Cover vs Remake

I stumbled upon an interesting old usenet thread discussing the difference between a "cover" and a "remake". You can read it at http://groups.google.com/group/rec.music.rock-pop-r+b.1960s/browse_thread/thread…

The main difference between the two is that a cover is supposed to be made during the the time period of the original, while a remake is done in a later period (ie a song from 1940 done in 1990).

It's an amusing discussion but personally I don't think such a distinction should be made, even if "remakes" are made in a different context or interpretation.

Agreed. They should all be called covers.

Actually, remakes and covers are the same thing

aren't they? ???

- Aleecat

Maybe we can consider a remake is a cover, but a cover isn't alway a remake

I consider both the same thing, but remake sometimes seems to me a stronger word, like if you consider a remake a very different version of a song