# 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:** 3
**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, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/41 "2020-08-21T03:03:29Z")
OK, so maybe “Black Betty”? The [Ram Jam version is the one most people know.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_2D8Eo15wE), but the original goes back to at least [the early 1930s.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiCEVl_9-MM) ---
**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, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/42 "2020-08-21T03:06:09Z")
Oh, while we’re on the blues, there’s “When the Levee Breaks” by Zeppelin that I won’t even bother linking to, and there’s the [Memphis Minnie original](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5VmVvsjyKw) ---
**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 21, 2020, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/43 "2020-08-21T05:09:42Z")
[Eddie Cochran’s original version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In7z7B87Puc) of _Summertime Blues_ in 1958 was a bigger hit (#8 on US Hot 100) than most later covers. The Who had a hit with it too (#27), though [it’s very similar to Cochran’s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQpiv2vNmV8). The most radically different version to chart (#14) was [Blue Cheer’s.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXcYZsqkZ-g). Alan Jackson hit #1 on the Country charts with [his version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9x0wbKHos0) ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/44 "2020-08-21T05:12:39Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack was very different from the folk versions… Worth a quick listen just to make this thread’s point, that almost any song can be completely changed. Here’s Bert Jansch, live: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aOaWcyLRIBQ/maxresdefault.jpg "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face (Live at McCabe's Guitar Shop)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOaWcyLRIBQ) ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/45 "2020-08-21T05:32:20Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > 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. I’d like to raise your post if I may, and offer the version by ‘Agent Orange’ as the snappiest version of Miserlou. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Rkb8gVAEreI/hqdefault.jpg "Agent Orange - Misirlou") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rkb8gVAEreI) ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/46 "2020-08-21T05:54:59Z")
Thanks @digs. I hadn’t heard that one before. Nevertheless,it’s exactly the kind of thing I was thinking of and I really liked the guitar playing. I regret that I tossed off this comment when I was too busy to hit youtube and remind myself which version I used to listen to. Turns out it was on a bargain bin cassette I used to have of the Kingston Trio. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qeOAvO9gaZc/hqdefault.jpg "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeOAvO9gaZc) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/47 "2020-08-21T06:38:50Z")
Not quite in line with the topic, but [Grand Texas](https://youtu.be/qhmcibX1Uxc) vs [Hank Williams’ reworking](https://youtu.be/xnKOVPXhlnE), which is far more recognizable ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/48 "2020-08-21T09:19:28Z")
I learned on the Dope a while back **Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun** wasn’t the original version. The original was by **Robert Hazard.** which is a bit different. TCMF-2L [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5aLNwOxPsjg/hqdefault.jpg "Robert Hazard - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aLNwOxPsjg) ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/49 "2020-08-21T10:07:30Z")
The Arrows version of I Love Rock’n’roll is not _radically_ different from Joan Jett’s gender-flipped version, but the fact that the song _is_ a cover is surprising information to some folks. [![](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) ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/50 "2020-08-21T10:21:11Z")
In the UK **Leaving Here** by **Eddie Holland** wasn’t very well known. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pwvB7ru-SmE/hqdefault.jpg "Eddie Holland - Leaving Here") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwvB7ru-SmE) Until **Motörhead** had a modest hit single with their cover version. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/9k4wG4mTTQk/maxresdefault.jpg "Motorhead - Leaving Here (original 7" Version)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k4wG4mTTQk) TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Brayne\_Ded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Brayne\_Ded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brayne_Ded)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 10:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/51 "2020-08-21T10:28:03Z")
Does “From a distance” by Bette Midler count? I heard the original version by the guy that wrote it - just once. It never got played, unlike Bette Midler’s take on it. A number of cover versions change the tempo, some songs are quite different when taken slower, but I can’t recall any that were big hits, let alone managed to eclipse the original. I’m no expert on R&B, but I gather that the Stones and Led Zep borrowed / ripped off a lot of blues numbers. ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/52 "2020-08-21T10:29:31Z")
**Johnny Kidd and the Pirates** version of **Please Don’t Touch** was long forgotten [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vMTIgKTaYak/hqdefault.jpg "Johnny Kidd and the Pirates - Please Don`t Touch ( 1959 )") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMTIgKTaYak) When **Motörhead** and (female Heavy Rock band) **Girlschool** did their cover version (seen here on iconic UK pop show Top of the Pops) [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/sYFwN-l46r8/hqdefault.jpg "Motorhead and Girlschool - Please Don't Touch (Top Of The Pops)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYFwN-l46r8) TCMF-2L ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/53 "2020-08-21T10:56:11Z")
I’m not certain but I believe in the USA the song **Our Lips Are Sealed** is best known as **The GoGos** version [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/r3kQlzOi27M/maxresdefault.jpg "The Go-Go's - Our Lips Are Sealed") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3kQlzOi27M) However in the UK the version by **Fun Boy Three** is better known [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/QhVhK-VVeXo/maxresdefault.jpg "Fun Boy Three - Our Lips Are Sealed (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhVhK-VVeXo) Not sure whether it completely counts as a cover version. The song was co-written by **Terry Hall** of the **Fun Boy Three** and **Jane Wiedlen** of **The GoGos** during a brief romantic entanglement they had. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/54 "2020-08-21T12:14:21Z")
> [@TCMF-2L](#): > > Not sure whether (_Our Lips are Sealed_ by Fun Boy Three) completely counts as a cover version. The song was co-written by **Terry Hall** of the **Fun Boy Three** and **Jane Wiedlen** of **The GoGos** during a brief romantic entanglement they had. I’d say not really a cover. But this cross-band provenance is a very interesting tidbit of pop music history. I wonder how common it is for a song to be co-written by members of two (or more) bands, and then have that song recorded by both bands. One example: “Take It Easy” was written by Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne, and both recorded it (Frey via the Eagles). ---
**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 21, 2020, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/55 "2020-08-21T12:15:50Z")
The Who had [done it too](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jtCt7y8d9k) (though that wasn’t a hit). I suspect that Motörhead’s version was rather modeled after the Who’s. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2020, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/56 "2020-08-21T12:23:53Z")
That Bert Jansch version reminds me of this: Roy Harper, [Another Day](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqgWW2jEOIo) And two radically different covers: [Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvt5YnocRp8) and [This Mortal Coil](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcNOaxrOYN0) I don’t know how to judge “success” here, though, because none of them were released as singles. But the TMC version is very widely known in my music subculture. ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/57 "2020-08-21T12:47:56Z")
> [@LLCoolL](#): > > > [@TCMF-2L](#): > > > > Not sure whether (_Our Lips are Sealed_ by Fun Boy Three) completely counts as a cover version. The song was co-written by **Terry Hall** of the **Fun Boy Three** and **Jane Wiedlen** of **The GoGos** during a brief romantic entanglement they had. > > I’d say not really a cover. But this cross-band provenance is a very interesting tidbit of pop music history. > > I wonder how common it is for a song to be co-written by members of two (or more) bands, and then have that song recorded by both bands. One example: “Take It Easy” was written by Glenn Frey and Jackson Browne, and both recorded it (Frey via the Eagles). How about **China Girl** written by **David Bowie** and **Iggy Pop**. **Bowie** released his version 6 years after **Iggy** and had a massive hit with it. Iggy [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GrR-TFZmwuk/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHuAYAC8AGKAgwIABABGGggPih_MA8=&rs=AOn4CLAEf19aOWxGn38qSJmePOLAUo5Yzw "Iggy Pop China Girl") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrR-TFZmwuk) Bowie [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_YC3sTbAPcU/maxresdefault.jpg "David Bowie - China Girl (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YC3sTbAPcU) TCMF-2L ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/58 "2020-08-21T13:07:05Z")
Or another shared song would be **Because The Night**. **Bruce Springsteen** started writing the song but didn’t want to complete it. He gave it to **Patti Smith** who had her biggest hit with it having added her lyrics. Springsteen has since performed it live and released recorded versions using both his own lyrics and Smith’s lyrics. Here is Patti Smith’s version. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/c_BcivBprM0/maxresdefault.jpg "Patti Smith Group - Because the Night (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_BcivBprM0) TCMF-2L ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/59 "2020-08-21T13:13:43Z")
These aren’t necessarily hugely different but I’ll mention ( **Arthur Lee** ’s) **Love** and **Alone Again Or** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cPbNpIG8x_s/maxresdefault.jpg "Alone Again Or (2015 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPbNpIG8x_s) And the later version by British Rock Band **UFO** [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DPZiKbQsbSU/maxresdefault.jpg "UFO-ALONE AGAIN OR.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPZiKbQsbSU) The reasons I want to include it are firstly because I have always liked the **UFO** version but secondly it can serve as a very minor tribute to **UFO** bass player **Pete Way** who sadly died a few days ago. TCMF-2L ---
**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:** [August 21, 2020, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-original-was-good-but-it-was-the-radically-different-cover-version-that-was-the-hit/918591/60 "2020-08-21T14:05:43Z")
We need to split hairs here but in the UK **Prince** got to Number 6 with **Kiss** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/H9tEvfIsDyo/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGBMgTih_MA8=&rs=AOn4CLDlMwBW42GPfxFjuiA0nDXNWfoF8g "Prince & The Revolution - Kiss (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9tEvfIsDyo) So **The Art of Noise (featuring Tom Jones)** version reaching Number 5 makes it a bigger hit. Plus the Welsh Crooner’s golden pipes are nothing like **Prince’s** falsetto [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5uZQFOfMSfY/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AGOBYAC4AOKAgwIABABGEkgSShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLDBn60AazjQiN5isZ_kmhFPj3i1Cg "Tom Jones and Art Of Noise - Kiss (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uZQFOfMSfY) TCMF-2L [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=2) [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=4)