The Electric Prunes´s version is indeed fantastic!!
But whether does beat the original or not... not sure..
not on vocals, i would say. (love that howl so much!;)

But i´ll spend you a beer anyway!! :)

John Battles said:

I RETRACT THAT NON - FACT....The Electric Prunes did a great version of "Smokestack Lightning".....on the "Live , Stockholm '67 album" , with a great turnaround , and would'nt you know , James Lowe's timely advice to an audience already, no doubt,  smoking their brains out , " IF YOU CAN'T DRINK.....THEN YOU OUGHT TO SMOKE.".....
 
John Battles said:

i THINK YOU'LL WIN THAT BET. I HEARD "SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING" BY THE YARDBIRDS , FIRST , THINKING THAT IT SOUNDED A LOT LIKE "PRIMITIVE" BY THE CRAMPS" , NOT YET AWARE OF HOWLIN' WOLF'S ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE FORMER , AND THE GROUPIES' ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE LATTER.....I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF ANY OTHER VERSIONS OF "SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING" , OFFHAND ........ IN THE STATES , THE CHESS RECORDS CATALOGUE WAS OUT OF PRINT UNTIL 1984 , AND , EVEN THEN , THE OBVIOUS STUFF LIKE CHUCK , BO , WOLF AND MUDDY WAS SLOW IN ARRIVING.
 
Tersicore said:

Well, since most of us grown up with R´n´R, Rock, Punk and so on, i guess is not too difficult to find more appealing versions of some old Jazz, Folk or old R´n´B songs. 
We may have heard in most cases the cover earlier than the original one,  
or maybe never heard the original at all. 

Personally i´d be more curious about comparing songs which were both, original and cover, quasi contemporary, or from not so extremely different musical genre.
What do you think?

BUT: I´ll spend a beer to anyone who comes with a better version of the original "Smokestack Lightning" by Howling´Wolf! ;)

Dead Moon Forever!!

Audio Gasoline said:

Dead Moon's cover of "Parchman Farm" knocks it out of the park, especially in contrast to Mose Allison's well-known jazzified piano blues original.

I agree , I like The Blue Cheer version better than The Who , but , certainly neither of them better than Eddie Cochran. I think , if you could have asked Johnnys Thunders , Ramone , and , on a good day , Rotten , they'd have agreed Cochran laid down the foundation for Punk. Link Wray , too. Gene Vincent , Johnny Burnette Trio , handful of others. Rockabilly WAS the original Punk Rock , before Garage Punk . 70's Punk = Heavy Cochran.
 
Glenn Barton said:

I prefer BC'S cover to The Who's though I like The Who's also. I like Eddy's original a bit more than BC'S cover. Kinda' perfect rock and roll song.

 
The Fnords said:

Ah, covers; do it different or better is the guide, I believe. One of the difficult ones; Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran or The 'Oo?

In my view, EC was the trailblazer with a brilliant song and the Who took it on a bit; they complement each other.

Going back to previous posts about Mose Allison, there's the Who's take on Young Man Blues, too.

Devo - Satisfaction. Different.

George Thorogood - Boogie Chillun. Better, maybe (but probably because of improved technology and so on).

D.

I prefer BC'S cover to The Who's though I like The Who's also. I like Eddy's original a bit more than BC'S cover. Kinda' perfect rock and roll song.

 
The Fnords said:

Ah, covers; do it different or better is the guide, I believe. One of the difficult ones; Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran or The 'Oo?

In my view, EC was the trailblazer with a brilliant song and the Who took it on a bit; they complement each other.

Going back to previous posts about Mose Allison, there's the Who's take on Young Man Blues, too.

Devo - Satisfaction. Different.

George Thorogood - Boogie Chillun. Better, maybe (but probably because of improved technology and so on).

D.

I STILL SAY THE ORIGINAL IS THE GREATEST , BECAUSE COCHRAN WAS'NT JUST A GREAT SINGER OR GUITAR PLAYER AND SONGWRITER (THOUGH HE WAS.) , HE ALSO HAD A MASTERY OF THE STUDIO , AND MULTI - TRACK RECORDING ALMOST UNHEARD OF AT THE TIME (HIS FRIEND , BUDDY HOLLY , BEING A RARE NOTEABLE EXCEPTION.). IT'S JUST A PERFECT ROCK'N'ROLL SONG , IT HAS GOOD NATURED HUMOR , BUT SPOKE TO THE TEENS WHO WERE SUFFERING THROUGH JUST WHAT THE SONG DEPICTS. IT HAS A REAL RAWNESS , YET EVERYTHING IS RIGHT IN PLACE. EDDIE TOOK CHANCES  , BUT ,IN THE END , HE LEFT NOTHING TO CHANCE......

THE WHO'S "YOUNG MAN BLUES" IS ARGUABLY EVEN BETTER THAN THEIR "SUMMERTIME BLUES". BUT ,THEY APPROACHED IT LIKE FLEETWOOD MAC MIGHT HAVE , IN 1968.

SURE , IT ROCKS OUT WITH IT'S COCK OUT , LIKE ALLISON'S NEVER DID , BUT , I WOULD'NT SAY IT'S BETTER , JUST VERY DIFFERENT. 

THE WHO'S VERSION OF "SUMMERTIME BLUES" IS GREAT , BUT , I WOULD'NT PUT IT UP AGAINST THE ORIGINAL , JUST AS I WOULD'NT PUT BLUE CHEER'S VERSION UP AGAINST THE ORIGINAL , THOUGH IT BROKE NEW GROUND , ALL OVER AGAIN.

YEAH , DEVO'S "SATISFACTION".....VERY DIFFERENT, Anybody remember seeing them debut it on SNL?  But , I never liked Devo enough to buy one of their albums (I found the "Social Fools" single on Stiff for 50 cents , tho'). I liked them more in High School. Jagger himself said it was the best version he'd heard in a long time , but........I would'nt say it's the better of the two.

I'd never say ANY version of "Boogie Chillun" (Not even John Fred !) beats the original , tho' my favorite was the prototype version released by Hooker as "Walkin' The Boogie".

 I think Thorogood meant well , but , I could never take him that seriously. For Honky Blues Devils , I'd say I prefer Peter Green , Tony McPhee , Eric Burdon , Van Morrisson (With THEM , of course.) , Tony Joe White , Doug Sahm , and even John Mayall.

Ah, covers; do it different or better is the guide, I believe. One of the difficult ones; Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran or The 'Oo?

In my view, EC was the trailblazer with a brilliant song and the Who took it on a bit; they complement each other.

Going back to previous posts about Mose Allison, there's the Who's take on Young Man Blues, too.

Devo - Satisfaction. Different.

George Thorogood - Boogie Chillun. Better, maybe (but probably because of improved technology and so on).

D.

  That's really cool. I've had two bands cover my songs. I'm biased in my own favor , but , I was amazed that anybody would do such a thing...... 
 
D. A. Anguiano said:

The Hex Dispensers covered a song I wrote called 'I'm a Ghost' and killed it. It's better than the original by miles. :)

/tootsownhorn

Yeah , that whole album "Detroit with Mitch Ryder" kills. Great versions of "It Ain't Easy" (Ron Davies , was it? Not RAY. Long John Baldrey and David Bowie covered it , too , a short time after.) , "Gimme Shelter" (Did'nt appear on the original release) , "Let It Rock "and " I Found a Love " (Falcons w/ Wilson Pickett,) , and some strong originals.........
 
Glenn Barton said:

Detroit's is great!. Heard it on the Wax Museum couple weeks ago. Also have it on Michigan Rocks comp.

John Battles said:

 Mitch Ryder with Detroit "Rock'n'Roll" (Velvet Underground.).

Even Lou Reed "Copped" to liking this version , better .

The Hex Dispensers covered a song I wrote called 'I'm a Ghost' and killed it. It's better than the original by miles. :)

/tootsownhorn

Detroit's is great!. Heard it on the Wax Museum couple weeks ago. Also have it on Michigan Rocks comp.

John Battles said:

 Mitch Ryder with Detroit "Rock'n'Roll" (Velvet Underground.).

Even Lou Reed "Copped" to liking this version , better .

 Mitch Ryder with Detroit "Rock'n'Roll" (Velvet Underground.).

Even Lou Reed "Copped" to liking this version , better .

DON'T THINK I'VE HEARD THIS SINCE MY BROTHER HAD IT ON 8 -TRACK.

EXCESS IS BEST.

I also like The Troggs , Blue Cheer , JERRY LEE LEWIS !! , Otis Redding (of course.), 13TH Floor Elevators , Eddie and The Hot Rods , and some others, but , I have'nt heard one that I thought beat the original....
Try to imagine what that sounded like when it came out.....  
Axel Björnsson said:

 

really digg this version with mountain

really digg this version with mountain

 I like the Isley Bros.' version of "Lay , Lady Lay". The spoken intro on their live album is priceless -   Ronnie Isley : This is a song written by Bob Dylan. Now , a lot of people thinks the cat knows something about a lot of things , but , me , I like anything that's got "LAY" in it.
 
Glenn Barton said:

I think we'll both stick with the one we heard first.

 
Mike Humsgreen said:

I was going to mention the Magnet cover. Although the steel guitar is really good on the original. But I heard the Magnet cover first and find the Dylan version doesn't really fit to the lyrics because of that. After hearing the cover it just has to be a soppy love song.

Glenn Barton said:

 I love "Lay Lady Lay" but a lot of that has to do with the killer pedal steel guitar and the reverb attached to it!
 

I RETRACT THAT NON - FACT....The Electric Prunes did a great version of "Smokestack Lightning".....on the "Live , Stockholm '67 album" , with a great turnaround , and would'nt you know , James Lowe's timely advice to an audience already, no doubt,  smoking their brains out , " IF YOU CAN'T DRINK.....THEN YOU OUGHT TO SMOKE.".....
 
John Battles said:

i THINK YOU'LL WIN THAT BET. I HEARD "SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING" BY THE YARDBIRDS , FIRST , THINKING THAT IT SOUNDED A LOT LIKE "PRIMITIVE" BY THE CRAMPS" , NOT YET AWARE OF HOWLIN' WOLF'S ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE FORMER , AND THE GROUPIES' ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE LATTER.....I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF ANY OTHER VERSIONS OF "SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING" , OFFHAND ........ IN THE STATES , THE CHESS RECORDS CATALOGUE WAS OUT OF PRINT UNTIL 1984 , AND , EVEN THEN , THE OBVIOUS STUFF LIKE CHUCK , BO , WOLF AND MUDDY WAS SLOW IN ARRIVING.
 
Tersicore said:

Well, since most of us grown up with R´n´R, Rock, Punk and so on, i guess is not too difficult to find more appealing versions of some old Jazz, Folk or old R´n´B songs. 
We may have heard in most cases the cover earlier than the original one,  
or maybe never heard the original at all. 

Personally i´d be more curious about comparing songs which were both, original and cover, quasi contemporary, or from not so extremely different musical genre.
What do you think?

BUT: I´ll spend a beer to anyone who comes with a better version of the original "Smokestack Lightning" by Howling´Wolf! ;)

Gary "US" Bonds did a version, but I don't think it's what you're looking for... still pretty ok though in a 70s honky tonk rock kind of way.

Gary "US" Bonds "From A Buick 6"

Nice find on the harmonica-intro version, I like the way it sets-off the track. Record digger's tip: the original stereo pressing of "Highway 61 Revisited" will always have the word "Nonbreakable" on the labels, to the left of the center hole. Later pressings will not have this word at all. A good way to know as you're flipping through stacks that you've got a first pressing with the rare track. The first Canadian release also has this mispressing: the "360 Sound" text is white on US copies and black on Canadian copies.

dave said:

Has anyone done a cover of Dylan's "From A Buick 6"? Seems like it would be cool when done by some Gories-type band.

Here is something I did not know existed:

Bob Dylan - From A Buick 6 (Alternate) [vinyl]

The very first stereo copies of Highway 61 Revisited were mistaken pressed with an alternate version of From A Buick 6.

I think we'll both stick with the one we heard first.

 
Mike Humsgreen said:

I was going to mention the Magnet cover. Although the steel guitar is really good on the original. But I heard the Magnet cover first and find the Dylan version doesn't really fit to the lyrics because of that. After hearing the cover it just has to be a soppy love song.

Glenn Barton said:

 I love "Lay Lady Lay" but a lot of that has to do with the killer pedal steel guitar and the reverb attached to it!
 

I was going to mention the Magnet cover. Although the steel guitar is really good on the original. But I heard the Magnet cover first and find the Dylan version doesn't really fit to the lyrics because of that. After hearing the cover it just has to be a soppy love song.

Glenn Barton said:

 I love "Lay Lady Lay" but a lot of that has to do with the killer pedal steel guitar and the reverb attached to it!
 

Has anyone done a cover of Dylan's "From A Buick 6"? Seems like it would be cool when done by some Gories-type band.

Here is something I did not know existed:

Bob Dylan - From A Buick 6 (Alternate) [vinyl]

The very first stereo copies of Highway 61 Revisited were mistaken pressed with an alternate version of From A Buick 6.

i THINK YOU'LL WIN THAT BET. I HEARD "SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING" BY THE YARDBIRDS , FIRST , THINKING THAT IT SOUNDED A LOT LIKE "PRIMITIVE" BY THE CRAMPS" , NOT YET AWARE OF HOWLIN' WOLF'S ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE FORMER , AND THE GROUPIES' ORIGINAL VERSION OF THE LATTER.....I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF ANY OTHER VERSIONS OF "SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING" , OFFHAND ........ IN THE STATES , THE CHESS RECORDS CATALOGUE WAS OUT OF PRINT UNTIL 1984 , AND , EVEN THEN , THE OBVIOUS STUFF LIKE CHUCK , BO , WOLF AND MUDDY WAS SLOW IN ARRIVING.
 
Tersicore said:

Well, since most of us grown up with R´n´R, Rock, Punk and so on, i guess is not too difficult to find more appealing versions of some old Jazz, Folk or old R´n´B songs. 
We may have heard in most cases the cover earlier than the original one,  
or maybe never heard the original at all. 

Personally i´d be more curious about comparing songs which were both, original and cover, quasi contemporary, or from not so extremely different musical genre.
What do you think?

BUT: I´ll spend a beer to anyone who comes with a better version of the original "Smokestack Lightning" by Howling´Wolf! ;)

I'm not the beating kind. Just threw "Positively" out there because I heard it recently (on dishnet xm underground garage I think) and it's one I like but couldn't think of covers for it. I'll have to listen to J. Rivers version again. In general I agree.. Dylan covers are mostly better than the originals. I love "Lay Lady Lay" but a lot of that has to do with the killer pedal steel guitar and the reverb attached to it!
 
Tersicore said:

Don´t get me wrong. Dylan is a really great singer-songwriter, i recognize it myself, but how can i say it? When i hear most of his songs i get kind of bored, are somehow too lame, sluggish, to me. But they do are great songs and that´s why i think it may be possible if not even easy, to make some better covers of one of his songs.

@Glenn Burton, "Positively 4th Street"? Don´t beat me but personally i don´t like this song, though the cover by Johnny Rivers is not that boring to me as the original.

Audio Gasoline said:

I remember reading somewhere that the only cover of his that Dylan liked (of all the covers of his songs) was Jimi's version of "All Along The Watchtower". John, I have to mention one small factoid in your Dylan post: "Turn, Turn, Turn" was a Pete Seeger song (the words were from the Bible, but he wrote the music and did the main arrangement). Dylan in his early years did some bitchin' covers in his own right, especially of traditional blues and gospel standards. Half of his first album were cover songs. (Disclaimer: I'm a fan of "Classic Dylan", and lose interest somewhere around "Blonde On Blonde".... except for "Desire", that album rules.)

Tersicore said:

ha ha, somehow i got the feeling that is not really hard to make a good cover of a Dylan song, sorry! ;D

Don´t get me wrong. Dylan is a really great singer-songwriter, i recognize it myself, but how can i say it? When i hear most of his songs i get kind of bored, are somehow too lame, sluggish, to me. But they do are great songs and that´s why i think it may be possible if not even easy, to make some better covers of one of his songs.

@Glenn Burton, "Positively 4th Street"? Don´t beat me but personally i don´t like this song, though the cover by Johnny Rivers is not that boring to me as the original.

Audio Gasoline said:

I remember reading somewhere that the only cover of his that Dylan liked (of all the covers of his songs) was Jimi's version of "All Along The Watchtower". John, I have to mention one small factoid in your Dylan post: "Turn, Turn, Turn" was a Pete Seeger song (the words were from the Bible, but he wrote the music and did the main arrangement). Dylan in his early years did some bitchin' covers in his own right, especially of traditional blues and gospel standards. Half of his first album were cover songs. (Disclaimer: I'm a fan of "Classic Dylan", and lose interest somewhere around "Blonde On Blonde".... except for "Desire", that album rules.)

Tersicore said:

ha ha, somehow i got the feeling that is not really hard to make a good cover of a Dylan song, sorry! ;D

Can't argue with any of those (esp. 2 I may not have heard yet). Like that you mentioned The Turtles version of "It Ain't Me, Babe". My band, The Shreds Of Evidence, does a version based on The Turtles version but arranged a bit differently. No drastic changes (unless you compare side by side). If we ever get vid on that one I'll post in vids. We need a new topic... Dylan songs we think Dylan did better than any covers. "Positively 4th Street"? ... wait, I don't know of any covers... off to youtube-nah!
 
John Battles said:

There's so many....Jerry Lee Lewis made , pretty much , any song his own.

 

There's so many Dylan covers that , I believe, were better than the originals....

Pretty much any by The Byrds - My Back Pages , Mr. Tambourine , Turn , Turn ,Turn , etc.

Elvis did a total of two Dylan songs. "Don't Think Twice , It's All Right " was just a studio jam that went on for 10 minutes , but really drove the point home......a putdown to the one who put him down. Saying "iT AIN'T NO BIG THING" WHEN IT IS.

it Ain't Me , Babe - Johnny Cash and even The Turtles.

It's aLL over Now , Baby Blue. - Them , Chocolate Watchband , 13TH Floor Elevators.

Isley Bros. - Lay , Lady Lay "Now some people say this cat knows a lot about a lot of things . Me , I like anything that's goy LAY in it !" (Ronnie Isley) 

Yardbirds - Most Likely You'll Go Your Way .

Solomon Burke - Maggie's Farm.

OK , to be fair , I heard Dylan doing "It Takes a Lot To Laugh , It Takes a Train To Cry" , recently. It beats Hell out of Blue Cheer's version.

I don´t need much words for that: love both but i think Cash gave a "soul" to this song!

It´s all double dutch to me, John... are those all (shitty?) bands?
Guess, any cover made by anyone is way better than an original Janet Jackson! ;D
I got bad allergic reactions to tunes of Michel Jackson, go figure to of Janet! 

I think, Kopper is right! in this case is not longer subjective, that´s a fact! ;)

John Battles said:

Ciccone Youth , Chicago Style (Tomatoes , peppers , celery salt , day - glo relish , white onions, mustard. Fuck the no ketchup statute.) ??  This sounds surprisingly inoffensive , but , it is'nt annoying , like a Wax Trax cut. Beats Hell out of the original record . So would a sledge hammer.
 
kopper said:

Killdozer's cover of Janet Jackson's "Nasty" is better than the original.