Original or Joey?

[Maxwell - F.B.I.]

Here's an interesting thread for everyone (well, hopefully)...

I know it's often frowned upon to prefer a 'remake' of a song over the original, but damnit, sometimes the remake sounds better!

So here's my question. Of the handful of songs that originally appeared in The Greatest American Hero that were songs by other artists remade and performed by Joey Scarbury for the show, which of those do you prefer the original version of and which do you prefer Joey's version of?

Here are your choices:

[glow=purple,2,900]Space Oddity
Rocket Man
My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys
Eve Of Destruction
Shut Down
Bad Moon Rising
Taxman
Pinball Wizard[/glow]
------------------

There are others, of course, but I didn't think it was fair to include them, as there was only a very brief section of the 'remake' included in the original GAH episode. However, if you care to voice your opinion on those as well, the others are:

[glow=purple,2,900]Help Me Rhonda
I'm Looking Through You
A Beautiful Morning
You Don't Mess Around With Jim
Sound Of Silence
You've Got A Friend[/glow]
(my choices follow in the next post)

[Maxwell - F.B.I.]

My picks:

[glow=purple,2,900]Space Oddity: Remake (Joey)
Rocket Man: Original (Elton)
My Heroes / Cowboys: Remake (Joey)
Eve Of Destruction: Remake (Joey)
Shut Down: Original (Beach Boys)
Bad Moon Rising: Original (Creedence...)
Taxman: Remake (Joey)
Pinball Wizard: Remake (Joey)[/glow]

Joey rocks. ;D

[GarbonzoBeans]

Space Oddity: Remake (Joey)
Rocket Man: Tie, maybe a nudge for Elton Original
My Heroes / Cowboys: Remake (Joey)
Eve Of Destruction: Remake (Joey)
Shut Down: Original (Beach Boys)
Bad Moon Rising: Original (CCR)
Taxman: Remake (Joey)
Pinball Wizard: Either

[JakeMabe1]

I really liked Joey's version of "Rocket Man."

I got a hold of the original version of the pilot and it is really good. Elton's was good, but I put Joey's up there close.

I also *really* like his version of "Eve of Destruction" (probably better than Barry McGuire's). Ditto for "My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys."

[billswoman]

"Help me Rhonda" on the pilot was the Beach Boys, wasn't it? If not, then Joey did an awesome cover of it.

I originally heard EoD by Joey, in O:SS; I can't believe I didn't already know that song, being an avid radio listener since I was 4 in 1965. Maybe the pop stations I favored (that my older sibs didn't listen to) didn't like Barry McGuire's version. All I know is that when I heard EoD by Joey, and how apropos it was to the ep, I thought, I've gotta GET this song! I was sadly disappointed that it didn't appear on the DVD version. I'm hoping if I can manage to d/l it, it'll be the original version of the ep with song intact. I know McGuire's version of it better now, so I'd have to vote for the original in this case, until I hear Joey sing it again so I can compare once more.

There're at least a few covers that I prefer over the originals: "You've lost that loving feeling" by Hall and Oates, one of the only songs of their's I like, is WAY better than the boring original. "Mother Nature's Son" by John Denver is much better than the Beatles' version (blasphemy, I know, to some people, but Lennon/McCartney's version is slow and dull IMO). I also like the cover of "Hooked On a Feeling" with the oogah-oogah-oogah-chaka on it, than the original boring version.

[The J-Man]

When I saw the thread title, I thought this was going to be a Michael Pare versus Paul Carafotes poll.

[Maxwell - F.B.I.]

Heheheheheh... Yeah, you know, I don't even know why I started this thread, as how are most people going to be able to decide which 'version' they like better when they won't even be able to get their hands on the 'original' songs used unless they have the broadcast versions or the Japanese DVDs!!! Maybe I should think before I post... LOL But at least there were a few responses...