the song “butterfly kisses” had a rock/pop version and a country version out at exactly the same time so there was no escaping it when it went big …
that is the first time ive heard the lyrics to that song … ive heard the music and the oooo part but never anything else … and yeah i could see the song being problematic for the fcc
This reminded me of another country song, "How Do I Live." It was written by Diane Warren for the Disney/Touchstone film Con Air, and Warren told LeAnn Rimes (who had just won several Grammy awards, despite being only 14) that she (Warren) had written the song with Rimes in mind, and promised it to Rimes to record first.
However, after Rimes recorded it, Disney decided that Rimes’ version was too “pop,” and that she was too young to sing about the subject matter; Disney then asked Trisha Yearwood to record the song for the film (Yearwood says that, when she agreed to record it, she was unaware that Rimes had already done so).
Both versions were released on the same day, and both were very successful, though Rimes’ version did better on the Billboard pop (Hot 100) chart, while Yearwood’s version did better on the Billboard country chart.
I was going to submit “What Hurts the Most,” released by Rascal Flatts in 2006 and Cascada in 2007. But apparently (according to Wikipedia) it was actually released in 2003 by Mark Willis, and covered by Bellefire in 2004 and Jo O’Meara in 2005, before Rascal Flatts and Cascada came along.
A couple different versions of Swallow my Pride came out around the same time…
In 1995, Oasis hit #1 with their song, “Wonderwall.”
In the same year, this guy hit #2 as well.
The Mike Flowers Pops - Wonderwall (Official Video) - YouTube
Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester wrote Whenever I Call You “Friend” together. Loggins released a version in 1978 as a duet with Stevie Nicks and Manchester released a version in 1979 as a duet with Arnold McCuller.
Must have been a weird time for music. There’s three versions of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” on the same chart at 4 (B. Hayes), 6 (F. Parker) and 7 (Tennessee Ernie Ford).
“Killing Me Softly With His Song” was first recorded by Lori Lieberman in late 1971 and released in early 1972. In the same year, Roberta Flack heard the song on an in-flight audio programme. She performed it live in September, was told to record it, did so in November 1972, and released it in January 1973.
Many Harry Nilsson songs were published by him at essentially the same time as who he wrote it for. Cuddly Toy (1967) by him and The Monkees comes to immediate mind.
Rockabilly guy Robert Gordon released and had a minor hit with his version of the Marshall Crenshaw-penned “Someday, Someway” before Crenshaw did.
Hey – that’s the same Robert Gordon from post #37. Poor guy with his near-misses.