly the addition of violin by Stéphane Grappelli that adds a whole new emotional feel to the song..

Wish You Were Here with Violin

Not that any fan , hardcore or casual, needs them or doesn't know them but here are the lyrics....

So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from Hell,
Blue skies from pain.
Can you tell a green field
From a cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?

And did they get you to trade
Your heroes for ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
And did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?

How I wish, how I wish you were here.
We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

Great thread idea.

I love what some bands/artists have been able to do with a classic cover. A band I've really been into lately, Iron Horse, covers all kinds of great music. They make it sound so.. organic.

There aren't many covers better than the original, take Scissor Sisters bastardising of Comfortably Numb for example.

However, Carlos Santana's version of The Zombies 'She's not there' is an exception imo.



Travis' version of 'Hit me baby one more time' always makes me smile, real tongue in cheek stuff!!

Love Pink Floyd and Wish you were here. However I found the violin on the second version doesn't quite work. It reminded me of violin from the bootlegging era, and a bit intrusive.

reply to post by Cobaltic1978


Oh if we're doing Britney Spears covers...

Here's one I like:

What do you think?

I like Children of Bodom version of OOPS I DID IT AGAIN over original by Britney Spears.

Enjoy.. Loudly



Also Northern Kings version "We don´t need another hero"

Neat thread idea! Let's see if I can post the video properly.

Here's my favorite remake of wish you were here.




And here is another remake I like, this is imagine dragons' radioactive, remake done by lindsey stirling and pentatonix




Edited to add: I guess Radioactive isn't exactly a "classic" song... should have read the post more carefully I suppose!

Here's one of my favorites by 2Cellos aka Sulic & Hauser.
Their cover of Welcome to the Jungle and their cover of Smooth Criminal.

The Cello sounds just awesome doing rock songs!

reply to post by opethPA


The Original Version Was By Barry Mann.

This is far superior:-

Thanks everyone for getting this thread moving..really enjoying it so far!

alldaylong
The Original Version Was By Barry Mann.
This is far superior:-

Talk about a man who could sing, Eric Burdon!!!

Their biggest hit was House of the Rising Sun which was their take on an old folk song so it certainly fits here. Without question this is my favorite song by any band ever. The vocals, the keyboards, it all works on a visceral level for me. In the video below during the keyboard solo when they are all just there lost in the music that to me is as much an example of the glory days of music as anything.

Some general info:
"An interview with Eric Burdon revealed that he first heard the song in a club in Newcastle, England, where it was sung by the Northumbrian folk singer Johnny Handle. The Animals were on tour with Chuck Berry and chose it because they wanted something distinctive to sing. This interview refutes assertions that the inspiration for their arrangement came from Bob Dylan.

The band enjoyed a huge hit with the song, much to Dylan's chagrin when his version was referred to as a cover. The irony of this was not lost on Dave Van Ronk, who said the whole issue was a "tempest in a teapot", and that Dylan stopped playing the song after The Animals' hit because fans accused Dylan of plagiarism. Dylan has said he first heard The Animals' version on his car radio and "jumped out of his car seat" because he liked it so much.

Dave Marsh described The Animals' take on "The House of the Rising Sun" as "the first folk-rock hit", sounding "as if they'd connected the ancient tune to a live wire", while writer Ralph McLean of the BBC agreed that "it was arguably the first folk rock tune", calling it "a revolutionary single" after which "the face of modern music was changed forever." Van Ronk claims that this version was based on his arrangement of the song.

The Animals' version transposes the narrative of the song from the point of view of a woman led into a life of degradation, to that of a male, whose father was now a gambler and drunkard, as opposed to the sweetheart in earlier versions."

Here is the WIKI link about House of the Rising Sun's various versions: House of the Rising Sun on Wikipedia

Most importantly here is the song in all its glory:

Here is my contribution!

reply to post by opethPA


The Animals where right up there with the best of British Bands ( we called them groups in those days) along with The Beatles, Stones, Kinks, The Who, Zombies, Yarbirds Pretty Things, Moody Blues. The list just goes on and on.
Most British Bands in the early 60's began by covering obscure American songs before they began writing their own material.
Here is another great example where the original was inferior to the re-make. Lead singer is Denny Lane who went on to play with Paul McCartney's Wings :-

reply to post by opethPA


How about :



?

Great to see Eric Burdon and the Animals getting a mention, very under-rated and influential.

Not saying any of these covers by Johnny Cash are better than the originals, the originals are great songs, (well 2 out of 3 of them are), but Cash puts his own stamp on them - and the first is with Strummer both playing Marley, can it get better?







Could post literally hundred's of excellent cover versions that offer something different than the original.

reply to post by TinkerHaus

Thanks, TinkerHaus, for Iron Horse. Talented fellas.

OP, ditto, great idea for a music thread.

reply to post by opethPA


Beautiful and great music here. Enjoy this thread heaps. Thank you for creating it.

I'm on holiday and am paying internet by the minute. Not a cool way to participate in a music thread – so I will return later and listen to all these great pieces of music for sure.

So far at least I best liked the Rasputina version of wish you were here. Very sensitive version even if not a classic.

reply to post by grey580


that...that..... is pure class!!!!! awesome theatrics in the vid and pure sound bliss! thank you for introducing me to them

Great thread idea... I need to put in my vote:

The cover of "Nothing Compares 2 U" by the Stereophonics. I hated the song when it was sung by Sinead O'Connor. After hearing the Stereophonics' version, I'm in love with it.

And for a great listen, I'll have to put in Cake's version of "I Will Survive". Lots and lots of fun...

Cheers,
Rewey

reply to post by opethPA


heres one... pretty close to the original...but better than any live version ive heard( iv seen him live twice)

its the killers doing Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits.....



dont know how to in bed??


oasis.........i am the walrus live.......un real!!!!