Re-recordings that are better than the originals

I kinda like the re-recorded/single version of "Gigantic" by the Pixies over the original on Surfer Rosa.

 

The Guess Who - No Time & When Friends Fall Out

 

This one? Was it recorded for Deram, or just for Love You till Tuesday?

 

Couldn't disagree more on this one. I thought the newer version completely lost the feel of the original. It really fell flat, IMHO.

 

Ehh... I don't know. It's made latter-day appearances on collections of Deram material (e.g., Deram Anthology 1966-1968) but you're right that it was only recorded for the Love You Til Tuesday film so not clear on if that's consider Deram material or not, per se.

 

The Police: I'll be Watching You, for Spitting Image

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8im_1Ca0Qso

 

Good call...his revisiting of Conversation Piece is a favorite of mine.

 

Was "The Prettiest Star" mentioned? I prefer the Aladdin Sane remake.

 

I knew I was forgetting something! That's the rare Bowie remake where I can't choose a favorite version; both have a lot to recommend them.

 

"Roadrunner Twice" is on "Beserkley Chartbusters." And on here:

 

The remake = the version with the sax solo, right? If so, I have to go the other way and say I prefer the original.

 

Yeah the remake has a much more prominent sax part and the drums sound is more 80s sounding than the original. The sax parallels the guitar part in the remake.

I prefer the original but as stated the remake is a bit more muscular and streamlined sounding --slicker with cleaner production. Each has its merits certainly.

I'm sure the band probably feels the same way since, to the best of my knowledge, the band approved best of featured the original recording.

It's essentially the same arrangement just tighter sounding but there is an attractiveness to the original which sounds a bit more epic and sprawling to me with all the instrumental interplay of a six piece band vs. a trio augmented by session players.

Everyone will have to judge for themselves:
Original



Remake:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pqmTMiIMG74

 

I'll take the live version on Ballot Result over either. The ending on that version (powered by George Hurley's drum rolls) is killer.

 

Cool! Thanks for that.

 

Haven't seen Regina Spektor mentioned.
I prefer her re-recording of "Samson" from Begin to Hope (2006) over the original on Songs (2002).
Such a beautiful song, so beautifully sung:

 

I prefer The Shoes reworking of "Tomorrow Night" on the Present Tense LP to the original Bomp EP version.

 

Anyone mention "Cat People"? I have no opinion. But, I do think the original non-sax "John, I'm Only Dancing" is better than the various remakes.

 

Couldn't agree more. A perfect example of less is more.

 

Not "better" but equally good, which is a major victory in itself because I almost always prefer the original, is this version of Silence is Golden by the Tremeloes, which is the one used on a K-Tel compilation that I have. It's distinguishable from the best-known version by more prominent drums and the way they attack the vocals in the chorus:

 

In 2005 the original line up of Gang of Four released Return the Gift, re-recordings of some of their best songs. I recall that in interviews at that time the band said they didn't like the recording quality of the first album Entertainment in particular. It was IMHO a fantastic collection, followed by a tour that I was fortunate to attend at a The Palace in L.A. That concert remains one of the best shows I've ever seen.

 

Thank for posting, I never heard this early version before!

 

The most distinguishing thing about this remake over the original is that it's in STEREO!

 

Bryan Ferry - Casanova

 

I notice that earlier in this thread someone mentioned the album "Classic Cash" which is a set of late 1980s remakes of Johnny Cash's earlier hits. For me, I find that I often prefer the late 50s and early 60s remakes of his earlier Sun hits that he did while on Columbia records...no doubt remade so Columbia could "cash in" on his earlier hits. They aren't necessarily better than the Sun recordings, but they are generally of higher fidelity (and in stereo), plus they are played a bit more confidently by Cash and his band...since by then these songs were well-oiled by countless live performances. The nice thing is that when remaking the songs, they didn't stray far from the original style. That unique Sun sound is missing in the remakes, but the sound is still classic era Johnny Cash.

Here is an MP3 file showing five different Sun originals that Cash re-made for Columbia:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B9vWZzgAX8ASX0YzTHcyYnhndG8/edit?usp=sharing

The file contains both the Sun version and the Columbia version. The songs are Hey Porter, Folsom Prison Blues, I Walk The Line, Give My Love to Rose, and Big River.

 

The original by the Four Seasons exists in a stereo mix as well.