# 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:** 10\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/161 "2010-05-01T17:44:02Z")
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band hit went to #1 in 1977, [Blinded By The Light](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRtAJy2nFVM), an original by Bruce Springsteen (from '73). Although a lesser hit, they also did [(I Came) For You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjsFAg3RMhk), another Bruce original. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/162 "2010-05-01T17:59:29Z")
The ultimate in multilayered covers has got to be a song with three different names and tons of “original artists” in most people’s minds: [“Mbube”, by Solomon Henry and the Evening Birds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrrQT4WkbNE) [“Mbube”, as covered by Miriam Makeba](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G85hfwX2dVk&feature=related) [Wimoweh, as recorded in 1952 by Pete Seeger and the Weavers (with a big band backing them)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp6HaaRJQh4) and [their more normal “folk-y” version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkb2MFLU4pE&feature=related) from a reunion concert. [The Tokens](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBmUwi6mEo) add new lyrics and have an “original hit” with it [Tight Fit’s version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEEnyqEkf0I&feature=related) [We can’t leave out Timon and Pumbaa’s cover](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS7D3IVrP8g) [Oh, come on, now! (N\*sync covers it)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-7PPO-KqOI) [Let’s bring it full circle: the Soweto Gospel Choir covers the cover of the cover of the song originally from their country, going back to the original stylings](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbQVdLRqJ1w) ---
**Author:** ![President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@President\_Johnny\_Gentle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/President_Johnny_Gentle)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/163 "2010-05-01T19:38:30Z")
> [@the lone cashew](#): > > Manfred Mann’s Earth Band hit went to #1 in 1977, [Blinded By The Light](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRtAJy2nFVM), an original by Bruce Springsteen (from '73). > > Although a lesser hit, they also did [(I Came) For You](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjsFAg3RMhk), another Bruce original. They also covered Bruce’s “Spirit in the Night” - all three songs coming off of Springsteen’s debut. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/164 "2010-05-01T19:40:52Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > The ultimate in multilayered covers has got to be a song with three different names and tons of “original artists” in most people’s minds You left out [Eno](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5RYptkzbjY). ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/165 "2010-05-01T20:00:20Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > The ultimate in multilayered covers has got to be a song with three different names… > [@Rian Milan](#): > > Once upon a time, a long time ago, a small miracle took place in the brain of a man named Solomon Linda. It was 1939, and he was standing in front of a microphone in the only recording studio in black Africa when it happened. He hadn’t composed the melody or written it down or anything. He just opened his mouth and out it came, a haunting skein of fifteen notes that flowed down the wires and into a trembling stylus that cut tiny grooves into a spinning block of beeswax, which was taken to England and turned into a record that became a very big hit in that part of Africa. > > Later, the song took flight and landed in America, where it mutated into a truly immortal pop epiphany that soared to the top of the charts here and then everywhere, again and again, returning every decade or so under different names and guises. See [IN THE JUNGLE](http://www.segerfile.com/wimoweh.htm) for more of the great and sad story. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/166 "2010-05-02T00:19:50Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Wasn’t the Badfinger version the original, not a cover According to **Cosmic Relief,** Mariah Carey recorded the original. > [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > [Ken Lee](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RgL2MKfWTo) was actually done by Mariah Carey originally. That’s why it was so remarkable that Badfinger “covered” it 24 years earlier. In other words, _WHOOOSSHH!_ 😃 (Yes, I know Valentina Hasan was performing Mariah Carey’s version, and we all know she didn’t do it originally, but c’mon, people, work with me here. Also please try the fish and let the maître d’ know you enjoyed it.) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/167 "2010-05-02T01:41:10Z")
> [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](#): > > And I wonder how many people think that Hendrix wrote **Wild Thing**? I wonder how many people know it was written by Angelina Jolie’s Uncle. (Once again I couldn’t resist the urge to toss in one of my favorite trivia nuggets.) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/168 "2010-05-02T01:49:28Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > The ultimate in multilayered covers has got to be a song with three different names and tons of “original artists” in most people’s minds: > > [“Mbube”, by Solomon Henry and the Evening Birds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrrQT4WkbNE) > > [“Mbube”, as covered by Miriam Makeba](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G85hfwX2dVk&feature=related) > > [Wimoweh, as recorded in 1952 by Pete Seeger and the Weavers (with a big band backing them)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rp6HaaRJQh4) and [their more normal “folk-y” version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkb2MFLU4pE&feature=related) from a reunion concert. > > [The Tokens](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LBmUwi6mEo) add new lyrics and have an “original hit” with it > > [Tight Fit’s version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEEnyqEkf0I&feature=related) > > [We can’t leave out Timon and Pumbaa’s cover](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HS7D3IVrP8g) > > [Oh, come on, now! (N\*sync covers it)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-7PPO-KqOI) > > [Let’s bring it full circle: the Soweto Gospel Choir covers the cover of the cover of the song originally from their country, going back to the original stylings](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbQVdLRqJ1w) Wow. This is a great post. Full circle. . ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/169 "2010-05-02T04:16:04Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I wonder how many people know it was written by Angelina Jolie’s Uncle. > (Once again I couldn’t resist the urge to toss in one of my favorite trivia nuggets.) He also wrote “Angel of the Morning,” which was originally recorded by Evie Sands. More famous versions were later recorded by Merilee Rush and Juice Newton. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163/170 "2012-01-09T06:29:41Z")
It took me too many years to realize that Janis Joplin’s “To Love Somebody” was a cover of a Bee Gees song. Normally, I’m egotistically good at this, but with this I failed. FTR, I was young. ☹ ETA: This is a fuckin’ zombie? Fail #2. And Fail #3 if I already posted there. ETAA: And how the fuck does a zombie get listed without SOME SOB getting in before me? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-didnt-know-that-song-was-a-cover/533163.md?page=8)