When a cover is better than the original (3): Covers of Dire Straits, Heart, Yngwie Malmsteen and Gary Moore

Of course, whether you think these are better is a matter of personal taste.  I do think each of these adds something significant to the original song.  The first two of these pieces were previously posted under other topics—“Guitar Magic”  and “Violin Magic”.  Since they are covers and since they're so good, I figure they deserve inclusion on this list as well.  If you saw them before, you know.

 

Tina Setkic:  “The Loner” (Gary Moore)

Moore could shred but was not a shredder--his best compositions were his emotional, desolate-sounding blues pieces.  Tina’s interpretation shouldn’t be possible for a 15-year old, but she definitively nails it.  If you missed this when I posted it before, it's worth a listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e9AyDXx19Q

“Far Beyond the Sun” (Yngwie Malmsteen instrumental cover, 2021)

Malmsteen is one of the pioneers of neo-classical rock guitar.  He writes complex, classically inspired scores intended to be played at warp speed.  This piece includes riffs from Beethoven and Paganini, and even a little Baroque accent at the end.  Unlucky Morpheus transcribed the keyboard part for guitar, and Malmsteen’s original guitar line for violin.  The violinist, Jill, uncorks a surreal performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2hZDzJp9Pc

Floor Jansen:  “Alone” (Heart)

Ann and Nancy Wilson are two of my heroes, so this choice is not at all meant to diss them.  They rocked hard at a time when women were not supposed to rock, and they also did great power ballads, of which this was the best.  It’s just that Floor Jansen is, well, Floor Jansen.  Here she strips the song back to the fundamentals--just a piano and her.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fu-yP6q6Gk

 

Leo Moracchioli and Mary Spender:  “Sultans of Swing” (Dire Straits)

Leo is a multi-instrumentalist who lives in a tiny village in Norway, and records crazy, hugely popular youtube covers in his home studio. Mary Spender is an English singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and youtube star in her own right.  (Note—the last minute of this clip is a promo, so it’s optional.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0RV0kgdqJU