# Songs that you don't associate with the famous version **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676 "2008-05-26T19:49:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/1 "2008-05-26T19:49:32Z")
I heard “Daydream Believer” in a commercial last night, and my instant thought was “hey, isn’t that an Anne Murray song?” :smack: . See, I grew up in the late 70’s in Eastern Washington and country was the only music we heard back then. Anne did a cover of that song, and although the Monkees’ version is 1000X more famous, I still associate the song with her. I’ll also associate “Mountain of Love” with Charlie Pride, and “Slow Hand” and “Heartache Tonight” with Conway Twitty for the same reason. Are there any famous songs you rememer from a version other than the famous one? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/2 "2008-05-26T20:04:27Z")
I always associated Louie Louie with The Kingsmen rather than Richard Berry who recorded it years earlier. Same for The Twist by Chubby Checker. It was actually Hank Ballard who did the original. On reflection I guess that’s not what you actually mean, as the covers in this case _are_ the famous versions. Oh well … ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/3 "2008-05-26T20:16:49Z")
Not quite the same situation as the OP, but anything on the soundtrack of **Moulin Rouge!** is more “famous” to me than the original version. Even songs that I hated and that would have made me barf before seeing the movie, make me smile if I hear them now because they make me think of the movie. Not that I want to hear the originals (except Nat King Cole, Bowie, Marc Bolin, Queen, all of which I love, and maybe Dolly Parton’s original “I Will Always Love You” just because it’s Dolly, baby), I’d rather watch the movie and hear them in that context. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/4 "2008-05-27T01:40:02Z")
Diito on _MR!_. _Battlestar Galactica_’s use of _All Along the Watchtower_ has cemented the two together in my head. Kind if a pity because I hate the guy’s voice on the _BSG_ version (and yes, I know Dylan did the original). ---
**Author:** ![Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@Man\_With\_a\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_With_a_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/5 "2008-05-27T01:50:34Z")
Jill Sobule sings a version of “Sunrise, Sunset” that blows away anything I’ve ever heard from any “Fiddler” soundtrack, or anywhere else for that matter. And John Lydon singing (more or less) “My Way” will pop into my head at random moments. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/6 "2008-05-27T01:56:48Z")
When I was a kid, in the 70s, Elton John was a huge pop icon. I’d heard his versions of “Pinball Wizard” and “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” before the original versions. I got better. ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/7 "2008-05-27T02:13:46Z")
My dad first heard “It’s Raining Men” sung by Geri Halliwell (Spice Girl – don’t know which one), and when we mocked him for (a) listening to it and (b) liking it, he stood his ground. We then played him the iconic Weather Girls’ version. And he continued to insist that the Spice Girl pablum was the better version. I first heard “Comfortably Numb” by the Scissor Sisters, instead of Pink Floyd. I had no idea it was a cover, and to this day, I love the Scissor Sisters version. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/8 "2008-05-27T04:24:25Z")
[QUOTE=Mr Bus Guy] And John Lydon singing (more or less) “My Way” will pop into my head at random moments. [/QUOTE] You mean Sid Vicious. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/9 "2008-05-27T11:07:52Z")
[QUOTE=Campion] I first heard “Comfortably Numb” by the Scissor Sisters, instead of Pink Floyd. I had no idea it was a cover, and to this day, I love the Scissor Sisters version. [/QUOTE] This is what I was going to say. Love the Scissor Sisters version; can’t stand the Floyd song. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/10 "2008-05-27T12:19:41Z")
I can’t hear “New York, New York” without breaking into Dudu Fisher’s Hebrew version. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/11 "2008-05-27T15:02:27Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] You mean Sid Vicious. [/QUOTE] I would say Pavarotti. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-you-dont-associate-with-the-famous-version/450676/12 "2008-05-27T15:09:43Z")
I don’t know if some of these are more “famous” but there are lots of covers on Sublimes first album, 40oz to Freedom that I didn’t know were covers until much later.