# Songs you didn't realize were covers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 7, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496 "2020-12-07T18:28:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2021, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/121 "2021-10-09T19:09:50Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > I pointed this out in a thread about five years ago, and was surprised few others had noticed it— especially since Deep Purple plays it at half-tempo near the end of the song (i.e., similar speed to the Beatles song). I asked Dopers which was composed first — the consensus was they were composed independently, circa Christmas 1966, so it’s a coincidence. I’ve long wondered which was written first. I would have assumed it was more likely for Joe South to hear a Beatles song than vice versa, but then the Beatles did cover Buck Owens’ “Act Naturally”. But the timing seems to make the question moot. And a small correction to my description: Paul’s middle part of ADitL starts in triple meter, but switches to duple when the “Hush” melody begins. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/122 "2022-07-17T12:06:58Z")
Just stumbled across another song I didn’t realise was (a sort of) cover version and felt I had to resurrect this zombie. The usually melancholic 80s synth / pop band **Talk Talk** were well known in the UK. Possibly best known (if at all) in the US when **No Doubt** covered their song **It’s My Life** : **Talk Talk It’s My Life** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cFH5JgyZK1I/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGH8gNygjMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAYHWIJaiQDa2RvDwbyE3fE9hFLJw "Talk Talk - It's My Life (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFH5JgyZK1I) **No Doubt It’s My Life** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ubvV498pyIM/maxresdefault.jpg "No Doubt - It's My Life (Edited)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubvV498pyIM) However that’s not the example I came here to give. Here is **Talk Talk** with their second single the eponymous **Talk Talk**. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Q_WCU_oxIiA/maxresdefault.jpg "Talk Talk [Official video 1] - Talk Talk (HD/HQ).") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_WCU_oxIiA) What I never previously knew was **Talk Talk** formed from an early ‘Garage Rock’ punky guitar band **The Reaction** who had a song called **Talk Talk Talk Talk** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xDK5tk5iZlw/hqdefault.jpg "The Reaction - Talk Talk Talk Talk") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDK5tk5iZlw) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2022, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/123 "2022-07-17T12:31:12Z")
80 percent of the world still doesn’t realize Elvis Costello’s "peace love and understanding " is a cover … here’s him singing it with nick lowe the originator https://www.youtube.com/embed/LeFlPxMTP24?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque&list=RDLeFlPxMTP24 ---
**Author:** ![bmoak1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@bmoak1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/124 "2022-07-18T02:54:13Z")
Doesn’t Dave namecheck Smiley Lewis in his version? ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/125 "2022-07-18T03:51:43Z")
Nat King Cole’s “Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer” is not an original tune. It’s borrowed from a German song. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/7OZrNDtRltg/maxresdefault.jpg "Nat King Cole - Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days of Summer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OZrNDtRltg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qeyM_DKcPM8/maxresdefault.jpg "Du Spielst Ne Tolle Rolle") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeyM_DKcPM8) ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/126 "2022-07-18T07:43:03Z")
Back in the late 70’s I had no idea New York Groove was first done by a group named Hello. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZtzdigGGZys/hqdefault.jpg "Hello - New York Groove 1975") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtzdigGGZys) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DXeeY9D9u94/maxresdefault.jpg "New York Groove") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXeeY9D9u94) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2022, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/127 "2022-07-18T23:17:32Z")
I’ve been listing to a streaming oldies station (a reincarnation of the station I listened to as a kid.) They have an amazingly deep play list. So _Hot Rod Lincoln_ comes on but it’s not Commander Cody and HLPA! What? Turns out the song dates to [1955](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Rod_Lincoln). ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2022, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/128 "2022-07-28T11:33:10Z")
Scottish pop band **The Bluebells** had a UK number 1 hit with **Young At Heart** in 1993 after the song was used in a TV advert by the VW motor company. It had already been a number 8 hit in 1984. The song had a distinctive violin part throughout. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/e7n53nIBb3g/maxresdefault.jpg "The Bluebells - Young At Heart (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7n53nIBb3g) However the earliest version of the song was by the girl group **Bananarama** who failed to chart in 1983 with this simpler arrangement [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aOXVHXY5rA8/hqdefault.jpg "Bananarama ::::: Young At Heart.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOXVHXY5rA8) This is one of those songs where it can be argued it’s not a cover version since it has a co-writing credit between members from both bands. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/129 "2022-08-11T21:47:16Z")
The original _Jesus Is Just Alright_ (1966) by The Art Reynolds Singers. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pVe7kknLFNE/hqdefault.jpg "The Art Reynolds Singers - Jesus Is Just Allright (1966)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVe7kknLFNE) The version by The Doobie Bros was the only one I knew. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ9WHaSKlgU) Never heard The Byrd’s cover either. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wdKrHYUZCwM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Byrds - Jesus Is Just Alright (Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdKrHYUZCwM) ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2022, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/130 "2022-08-11T23:13:29Z")
I’m not sure if this is a cover or an interpolation of Amapola (since a lot of the lyrics don’t appear on lyrics sheets of the original), but when I first heard this it sounded so quintessentially psychedelic that I was sure it was an original. They also have a good cover of Train Kept a Rollin’ earlier in the album. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/j2XaJykkAIs/hqdefault.jpg "Haymarket Square - Magic Lantern (Full Album 1968)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2XaJykkAIs) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2022, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/131 "2022-08-12T18:54:16Z")
[Travis Tritt - T.R.O.U.B.L.E.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5Mwig3VqXg) was a hit country song in 1992 and was the title of the album as well. Turns out the song is much older, written by Jerry Chesnut and [first recorded by Elvis Presley](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuP8lhRtqvE). I had no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/132 "2022-08-15T17:31:58Z")
Mountain Goats - Sometimes I Still Feel the Bruise --fits so completely in their “broken relationship” catalogue, I never questioned it being an original. But it’s a cover. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/S1WFEFb3Q18/hqdefault.jpg "The Mountain Goats - Sometimes I Still Feel The Bruise") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1WFEFb3Q18) Original was by Trembling Blue Stars. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1kYgI0XmSjA/maxresdefault.jpg "Trembling Blue Stars - Sometimes I Still Feel The Bruise") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kYgI0XmSjA) ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2022, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/133 "2022-08-15T19:47:23Z")
Responding to an old part of the thread with a mostly irrelevant personal anecdote but… Not only did I not know this was a cover but the first time I heard the song, it was watching the video on MTV and I wondered if it was my ex-girlfriend. She was a soft-voiced sometimes singer/guitarist who looked more like Natalie Imbruglia in that video than I have ever seen Natalie Imbruglia look since. I watched the video the first time and missed the name at the end. Then I heard the song on the radio without the DJ announcing the singer. Finally, I saw the video again and watched closely. Everything about the singer’s look. demeanor, voice, and subject matter told me it _could_ be my ex-girlfriend. Even when I saw Natalie Imbruglia’s name on screen, I wondered if she just took a stage name. I was really hoping my ex-girlfriend landed on her feet after a rough patch and got a recording deal. Of course, I was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/134 "2022-09-26T17:47:21Z")
Poor Poor Pitiful Me - Linda Ronstadt 1977, right? Nope. Warren Zevon 1976. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_TbfQPRgcS8/hqdefault.jpg "Warren Zevon - Poor Poor Pitiful Me") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TbfQPRgcS8) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/135 "2022-09-26T17:54:43Z")
I met a girl at the rainbow bar She asked me if I’d beat her She took me back to the hired house… I don’t wanna talk about it Don’t think Linda did much of her own music. Great vocalist; wonderful arrangements; she just didn’t write them. Joe Cocker is similar. You Are So Beautiful, probably his biggest hit, was written and recorded by Billy Preston. ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/136 "2023-03-07T06:16:24Z")
I came here to post What A Man, but someone else already had. So, here is the original The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face sung by Peggy Seeger. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/I8fQP18dlWo/maxresdefault.jpg "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8fQP18dlWo) And here is the one I knew by Roberta Flack. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VqW-eO3jTVU/maxresdefault.jpg "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VqW-eO3jTVU) ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/137 "2023-03-07T07:24:50Z")
I didn’t know that Elvis Costello’s “peace love and understanding” was a cover or about 15 years … ---
**Author:** ![veryfrank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/87869e/32.png) [@veryfrank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/veryfrank)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/138 "2023-03-07T17:34:05Z")
With David Lindley’s recent passing, I was looking up “Mercury Blues” on YouTube. I knew Alan Jackson’s version was a cover, but I’d always thought Lindley had written it. Surprised to find out that he adapted the song from a 1948 record called “Mercury Boogie” by the K.C. Douglass Trio. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/139 "2023-05-26T00:27:03Z")
Going back to the RHCP, when I first heard it in the eary 90’s I never knew that Higher Ground was a cover of a Stevie Wonder song. Years later when I heard it on an “oldies” station, I was a bit taken aback that something “that recent” would be on there. Only later did I find about about the Stevie version which is in retrospect obviously what I’d heard. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2023, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496/140 "2023-05-26T00:32:41Z")
Just goes to show that Stevie Wonder was ahead of his time in the seventies. Sadly, he lost his magic touch sometime in the eighties. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers/927496.md?page=8)