Great Live Versions

[aesop]

I'm a big fan of live songs. Just wondering if anyone can give examples of live versions of songs that are better than the studio versions.

I'll get it started:

Van Morrison - Caravan (from The Last Waltz)
Bob Dylan - A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall (from The Concert For Bangladesh)
Bob Dylan - Just Like A Woman (from The Concert For Bangladesh)
Peter Frampton - Baby I Love Your Way (from Frampton Comes Alive)

 

[Contra Mundum]

Suspicious Minds by Elvis - it is almost a different song live compared to the studio version which seems too slow and boring

 

[Glyndon]

Not sure about better, but great entertainment - have approximately 25 Pearl Jam bootlegs from their current US/Canada tour. Great variety of songs and some amazing covers. All worth listening to and having in your collection.

 

[Eggzoi]

The live version of Machine Gun Fellatio's Unsent Letter that was acoustic and I heard on JJJ a couple of times is possibly the greatest thing I've ever heard.

 

[Carlos]

Pretty much every song in Dave Matthews Band's back catelogue.

I love this band's albums, but they dont come close to how good they are live.

Living Colour is another band that have great albums but take their tunes to a different universe in the live setting.

 

[materamagic]

Anything by Neil Young is clearly better live on stage, one of the best.

Like A Hurricane stands out.

Also "Dont Let It Bring You Down' and "Old Man" in the early 70's on acoustic live was better than record.

ACDC is better live and Guns and Roses in their time

 

[Darealrath]

Country Feedback - R.E.M

 

[Bernie L]

sunday bloody sunday - u2
bad - u2

 

[wang]

Pretty much every song in Dave Matthews Band's back catelogue.

I love this band's albums, but they dont come close to how good they are live.

I'll second that. Their cover of All along the Watchtower is brilliant.

 

[Upgrayedd]

king without a crown-matisyahu

 

[Oct19]

I have really liked some of the live perfomances on SBS's Rockwiz this year - Mary Black did a great live cover of Bob Dylan's 'Make Me Feel My Love'

Some good live albums include Nirvana's unplugged album, Johnny Cash's two Prison albums and Bob Dylan's live '75 Rolling Thunder Revue Tour - it is interesting that with a lot of Dylan's live concerts he changes the style and lyrics, as a result some don't hit the mark - a hard rains a gonna fall on live 75 is way too sped up, but Isis on the same album blows the 'Desire' album version into the ground.

 

[Hard Ball Get]

Ben Harper is twice as good live.
'The Drugs dont work' is really good live by him.
Also 'Walk Away'.

Jason Mraz is quite good live as well.
'You and I both' and
'I'm Yours'
are awesome live.

 

[krisholio14]

Anything by Neil Young is clearly better live on stage, one of the best.

Like A Hurricane stands out.

Also "Dont Let It Bring You Down' and "Old Man" in the early 70's on acoustic live was better than record.

ACDC is better live and Guns and Roses in their time

neil youngs version of 'cortez the killer' off 'live rust' is the first song i thought of when i saw this thread.

anything off 'frampton comes alive' sounds better on that than any of the studio versions of the same songs.

i also like U2's versions of 'gloria' and 'the electric co' off 'under a blood red sky'

 

[Bombers_Forever]

Agree with Dave Matthews Band. Most of thier songs are better live- What You Are and Jimi Thing in particular

Oasis- the Masterplan (with the full orchestra) is amazing.

 

[materamagic]

Anyone heard Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers live performances of "Mystic Eyes" or "Gloria"???

Both feature a hilarious extended spoken part by Tom telling a story about Chasing a girl down the street only wanting to know her name, and it was blowing on the wind "Gloria" and it was sayin' her naaame! yeah! it was sayin her naaaame" "G-L-O-RIAAAAAAAA"

Great moment live with the crowd breaking into a gloria chant

 

[GhostofJimJess]

Frank Zappa - "Yo Mama" on Sheik Yerbouti
Led Zeppelin - "Whole Lotta Love" on Song Remains The Same
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free Bird" on One More From The Road
Talking Heads - "Burning Down The House" on Stop Making Sense

 

[johnnyhoward]

1979 (acoustic) - Smashing Pumpkins

Sunday Bloody Sunday (live at Red Rocks) - U2 (Bono gives a great speech in the middle of the song about some "Revolution" - sounds great though )

World Where You Live - Crowded House ft. Eddie Vedder (I have a low quality version of this, sounds like it was a concert at someone's house with a crowd of 50 people or something. But Eddie sounds great singing this classic, and it doesn't have those cheesy synths)

 

[spanna050]

World Where You Live - Crowded House ft. Eddie Vedder (I have a low quality version of this, sounds like it was a concert at someone's house with a crowd of 50 people or something. But Eddie sounds great singing this classic, and it doesn't have those cheesy synths)

Can highly recommend the '7 Worlds Collide' DVD/Cd - it's awesome. Neil Finn playing with Timm, Eddie Vedder, Johnny Marr etc. One of the best live DVD's you'll see.

 

[materamagic]

Anything Paul McCartney belted out on the Wings Over America 1976 tour. There used to be an old VHS special called Rockshow. Needs a DVD release. His scream at the end of "Soily" is the most raucous I have ever heard and that includes Robert Plant or Roger Daltrey. Jimi McCoullough formerly of Thunderclap Newman plays a fast and bluesy electric guitar in the band too. Fast forward 30 years....Paul nails Helter Skelter at the grammy awards.

 

[Bomber Bears]

Creeping Death - Metallica at Woodstock 99
Bad Religion - Generator (off warped tour dvd)
NoFX - Together on the Sand/Green Corn(same dvd)
Ramones - Havana Affair of its Alive
California Uber Alles - Dead Kennedys off Mutiny in the Bay