I didn't know that song was a cover

[Ostrya]

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band hit went to #1 in 1977, Blinded By The Light, an original by Bruce Springsteen (from '73).

Although a lesser hit, they also did (I Came) For You, another Bruce original.

[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

“Mbube”, as covered by Miriam Makeba

Wimoweh, as recorded in 1952 by Pete Seeger and the Weavers (with a big band backing them) and their more normal “folk-y” version from a reunion concert.

The Tokens add new lyrics and have an “original hit” with it

Tight Fit’s version

We can’t leave out Timon and Pumbaa’s cover

Oh, come on, now! (N*sync covers it)

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

[President_Johnny_Gentle]

@the lone cashew

Manfred Mann’s Earth Band hit went to #1 in 1977, Blinded By The Light, an original by Bruce Springsteen (from '73).

Although a lesser hit, they also did (I Came) For You, another Bruce original.

They also covered Bruce’s “Spirit in the Night” - all three songs coming off of Springsteen’s debut.

[Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew]

@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.

[Peremensoe]

@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 for more of the great and sad story.

[cochrane]

@acsenray

Wasn’t the Badfinger version the original, not a cover

According to Cosmic Relief, Mariah Carey recorded the original.

@Cosmic Relief

Ken Lee 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.)

[TreacherousCretin]

@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.)

[TreacherousCretin]

@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

“Mbube”, as covered by Miriam Makeba

Wimoweh, as recorded in 1952 by Pete Seeger and the Weavers (with a big band backing them) and their more normal “folk-y” version from a reunion concert.

The Tokens add new lyrics and have an “original hit” with it

Tight Fit’s version

We can’t leave out Timon and Pumbaa’s cover

Oh, come on, now! (N*sync covers it)

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

Wow. This is a great post. Full circle.

.

[cochrane]

@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.

[dropzone]

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?