Which Is Better: The Cover Or The Original Song?

So, can a cover be as good as the original, or could a cover actually be better? Here's a few examples that set us thinking...

Kate Bush was back on stage this week, playing live for the first time in 35 years! She didn't cover anyone else's songs during her sell-out show, although that hasn't stopped a raft of artists covering her songs over the years, from Pat Benatar's version of "Wuthering Heights" to "Running up that Hill" by Placebo and the "Hounds of Love" cover by The Futureheads. And we won’t even mention the Alan Partridge’s “Wow” (a-ha)…

Mad World - Tears for Fears or REM?

Somewhere Only We Know - Keane or Lily Allen?

Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack or The Fugees?

Hazy Shade Of Winter - Simon and Garfunkel or The Bangles?

My Way - Frank Sinatra or Sid Vicious?

Twist and Shout - Isley Brothers or The Beatles (or Bruce Springstein, come to that)?

Respect - Otis Reading or Aretha Franklin?

Always On My Mind - Willie Nelson or The Pet Shop Boys?

Tainted Love - Gloria Jones or Soft Cell?

It’s a decision that professional function bands have to make all the time; do they play it like the best-known version, or strike out with their own version? And of course, can a cover band really sound like a famous band in the studio with full orchestra when there's only four in the cover band and they are playing in a marquee in the rain? In Slough?

The surprising fact is that most rock and pop function bands play superb covers of almost every classic track you can think of! Here are some of our top wedding and function bands at Alive Network playing some of the most iconic - and more unusual - covers on the planet…

Hipster • Common People - Pulp
The Hot Shots • Twist and Shout - The Beatles
Live Wires • Love Me Again - John Newman
The Kicks • Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
Munch • Song 2 - Blur
The Dukes • Johnny B Goode - Chuck Berry
The Sparks • Rapper's Delight - The Sugarhill Gang
Teenage Kicks • Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
The Guns • Kiss - Prince

and the ultimate uncoverable song

Happy Hour • Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen

For more great covers of classic tracks, check out the Rock & Pop Function Bands Profile pages, click on their playlist, and play their demo tracks up loud! To book a band for your wedding, party, corporate event, Xmas bash or charity event, just click or call the team here at Alive Network.