What is your attitude about remakes? I'm thinking songs, but your views on anything remade are welcome.
The reason I bring this up is I was listening to the radio on my way home and I heard this familiar song come on. I was trying to place it. There was something wrong though, it was different, familiar yet unfamiliar. Then I realized what it was, Supertramp's "Give a little bit" only it was a cover by someone else. Awful. Made me want to listen to the original just to purge this monstrosity out of my mind.
Which brings up the point, if you can't improve upon the original, don't bother!
I can only think of a few instances where the remake was actually better than the original or if not better, at least a worthy alternative.
Van Halen's cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me"
Manfred Man's cover of Springsteen's "Blinded by the Light" (granted that could be my own prejudice speaking. I've never been much of a Springsteen fan)
Nazareth's cover of the Yardbird's "Shape of Things"
Led Zepplin's cover of Joan Baez's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave you"
and songs that I didn't think improved at all on the original and didn't need to be redone:
Tesla's cover of Five Man Electrical Band's "Signs" (might just be that I don't like the song in the first place)
Limp Bizkit's cover of The Who's "Behind Blue Eyes"
Kid Rock's cover of Bad Company's "Feel Like Making Love"
Metallica's cover of Bob Segar's "Turn the Page" Ew. Can a band "jump the shark?"
Feel free to add to the list.
