In another post I was saying that I found Lowen and Navarro’s version of “We Belong” superior to Pat Benatar’s. @Mr. Dibble replied:
Probably right. I mean, AIUI they often make a demo recording to present to people who might want to record the song. But that version may not ever be released.
I thought we might list some versions recorded by the composers here.
I’ll begin with Bonnie Bramlett’s version of “Superstar,” on which she received songwriting credit, and was covered by the Carpenters.
Then I’ll add Badfinger’s “Without You,” made famous by Nilsson (and Mariah Carey).
And here’s Billy Preston performing “You Are So Beautiful.”
Brinsley Schwarz’ Nick Lowe penned original recording of “(What’s So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding”. Most people will rather know the Elvis Costello version, produced by Lowe.
Speaking of Nick Lowe: Lowe’s bandmate in Rockpile, Dave Edmunds, made the original recording of the song “Queen of Hearts,” which most American music fans associate with Juice Newton (who recorded it two years later).
However, Edmunds didn’t write it, so I am not sure it fits the OP’s idea: it was written by pedal-steel guitarist Hank DeVito, who was a longtime member of Emmylou Harris’s band.
Prior to Electric Light Orchestra, Jeff Lynne was in a British band, The Move, which was very successful in England, but never really broke through in the U.S. On the final album for The Move, in 1971, before the three remaining band members (Lynne, Bev Bevan, and Roy Wood) formed Electric Light Orchestra, they recorded a Lynne-penned song, “Do Ya.”
Five years later, Lynne re-recorded the song with ELO; that version (with which most people are more familiar) was a top 40 hit in the U.S. Lynne chose to remake the song, in part, because Todd Rundren’s Utopia had been playing it in concert, leading some to believe that it was a Rundgren song.
funny thing ive always thought he sang it too slow and EC sang it too fast but I had one video where they sang it perfectly together and whatever show they did it on had it taken down and I’ve never found it again …
Speaking of Todd Rundgren, early on he was in a band called The Nazz. Here’s the original version of one of Todd’s songs that became a huge solo hit for him a few years later.
People! were a one-hit wonder, with a slow, psychedelic, mysterious song called simply “I Love You.” It’s pretty much forgotten today, but so hypnotic that once you hear it, the song haunts you.
No one remembers it’s the cover of a Zombies b-side, written by their bassist Chris White.
Totally ironic that so many of British Invasion songs were covers of obscure American b-sides until the Brits got good enough to have their own b-sides covered by Americans.
They Might Be Giants’ New York City was a cover of a song by Cub, a cuddlecore trio from Vancouver. Neko Case was an early member of the band. I saw them open for TMBG in '96 and they were fantastic, but broke up a few months later.
The Carpenters version is more well known isnt it?? Well heres the original
Seems like Three Dog Night have several hits that were covers they made more famous…ok now after some investigating, the vast majority of their hits were written by others…the fuh…
Robert Hazard never got to commercially release his own recording of Girls Just Want To Have Fun, but the demo has an amazing New Wave sound and a bridge that got left out of Cyndi Lauper’s version altogether.
