Song Covers -a better version; or not

Have you ever heard a song and gone like “oh my God! This is so much better than the original”? That's the magic called Cover or Cover Version. 

A cover is a performance or a recording of an already existing song by a different artist. The distinguishing mark of Covers is that they are always different from the original version. Part of the lyrics, the beat, song arrangement or instrumentals could be deliberately altered to give the song a fresh outlook.

However, covers are not always blissful. Sometimes the altering just throws the melody and sweetness of the song out of the window. Other times it's not so much a disaster, but still doesn't sound as good as the original version. 

We’ve also had covers that made us forget the original version of the song even existed. The downside is when the cover version gets all the attention with little or no credit to the original artist. Of course, the artist cannot profit from the song's success, nor can the popularity boost their career. All the accolades go to someone else. It is even worse when the better version is by an already established artist. 

While permission should be sought before making a cover of someone’s song as it is intellectual property, this is not the case with many covers. Most were performed or recorded without permission. And as long as the original artist doesn’t press charges, there is no case. 

Not all covers are a hit, but cover versions are definitely a good thing. Plus, we have had too many beautiful covers to say otherwise. Cover versions will continue to be a thing in the music industry. However, established artists should use it to promote upcoming artists rather than try to rip them off of their songs. 

What’s your favourite Cover version? Mine is Simi’s version of Coke's Taste The Feeling song.