Worst cover song of all time?

[CAsterling]

Originally posted by Craptacular
Didn't I post a link to Celine Dion singing AC/DC??? Lemm go look, but that has to be without a doubt the worst ever.

I stand corrected, this is now the worst cover I have ever heard - god that was truely awful

[GrantDawg]

Want to hear bad? Duran Duran's "Thank You" is an album of covers. Some are really bad, but nothing is quite as bad as "Lay Lady Lay." My wife is a big Duranie and she runs screaming from the room when that comes on.

[EagleFan]

Celine Dion doing AC/DC has got to be the hands down worst. I also liked the Ugly Kid Joe remake of Cats in the Cradle. As far as groups whos songs are better when remade, I say The Who.

I haven't heard the Madonna one, but I can pretty much agree that it has to be bad.

I also think that the Cheryl Crow remake of the G & R song wasn't bad. But then again, any remake of their song has to be better than the original.

[Fritz]

You asked for it:

http://www.buffworks.com/sounds/The_...ng_My_Baby.mp3

http://www.buffworks.com/sounds/The_...bled_Water.mp3

(not that these are the worst)

[Fritz]

dola, this is honestly the worst.

A cover of REM's We Walk by Steel Pole Bathtub.

http://www.buffworks.com/sounds/Stee...ub-We_Walk.mp3

[Aylmar]

Originally posted by CAsterling
Also really hated the Whitney Houston cover of the Dolly Parton song (I forget its name)

You're talking about "I Will Always Love You".

[Mr. Sparkle]

I will forever hold a grudge with TheLionKing. Curious as I am, I decided to listen to Avril Lavigne's "Chop Suey" cover. After listening to it, I have come to the conclusion that if death were a sound, it would sound just like that. Absolutely horrible. I wouldn't wish hearing that on my worst enemy

[sterlingice]

I haven't heard the Lavigne "Chop Suey" but then again, I wasn't a huge fan of the original.

The "Cats in the Cradle" from Ugly Kid Joe was pretty good, I thought.

Two really pain me. The Madonna "American Pie" is quite bad. However, I heard that hideous Sheryl Crowe "Sweet Child of Mine" a few days ago and just had to wretch. GNR didn't have more than a half dozen great songs for as big as they were- leave their good ones alone- remake something off the Spaghetti Incident since no one would care anyways.

SI

[WSUCougar]

"The Star Spangled Banner" by just about anyone who's ever done it on national television.

[WussGawd]

Originally posted by dawgfan
Best cover that I suspect most people here have never heard is a Beatles cover by a live side-project called 801 that featured Brian Eno and Phil Manzanera. Their take on "Tomorrow Never Knows" (called "TNK" on their album 801 Live) is a great remake of the original.

Great song. Then again, I am a Roxy Music addict.

[WussGawd]

Originally posted by 3ric
I agree with Craptacular, her version of "You shook me all night long" is the worst. Ygh. *twitches*

The worst? That's an understatement. Celine Dion singing AC/DC is undoubtedly one of the signs of the coming Apocalypse.

Hmm. Rain of toads, check. War in the Middle East, check. Exceptionally overrated, untalented Canadian ballad singers doing covers of classic 70's metal tunes, check.

Batten down the hatches boys, and if you see a bright light, best say your prayers and approach it, the end is near.

[WussGawd]

This one would probably annoy anyone who was actually a Van Halen fan (I'm not, and never was), but one of the funniest covers I've ever heard was Aztec Camera's downbeat, acoustic version of "Jump."

[Ben E Lou]

This thread should have ended right then and there when Craptacular re-posted that hideous Celine Dion link. Anyone who posted any other song afterward needs to have his head examined.

[Fritz]

Originally posted by SkyDog
This thread should have ended right then and there when Craptacular re-posted that hideous Celine Dion link. Anyone who posted any other song afterward needs to have his head examined.

you obviously did not follow my links.

[Lathum]

I have to agree with American Pie.

As much as I love The Chili Peppers they did a cover of Brown Eyed Girl that was terrible.

[CAsterling]

Originally posted by Fritz
you obviously did not follow my links.

Bad really bad, but I still think Celine Dion is worse.
One that omes close to Celine Dion - anyone remember the puppets 'Pinky and Perky' and their terrible version of 'Yellow Submarine'

[Qwikshot]

Actually I think the worst cover is a Jimi Hendrix/Jim Morrison cover of "Tomorrow Never Knows" my god...a drunken Morrison rambling in a slurred mumbling, over a wah fuzz of Hendrix that seems to be way out of whack...

The drugs man...the drugs.

[Killebrew]

All of the covers done by Hayseed Dixie (the AC/DC bluegrass band) and also all of the covers done by the awful Dread Zeppelin (raggae/elvis inspired zeppelin covers).

[cuervo72]

Originally posted by Killebrew
All of the covers done by Hayseed Dixie (the AC/DC bluegrass band) and also all of the covers done by the awful Dread Zeppelin (raggae/elvis inspired zeppelin covers).

Hey, I kind of like Dread Zeppelin! There's also this British guy who goes by "The King" who redid songs liks Sweet Home Alabama and Come as You Are...

hxxp://www.soundclick.com/bands/9/thekingmusic.htm

[Ksyrup]

Don't forget Dread Zeppelin's disco years!

[kcchief19]

Bad covers really have to be divided into three categories:

* Covers by members of the cast from "Star Trek": From Leonard Nimoy's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" to William Shatner's "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

* Superstar covers: This is where Celine Dion singing AC/DC and Britney Spears singing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" belong. They may be bad, but these even at the worst of these are better than covers in the other two categories.

* Non-musicians and B-list musicians covers. This would include things like Jim Carrey's "I am the Walrus" and anything by Telly Savalas. Personally, the record for worst cover should always include the words "Toni" and "Tenille." During my radio days, we got a promo copy of a CD of covers from Mrs. Tenille that I think was so awful they decided not to actually release it.

Any cover that makes it to radio doesn't even belong on the list of worst covers, in my book.

And no, Kodos -- no one has ever improved on a Beatles cover. They are all inferior.

[Leonidas]

I can't believe no one has called out Dolly Parton for her "Stairway to Heaven" interpretation.

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Kodos
Does anyone else think that most Beatles covers come out better than the originals?

This is probably the most outrageous question ever. If I were running this board, you'd be in the penalty box.

The Beatles were nearly perfect, which is why almost all covers sound like absolute trash in comparison to the original.

I think Joe Cocker's "with a little help from my friends" is the best Beatles cover. He pretty much makes the song it's own, rather than just trying to imitate a perfect original.

[Coffee Warlord]

Heh. Sounding like I may get lynched for stating, yes, I Dislike The Beatles.

And while there are some truly bad covers. I still cringe in utter pain every time I think of Metallica doing Whiskey in the Jar.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by cthomer5000
This is probably the most outrageous question ever. If I were running this board, you'd be in the penalty box.

The Beatles were nearly perfect, which is why almost all covers sound like absolute trash in comparison to the original.

I think Joe Cocker's "with a little help from my friends" is the best Beatles cover. He pretty much makes the song it's own, rather than just trying to imitate a perfect original.

There are some good Beatles' covers. But none of them is as good as the original.

[Vince]

I absolutely cringed when I heard that Limp Bizkit redid The Who's Behind Blue Eyes.

That being said, it's actually not all that terrible.

[Ksyrup]

No one knows what it's like, to be a fuckhead

But I do - and I blame absolutely no one else but myself.

[sabotai]

The Beattles suck.

[DeToxRox]

Vanilla Ice covering his own song, this time doing it heavy metal. Ugh. The first sucked, but WOW, the second, damn.

As for System of a Down and Nu-Metal in general, it's just about it done for. It's canceling each other out. The painful trend is finally nearing an end.

And for any hardcore music fans, perhaps an actual good tribute CD will be out in March as hardcore music pays tribute to Guns n Roses. I heard "Sweet Child O'Mine" by Most Prescious Blood (A live version) and it was awesome, this CD has definite possibilites.

[DeToxRox]

And yeah, I am not a Beatles fan either.

[Leonidas]

Originally posted by Vince
I absolutely cringed when I heard that Limp Bizkit redid The Who's Behind Blue Eyes.

That being said, it's actually not all that terrible.

No, it's just simply abysmal.

I'm waiting for Kid Rock and The Great Short One himself to do a collaboration of Marshall Tucker songs. Fred can handle all the parts that require rapping.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by DeToxRoxDVHStyle
As for System of a Down and Nu-Metal in general, it's just about it done for. It's canceling each other out. The painful trend is finally nearing an end.

It may be splitting hairs, but I see SoaD as one of the few nu-metal bands with some substantive, redeeming qualities. Toxicity is a great metal album.

Speaking of trends in hard rock/metal, has anyone heard The Darkness? It's like late 70's/early 80's hard rock/metal, just serious enough that you know it's not a Tenacious D-type band, but campy enough that you're wondering whether Michael McKean is writing the songs. And the falsetto the guy sings with - wow! This album is at BB for only $8 and it's well worth it if you like Cock Rock. Get Your Hands Off My Woman (M*therf*cker) is a classic already.

[DeToxRox]

I don't actually mind System, but bands like Linkin Park, Disturbed, etc, can't stand.

System's S/T album is excellent, and Toxicity is solid, but it just got overplayed for me to hear.

And the Darkness are a fun band to listen too, not one I'd call amazing, but I do think they're pretty talented. 3 Inches of Blood is another band who's 80's cock rock but insane as hell.

Just noting a band I saw last month with Himsa and the Black Dahlia Murder.

[stevew]

Smash Mouth....well anything those bitches covered.

Especially that beatles song "Getting Better" from Shat in the Hat.

[DeToxRox]

lol, "I'm a Believer" by Smash Mouth made me cringe.

[Glengoyne]

Originally posted by Fritz
Shatner's Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is worse.

The thought of this scares me.

[WussGawd]

Originally posted by primelord
A buddy of mine's wife has a Michael Bolton CD that he apparently covers the Beatles Yesterday on. I can't imagine that that would be pleasent.

Considering that Michael Bolton is the Anti-Christ, I suspect this might be an understatement.

[Killebrew]

Originally posted by cuervo72
Hey, I kind of like Dread Zeppelin!

I guess I should be fair, I was actually a big fan until I heard one of their CD's.

[yabanci]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Pat Boone's whole album of heavy metal cover songs. That album alone was so bad they must have waived the waiting period and inducted him straight into the worst cover songs hall of shame, for both sheer horribleness and quantity.

[AZSpeechCoach]

Pat Boone In a Metal Mood

I scare my students with that stuff. I also threaten to play William Shatner for them if they misbehave.

[cmp]

Originally posted by Vince
I absolutely cringed when I heard that Limp Bizkit redid The Who's Behind Blue Eyes.

That being said, it's actually not all that terrible.

I'm a fan of the song.

[SlapBone]

Travis doing "Hit Me Baby One More Time"

It is funny as hell though. Delightfully butchered.

I also mentioned "Take the Money and Run" by Killdozer. This is my favorite but only because they absolutely suck. It was bands like killdozer that once made me believe I could be a rock star.

[Ksyrup]

Originally posted by SlapBone
Travis doing "Hit Me Baby One More Time"

Like Britney, everyone seems to have tapped that. Fountains of Wayne and Type O Negative have both covered that song.

[yabanci]

by the way, on the Dixie Chicks' cover of Landslide...The Smashing Pumpkins already did that cover, with much better results IMO. It's almost like the Dixie Chicks did a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins' cover of Landslide.

[Groundhog]

Perhaps a little obscure, but German 70's rock group Birth Control do a truly awful cover-version of The Doors' Light My Fire. It must be heard to be believed.

[jerem77]

Julio Iglesias

Light My Fire

Discussion Over.

[SplitPersonality1]

Other bad covers that haven't been mentioned.

The Peter etCetera-led Chicago turning the classic 25 or 6 to 4 into a slow, plodding adult contemporary piece of garbage that was a waste of radio waves.

Prince covering Sinead O'Conner's Nothing Compares 2U. Granted, not a great song in the first place, but the interesting note is that Prince wrote the darn thing and still managed to butcher his own song.

Nothing's worse than a band/artist destroying one of their own songs.

[Tigercat]

Madonnas is the worst because it was actually widely distributed as a single.

There are also some pretty bad covers of brown eyed girl that have gotten radio play over the years.(Everclear and Jimmy Buffet)

I actually like Aerosmith's cover of come together more, its got more soul, which matches well with the spirit of the song, IMO.

Then there is that horrible Doors tribute CD i've listened to a couple of times, yuck. Has there ever really been a good tribute CD?

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by Ksyrup
Like Britney, everyone seems to have tapped that. Fountains of Wayne and Type O Negative have both covered that song.

Fountains of Wayne made it a legitemate song. It was impressive. i also give them major credit for avoiding selling out.

They were originally going to release "hit me baby..." as a b-side to a single off their 2nd album. When the record label told them they would push that ("hit me baby..") as the single itself, the band decided not to release it at all. I don't believe that it's ever been "officially" released to this day.


I guess the good karma brought them the surprising hit that "Stacy's Mom" has been. As annoying as it is to have every moron I know think they know the band now, they deserve every record sale they get, for past works alone.

I just pray this doesn't completely change the sound of their next album.

[clintl]

Originally posted by WussGawd
This one would probably annoy anyone who was actually a Van Halen fan (I'm not, and never was), but one of the funniest covers I've ever heard was Aztec Camera's downbeat, acoustic version of "Jump."

That belongs on the list of best covers.