Well, I think that most remakes of 80´s tunes were just shoddy attempts in squeezing a Dollar from a dead cow, at least in the Techno / Hip Hop sector, but recently I´ve noticed that there are some cover versions which are not (that) bad.

What do you think about them, and which ones do you know?

Here are two for starters I´ve heard recently:

Tiga & Zyntherius - 'Sunglasses At Night'
A nice cover, sounds like Kraftwerk had it´s hand on it. Features a definite Freestyle touch.

Basement Jaxx - 'Where´s Your Head At'
Not quite a cover, but the synth line of Gary Numan´s 'M.E.' is dominating this track. A bit of Crossover but cool.

I have to say that I like Alien Ant Farm's cover version of "Smooth Criminal" better than Michael Jackson's version. Most cover versions of 80s songs, thus far, have been fairly wretched, such as Limp Bizkit's version of George Michael's "Faith". Let's hope more classic 80s songs won't be ruined in the future...

80sTrivia: Official Stalker of DD86 :D

I think Celine Dion did a nice (and better)cover of "The Power of Love" by Laura Branigan. :) KWS's cover of "Please Don't Go" adds a more upbeat approach than the original by K.C. and The Sunshine Band. :cool:

I haven't heard 'Please Don't Go', but I agree on the Celine Dion cover. I think Micheal Bolton did a better job on the song he wrote for Laura Brannigan than she did, too ('How Am I Supposed To Live Without You'). I agree with both of 80sTrivia's picks. :)

But let's not forget some of the awful covers that are currently going around...not least A1's cover of the A-ha song 'Take On Me'.

That SUUUCKED big style...AND it got to no.1!
:mad: :mad:

Originally posted by Steve Chase:
<STRONG>But let's not forget some of the awful covers that are currently going around...not least A1's cover of the A-ha song 'Take On Me'.

That SUUUCKED big style...AND it got to no.1!
:mad: :mad:</STRONG>

Steve...this thread was intended to point out good (or better said well done) coverversions. ;)

Although I have to admit, if we would collect the worst ones alone, this thread would already span over three or more pages now. :D

Billy Idol just did a cover of Simple Mind's "Don't You Forget About Me" for his new Greatest Hits album. I heard it the other day and I like it.

While I Know Most Of You Guys Dispise Her, Britney did A Good Cover Of I Love Rock N Roll, And It Even Shocked Me At How Good It Is

The Corrs do a nice cover of Fleetwood Macs "Dreams".

I also didn't like Atomic Kitten's rather sour version of The Bangles "Eternal Flame", which, if I'm not mistaken, went to # 1 in Britain too.

I did like Marcus' updated version of M's "Pop Musik", which put a new spin on the old classic. :)

80sTrivia: Official Stalker of DD86 :D

I must confess that I get a big kick out of "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm. It's overplayed, but it keeps up the storytelling atmosphere of the original. (and, um, I kind of like Limp Biskit's "Faith" too... *runs for cover*)

Sugar Ray has a fun cover of "Abracadabra" on 14:59. It's a little more laid-back and groovy than the original.

My favorite 80s cover of all time is "Like a Prayer" by Bigod 20. You kind of have to hear it, it's difficult to explain. ;)

I'm not sure if if qualifies as a good cover song, but Marilyn Manson have done a cover of Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" for the soundtrack of "Not Another Teen Movie". I saw the video yesterday, and, it's... interesting, in a Marilyn Manson kind of way. :eek: I actually thought it was better than their cover of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)".

80sTrivia: Official Stalker of DD86 & jen* :D

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine's version of Pet Shop Boys' Rent is really cool.

I also like the Mariah Carey version of Robert Palmer's I Didn't Mean To Turn You On. It has a really cool 80's feeling to it in the new version.

Originally posted by Flix:
<STRONG>Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine's version of Pet Shop Boys' Rent is really cool.</STRONG>

OOOO!!! I want I want! Rent is my favorite Pet Shop Boys song. I love the acoustic version they do. There's a dance mix that's been eluding me for years. Ever heard it? I did, once. BUT, I can't find it.

I'm not going to comment on the Maria Carey part. *sigh* :p

Suede and Liza Minelli also did versions of Rent. I do know the dance version of Rent as well. Isn't it on the regular 12" or the US What Have I Done To Deserve This 12"?

It's not on those 12"s. It was a remix done by someone else. I don't remember who. :( Oh well. One day, I'll find it.

I do have the Suede & Liza ones. thx.

There are no official remixes of Rent other than the Dub Mix and the original 12" version. There might be some white label bootleg mixes, but not from any official PSB source.

Gotta put in my vote for Alien Ant Farm's version of Smooth Criminal. I never much cared for the Micheal Jackson version, but the first time I heard AAF, I nearly fell off the couch laughing. It is over played, but I'll turn it up whenever I hear it. I also kinda liked Limp Bizkit's version of Faith. I hate admitting that cuz basically I think Limp Bizkit sucks, but whatever. And finally, didn't Sugar Ray do an Adam and the Ants cover on the cd before this latest one? I remember hearing it and loving it, but I can't remember which song it was. Anybody? Beuller? Beuller?
Oh yeah! And there's that version of Nick Lowe's Cruel to be Kind that was in the movie 10 Things I Hate About You. Was that by Save Ferris? That was a cool rendition.
Sheesh, and for edit #3: I looove Marilyn Manson's Tainted Love! IMO almost as good as Sweet Dreams, but not quite.
Now I'm done, I swear.

Alien Ant Farms version of "Smooth Criminal" rocks!

I also liked Nikki French's dance remake of Bonnie Tyler's hit "Total Eclipse Of The Heart".

I so agree with you Sarge. I love the celtic drum and a bit of a dance edge added to Dreams. I usually hate covers but this was done nicely.

I wasnt' to happy about Phil Collins doing True Colours because I loved Cindy Lauper's take on it. Not that his was bad but its my preference :D

very bad ripoff/cover - Vanilla Ice ripping off a classic like Underpressure for his stupid onehit wonder and hedge hair - Ice Ice Baby. There was no talent in stealing and wearing stupid clothes :D

Originally posted by Zel:
I so agree with you Sarge. I love the celtic drum and a bit of a dance edge added to Dreams. I usually hate covers but this was done nicely.


Do you mean the bodhrán Zel? :D

http://www.ceolas.org/instruments/bodhran/images/mideastdruma.gif

I'm kinda fond of Can't Get Enough of You Baby by Smashmouth. Has a similar feel to the great version The Colourfield did back in the 80s.

I like, actually prefer, Sheryl Crow's remake of GNR's "Sweet Child O'Mine" from the 'Big Daddy' Sndtrk.

Nikka Costa also does a FANTASTIC remake of Blondie's "Call Me" on the 'Zoolander' Sndtrk.

I have some really good ones,

Tori Amos - Lovesong (the Cure)
Pennywise - land down under (men at Work)
Lazlo Bane - Overkill (men at work)
Blink 182 - 8675309 Jenny(tommy tutone)
The Cure -Wold in my eyes (Depeche mode)
New Found Glory - The Goonies R Good enough
Deftones - Hungry Like the wolf (Duran Duran)
Goldfinger - Just like heaven (The Cure)
Weezer - Uptown girl (Billi Joel)
Tori Amos - Purple rain (Prince)


I recommend Lazlo Bane - overkill is very,very,very good!!!

The only ones I can think of now that I like are Cruel Summer by Ace Of Base and Smooth Crimanl by Alien Aunt Farm and Faith by Limp Bizkit.

Well, I've recently heard Sevendust's remake of Goin' Back to Cali. That was pretty cool and quite amusing. And Tori Amos has done an amazing version of I Don't Like Mondays for any Boomtown Rats fans out there.

I know this is supposed to be about the best covers, but since someone mentioned the worst it reminded me of a good joke:

What do you call a dog with five dicks?

Mariah Carey and West Life, they really murdered Against All Odds.

I tend not to like covers unless they sound very much like the original.

The best covers I can think of are Robbie Williams cover of Freedom, by George Michael and Sinead O'Connors Version of Nothing Compares 2 U by Prince (but this may not be a cover, although Prince wrote it, he may have done the cover).

Sleeper did a version of Atomic by Blondie which I liked and I liked Vanilla Ice with Ice Ice Baby from Queens Under Pressure.

Erasure did an Abbaesque EP which featured four Abba covers and I thought this was very good, especially SOS. I saw the video for that once and thought it was quite sad. I don't know how many were from the eighties though.

I know this is not a cover of a song, but I did like Shania Twains cover of the Addicted To Love Video by Robert Palmer with her song Man, I Feel Like A Woman.

Hair of the Dog's cover of "I" (by KISS) from a couple of years ago.

Metal fans have too many covers to keep track of, what with the ongoing flood of tribute CDs, they're a cottage industry. Was Joe Lynn Turner really profoundly influenced by all those bands?

I remembered this one yesterday from listening to the Pet Shop Boys "Discography". The Pet Shop Boys did a dance version of U2's "Where The Streets Have No Name".

I think Orgy's spiced up version of the New Order Song "Blue Monday" is exceptional. (it rocks!).

I like this thread :thumb:

All BIG hits in the UK:

Paradise City ~ N-Trance (1997) / A great cover of the Guns N' Roses classic. Oddly enough, the "ONLY" thing in this song that "WAS" sampled from the original GNR song was the bass line. The vocalist in the N-Trance version isn't Axel Rose. Does sound like him though don't it

Stand Back ~ Linus Loves featuring Sam Obernik (2003) / A cover of the 1983 Stevie Nicks hit and still the greatest 80's cover I have ever heard :thumb:

Love Me Right (Oh Sheila) ~ Angel City (2003) / Originally 'Oh Sheila' by Ready For the World in 1985

Girl You Know It's True ~ Keith N' Shane (2000) / An excellent cover of the 1989 Milli Vanilli hit by two ex-members of british boyband Boyzone in which they re-work the lyrics to make fun of other boy bands :lol:

I Wanna Dance With Somebody ~ Flip and Fill (2003) / Originally by Whitney Houston in 1987

When the Going Gets Tough ~ Boyzone (1999) / A comic relief single that was a cover of the 1985 Billy Ocean song

Call on Me ~ Eric Prydz (2004) / features re-sung vocals of Steve Winwood's 1982 hit 'Valerie'

Shine ~ The Lovefreekz (2005) / A simply wonderful remix of the late 1979 hit 'Shine A Little Love' by ELO

Take Me to the Clouds Above ~ LMC vs. U2 (2004) / Features a sample of U2's 1987 hit 'With or Without You' and is a lite cover of Whitney Houston's 1985 hit 'How Will I Know'

This is the World We Live In ~ Alcazar (2004) / Features a sample of Diana Ross' 1980 hit 'Upside Down' and is a cover of the 1986 Genesis hit 'Land of Confusion'

This Time I Know It's For Real ~ Kelly Llorenna (2004) / An excellent cover of Donna Summer's 1989 hit

Tell it to My Heart ~ Kelly Llorenna (2002) / A great cover of the 1987 Taylor Dayne hit

Jump ~ Bus Stop (1998) / Van Halen meets dance music :thumb:

Shoot the Dog ~ George Michael (2002) / Heavily samples the 1981 Human League hit 'Love Action (I Believe in Love)'

Uptown Girl ~ Westlife (2000) / Excellent re-working of a Billy Joel classic. Gotta love the video with Elle MacPherson :drool:

Hungry Eyes ~ Eyeopener (2004) / A cover of the 1987 song by Eric Carmen. Alot of people don't like this song cause the vocals are faster than the original, but I don't mind it. A very catchy track

Heaven is A Place on Earth ~ Soda Club featuring Hannah Alethea (2003) / Yep. The 1987 song by Belinda Carlisle

Take My Breath Away ~ Soda Club featuring Hannah Alethea (2002) / The 1986 Berlin classic

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I will have more ;)

Great list Whistle dog but I have to say that I HATE most of those songs. Especially Alcazar and Kelly Lloreanna!!!! I've had to play those songs EVERY weekend for about a year and its called aural overkill :grrr: :laugh: :laugh:

Great list Whistle dog but I have to say that I HATE most of those songs. Especially Alcazar and Kelly Lloreanna!!!! I've had to play those songs EVERY weekend for about a year and its called aural overkill :grrr: :laugh: :laugh:

I can see how alot of those would get overkill in the UK & Ireland. Over here.. some them made the Top 20 dance charts.. but not big enough hits to make top 40 radio.

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Another one I quite like.. it's not really 80's.. but it's a cover of the 1977 Boney M song 'Sunny' by the Boogie Pimps

Some really good covers here... specially the one by Eric Carmen, i'm a big fan of his work and the remix of Hungry Eyes from Dirty Dancing by EyeOpener is pretty good!!

I recommend ''Replay Dance Mania 2'' here. Like the title of the CD, replay for old song remixed with new artists or with a DJ and the original band... in that CD... ''White Wedding'' by Code 69 is excellent aswell as ''We built this City'' by a DJ & Starship! :thumb:

The rest is pretty good too, you have to find the CD, it's thoses songs dance mix... the work is there, I like it a lot!! A lot of people have thoses CDs on the net, maybe it's popular already!! :thumb: