I agree. I had to bail out on that Krokus version. It's like a bad local cover band version.

Van Halen's version kicks the crap out of The Kinks' version. It's not even close. :D

Just because Van Halen sped up the song and David Lee Roth gayly shouted more in their version does not a better version make.

Although I will not go with Krokus over the Sweet version but I will take VH "You Really Got Me" over The Kinks (and i like The Kinks) especially with the Eruption intro.

Thank god for that!

You monsters. I didn't know Sweet was behind all of those songs. After listening to "Little Willy" and "Fox on the Run" again and again today, I went ahead and ordered a 'best of' CD off Amazon. (The one from '93, if you're curious.)

The Krokus version = Total Turdburger

Sweet's version is PowerPop, which fits the song much better than limp-wristed 80s metal.

Krokus was hardly limp wristed.

And there's absolutely nothing wrong with 80's Metal...

I'll certainly take the kick ass Krokus version to the boppy, poppy, stuttering, goofy Sweet version. Don't get me wrong, Sweet's version ain't bad, but it's not great, either.

same here, I chose glam because I love that song

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There's nothing wrong with 80s metal, I agree.

There's everything wrong with limpwristed 80s Metal, into which I lump Krokus. They just sucked so hard, it hurt. OK I liked "Screaming in the Night" but that video... holy fuck...

Now what about Zebra?? Now's there's an 80s prog-metal band that never got their propers...

Hey, I like Sweet, so I went with both.

As for the Krokus cover of "Ballroom Biltz", I won't go so far as to agree with B5Erik's opinion of it - that's like saying their cover of Alice Cooper's "School's Out" is better than the original, too. It's good, but it's not that good.

I will, however, agree with his comments on Van Halen vs. The Kinks version of "You Really Got Me". In comparison, it's like how Judas Priest's version of "Diamonds & Rust" is superior to Joan Baez's original. At the same time, though, I also agree with atlantamoi comment that "hearing an original after hearing a cover can have a huge influence on which one a person likes better." Perspective can play a big part in things. Still, sometimes the cover can be an infinitely better version.

Back to Krokus, though, I wouldn't refer to them as "limp-wristed", either. Sure, they were no "A-listers", but they could hold there own. They were just trying to be their country's (Switzerland) version of AC/DC, or The Scorpions. If you don't think they're any good, check out "Long Stick Goes Boom", the aforementioned "Screaming In The Night" or "Eat The Rich". Yes, the lyrics can be a bit goofy sometimes, and so could the videos, but the music still kicks ass. In my book, that's what often matters more.

And just to get back on the original topic. I'd still take the original Sweet versions of their songs over just about any covers. The possible exception being Def Leppard's version of "Hellraiser" - which is just as good as, if not better, than the original.

I knew I really liked another Krokus song, but just couldn't remember the name. Thats it! The live version I have kicks all kinds of ass.

I just heard the "complete" version of Love Is Like Oxygen, which clocks in at over six minutes, and I like the song a little better now. It has much more depth (and a pretty cool solo).

Last night, I also heard for the first time two songs from Desolation Boulevard: The Six Teens and Teenage Rampage. Very awesome!

Guess I have to change my vote from "bubblegum" to "both," since Desolation Boulevard was from the "glam" era.

Fair example - I really do love the Priest version. However, Green Manalishi is one that I heard first with Priest before I heard Mac's version. Although I do like the Priest version I still think the original is better.

you benefit from that compilation because it contains the album tracks The Six Teens and Teenage Rampage.

You miss out because it doesn't contain the fantastic Funny Funny, however. Plus, it only contains the single-edit of Love Is Like Oxygen.

Krokus? come on, how quickly people forget Beavis And Butt-Head. That's not much better than Winger

The Sweet version of Ballroom Blitz is infinitely better than the Krokus version. Hell, the Tia Carrere version of Ballroom Blitz is infinitely better than the Krokus version.

The Van Halen cover of "You Really Got Me" is not bad, but the Kinks version is a classic. For all of Eddie's guitar virtuosity, he simply can't match that grungy, dirty sound on the original.

So the story goes, Jimmy Page was brought in as session muscian to add second guitar track to Kinks' "You Really Got Me". It wasn't used because Dave Davies felt his playing was too much better than his.

If true, kudos to Dave. I sound like a broken record, but better playing doesn't always equate to better music. This is exactly why I think the Kinks version is better than Van Halen's version. The touch of sloppiness adds to the charm.

And all the sounds of being punched in the belly don't help Van Halen's version, either. Sorry.

I've heard that story too, but from what I understand, that's just an urban legend. The reality is that Jimmy Page did play as a session musician on some of the tracks on the Kinks' debut album, but he was not at the sessions where they recorded "You Really Got Me."

I see that Brian Connelly has a CD out called The Best of Brian Connelly Formerly of Sweet...is this any good?