“The Pusher” doesn’t count as a cover, as Axton himself didn’t record a version until years after Steppenwolf’s. (He did record “Snowblind Friend” before Steppenwolf.) I think Three Dog Night likewise released “Joy to the World” before Axton did, although both versions came out the same year.
“MacArthur Park”. Can’t remember who originally recorded it, but it wasn’t Donna Summer.
Oh, and I don’t think many people realize that BST’s first big hit, “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” was a cover, originally by Brenda Holloway.
The actor Richard Harris, if memory serves.
Richard Harris
Correct. And if you think that version is pretentious, consider that it was only the last movement of a rejected 22-minute “cantata” that composer Jimmy Webb originally wrote for the Association.
:eek:
Please tell me you’re kidding!
You’re right. The version I remember so vividly–with Huey Lewis in the video–was indeed Nick Lowe’s version, produced by Lewis.
There is a bootleg recording kicking around of Huey Lewis and the News performing the song, but it’s not on any of the label CDs.
Cum On Feel The Noize wasn’t originally recorded by Oasis in the last few years, nor by Quiet Riot in 1984, but by Slade in the early 70’s, as was Mama Weer All Crazee Now.
Babe I’m Gonna Leave You was originally recorded by Joan Baez, not Led Zeppelin.
And the Stones signature song, “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was another Otis Redding cover.
The Blues, Jazz, and R&B guys and gals used to cover each other so much and without legal protections it was sometimes hard to tell who originated a song. If John Lee Hooker got half the credit for songs lifted wholesale, or nearly so, from his body of work he’d have never spent years in fiscal destitution. Eric Clapton pretty much owes his post-Layla career to J.J. Cale, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Bob Marley, among many others.
It seems like anyone worth their strings has covered “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door” at some point, and most better than Dylan.
Stranger
The Stones’ version came out in 1965 (#1). Redding’s in 1966 (#31).
IIRC though, at the time it came out it was said that he wrote it specifically for Sinead O’Conner to perform. She was asked about who wrote it in an interveiw on MTV and said Prince had contacted her agent saying he had a song for her, and that at first she was dubious but she took a look and liked it. Missy Elliot’s cover titled “The Rain” (with samples of the original?) of Tina Turner’s 'I Can’t Stand the Rain" and Ike and Tina Turner’s cover of CCR’s Proud Mary.
I should have added the caveat that, while I was aware of his version, I have no information as to whether he actually he released it as a single.
Stranger on a Train:
I’ve always thought that Devo’s version was the original. 
Not that I can find.
Originally by Ann Peebles.
Heh 
“Torn”, originally performed by Ednaswap, made well-known by Natalie Imbruglia’s cover.
The song Different Drum, popularized by Linda Ronstadt, was originally written and performed by former Monkee Michael Nesmith. I like his version better. 
Just about everyone associates **Unchained Melody ** with the Righteous Brothers who recorded it in the mid-'60s. However, it was originally released in the mid-'50s (for the movie “Unchained,” natch) and released by several performers before the Righteous Brothers made it their own.