# The original was good, but it was the RADICALLY different cover version that was the hit **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 20, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591 "2020-08-20T14:40:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/21 "2020-08-20T18:17:04Z")
I was going to mention RESPECT from Otis Redding, but Franklin’s version is not radically different enough I think. ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/22 "2020-08-20T18:28:14Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I was going to mention RESPECT That’s what I came here to mention. Although I would argue that Franklin’s version is sufficiently different from Redding’s. Anyway, since I was ninja’d, I’ll mention _Breakaway._ [Originally an R&B song by Chuck Jackson](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6BFIZLRf2k), it was [covered in the 80’s by Australian funk group Big Pig.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_rfXVdYelA) It was a hit in Australia, but US audiences most likely know it best as the song played in the opening credits of _Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure_. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/23 "2020-08-20T18:30:14Z")
Bobby Darin’s hit version of [Mack the Knife](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEllHMWkXEU) was very different from the earlier versions by [Bertolt Brecht](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QXJ3OXWaOY) and [Lotte Lenya](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPG9GcykPIY). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/24 "2020-08-20T18:45:39Z")
The disco version of [A Fifth of Beethoven](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MFbn8EbB4k) was a hit. Ludwig van’s [original](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4IRMYuE1hI) was a hit in its day, but never made the Hot 100. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/25 "2020-08-20T19:07:43Z")
Hey Joe was first recorded by the Leaves: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KWv03Wgz0PQ/hqdefault.jpg "The Leaves- Hey Joe") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWv03Wgz0PQ) A few years later, the Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded a version that is, understandably, much better known: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe82eYRjiBU) ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/26 "2020-08-20T19:15:43Z")
Nothing Compares 2 U. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/27 "2020-08-20T19:21:41Z")
**Tainted Love** - American Gloria Jones’ Motown-influenced 1964 original never charted, although about 10 years later it attracted club attention in the UK. Soft Cell’s 1981 new wave reworking was a huge world-wide hit, including best selling single of the year in the UK. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/28 "2020-08-20T19:46:37Z")
The original “Roses” by SAINt JHN is a slow-paced rap song that went to #1 in the U.K.: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XHA-QM-q-3E/maxresdefault.jpg "SAINt JHN - Roses [Official Music Video]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHA-QM-q-3E) The Imanbek Remix, which went to #4 in the U.S., sounds like The Chipmunk’s latest disco release: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2zToEPpFEN8/maxresdefault.jpg "SAINt JHN - Roses (Imanbek Remix) (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zToEPpFEN8) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/29 "2020-08-20T20:04:00Z")
Nothing compares 2U - [The Family](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZlzN0Gtpp8) (a Prince side project) - [Sinead O’Connor](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-EF60neguk&vl=en-GB). (Actually, I’ve always been surprised these are so similar - they’re close enough that I marvel that nobody saw the greatness til O’Connor did it) Tainted Love - [Gloria Jones](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSehtaY6k1U) - [Soft Cell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZVpR3Pk-r8) j ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/30 "2020-08-20T20:19:16Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > Torn. > Written by Ednaswap. Performed live, **but they never released a recording** … > . My bold. This popped up when I was watching Lis Sorensen [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9OoEdfB7l18/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHuAYAC8AGKAgwIABABGH8gGSgTMA8=&rs=AOn4CLCviiyjerfxvCVaQzPjW7QGOrXFaQ "Ednaswap - Torn") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OoEdfB7l18) j ---
**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:** [August 20, 2020, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/31 "2020-08-20T21:54:03Z")
Haven’t read the whole thread yet, but the first song that came to mind was “Respect”. A great song, and a decent hit for Otis Redding, one of his best songs, but instantly blown out of the water by Aretha Franklin’s cover. Of course she rewrote the song and changed its meaning, but also the arrangement was far superior. Otis himself admitted that from then on, Aretha owned the song. ETA: oh, links, I forgot. Do I really have to for this song? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/KvC9V_lBnDQ/hqdefault.jpg "OTIS REDDING-respect") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvC9V_lBnDQ) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6FOUqQt3Kg0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLA0nyw1ericvjlPcfh15DwQauT-JQ "Aretha Franklin - Respect [1967] (Aretha's Original Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FOUqQt3Kg0) ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/32 "2020-08-20T22:02:03Z")
There are a few hit songs that you wouldn’t BELIEVE are covers. Or maybe it’s more proper to call them “re-workings” since they’re SO different from the original. But they are nonetheless fundamentally based upon earlier songs. Curtiss Maldoon (who?!) and their [Sepheryn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ5OtnBdcWw) (what?!) became Madonna’s [Ray Of Light.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3ov9USxVxY) [Dazed and Confused](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTsvs-pAGDc) was originally recorded not by Led Zeppelin but a man named Jake Holmes, who I’m sure would forgive you if you didn’t have a clue in hell who he was. (If you joined the Army during the 1980s, his “Be All That You Can Be” jingle may have inspired it - yes, he actually wrote that too.) ---
**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:** [August 20, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/33 "2020-08-20T22:03:40Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I was going to mention RESPECT from Otis Redding, but Franklin’s version is not radically different enough I think. > [@Lancia](#): > > That’s what I came here to mention. Although I would argue that Franklin’s version is sufficiently different from Redding’s. > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Haven’t read the whole thread yet, but the first song that came to mind was “Respect”. A great song, and a decent hit for Otis Redding, one of his best songs, but instantly blown out of the water by Aretha Franklin’s cover. Of course she rewrote the song and changed its meaning, but also the arrangement was far superior. Otis himself admitted that from then on, Aretha owned the song. Damned, I swear that I did a thread search for “Respect” and nothing came up before posting. Shitty search function. 😖 ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/34 "2020-08-20T22:25:39Z")
Would “Misirlou” count? The melody is a traditional Greek folk song so I don’t know who would get credit for the “original”, but I’m sure there are were plenty of recordings of it being played in a more traditional style early on. According to Wikipedia there were a couple of jazz arrangements recorded in the 1940s. But it was Dick Dale’s surf guitar version that became a hit. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2020, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/35 "2020-08-20T22:39:37Z")
“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” was originally recorded by South African singer [Solomon Linda](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solomon_Linda) in 1939 under the title “Mbube” with lyrics in Zulu. Later it got English lyrics and was covered by numerous artists, the best known one by The Tokens. The basic melody stayed pretty much the same between the original and the cover, the only radical difference was getting English lyrics. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/mrrQT4WkbNE/hqdefault.jpg "Solomon Linda&The Evening ( The First Version ) - Mbube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrrQT4WkbNE) ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/36 "2020-08-21T00:51:22Z")
Maybe referring to different values of “hit,” but a lot of the old songbook standards from the Tin Pan Alley era were utterly, wonderfully transformed by jazz musicians decades later. “Manhattan”, from the 1925 Broadway revue “Garrick Gaieties” (1929 movie short shown here): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/NPIgQdOoEV0/hqdefault.jpg "I'll Take Manhattan 1929 song from Rodgers and Hart") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPIgQdOoEV0) “Manhattan,” Blossom Dearie, 1959: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/yzGWuJheJ_4/hqdefault.jpg "Blossom Dearie - Manhattan") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzGWuJheJ_4) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/37 "2020-08-21T01:39:06Z")
Sort of regionally specific case, and it took me a bit to decide that they were different enough to count. Slade’s Cum On Feel the Noize was a #1 hit in the UK, but didn’t do anything worth noting in North America. Quiet Riot’s cover was #1 in the US and #8 in Canada. Slade: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qu_ozjAu_vM) Quiet Riot: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZxgMGk9JPVA/maxresdefault.jpg "Quiet Riot - Cum On Feel The Noize (Video Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxgMGk9JPVA) ---
**Author:** ![thwartme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@thwartme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thwartme)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/38 "2020-08-21T02:18:48Z")
Came here to say this, glad it’s taken care of. TRIVIA FACT: Gloria Jones was the driver when Marc Bolan was killed in a crash. She was probably drunk, having been drinking wine with Bolan at the restaurant they had just left. She was set to be tried, but skipped out to the US. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/39 "2020-08-21T02:57:11Z")
They’re not radically different, but, yeah, they come up in conversation about three or four weeks ago and people were a bit stunned when I said “you know, that’s a cover.” Kind of like “Once Bitten Twice Shy,” as well. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/40 "2020-08-21T02:58:54Z")
Kris Kristofferson explicitly calls his song “Me And Bobby McGee” a country song, in a spoken word into to his recording: “If it sounds country, man, that’s what it is; this is a country song. Okay, then, one, two, three, four…” Janis Joplin sang it as a blues/rock song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591.md?page=3)