Here’s some songs that I think are just as good as they are by the original artist. I understand the argument can be made that nothing can match the original, but sometimes someone can add that one spice to make the soup a little more flavorful, nonetheless.
You Really Got Me This is the original by the Kinks. Van Halen added an extra helping of kick to blow the doors off of the song. This commercial shows how they took a song with a lot of swagger and turned it into one with brass balls:
A Change is Gonna Come Sam Cooke’s version overflows with heart, as well as melancholy and pained hope. Seal’s version begins with the same soulful wail, but he punches through the song with a more determined air. He doesn’t wish for change to come, he tells it that it will:
The Heart of the Matter Don Henley’s version is the version. But when Henley himself says that India Arie did a better job with his song than he did, he is the one who would know:
Listen to your Heart Roxette simply owns the song. But DHT makes regret the subject:
C’e Sempre un Motivo Tribute Bands make serious coin from duplicating the acts to whom they’re making tribute. Adriano Celentano has a pretty snazzy hit here. The singer of the Celentano tribute band Lui e gli amici del Re is pretty much his twin not only in looks, but in voice and mannerisms. Here’s his version of this classic (added bonus, two smoking hot dancers):
Filed under: observations
