# Help me find pop songs from the 50s/60s with more recent covers. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 16, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003 "2015-08-16T17:23:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/1 "2015-08-16T17:23:28Z")
I want to put together a playlist with upbeat pop songs from the 50s and 60s that have more recent cover versions from the 80s to today. Some examples I already have include I Think We’re Alone Now, originally by Tommy James, later covered by Tiffany. I Only Want To Be With You is another example, originally by Dusty Springfield, later done by Samantha Fox as well as The Bay City Rollers. Can you help me find more examples of songs like this? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/2 "2015-08-16T17:37:45Z")
“Iko Iko”: The Dixie Cups in '65, covered by Cyndi Lauper in '86. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/3 "2015-08-16T17:45:21Z")
I Want Candy was originally recorded in 1965 by The Strangeloves. It was covered by Bow Wow in the 80s and many others. Interestingly it uses the [Bo Diddley Beat](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Diddley_beat)that has been used in many other songs. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/4 "2015-08-16T18:11:42Z")
Istanbul (Not Constantinople) is almost solely known as a 25 year old They Might Be Giants song than a 1953 swing song. I’m a believer is much better known as a Smash Mouth song than a 1967 Monkees song. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/5 "2015-08-16T19:16:32Z")
_When I’m Gone,_ originally performed by the Carter Family in 1931, was recently made into a rather popular remake by Anna Kendrick for the movie\* Pitch Perfect.\* ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/6 "2015-08-16T20:02:17Z")
[It’s Oh So Quiet](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEC4nZ-yga8) Recorded by Betty Hutton in 1951. Covered by Bjork in 1995. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/7 "2015-08-16T20:23:48Z")
1964 ot 5 [Betty Everett’s You’re No Good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=62&v=88nvqbrraqk). Love her to death but did [but did Linda Ronstadt ever have a hit with an original song?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAWS8BLFbPs) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/8 "2015-08-16T20:55:37Z")
[Gloria Jone’s 1965 Tainted Love.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSehtaY6k1U) Soft Cell’s [1981’s version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDT0yn9jk7M) ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/9 "2015-08-16T21:16:48Z")
Last one, I promise. Especially since I broke the rules by 4 years. [Edith Piaf’s 1946 Le Vie en Rose"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qr33XO5lWAI) [Pomplemoose’s 2008 version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsMIuuV05uc) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/10 "2015-08-17T03:23:16Z")
[The soundtrack to Mona Lisa Smile](http://www.amazon.com/Mona-Lisa-Smile-SMILE-O-S-T/dp/B002YURG8I) is full of wonderful covers of songs from the late 40s-mid 50s: _Mona Lisa_ performed by Seal _Besame Mucho_ performed by Chris Isaak _Murder He Says_ performed by Tori Amos _You Belong to Me_ performed by Tori Amos _Santa Baby_ performed by Macy Gray _I’m Beginning to See the Light_ performed by Kelly Rowland _Istanbul (Not Constantinople)_ performed by The Trevor Horn Orchestra _Sh-Boom (Life Could Be a Dream)_ performed by The Trevor Horn Orchestra _What’ll I Do_ performed by Alison Krauss _I’ve Got the World on a String_ performed by Lisa Stansfield You might also want to check out Bette Midler’s newest album, _It’s the Girls._ ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/11 "2015-08-17T09:18:02Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > You might also want to check out Bette Midler’s newest album, _It’s the Girls._ Yeah, this is a pretty good record. I’ll also recommend [Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs’ _Under the Covers Vol. 1_](http://www.allmusic.com/album/under-the-covers-vol-1-mw0000507260), their 2006 album of all 60s covers. (Vol. 2 was all 70s covers and Vol. 3 was all 80s covers) Here’s a 2010 recording by The Bird and the Bee of [I’m Into Something Good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwahBWvGB9s), the 1964 Herman’s Hermits hit. She & Him have included a couple of covers on each of their albums and last year they put out [an entire album of cover songs](http://www.allmusic.com/album/classics-mw0002775905) (not exclusively 50s and 60s but those decades are well represented). One of my all-time favorite covers was when [Pearl Jam covered “Last Kiss”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfZqohA5Hxc), the 1964 hit for J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/12 "2015-08-17T15:04:07Z")
The soundtrack to the 2001 movie _I Am Sam_ is all Beatles covers: “Two of Us” by Aimee Mann and Michael Penn “Blackbird” by Sarah McLachlan “Across the Universe” by Rufus Wainwright “I’m Looking Through You” by The Wallflowers “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away” by Eddie Vedder “Strawberry Fields Forever” by Ben Harper “Mother Nature’s Son” by Sheryl Crow “Golden Slumbers” by Ben Folds “I’m Only Sleeping” by The Vines “Don’t Let Me Down” by Stereophonics “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by The Black Crowes “Julia” by Chocolate Genius “We Can Work It Out” by Heather Nova “Help!” by Howie Day “Nowhere Man” by Paul Westerberg “Revolution” by Grandaddy “Let It Be” by Nick Cave ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/13 "2015-08-17T16:30:07Z")
There was a very 1980s [cover](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmDsu0UEyPY) of the classic '60s hit “My Boyfriend’s Back.” It’s like a time capsule within a time capsule. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/14 "2015-08-17T17:03:59Z")
[A great resource for this type of thing.](http://www.coversproject.com/) You can search by band, song name, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/15 "2015-08-17T20:19:28Z")
_Here Comes My Baby_ (1967), written and performed by Cat Stevens (and covered that same year by The Tremeloes) was also covered by The Mavericks in 1999 ([YouTube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cos9y6Mfv6s)). It’s debatable how upbeat it is, but _Alone Again Or_ by Love (also recorded in 1967) has been covered recently by [The Damned](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyFpKrsCIHc) in 1987 and [Calexico](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poU19XcW70Q) in 2003. Several of Burt Bacharach-penned songs from the 1960s – such as _Always Something There to Remind Me_; _Promises, Promises_; and _Trains and Boats and Planes_ – were covered in the 1980s (the first two by Naked Eyes in 1983 and the third by Dwight Yoakam in 1983). ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/16 "2015-08-17T20:23:08Z")
Smashmouth did a cover of _[I’m a Believer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mYBSayCsH0)_. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/17 "2015-08-17T22:40:34Z")
Phil Collins covered “Groovy Kind of Love”. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/18 "2015-08-17T22:48:09Z")
For the movie _Less Than Zero_, The Bangles did a decent cover of S&G’s _Hazy Shade of Winter_. Has anyone recently covered _California Dreamin_’? Love that Mamas and Papas song!! ---
**Author:** ![eclectic\_wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ac91a4/32.png) [@eclectic\_wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eclectic_wench)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/19 "2015-08-17T22:54:26Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > [Gloria Jone’s 1965 Tainted Love.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSehtaY6k1U) Soft Cell’s [1981’s version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDT0yn9jk7M) Imelda May’s [2010 version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMOgSdc8OAI). ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_Urquhart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@Gordon\_Urquhart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_Urquhart)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2015, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003/20 "2015-08-17T23:08:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > … > > Has anyone recently covered _California Dreamin_’? Love that Mamas and Papas song!! Most popularly, [The Beach Boys](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe3VBoE3g4k) did in 1986. Lots of other artists have covered it as well (see [Wikipedia listing](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Dreamin%27#Other_versions)). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-find-pop-songs-from-the-50s-60s-with-more-recent-covers/728003.md?page=2)