# The original from which the hit emerged **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [October 24, 2020, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736 "2020-10-24T03:04:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/1 "2020-10-24T03:04:11Z")
This is related to the thread about covers. Lotsa times someone writes and records a song…but the hit only comes later when someone else covers it. Give us the original—especially if it’s better than the remake that made the hit. I don’t speak Spanish but I always thought this made Pat Benatar’s look lke a booger. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/IWVt82RqjKc/hqdefault.jpg "Lowen & Navarro - We Belong (Bilingual)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWVt82RqjKc) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/2 "2020-10-24T04:08:36Z")
“Love Song” by Leslie Duncan. [https://youtu.be/SYelRP3MzEw](https://youtu.be/SYelRP3MzEw) Elton John covered it on Tumbleweed Connection. And Olivia Newton-John did a great version on her first album. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/3 "2020-10-24T04:29:07Z")
“Queen of Hearts” was written by Hank DeVito, who was Emmylou Harris’s pedal guitar player for many years. It was first recorded by Welsh singer/guitarist Dave Edmunds in 1979, and was a top 20 hit in the UK and Ireland, but didn’t do well anywhere else. Two years later, Juice Newton covered it, and it went to #2 in the U.S., and was a top 10 hit in several other countries, as well. Here’s Edmunds’ original version: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_pAFVUZHeoI/maxresdefault.jpg "Queen of Hearts") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pAFVUZHeoI) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/4 "2020-10-24T04:31:59Z")
“Blue Bayou” by Roy Orbison [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HiMl4yX1JiA/maxresdefault.jpg "Roy Orbison - Blue Bayou (Live 1973)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiMl4yX1JiA) ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/5 "2020-10-24T04:33:28Z")
This could be the Jules Shear thread. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lovdp792NaY/maxresdefault.jpg "All Through The Night") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lovdp792NaY) # All Through The Night - this is painful. Cyndi Lauper got rid of the two-step polka beat [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/UYTND2ZwrGI/hqdefault.jpg "Jules Shear - If She Knew What She Wants") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYTND2ZwrGI) # If She Knew What She Wants - Bangles did it better [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FlUr3R0YAVo/maxresdefault.jpg "Jules Shear - If We Never Meet Again (acoustic)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlUr3R0YAVo) # If We Never Meet Again - covered much bouncier by Roger McGuinn ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/6 "2020-10-24T04:37:25Z")
The Electric Light Orchestra’s 1976 hit “Do Ya” was a semi-cover; it had been written by Jeff Lynne in 1971, and he recorded it with The Move in 1972. The version by The Move was a minor hit (#93) in the U.S., and was released as The Move was morphing into ELO. Over the next few years, Todd Rundgren’s band Utopia regularly covered the song in their concerts, and people were starting to associate the song with Rundgren. Lynne re-recorded the song with ELO, to let everyone know that it was his song. 🙂 The original version by The Move – it’s much rawer and lo-fi than the highly-produced ELO version: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2I5kH0klENs/maxresdefault.jpg "The Move - Do Ya") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I5kH0klENs) ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/7 "2020-10-24T08:10:36Z")
Robert Hazard’s original demo of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” has a completely different sound from the Cyndi Lauper version that became a hit. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aLNwOxPsjg&ab&ab](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aLNwOxPsjg&ab&ab) (can’t figure out how to embed videos) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/8 "2020-10-24T10:01:42Z")
Van Halen’s cover of “You Really Got Me” was their first big hit and it must have piissed off the Kinks who came back from relative obscurity to put it on their live album. The live version blew Van Halen’s away and brought the Kinks back into the forefront with a new generation. ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/9 "2020-10-24T10:20:40Z")
This was on the Double B side of the Move’s single - California Man ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/10 "2020-10-24T10:32:26Z")
I think this original makes more sense logically and the rhyme obviousy works much better [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h3JxiB4FLjU/maxresdefault.jpg "Kitty") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3JxiB4FLjU) I think this original works better then the more well known cover [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8AT_Pbtyid0/hqdefault.jpg "Arrows, I Love Rock N Roll, Alan Merrill") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AT_Pbtyid0) Now this is a bit different, same tune - original but completely different lyrics - similar kind of feel - Comme D’Habitude [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/avr5nvY4wxg/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGFUgSyhlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDHMNtomB7EeyHPO5dh30Ryxh4ytA "Claude François Comme d'habitude") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avr5nvY4wxg) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/11 "2020-10-24T10:53:47Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/hFWhTqLSVzE/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGMgYyhjMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCvW4i8EHu-HuNwWSuc5d1ejceGSA "Tommy James & The Shondells - I Think We`re Alone Now Live on Village Square 1967") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFWhTqLSVzE) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/12 "2020-10-24T12:15:27Z")
A year after Van Halen’s success with “You Really Got Me”, the Pretenders pulled the same trick with The Kinks’ “Stop Your Sobbing”. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/GZQUKN5G9xk/hqdefault.jpg "The Kinks - Stop Your Sobbing - 1964") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZQUKN5G9xk) ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/13 "2020-10-24T12:29:36Z")
“What a Man” Made famous by Salt-N-Pepa in 1993, but first recorded by Linda Lyndell in 1968! According to Wikipedia, she had to end her career before it started due to threats from the KKK, who didn’t like a white woman singing R&B. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qMfG-bX7NxI/hqdefault.jpg "LINDA LYNDELL : What a Man") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMfG-bX7NxI) ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/14 "2020-10-24T12:53:11Z")
> [@digs](#): > > Bangles did it better Yes they did. I read once that when the Beatles were recording “Please Please Me,” they imagined it as a slow, soulful thing and George Martin said, “Let’s speed it up, see if it works better.” > [@casdave](#): > > I think this original makes more sense logically and the rhyme obviousy works much better Ha! Speaking of changing names, Wikipedia says of the Hollies’ song “Carrie Anne” > [@](#): > > The song is a shy tribute to Marianne Faithfull, as was Gene Clarke’s My Marie. Here’s Billy singing his song. > [@](#): > > According to his friend [Sam Moore](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Moore) (who had assumed it was a standard love song), Preston was appalled to learn that Moore was using the song as a means to attract young women each time he sang it in concert. In Moore’s description, Preston told him: “That song’s about my mother!”[[5]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/You_Are_So_Beautiful#cite_note-5) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xrxWnM6sLTw/hqdefault.jpg "Billy Preston You Are So Beautiful 1974 YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrxWnM6sLTw) And here’s Badfinger. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPco24LS31A) ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/15 "2020-10-24T13:05:34Z")
[The Tide Is High](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQXqkiKXiHc) by the Paragons. ---
**Author:** ![Vesicant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/43a26b/32.png) [@Vesicant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vesicant)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/16 "2020-10-24T13:08:15Z")
Paul Pena “Jet Airliner.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BP8mX4xugno/hqdefault.jpg "Paul Pena - Jet Airliner (1973)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP8mX4xugno) ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/17 "2020-10-24T13:23:28Z")
And then the lead singer of the Pretenders Chrissie Hynde shacked up with the lead singer of the Kinks Ray Davies. Now thats rock and roll! ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/18 "2020-10-24T13:24:44Z")
I guess David Lee Roth wasn’t Ray’s type. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/19 "2020-10-24T13:44:10Z")
> [@Vesicant](#): > > Paul Pena “Jet Airliner.” Interesting backstory: > [@](#): > > [Steve Miller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Miller_(musician)) heard Pena’s unreleased _New Train_ album through [Ben Sidran](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Sidran), who produced it,[[3]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_Airliner_(Steve_Miller_Band_song)#cite_note-3) and who was formerly in Miller’s band. Miller recorded _Jet Airliner_ in 1975 during sessions for the _[Fly Like an Eagle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fly_Like_an_Eagle_(album))_ album, but the song was not issued until 1977, when it was released as a single and was included on Miller’s _[Book of Dreams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Dreams)_ album. Before Juice Newton, even before Merrilee Rush…there was Evie Sands? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/drm29EmXjW0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeAoACoAKKAgwIABABGH8gNygqMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAePIBj4OgoTQjKDqEL-uN2ih3CcQ "Evie Sands - Angel of the Morning") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drm29EmXjW0) > [@](#): > > “Angel of the Morning” was originally offered to [Connie Francis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connie_Francis), but she turned it down because she thought that the love affair lyrical message was too risqué for her image.[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angel_of_the_Morning#cite_note-2) Taylor produced the first recording of the song with [Evie Sands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evie_Sands), but the financial straits of [Cameo-Parkway Records](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameo-Parkway_Records), which had Sands on their roster, led to a highly limited single release and no promotion. And before Simon and Garfunkel’s Sound of Silence…there was Simon and Garfunkel’s Sound of Silence. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GXjn_z4UrxI/hqdefault.jpg "Simon & Garfunkel - The sound of silence (acoustic version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXjn_z4UrxI) > [@](#): > > A studio audition led to the duo signing a record deal with [Columbia Records](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Records), and the original ‘[acoustic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acoustic_music)’ version of the song was recorded in March 1964 at Columbia Studios in New York City and included on their debut album, _[Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wednesday_Morning,_3_A.M.)_ . Released on October 19, 1964,[[2]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sound_of_Silence#cite_note-2) the album was a commercial failure and led to the duo disbanding; Simon returned to England, and [Art Garfunkel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Garfunkel) to his studies at [Columbia University](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_University). The producer went back, added electric instruments etc. and we got the version that most know today. Wikipedia says, also: > [@](#): > > Simon & Garfunkel were not informed of the song’s remix until after its release. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sound_of_Silence) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2020, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736/20 "2020-10-24T14:25:51Z")
Lori Lieberman helped write it and recorded it first. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cTyGLBANuOg/hqdefault.jpg "Lori Lieberman sings "Killing Me Softly" on Mike Douglas Show, 1973") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTyGLBANuOg) Roberta Flack made it a hit. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Dx1XtKbEtfE/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHeA4AC6AKKAgwIABABGH8gVygfMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCn5W-9VViBED-g9RzVH6QD8Z3EGA "ROBERTA FLACK KILLING ME SOFTLY LEGENDADO EM PORTUGUÊS BR") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx1XtKbEtfE) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-from-which-the-hit-emerged/923736.md?page=2)