What are your favorite acoustic versions of originally non-acoustic songs?

[Benji]

Acoustic

 

Original

 

[Roster Depth Sicko No. 2]

I think they released then the other way around so don't think it technically counts but "December" by Neck Deep is just as good on the acoustic album version as it is on the full band single version.

Homesick by A Day To Remember is another big shout.

[King Ellis]

I didn't think I'd be able to find this so easily online as I think I must have got it from Kazaa or Limewire back in the day but it was literally the first result on Youtube. I think maybe the uploader had the same exact experience as he alludes to finding it donkeys years ago online.

Anyway, overall the song has this slightly ethereal sound to it that gives it this dream like atmosphere that I really love. And the way the guitar is so isolated and simple at times you can really hear the way it resonates and it gives me this ASMR type reaction, especially between the 4 to 5.30 mins section of the song. I think the only thing missing in comparison to the studio version is that it's missing the counter point of the end of the song (I will call you out from shelter, burn your wings...) which is one of my favourite parts.

[Chris2K]

This for me turns from a banger (I won't embed it as I'm going to assume you know it) into a hauntingly beautiful yet sad ballad. The difference is staggering.

[King Ellis]

Absolute John Lewis Christmas ad bait that is.

[The Kraig]

 

Most of the acoustic Bad Religion songs are astonishingly heartfelt, robbed of anger and almost defeated in tone. This one always hits me.

 

Yes, I recommend this entire bootleg album. While it's a live acoustic, it sounds more like an acoustic album due to the audience's quietness.

 

[METALMAN]

This is an interesting one. I think the majority of the time acoustic versions of songs tend to just be that song played more slowly to let the emotion seep through and show you that they really mean it man. And most of the time I find that pretty boring. They also tend to limit the instrumentation and harmonic and rhythmic aspects of a song - and those are the parts I tend to find most interesting. But, as with anything in life, there are exceptions.

I just can't think of any off the top of my head. I quite like that A-Ha one. I don't even particularly like the original. I guess I am a very big fan of Neil Young's Live at Massey Hall album, which is almost entirely solo acoustic versions of songs that originally weren't.

I dunno if it counts but I find Benny from Abba's piano version of Thank You For The Music very sweet. It almost sounds like one of those old-times music hall or vaudeville numbers.

The live acoustic version of Love the One You're With is so superior to the original it's not even funny.

Eh and this one is nothing fancy but I'll chuck it in because I quite like it:

 

[Schlitzbrille]

5 hours ago, King Ellis said:

I didn't think I'd be able to find this so easily online as I think I must have got it from Kazaa or Limewire back in the day but it was literally the first result on Youtube. I think maybe the uploader had the same exact experience as he alludes to finding it donkeys years ago online.

Anyway, overall the song has this slightly ethereal sound to it that gives it this dream like atmosphere that I really love. And the way the guitar is so isolated and simple at times you can really hear the way it resonates and it gives me this ASMR type reaction, especially between the 4 to 5.30 mins section of the song. I think the only thing missing in comparison to the studio version is that it's missing the counter point of the end of the song (I will call you out from shelter, burn your wings...) which is one of my favourite parts.

Heh, was coming here to post Coheed myself.

 

 

[Lint]

6 hours ago, The Kraig said:

Most of the acoustic Bad Religion songs are astonishingly heartfelt, robbed of anger and almost defeated in tone. This one always hits me.

 

You come at me with this, which I never knew existed, and I was going to post these

 

 

[The Kraig]

7 hours ago, Lint said:

You come at me with this, which I never knew existed, and I was going to post these

 

 

Greg Graffin is underappreciated.

[GhostMachine]

22 hours ago, Țhə Hªñđßømë Łùçhâďőŕĕ said:

Heh, was coming here to post Coheed myself.

 

 

 

[Liam]

 

[Schlitzbrille]

 

 

[The Kraig]

Biffy take on Rihanna.

Serj Tankian (System of a Down) also had a couple of acoustic versions of songs from his first solo album. This was before he went whole hog and brought in his own touring orchestra. I was lucky enough to see Serj with his orchestra live.

 

[Lint]

Original

 

Acoustic version by the singer

 

[Hellraiser]

Original:

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by Hellraiser

[Lint]

Original

Cover

 

[Lint]

 

Original

 

 

Cover

[Lint]

Original

 

Cover

 

[DFF]

Iron Maiden - Quest For Fire 

Not a bad album track, but nothing more than that: 

 

 

Maiden United (a band who cover Iron Maiden songs as acoustic pieces) turn it into a beautifully sombre piece: