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When an artist sings a song originally sung by another singer, the term for the newest version of the song is "cover." Many covers are better than the original. I cite "I will always love you" by Dolly Parton. Whitney Houston covered that song, and the song was incrementally better than the original in form, style, and production.
It is often the case that the original is better than a cover. I cite "Tears of a clown" in 1970 by Smokey Robinson. The origin is better than the 1979 cover by The English Beat.
Music is all subjective and is individual to everyone.
Which is better, the 1969 original Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells, or the 1981 cover by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts?
I personally like the Joan Jett cover due to its production. Plus Joan essentially came out as Lesbian in 1981 by not changing the lyrics to the song - she kept the pronoun the same. Not even The Village People were out in 1981. ...but I knew they were gay in 1977 when I saw their Macho Man album cover. You know the saying...it takes one to know one?
Turns out Prince covered Crimson and Clover as well, and I give it a "boo, hiss" and a thumbs down. Horrible! Just really, really horrible. No wonder his version never charted.
Both Tommy James and Joan Jett are American artists obviously...so why do they sing "her" as "hah" instead of a hard "er?"
I would understand if Joan was mimicking Tommy if Tommy was British, but Tommy is not. So why did Tommy choose to record the song with a British accent?
Tommy is still alive. Mebbe I'll track him down and ask him.
Yes, lots and lots of songs are covered, and covered well. I wasn’t thinking of good or bad covers, particularly, but but of iconic songs that are so tied to a particular performer that no one else can really do the song well.
“Lovin’ You (is easy cause you’re beautiful)†by Minnie Ripperton might be another example. Love it or hate it, I think that song belongs to her.
(A local radio show often has a section solely of covers of a single song. It’s great.)
Julia A 45’s quicker than 409 Betty’s cleaning’ house for the very last time Betty’s bein’ bad
Y“Lovin’ You (is easy cause you’re beautiful)†by Minnie Ripperton might be another example. Love it or hate it, I think that song belongs to her.
Absolutely!!!
...and it would be sacrilegious for anyone to cover that song and doing so would be an absolute unwelcomed afront.
How about earliest song you can remember? I learned this one (first verse, anyway) in Mormon primary class when I was three.
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete. R. Buckminster Fuller
...but I knew they were gay in 1977 when I saw their 
