Hendrix covered Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” and IMO Hendrix blew Dylan’s away.
A few cover hits by people who often wrote their own songs:
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Peter, Paul & Mary’s “Leaving on a Jet Plane” (written and first performed by John Denver)
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Rick Springfield’s “I’ve Done Everything for You” (written and first performed by Sammy Hagar)
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Deep Purple’s “Hush” (written and first performed by Joe South)
But really, are there many people who don’t know Hendrix’s version is a cover?
It seems the song was originally recorded by Barry McGuire with the Mamas and the Papas doing backing vox but the same studio tapes were used, with some changes including removing the lead vox, on the Mamas and Papas version.
There’s more about it here: Barry McGuire
The original version with Barry McGuire singing lead is on YouTube:
Barry McGuire with The Mamas and The Papas 1965
I think most everyone knows this, but when I first heard that Johnny Cash’s version of “Hurt” was a cover, and that the original was done by Trent Reznor, of all people, my first thought was “surely you jest.”
Same with Rufus Wainwright’s version of “Hallelujah.”
Man, what a crazy voice. I can’t imagine liking the song with that voice.
So I’ve been singing this to myself today, and realized it was slightly more charming when I thought Evan Dando made up a bunch of characters and squeezed them into a little song. Don’t get me wrong, I still like it. But it’s not precisely the same.
The Pussycat Dolls’ Don’t Cha was originally recorded by Tori Alamaze. Since the original version contained a few dirty words, I’m putting it in a spoiler box:
The PCD version is a real let down after you hear the original.
When I first heard The Killers’ version of “Romeo and Juliet”, I thought it was so cool that Mark Knopfler had written a song for them. :o I’m tremendously ashamed now.
Being primarily a hard rock fan I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the Coen brother’s O Brother, Where Art Thou? film’s soundtrack. Particularly Man of Constant Sorrow, which it turns out is a freakin’ Dylan song?!
The song had been around for a half century or more before Dylan recorded it.
Yeah, it’s an old folk song. Dylan probably heard it either by Roscoe Holcomb or by Ralph Stanley.
Note that the singing styles of both Dylan and Stanley were heavily influenced by Holcomb.
Many of the 1960s folk singers and rock/bluesy guitar players went to Kentucky to hear Holcomb play and sing. Bob Dylan stated, “Roscoe Holcomb has a certain untamed sense of control, which makes him one of the best.”
I’m sure some people also think Romeo and Juliet is an Indigo Girls song. Also, my wife thought Landslide was by The Dixie Chicks.
Another in the “opposite direction.”…when I worked as an orthodontist’s assistant I was working on one of the teenage patients when the song “Ghetto Superstar” came on the radio. (Strangely enough I couldn’t find the original Fugees version?) Anyway I told the kid “I bet you didn’t know the chorus of this in a ripoff of “Islands in the Stream” sung by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton, and was written by the Bee Gees?” Man, did I rain on her parade.
Tomorrow Wendy by Concrete Blonde was written and recorded by Andy Prieboy but the Concrete Blonde version was actually released first. I didn’t know this until I heard the live version and Johnette Napolitano says, “This is a song by Andy Prieboy.”
I think most people associate “Faded Love” with Patsy Cline, but it was originally written by Bob Wills and performed by the Texas Playboys. I love that bluegrass-style high harmony on their version.
I was surprised to find that “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” was not written by Willie Nelson & had already been covered by Sons of the Pioneers & Hank Williams.
Willie has both written a lot of songs that are associated with other people (like Patsy Cline’s “Crazy”) AND recorded very popular versions of songs written by other people- like “Always on My Mind.”
A lot of people don’t know that “Always On My Mind” was recorded by many artists, including Elvis, years before Willie Nelson made it a huge hit. It was co-written by Wayne Carson (best known for writing “The Letter” for the Box Tops) and Mark James, who wrote “Suspicious Minds” for Elvis.
Russ Ballard from Argent wrote a few songs that were covered by several artists.
“God Gave Rock and Roll to You” (Ballard)originally recorded Argent covered by various times but most notably a revised version by KISS for the Bill and Ted’s soundtrack.
“Since You Been Gone” (Ballard) originally recorded by Argent was a huge hit for Rainbow and recorded by others such as Cherie Currie and Brian May Band.
“Hide Your Heart” written by Holly Knight (Animotion) was recorded and originally released by Bonnie Tyler before KISS released a version, then Ace Frehley.
Ace Frehley’s solo hit “New York Groove” (Ballard)was originally recorded by Hello.
Ian Hunter (Patterson) known mostly for Mott the Hoople’s “All the Young Dudes” also wrote and released “Once Bitten Twice Shy” (covered by Great White) and “Cleveland Rocks” (covered by Presidents of the United States) also the Drew Carey show theme.
Heart had a few wildly successful covers “What About Love” originally by Toronto, “Alone” previously released by by I-Ten and …err… John Stamos and “All I Wanna Do Is Make Love to You” originally by recorded by Dobie Gray
“It’s a Heartache” by Bonnie Tyler was also released by Juice Newton and Ronnie Spector.
Tina Turner’s “Better Be Good to Me” originally released by Spider, a NY band which featured Holly Knight and Anton Fig.
Did Patti Smith *cover * that? I always think of it as hers.