The Rule On Remakes aka Covers

If you are going to remake a classic song, then you must make it “better”. To define “better”, I mean either the artist has made it more contemporary, memorable or added another layer which in turn makes it stronger.

Here is a beginning list of tunes which the remake is better than the original.

• White Lion’s version of the Golden Earring classic “Radar Love”
• Van Halen’s version of the Kink’s classic “You Really Got Me”
• Phil Collins’ version of the Supremes’ “You Can’t Hurry Love”
• Joe Cocker’s version of the Beatles tune “Have A Little Help From My Friends”
• Elvis Presley’s version of Carl Perkins “Blue Suede Shoes”
• Jimmy Hendrix’s verison of Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watch Tower”
• Bangles remake of Simon and Garfunkel’s “Hazy Shade of Winter”
• Metallica’s cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Whiskey in a Jar”
• Red Hot Chili Peppers’ remake of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground”
• No Doubt’s cover of Talk Talk’s “This Is My Life”

Are there any cover tunes you would add that now surpass the original?