This is so funny! My daughter’s band is covering “Pictures of Matchstick Men” and I have already “corrected” about half a dozen people on this score (near pun intended).
I remember when this came out
and was annoyed that the original artists didn’t seem to get credit for it:
Tom Paxton practically owns this catagory.
John Denver–Whose Garden was This & Forest Lawn
Chad Mitchell Trio–The Marvelous Toy
Irish Rovers–Wasn’t That A Party?
Firebirds–Bottle of Wine
A slew of peopk have recorded “Rambling Boy”" and “The Last Thing on my Mind” both wriiten by Paxton and thought by many to be “Traditional Flok Songs.” Paxton himself calls this “a folk song writter’s greatest honor.”
Along with Dolly’s I will always love you,others I had arguments about…
John Denver’s Leaving on a jet plane originally recorded by The Chad Mitchell Trio,which Denver was a part of,
Queen’s Stone Cold Crazy(tho Mercurys group Wreckage also performed it before Queen was formed) was released in 1974,sixteen years before Metallica covered it.
Until recently I thought that Willie Nelson was covering Patsy Cline’s Crazy. Turns out it was the other way around. I never even thought of the two as contemporaries.
I know that it’s been mentioned before on the boards, but not many people are aware that Britney Spears’ “Oops! I Did It Again” was a cover of an obscure 1932 Louis Armstrong track.
Tiffany’s “I Think We’re Alone Now” (1987) was first done by Tommy James and the Shondells in 1967.
Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling” (i.e. the “ooga-chaka” version) was a 1974 cover of B.J. Thomas’ 1969 version.
Taco’s “Puttin’ on the Ritz” (1983) was written by Irving Berlin in 1929, and first sung by Harry Richman in the 1930 film Puttin’ on the Ritz. Since then, it’s been covered by many.
The Air That I Breathe by the Hollies is a cover of Phil Everly’s original, which is stunningly beautiful until the chorus, when in comes the most godawful la-la-la screeching you ever heard. Totally wrecks the whole thing, and believe it or not, thanks to producer Warren Zevon, who was going through a real bad patch.
Love Spit Love’s cover of How Soon Is Now is certainly more famous than the original by The Smiths.
Wow. I didn’t know this and am surprised she even knows who Louis Armstrong IS
Um…no it’s not. What you linked to is a parody, and fake.
As the first link notes pretty clearly. Almost as if it was planned that way, huh?
The Gene Wilder/Peter Boyle version is the definitive one.
Great White ticked me off with that and Ian Hunter’s Once Bitten, Twice Shy.
It was a long while before I learned that Joe Cocker’s live version of “Feelin’ Alright” was a cover of a Traffic song.
Kim Carnes’ “Betty Davis Eyes” is a cover of a song originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon. I can’t seem to find the original on the Web, but it was markedly different.
You gotta be kidding - who the hell is “Love Spit Love”? The Smiths turned down some absurd amount of money to reform - they still have juice.
More famous by dint of being the version used as the theme song for Charmed. Love Spit Love’s music should be instantly recognizable vocally by anyone into alternative music (like the Smiths) in the '80’s - lead singer from the Psychedelic Furs.
Natalie Imbruglia covered Torn.
EDNASWAP wrote and performed a MUCH superior version about ten years earlier.
And what the heck… the mimed version
Two of Quiet Riot’s 3 hits, Cum On Feel The Noize and Mama Weer All Crazee Now, were covers of Slade songs.