Singer-songwriters who popularized a song written by another singer-songwriter:

Cafe Society
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I originally posted this over in the Game Room’s “Baker’s Dozen” thread, but realized there are about a gazillion more songs that could be added to this list:

  1. Bruce Springsteen - “Jersey Girl” by Tom Waits
  2. Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - “Blinded by the Light” by Bruce Springsteen
  3. Pointer Sisters - “Fire” by Bruce Springsteen
  4. Nancy Griffith - “From a Distance” by Julie Gold
  5. Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton–Islands in the Stream by the Bee Gees
  6. Peter, Paul and Mary - “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by John Denver
  7. Elvis Costello - “(What’s So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding” by Nick Lowe
  8. James Taylor - “You’ve Got a Friend” by Carole King
  9. Jimi Hendrx - “All Along The Watchtower” by some Dylan guy.
  10. Cyndi Lauper - “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Robert Hazard
  11. Merle Haggard & Willie Nelson - “Pancho and Lefty” by Townes Van Zandt
  12. Sinead O’Connor - “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Prince
  13. Stevie Ray Vaughn - “All Along The Watchtower” also by that same Dylan guy

For starters:

  1. John Denver - Whose Garden Was This? by Tom Paxton
  2. John Denver - Forest Lawn by Tom Paxton
  3. Jeff Buckley–Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
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  1. Rod Stewart - “Downtown Train” by Tom Waits
3
  1. Eric Clapton - “Cocaine” by JJ Cale
4

Feist - “Brandy Alexander” by Ron Sexsmith

5

The Eagles - "Ol’ 55 " by Tom Waits

6

Rod Stewart - “Tom Traubert’s Blues”(aka Waltzing Mathilda) by Tom Waits

7

Springsteen - Because the Night (Patti Smiith)

8

Tom Waits - “Phantom 309” by Red Sovine

9

“Woodstock” - made famous by Crosby, Stills & Nash
“Both Sides Now” - made famous by Judy Collins

  • Both songs were written by Joni Mitchell
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The Monkees - “I’m a Believer” by Neil Diamond

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“I Shot the Sheriff” by Bob Marley, popularized by Eric Clapton
“The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” by Robbie Robertson of the Band, turned into a hit by Joan Baez (a terrible version of the song).
“Summertime Blues” by Eddie Cochrane – a big hit for the Who
“Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” by Klaatu, popularized by The Carpenters
“Hey Joe,” first credited to Billy Roberts (but sometimes listed as "traditional), linked to Jimi Hendrix, though many others have done it.
James Taylor got a big hit from Carole King’s “You’ve Got a Friend,” but we could do an entire thread of people who have covered King’s songs.

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Isn’t this the wrong way around? I thought Springsteen wrote it and she did some lyrical noodling.
Didn’t he write this and Fire for Darkness at the Edge of Town but they didn’t fit the tone of the album?

MiM

13

Johnny Cash - Sunday Morning Coming Down (Kris Kristofferson)

Janis Joplin - Me and Bobbie McGee (Kris Kristofferson)

14

Right. Springsteen gave it to Smith.

Judy Collins–Send in the Clowns by Stephen Sondheim

15

“They Don’t Know” - Tracey Ullman had a major hit with Kirsty MacColl’s song. Tracey took a fairly serious, straightforward song and made it humorous through her wonderful video, but both versions work. Tracy’s version of the song appeared on her album You Broke My Heart In 17 Places, which includes the song of the same name, also by Kirsty MacColl.

16

Another twofer: Carly Simon & James Taylor stunning cover of Inez and Charlie Foxx’s Mockingbird.

17

The Byrds - Dylan’s “Mr. Tambourine Man”.
The Bangles - Paul Simon’s “Hazy Shade of Winter”.

18

Peter, Paul and Mary-Leavin’ On A Jet Plane by John Denver

19

Pssst…#6 in the OP.

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:smack::smack: :cool:(Not cool, blind)