Favorite version of “Heroes”

[HOF]

So I’ve never really liked the Bowie version of this song to be honest, but at least two of the three covers I listed are amazing and the third is better than the original (IMO, I’ll let you guess which is which). There are probably others I’m not aware of though. Seems kind of like Hallelujah as far as everyone covering it.

[Adami]

David Bowie's is my fav, but the Wallflowers one is pretty close.

[The Letter M]

The cover that John Mitchell did was pretty spectacular IMO.

-Marc.

[HOF]

The cover that John Mitchell did was pretty spectacular IMO.

-Marc.

Hadn’t heard that before. So it’s a cover of the Gabriel cover! Nice rendition.

[The Letter M]

The cover that John Mitchell did was pretty spectacular IMO.

-Marc.

Hadn’t heard that before. So it’s a cover of the Gabriel cover! Nice rendition.

Indeed! I was pleasantly surprised by it, and the video, while simple, was quite effective. John has such a warm voice that suits the song quite well.

-Marc.

[Fritzinger]

Definitely the Peter Gabriel version. Scratch My Back is PG's best album in my opinion (yes that's right) and 'Heroes' as the opener is just perfect. Fades in and fades out. It's like a sunrise.

[Max Kuehnau]

Definitely the Peter Gabriel version. Scratch My Back is PG's best album in my opinion (yes that's right) and 'Heroes' as the opener is just perfect. Fades in and fades out. It's like a sunrise.

I love all his albums, but yes.

[Nekov]

I just listened to all those other ones, but the David Bowie version is still my favorite. The KC version was pretty good as well, the wallflowers version was just OK, I didn't quite enjoy the Gabriel version, but I really liked the John Mitchell one.

[HOF]

So I spent way too long last night on YouTube trying to find a clip of the Def Leppard VH1 Storytellers episode where they went into Heroes briefly from the outro of Hysteria. I remember thinking it was really cool how they flowed together. Doesn’t appear to be on YouTube though.

[Lowdz]

Motorhead!

[Stadler]

The Oasis version is excellent (it's the b-side of the "D'you Know What I Mean" single) and Blondie has a live version with Fripp playing on it that is KILLER (that's a b-side as well; I have it on their "Blonde and Beyond" compilation). 

Those are my two favorites, with Bowie next, then Gabriel.   Never heard the Wallflowers version or the John Mitchell version.

[WildRanger]

Bowie's version is a timeless classic and untouchable.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

Bowie's version is a timeless classic and untouchable.

Yup.

[ShadowWalker]

Bowie's version is a timeless classic and untouchable.

Yep.

Others have done very respectable versions of this song, but none have eclipsed the original. PG probably comes the closest.

[HOF]

The Oasis version is excellent (it's the b-side of the "D'you Know What I Mean" single) and Blondie has a live version with Fripp playing on it that is KILLER (that's a b-side as well; I have it on their "Blonde and Beyond" compilation). 

Those are my two favorites, with Bowie next, then Gabriel.   Never heard the Wallflowers version or the John Mitchell version.

Just checked out the Oasis cover. That’s a good one.

[HOF]

The Blondie one... I don’t hate it but she’s very much the female David Bowie so I don’t love it either. Fripp is going off on it though so that’s cool.

[HOF]

So I spent way too long last night on YouTube trying to find a clip of the Def Leppard VH1 Storytellers episode where they went into Heroes briefly from the outro of Hysteria. I remember thinking it was really cool how they flowed together. Doesn’t appear to be on YouTube though.

Ah, here it is.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nvpscasbos

[millahh]

I remember once upon a time, I suggested that I might like the KC cover better than the original, and the disappointment that VG expressed in me for that sticks with me to this day...

Anyway, which KC version are we referring to? The pseudo-single from the 2016 lineup?  Or as they played it on the TCoL tour?  Of those two, I prefer the latter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3fc6zjmVLY&ab_channel=KingCrimson-Topic

I think the Blondie & PG covers bring the most to the table, but in the end I'm voting for the original.

[SoundscapeMN]

I always think of this scene whenever I think of the song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29FDSXSG5RM

[HOF]

I remember once upon a time, I suggested that I might like the KC cover better than the original, and the disappointment that VG expressed in me for that sticks with me to this day...

Anyway, which KC version are we referring to? The pseudo-single from the 2016 lineup?  Or as they played it on the TCoL tour?  Of those two, I prefer the latter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3fc6zjmVLY&ab_channel=KingCrimson-Topic

I think the Blondie & PG covers bring the most to the table, but in the end I'm voting for the original.

I had in mind the more recent single version with the current lineup. I wasn’t even aware of the 2000 version! They also do it on their Live in Chicago release from a few years back, and that’s actually the one I’m most familiar with.

Technically I should have been more specific, but I didn’t want to gum up the poll with a bunch of different versions (even the original has an album version and a shorter single version, and I imagine there are live versions by Bowie as well).

[dparrott]

Glad someone mentioned the Oasis version.

[HOF]

Neil Finn gave it a noble effort!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=nEZ19PHzk8I

[hefdaddy42]

Never heard the Wallflowers version

Pretty impressive, considering it's one of the most played (overplayed?) songs I can think of among pop bands.

How did you escape it?

[pg1067]

There should be a "none of the above" option here.

I don't think I've heard this song before today.  I listened to about half of the Bowie version, and the droning instrument (keyboard of some sort, I assume) was just awful.  I tried to listen to the Gabriel version.  It was different, but not in a good way.  Then I tried the Wallflowers.  It was the best of the three, but I still wouldn't call it good.

[HOF]

There should be a "none of the above" option here.

I don't think I've heard this song before today.  I listened to about half of the Bowie version, and the droning instrument (keyboard of some sort, I assume) was just awful.  I tried to listen to the Gabriel version.  It was different, but not in a good way.  Then I tried the Wallflowers.  It was the best of the three, but I still wouldn't call it good.

Did you try the King Crimson version?

[The Letter M]

There should be a "none of the above" option here.

I don't think I've heard this song before today.  I listened to about half of the Bowie version, and the droning instrument (keyboard of some sort, I assume) was just awful.  I tried to listen to the Gabriel version.  It was different, but not in a good way.  Then I tried the Wallflowers.  It was the best of the three, but I still wouldn't call it good.

I think the "droning instrument" you heard is Robert Fripp's sustained guitar lead.

-Marc.

[Kotowboy]

I quite like the OASIS ( Noel On Vocals ) Cover ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEtpxzQ-KxI



I've never liked Bowie's vocals.

[Nekov]

There should be a "none of the above" option here.

I don't think I've heard this song before today.  I listened to about half of the Bowie version, and the droning instrument (keyboard of some sort, I assume) was just awful.  I tried to listen to the Gabriel version.  It was different, but not in a good way.  Then I tried the Wallflowers.  It was the best of the three, but I still wouldn't call it good.

You could try the John Mitchel version. It's more like the Gabriel version but better.

[pg1067]

There should be a "none of the above" option here.

I don't think I've heard this song before today.  I listened to about half of the Bowie version, and the droning instrument (keyboard of some sort, I assume) was just awful.  I tried to listen to the Gabriel version.  It was different, but not in a good way.  Then I tried the Wallflowers.  It was the best of the three, but I still wouldn't call it good.

Did you try the King Crimson version?

Three strikes and it's out.  Also, I've never thought much of KC, so....

[The Letter M]

There should be a "none of the above" option here.

I don't think I've heard this song before today.  I listened to about half of the Bowie version, and the droning instrument (keyboard of some sort, I assume) was just awful.  I tried to listen to the Gabriel version.  It was different, but not in a good way.  Then I tried the Wallflowers.  It was the best of the three, but I still wouldn't call it good.

You could try the John Mitchel version. It's more like the Gabriel version but better.

Cannot agree with this more. I like the PG version well enough, but John Mitchell just knocks it out of the park. Definitely my go-to version of the song.

I did listen to the Wallflowers version last night, for some Godzilla music video, and it was OK. Definitely a product of its time, though I might like it less than the Bowie and KC versions.

-Marc.

[Cool Chris]

I thought I had heard Bowie's version, but when I checked it out, I felt like I had never heard it before. And now, 4 minutes later, I wish that was the case.

Never heard the Wallflowers version

Pretty impressive, considering it's one of the most played (overplayed?) songs I can think of among pop bands.

How did you escape it?

No kidding!