I know nothing about Placebo, not really listened to any of their other songs but for some reason I really enjoy their version of Running Up That Hill, originally performed by Kate Bush. It sounds so haunting.
Utter tripe, there are many. Manfred Mann's Earth Band - "Blinded By The Light" (The Roaring Silence) HQ - YouTube Roxy Music - Jealous Guy (Official Video) - YouTube Natalie Imbruglia - Torn (Official Video) - YouTube Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - YouTube Just a few of many.
You prefer those verisons. That doesn't mean they are better. The lyrics were written by the original songwriter, so only hold proper meaning to them e.g. pretty much everyone that has covered "Hallelujah" thinks it is a love song, and the irony in the lyrics has gone over their head.
Your statement is your opinion...yes I have mine. It's pretty naive to suggest that every song's best version is done by the writer IMO...and an opinion that would be in the minority. There have been some great songwriters who weren't great performers compared to others. Cohen's version of hallelujah isn't the best either IMO.
I saw that earlier and it brightened up my morning. It sent me looking for 21st Century Schizoid Man......ah, happy head-banging memories. It was good enough for me to look out the Motorhead cover before listening to the original.
The problem with this logic is that it assumes that every original song is performed by the person who wrote the lyrics. Which in many cases is untrue. Using said logic any (well, the majority) of Elton Johns songs can be covered better than the original as he writes the music and Bernie Taupin does the lyrics.
