Posted in: Musicouching by Josh Yaxley on June 16th, 2008 | 14 Comments
These stars butchered the originals.
Everyone appreciates a good cover song, sometimes it makes you forget the original in the first place, as the cover takes over (Some of the best cover songs can be found in my article: “The 10 Best Cover Songs”). Did you know that Jimi Hendrix’s “All Along The Watchtower” is actually Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower”? And that Jimi’s “Hey Joe” was actually originally written by Billy Roberts? But what happens when someone attempts to cover a song, and just completely mucks it up? The original gets put down, people associate it with the cover, and immediately think of faces.
In this article, I’ll be giving MY opinion on the 10 worst ever cover songs, give a few reasons and give links to where you can listen to the original and the cover. I hope you enjoy this, maybe you’ll even learn something at the same time.
Original Artist: Bon Jovi – YouTube – 3,504,784
Song Murderer: Atreyu – YouTube – 70,748
Cover Popularity (based on views): 2%
However good the guitar is in the cover, do you really think screamo vocals suit this song? Since when do Heavy Metalists do love songs? It’s just wrong. And I have to say this, because I actually like heavy metal so, Atreyu, you give metal a bad name.
Original Artist: The Police – YouTube – 2,049,553
Song Murderer: Machine Head – YouTube – 86,576
Cover Popularity (based on views): 4%
Come on Machine Head! Did you really think you would be able to sing and get away with it? You’re a GRUNTER! You grunt, it’s great in the right context. You should know better than to sing. Seriously, don’t do this again. Ever. You turned “Message in a Bottle” into “Message in a Butthole”. Save our souls.
Original Artist: Elvis Presley – YouTube – 1,583,042
Kate June 16th, 2008 at 11:26 am
The original version of Walk This Way did NOT combine Rap and Rock. It was done by Aerosmith alone. The remake including Run DMC was decried by many rockers at the time as a sell out to commercial interests.
Josh June 16th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Thanks for pointing that out, you’re right of course, Walk This Way was originally done by Aerosmith in the 1970s and was re-made in 1986. I didn’t actually know that, I probably didn’t bother to research it because the lyrics just sound so much like they’re from a rap song.
Pete June 16th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
You kind of forgot Limp Bizkit and their cover of ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ that was pretty bad.
coda June 16th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Alanis Morissette’s cover of Seal’s “Crazy” … although she redeemed herself with her cover of “My Humps”.
Oh and Cher’s cover of Marc Cohn’s “Walking In Memphis”! Yeesh.
WaveyDavey June 17th, 2008 at 3:30 am
The Shakira cover of Back in Black is desperately horrible, but I actually *liked* the jazzing of the intro chord sequence. I’d better get my coat, I think I’m probably going to be asked to leave by the taste police!
Anne Lyken-Garner June 17th, 2008 at 4:53 am
A fine collection of the worst songs, I agree with you on most of them.
Luke McKay June 24th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
AC/DC should sue…
Sircell June 24th, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Avril Lavigne’s cover of Chop Suey is unforgivable. It honestly makes alot of these seem like minor imperfections compared to that song. She doesn’t even get the lyrics right, honestly. Just search it on on Youtube.
Me Myself and I September 19th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
And let us not forget “Behind Blue Eyes”
original artist: The Who
song MURDERER: Limp Bizkit
mattz February 16th, 2009 at 11:25 pm
I wanna cry after reading what songs have been killed.
Mike March 20th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Completely disagree on the Scissor Sisters cover: while the song may be in a completely different style, that doesn’t make it bad. In fact it was the song that got the Scissor Sisters in the spotlight: it was a popular club song which led to people finding out about the band. Also, obscurity (as based on the percentages you presented) proves nothing as far as quality. There are factions on both sides that say that if they’ve never heard of it it must not be good, or conversely if everyone has heard it then it isn’t good. “Hurt” cover by Johnny Cash, 9 million hits on YouTube. Britney Spears “Baby One More Time?” 26 million. Which song do you think is better?
Sara November 1st, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Don’t forget Hilary Duff’s cover of the Who’s “My Generation.” She sings “I hope I *don’t* die before I get old.” Guuuuhhhh I hope I die before I hear that cover again. D:
asdfghjkl January 24th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
Limp Bizkit butchers everything. Their cover of Sanitarium at Mtv Icon for Metallica made me want to gouge my brain out for the atrocities the cover did to the song.
Dimi January 19th, 2011 at 11:30 am
I beloeve Shakira’s cover of AC/DC and also of ”Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters” give a different taste to the songs. Back In Black because her voice is not so crazy like the lead singer of the band and that makes me personally wanna listen to it. As for her latest tour and the reindition of Nothing Else Matters I have to say a big ”BRAVO” because she has reinvented the song with a taste of far east instruments which makes the song great. Don’t be too serious when someone covers a song it’s not yours after all