Ben Harper covers "Under Pressure"

Last year, Ben Harper and Relentless 7 covered one of my favorite songs, "Under Pressure," originally performed by Queen and David Bowie.

Here is a video of the original:

And the cover:

The two versions both have the same lyrics and melody, but Ben Harper added his own style into the song by using acoustic instrumentation and his unique singing voice.   In the intro, the original uses a hat and clap, while the cover uses a hat and some kind of box snare.  The piano part of the original is replaced by an acoustic guitar, which also plays the electric guitar part of the intro. Also, the guitar in the original has some kind of chorus effect on it to sound fuller.  

I would say the biggest difference is in the style of singing between David Bowie and Ben Harper.  Harper hits the highs of Freddie Mercury, but softer.  Harper sings much differently than Bowie, however.

Overall, the original version is much fuller, mostly because of the instruments used.  Queen and Bowie's version was recorded in a studio with electric guitars and was mastered and edited.  Harper's version was much more raw as it is a live studio take.  I would say Harper's version is softer and drier, while the original is fuller and more produced.

I think I like the original better just because it is such a timeless song.  It still sounds like it could be on the radio today, not just on classic rock stations.  That being said, Ben Harper is one of my favorite artists and his version certainly deserves merit.  He sings with so much emotion that you know he really connects with a song.