Most people think Santana originally did “Black Magic Woman”. I didn’t know it was originally done by Fleetwood Mac until I read a biography by Mick Fleetwood.
Joan Baez’s version of The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is far better known than the Band’s original.
I suspect that most people these days think the Who originated Summertime Blues, though at the time it came out there were plenty of people who still remembered Eddy Cochran’s original verions.
Shuggie Otis’ “Strawberry Letter 23” (1971) is much better known by the Brothers Johnson cover, which was a huge hit in 1977.
Talking Heads’ 1978 cover of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” doubtless introduced it to a lot of people, especially after the success of Stop Making Sense a few years later.
Love’s “Alone Again Or” (1967) found a whole new audience when The Damned covered it in '86.
Dunno if REM’s cover of “Crazy” can be said to be well-known, but it’s probably been heard by more people than the Pylon original from 1980.
- I Hear You Knocking*- Originally performed (I’m not sure who wrote it) by Smiley Lewis (composed by Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King), a Top 10 (US) hit for both Gale Storm (1956, #2) and Dave Edmunds (1971, #4).
Java- Originally composed and performed by Allen Toussaint, a Top 10 (US) hit for Al Hirt (1964).
When I finally quit listening to country music (at about age 13), I was shocked to discover that “Shameless” was a Billy Joel song. Garth Brooks had made it a huge country hit, but Joel’s version was tucked away on “Storm Front” and never got much recognition. I later saw Billy Joel in concert, and he joked about the way one of his songs “grew up to be a cowboy.”
Nazareth’s cover of “This Flight Tonight” is more well known than Joni Mitchell’s version. I remember being shocked at learning she wrote and performed it.
Also Downtown Train. I just learned last week that the song was originally by Tom Waits when I bought Rain Dogs.
At the time, people knew that Carl Perkins wrote “Blue Suede Shoes”, but today, people associate it with Elvis.
Several Clash songs fit the bill, including I Fought The Law and Police & Thieves.
The Geoff Stephens-penned “The Crying Game” was a 60’s U.K. hit for Dave Berry, but became much better known in the States when it was remade by Boy George.
Hardly anyone has heard The Clique’s “Superman” or Wire’s “Strange,” both of which were redone by R.E.M.
“Nothing compares to you” became a bigger hit with Sinead O’Connor, even though it was originally a Prince song
Did he ever sing it though? I was always under the impression that Prince wrote it, but never recorded it.
And I Fought the Law evidently counts double: the Clash were redoing the original hit byThe Bobby Fuller Four. Further, the song was written and originally recorded by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets.
So we have three remakes, and no one knows the original.
“Joy to the Word” by **Three Dog Night ** is much better known than Hoyt Axton’s original. Axton was also overlooked for “The Pusher,” which most people connect with Steppenwolf.
Three Dog Night also were connected with Randy Newman’s "Mama Told Me Not to Come, " Laura Nyro’s “Eli’s Coming,” “Try a Little Tenderness” (many previous performers), Paul Williams’ “And Old Fashioned Love Song” and “Out In the Country.”
Blood Sweat and Tears are associated with Laura Nyro’s “And When I Die.”
Ha! I wish I was. Pearl Jam, of course, is also the band that wrote the powerful anti-something or other song, Rockin’ in the Free World. Now you know!
I don’t often spend time with people my own age, but when I do, I find it quite hilarious. Sometimes that kick-ass Rage Against the Machine song, The Ghost of Tom Joad, comes on the radio. And who’s Tom Joad? Some guy under a bridge, of course. The Grapes of whatnow?
"Iko Iko" was never a huge hit for anybody, but it’s been a minor hit for lots of artists including Dr. John, the Belle Stars, Cyndi Lauper, Zap Mama and the Grateful Dead. Cumulatively, it’s a monster hit. Presumed to be some kind of Creole traditional, it was actually written and performed in the 50s by James Crawford (a.k.a. Sugar Boy & the Cane Cutters). Pretty bad that five covers are better-known than the original.
"The First Cut is the Deepest" was a moderate hit for Cat Stevens, and a better-than-moderate hit for Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow.
"I Knew the Bride when She Used to Rock and Roll" was Huey Lewis’ last hit before his 80s rocket ride fizzled out. It was writer Nick Lowe’s biggest song, but Lowe’s career never burned quite as bright as peak Huey Lewis’. Personally, I preferred Dave Edmunds’ version to either one, but Edmunds (like Lowe) was never an arena-filling Monster of Rock, and Lewis briefly was. I don’t have the numbers, but I imagine Lewis’ version sold the most units.
I don’t find this song listed under Huey Lewis anywhere. Nick Lowe’s version went to #77, though.
"I Love Rock And Roll" was originally by The Arrows, not Joan Jett And The Blackhearts.
On his greatest hits collection, there’s a version of the song with Prince singing it. It’s on disc one.