Original v. Cover: The Man who Sold the World

[Shadowmancer]

The song that was originally done by David Bowie and most famously covered by Nirvana about the time of the MTV unplugged stuff.

Here is the original

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Here is the cover

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I'm struggling to decide which is better, Im sitting on the fence with this one. Kurt's voice portrays such a melancholic tone, that you can't help but be dragged along the story of the song willingly and feel the sadness there.

As opposed to Bowie's which seems sort of happy as if it is a good thing. Its a brilliantly delivered song when done by Bowie, its almost a theatrical song. In fact I am surprised that they haven't done a Bowie stage show after that thought about this song.

 

[2012isbs]

I have to go with the cover the lyrics just work better when it's song how Cobain sung it with sadness, like he sold the world and now regrets it. Where as Bowie's stlye makes it sound he sold the world and it was the best thing he'd ever done and I personally perfer the nirvanna cover.

 

[X]

For me it's got to be Nirvana's cover as well. I love Bowie, and his song is a classic and one of the very best of his career, but the raw emotion that Cobain put into that Unplugged performance...man, it's simply breathtaking. That Unplugged set has to be one of the greatest in rock and roll history.

Nirvana definitely gets the nod from me here. I love Bowie, but Cobain really made that song his own.

 

[KillHannah44]

Hello everyone I have been a fan of WZ for a long long time, but i just signed up for the forums my name is JT. And NO my User Name on here is not for Hannah Montana Kill Hannah is an amazing band from Chicago. But anyway enough for introducing myself and saying hi. I have to say the Nirvana cover is my fav. by far. It definately has more emotion and is an amazing cover one of the best because they take the original and give it an original Nirvana sad and almost depressed feel to it. This is one of the only covers that i like a lot more than the original.

 

[Mr. TM]

Most people actually do not know that this is a cover. Funny story, driving one day, with my friend who fancies himself a big music fan. David Bowie's version comes on my iPod through the car sterio, and he asks me who did this cover version. So I laughed at him, and shot him in the face... with the simple fact. That it was David Bowie who did the original. Thnk my mom for me knowing way too much about Bowie. She used to say she would listen to Bowie and Dire Straits when I was in le womb. Made a little sense when there are a few Bowie songs I love for some unknown reason, and Money for Nothing is one of my favourite songs. But that being said, I was not that big of a fan of this song. I think Nirvana really made the song their own here, and deserve the credit they get for this song.

 

[Henry Hill]

Both songs are excellent, but The Nirvana version just exudes so much more emotion to me. it is also a bit mystical considering what happened to Kurt Cobain after this. The Lyrics fit him so well, and its certainly sad, but so impactful to Cobain play this. His vocal inflection and the way he played were so perfect on the Nirvana version, that i don't know if the song has ever been executed as well. Bowie is great, and does a fantastic job, but Kurt Cobain simply stole this song and made it part of the Cobain legacy in my opinion.

 

[Loveless]

I'll take Bowie on this. Ignoring the fact he wrote it, his version is more surreal and in keeping with the song. Nirvana just copy it note for note and add nothing.

 

[stingerlegends]

Have to go with Nirvana. I am not a fan of Bowie's voice, and it doesn't drag me into the depths of my soul to search like Cobain does.