Better Off Live

Five times a live version was better than the original studio recording

- By Tom Gilbert

FOR MUSICIANS, SPENDING time to craft a song, capture the right performance and produce a recording with just the right combination of effects and overdubs is an art unto itself. However, there are instances throughout rock history when an artist’s whole-hearted attempt to convey a feeling in the studio has paled in comparison to a good old-fashioned, off-the-cuff live performance. Here are just a few examples when a live version of a song outshines the original studio take.

1. LED ZEPPELIN “BLACK DOG” (HOW THE WEST WAS WON)

It’s hard to imagine that Led Zeppelin IV’s opening track, “Black Dog,” could rock any harder than it already does. But this version on