# I didn't know that song was a cover **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 20, 2010, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163 "2010-03-20T19:33:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![kim\_jung\_il](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kim\_jung\_il](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_jung_il)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/81 "2010-03-23T05:45:17Z")
At work a few years ago, and the Doors - Light My Fire was playing on the radio. One of the women from another office came in and proceeded to say "That’s a shit cover of Jose Feliciano! FAIL ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/82 "2010-03-23T08:46:19Z")
I think I was 13 or so before I realized that “Come Together” was not an Aerosmith song. And it turns out I was 39 before I found out that “Hard to Handle” isn’t a Tom Jones song. :eek: RNATB, you are not alone. I share your dislike of the Smiths, but find the guitar part from “How Soon is Now” impossible to turn off. I’ve never heard of Love Spit Love. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/83 "2010-03-23T09:49:44Z")
I don’t get the Bodyguard confusion. Whitney’s character is literally listening to “I will always love you” on the jukebox before she sings it herself. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/84 "2010-03-23T10:55:08Z")
“heartbeats” by Jose Gonzalez is a cover of the original by Swedish electro-bonkers duo The Knife. Both are very different and very good. I love it when that happens. Incidentally, since when did Prince’s version of “I feel for you” count as a ballad? That’s some fine funky chicken. You can’t smooch to it can you? ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/85 "2010-03-23T12:51:56Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > And it turns out I was 39 before I found out that “Hard to Handle” isn’t a Tom Jones song. :eek: Just please tell me that it wasn’t because you’d heard that the Black Crowes did it first… ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/86 "2010-03-23T13:16:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper (orig. Robert Hazard) This is going to sound snotty, but Cyndi’s isn’t a cover by virtue of the fact that Robert Hazard’s 1979 demo wasn’t commercially released and, as far as I can tell, still hasn’t been. Under copyright rules, therefore, Hazard had the choice of who could record it first and gave the song to Lauper in '83 with some minor lyric changes to alter the sex of the narrator. If his demo was released after that, he’d covered Lauper’s version of a song he’d written - unusual, but hardly unknown. Obviously, if I’ve missed where Hazard released it before '83, I’ll bow to your knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![Minnie\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Minnie\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minnie_Luna)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/87 "2010-03-23T15:46:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Love Spit Love’s cover of How Soon Is Now is certainly more famous than the original by The Smiths. Blasphemy! I _love_ The Smiths, but find Moz to be quite an ass. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/88 "2010-03-23T16:09:16Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > This is going to sound snotty, but Cyndi’s isn’t a cover by virtue of the fact that Robert Hazard’s 1979 demo wasn’t commercially released and, as far as I can tell, still hasn’t been. I would consider that a cover, myself. I suppose their might be a more technical definition of “cover,” but songs that were originally demos and sung by another artist qualify for my definition (and the definition seems to be in use for [allmusic.com](http://allmusic.com).) Although, it makes sense to use the more stringent definition. [Here’s Hazard’s version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aLNwOxPsjg), for those interested. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/89 "2010-03-23T16:34:09Z")
> [@BigNik](#): > > Just please tell me that it wasn’t because you’d heard that the Black Crowes did it first… I heard that the Black Crowes’ version was a cover of the Tom Jones’ song about 15 minutes after I heard it the first time, so I was only deluded in that way for a short period of time. Otherwise, yes, I am that clueless. I’m gonna learn that version of “Down on Me”. I don’t understand what they are singing in verses, 3, 4, and 5, though. I guess I’ll have to sub someone else’s verses in. ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/90 "2010-03-23T16:52:51Z")
A couple of weeks ago, someone sang “Landslide” on American Idol. I was all excited that someone was actually singing a song I knew - a Smashing Pumpkins song! I was momentarily baffled when the judges started talking about Stevie Nicks. I had no idea that was a cover. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/91 "2010-03-23T17:55:18Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > “heartbeats” by Jose Gonzalez is a cover of the original by Swedish electro-bonkers duo The Knife. > > Both are very different and very good. I love it when that happens. > > Incidentally, since when did Prince’s version of “I feel for you” count as a ballad? > That’s some fine funky chicken. You can’t smooch to it can you? Maybe not a ballad, but it is a bit slower and has different feel. I haven’t heard it in a while. ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/92 "2010-03-23T18:05:11Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > I heard that the Black Crowes’ version was a cover of the Tom Jones’ song about 15 minutes after I heard it the first time, so I was only deluded in that way for a short period of time. Otherwise, yes, I am that clueless. OK, I’m probably being whooshed here in the worst way, but just in case… A long time ago, the was this fellow named [Otis Redding…](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZxN9iQM7OY) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/93 "2010-03-23T18:56:43Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” (1987) was first done by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967. Also during the late 1960s, Tommy James and the Shondells also covered Joan Jett’s 1981 hit, “Crimson and Clover.” ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/94 "2010-03-23T19:01:48Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Also during the late 1960s, Tommy James and the Shondells also covered Joan Jett’s 1981 hit, “Crimson and Clover.” And Billy Idol’s “Mony, Mony.” ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/95 "2010-03-23T20:29:22Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > Maybe not a ballad, but it is a bit slower and has different feel. I haven’t heard it in a while. I should’ve put a smilie in there just in case you thought that was snarky…not intended. Perhaps I have difficulty thinking of any Prince song being a ballad, it pretty much all sounds filthy…but in a good way! My wife and I kicked our wedding dance off with “diamonds and pearls” that’s about a ballad-y as he gets (and even then I can’t say we weren’t thinking about sex) ---
**Author:** ![ScatteredFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@ScatteredFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScatteredFrog)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/96 "2010-03-23T22:38:39Z")
Speaking of covers…something interesting about “Weird Al” Yankovic’s 1988 album _Even Worse_: it has three parodies of COVERS: - “I Think I’m A Clone Now” --\> parodied Tiffany’s remake of Tommy James & The Shondells’ “I Think We’re Alone Now.” - “Alimony” --\> parodied Billy Idol’s remake of TJ&S’s “Mony Mony” - “(This Song’s Just) Six Words Long” --\> parodied George Harrison’s remake of James Ray’s “Got My Mind Set On You” And if you want to extend “covers” to include folk songs, then there’s a fourth: - “Lasagna” --\> parodied Los Lobos’ version of “La Bamba,” which was a cover of Ritchie Valens’ rendering. ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/97 "2010-03-23T22:50:00Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > And Billy Idol’s “Mony, Mony.” It was alleged on [Coverville](http://coverville.com/archives/2008/11/coverville-526-cover-to-cover-interview-with-tommy-james/) that when “Mony Mony” succeeded “I Think We’re Alone Now” as the American #1 in 1987 that it was the first time that two covers had held the top spot immediately after each other - and that they were very different takes on the same original artist’s work. ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/98 "2010-03-23T23:10:06Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Lodi Dodi by Snoop Dogg is a cover of Slick Rick’s La Di Da Di, which I love. Just throwing that one out there because I know some younger rap fans that didn’t know that. But Snoop says so at the very beginning of the song… ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/99 "2010-03-24T01:20:26Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Love Spit Love’s cover of _How Soon Is Now_ is certainly more famous than the original by The Smiths. I have serious doubts about that. I wasn’t even aware the Love Spit Love ever did a version of it. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/100 "2010-03-24T01:34:28Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Love Spit Love’s cover of _How Soon Is Now_ is certainly more famous than the original by The Smiths. I would dispute that, but on the other hand I played the same song for a friend who said (paraphrased) “I didn’t know the Smiths did a version of this t.A.T.u song.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163.md?page=6)