# Songs you would have sworn were sung by somebody else. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 1, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239 "2009-10-01T15:36:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/1 "2009-10-01T15:36:13Z")
I would have bet my last dollar that “Rescue Me” was sung by Aretha Franklin instead of Fontella Bass, an artist I’ve never heard of. The [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_Me_(Fontella_Bass_song)) even mentions that it is often misattributed to Aretha. What are yours? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/2 "2009-10-01T15:44:58Z")
I thought for a long, long time that Jimmy Buffet’s “Come Monday” was James Taylor. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/3 "2009-10-01T16:54:03Z")
Due to the Muppet Show, I spent most of my childhood and adulthood believing that Paul Williams had sung “Just An Old-Fashioned Love Song”. A DJ attributed it to Three Dog Night only a year or two ago and it shocked the hell out of me (I actually had to look it up before I’d believe the DJ hadn’t made a mistake). ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/4 "2009-10-01T16:59:03Z")
Tom Petty sounds quite a bit like Dylan in some of his songs. ---
**Author:** ![whole\_bean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@whole\_bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whole_bean)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/5 "2009-10-01T17:41:48Z")
Dylan - Stuck in the Middle with You. Made even more confusing by the facts that: 1. Dylan wrote/recorded a ‘stuck’ song, that being Stuck Inside of Mobile with These Memphis Blues Again; and 2. I’d never heard of Stealers Wheel. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/6 "2009-10-01T17:45:54Z")
I used to think that “Through and Through” by the Stones was by Bruce Springsteen. I guess because I’m not as familiar with the songs done by Keith Richards, and I first heard it on Sopranos (which I tend to associate with Springsteen–wonder why!:D). ETA: When I was a lot younger I thought Mr. Blue Sky was by the Beatles, and not ELO. Oh, youth! ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/7 "2009-10-01T17:49:54Z")
Always thought that Aimee was by the Eagles instead of Pure Prairie League (Pure Prairie _who_?) ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@Alan\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Bird)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/8 "2009-10-01T17:53:33Z")
First time I heard “Sultans of Swing” I thought it was Dylan. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/9 "2009-10-01T17:57:00Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Always thought that Aimee was by the Eagles instead of Pure Prairie League (Pure Prairie _who_?) I thought it was by the Allman Brothers band. First time I heard that awful “Vida la Vida” song, I thought “Whoa! U2 have really jumped the shark big time.” ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/10 "2009-10-01T17:58:26Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I used to think that “Through and Through” by the Stones was by Bruce Springsteen. I guess because I’m not as familiar with the songs done by Keith Richards, and I first heard it on Sopranos (which I tend to associate with Springsteen–wonder why!:D). > > ETA: When I was a lot younger I thought Mr. Blue Sky was by the Beatles, and not ELO. Oh, youth! Through and Through was the one I came in here to say. When I first heard it I would have sworn it was a Springsteen song. It sounds just like him, plus there was the Sopranos/Jersey connection, so it made sense. When I saw it was by the Rolling Stones, I was like, “WTF. Really?? Did they have Springsteen doing vocals on that?” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/11 "2009-10-01T18:10:25Z")
I had never thought this myself, but America’s "A Horse With No Name’ has often been misattributed to Neil Young. [Cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Horse_With_No_Name#Reception). ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/12 "2009-10-01T18:11:48Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > I would have bet my last dollar that “Rescue Me” was sung by Aretha Franklin instead of Fontella Bass, an artist I’ve never heard of. The [wiki](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rescue_Me_(Fontella_Bass_song)) even mentions that it is often misattributed to Aretha. > > What are yours? Apparently, mine is “Rescue Me.” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/13 "2009-10-01T18:18:58Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > Through and Through was the one I came in here to say. When I first heard it I would have sworn it was a Springsteen song. It sounds just like him, plus there was the Sopranos/Jersey connection, so it made sense. When I saw it was by the Rolling Stones, I was like, “WTF. Really?? Did they have Springsteen doing vocals on that?” Yes! It’s not just me. I was actually kind of embarrassed when I first posted it because usually I’d never mistake the Stones for Springsteen, or vice versa. But didn’t it sound so Springsteen esque? It took me so long to find that song’s name because I kept googling snippets of the lyrics plus “Bruce Springsteen” because I was just so sure it was him singing. ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/14 "2009-10-01T18:29:24Z")
For a long time I thought “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” was by Credence Clearwater Revival, until someone pointed out to me that it was by the Hollies. I still make that mistake when I hear it on the radio until the chorus comes along to remind me. I swear the singer is intentionally trying to sound like John Fogerty. [YouTube link](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP94PlEtsEQ) ---
**Author:** ![Flip\_Pancake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f1d935/32.png) [@Flip\_Pancake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flip_Pancake)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/15 "2009-10-01T18:39:14Z")
I thought ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ was by the Rolling Stones. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/16 "2009-10-01T18:41:44Z")
“Suspicion” is sung by Terry Stafford, not Elvis Presley. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/17 "2009-10-01T18:45:33Z")
_Edwyn Collin’s_ **A Girl Like You**. When it was played a lot on the radio back in the mid 90s I thought “This must be a new _David Bowie_ song or an old one I never heard of before.” ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/18 "2009-10-01T18:48:58Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > “Suspicion” is sung by Terry Stafford, not Elvis Presley. This confusion is not helped by the existence of “Suspicious Minds”, which was actually sung by Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/19 "2009-10-01T18:55:07Z")
“She’s a Bad Mama Jama” is often attributed to Stevie Wonder instead of Carl Carlton. ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239/20 "2009-10-01T19:11:32Z")
> [@The New and Improved Superman](#): > > First time I heard that awful “Vida la Vida” song, I thought “Whoa! U2 have really jumped the shark big time.” Somehow, I initially read this as “Living La Vida Loca” and wondered how anyone could think that sounded like U2. Anyways, other musical doppelgangers: “Lies” by the Knickerbockers, not the Beatles “A Public Execution” by Mouse and the Traps, not Bob Dylan “Back of My Hand (I Got Your Number)” by The Jags, not Elvis Costello “Take a Little Rhythm” by Ali Thompson, not Paul McCartney “Up in a Puff of Smoke” by Polly Brown, not Diana Ross “Jamie” by Eddie Holland, not Jackie Wilson [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-you-would-have-sworn-were-sung-by-somebody-else/512239.md?page=2)