Cover vs. Original

Smells Like Teen Spirit

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a great song by Nirvana. It was covered by Tori Amos a year later with in my opinion great success.

Tori Amos 1992

vs.

Nirvana 1991

		43.2 %	56.8 %

Click on the cover for listening

Click on the cover for listening

Tori Amos

5081 Votes

Nirvana

Nirvana Fanclub

Probably the biggest Nirvana-Fansite. A huge community on the discussion board, picture archive, interviews and much more. Everything for a Nirvana Fan.

seattlesound.de

Website about Nirvana, the Foo Fighters and grunge. They have articles, interviews, pictures and a newcomer section!

Tori Amos Net Universe

Excellent fansite about Tori Amos. You can find here so many news and articles about the singer and songwriter Tori Amos, that you can read forever - an amazing site!

Everything a cover should be. Name a band who couldn't thrash out the few chords of "Smells like ..." and claim it as their own. But none of them would get close because it's not about the notes; it's about the pain, anguish and hardship that went into the writing of that song. Tori takes a different approach of course and makes it her own. Achingly beautiful. - Jon, London, England, 07.03.2008

Tori is a such a beautiful and endlessly talented performer and I can easily say that generally I am a much bigger fan of her than Nirvana but when it came to voting for this song I didn't need a moment's consideration before voting for Nirvana. It's their song and more than anything its a huge symbol of the 90's which was in my opinion one of the greatest decades for music. I don't think that this song is supposed to be mellow and creepy (in the best possible way) it had a huge impact and message and as such I think that it should be played with its origional boldness. Either way, whoever you vote for you shouldn't underestimate either of these amazing artists - Nat, Brisbane, Australia, 03.02.2008

Tori is without a doubt amazing, shes the best singer out there for a long time, I will agree that it is kind of slow and harder to listen to, but those of you who love nirvana, think about what Kurt thoght about it, and thats the only other person other than tori and the rest of the bandm that opinions matter - Andrew, Limerick, Ireland, 13.12.2007

Tori couldn't bring emotion to a dead rat. Her music should be burned. This song is perfect the way it is. THIS IS A ROCK SONG, her piano playing sissy sound shouldn't even consider playing it! - Joe, Dallas, United States, 09.12.2007

It may sound insensitive to say, but although Nirvana were influential a large part of their success came from the publicity of Cobain's suicide (although obviously Cobain did not intend it that way). Tori's version is intimate, evocative and much more personal - it feels almost as if she's singing it to you. - Brian O'Neill, Adelaide, Australia, 12.11.2007

Kurt once said how much he and Courtney liked the cover and would dance around their kitchen to it. To anyone who downplays nirvana, I want you to think about the amount of time Nirvana was in the mainstream making music (3 years) and how big of an impact they had on music history, and tell me that they are not great. - Daniel, Duluth, United States, 29.10.2007

How dare you compare Nirvana to the Beatles or Led Zeppelin. It's a travesty. - Franny, Westfield, MA, United States, 11.10.2007

Tori brought the song to a whole new level. People who choose Nirvana seem to like it just because of the loudness, the rock sound. Tori brings out the emotio in the song. Plus when Kurt says 'thats the way the song shouldve been done', its clearly excellent - Damo, Limerick, Ireland, 30.09.2007

I don't think you can compare such different songs, it's all about personal music taste. Anyway Nirvana created a new style of music, like it or not, and only few bands in history did the same. Nirvana are one of the greatest rock band ever heard, they are the absolute best with Beatles Rolling Stones Guns'N'Roses U2 Pink Floyd Jimi Hendrix Aerosmith Deep Puirple Led Zeppelin Ramones Bob Dylan Clash Sex Pistols AC/DC Iron Maiden Queen and few others... smells like teen spirit is Nirvana's best song, the simbol of a generation, it is the real '90s teen spirit... and come on try to listen at that song and not to feel excited...or at least moved...I feel sexed up. personally I think that while you listen at those few seconds of guitar solo you understand how powerful music is, and your mind gets empty, and rock fills your body running through your veins... Tori Amos is a good musician,and her song is nice.But nothing more. Can you compare? - Marco, BI, Italy, 25.08.2007

Tori has the feeling, Nirvana has the force. Different talents, great artists. I like them both. - Dan Milea, Bucharest, Romania, 29.07.2007

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