What timing! Last night we were listening to Pandora, and this weird slow gentle version of “Istanbul Not Constantinople” came on, and my wife and I looked at each other and said, “This is a weird cover!” She went over to see who was covering it, and discovered it was the 1953 original. That’s exactly what I was coming into this thread to post!
Baby, Please Don’t Go ?
“Take Me To The River” was written and performed by Al Green, but has been covered many times. The most well known is probably the version by the Talking Heads.
I recently discovered that “Goo Goo Muck” isn’t an original song by The Cramps. It was written and recorded by Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads in 1962. Of course several of their songs are covers (“Lonesome Town”, “Shortnin’ Bread”, etc.)
The B-Side “She Said” is a cover of the song by Hasil Adkins
After 2 1/2 pages, I’m surprised to be the first to mention that Kim Carnes’ hit version of “Bette Davis Eyes” was a cover of Jackie DeShannon’s original.
“There Goes My Baby - a hit for the Drifters in '58. But most people think this song was a Cat Stevens original”
I want to say, I don’t know anyone that tinks this is a Cat Stevens song.
Another poster touts Creedance Clearwater’s version of “Grapevine” over marvin gaye’s. I’ve heard Creedance’s version but nowhere near as much as the Motown versions.
There are several songs listed here where posters believe that “cover” versions are better known than originals, when to me the originals are very famous and I never heard of covering version.
Which do you think is more famous the Louis Prima original or the los Lobos cover of “I wanna Be Like You.”?
Mad World was English duo Tears for Fears’ breakthrough song, but Gary Jules’ version became far more well-known in the UK when it featured in the film Donnie Darko and topped the 2003 Christmas singles chart.
Dick Dale’s signature tune Misirlou became found renewed fame in the 1990s when it was featured in Pulp Fiction, but the original was a middle eastern-flavoured Greek song from the 1920s
Two more big ones that have slipped though the cracks:
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Quincy Jones’ 1981 hit “Ai No Corrida” (#28 US, #14 UK) was written and originally recorded by Chaz Jankel (formerly with Ian Dury & The Blockheads).
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Naked Eyes’ 1983 hit “Always Something There to Remind Me” (#8 US, #58 UK) was a cover of the 1964 Lou Johnson original (#49 US).
One more:
- Van Halen’s 1978 album track “Ice Cream Man” was a credited cover of John Brim’s 1969 original (which was recorded in 1953, and waited 16 years for release!).
And “Spirit in the Night,” for three Manfred Mann covers of songs from Springsteen’s debut.
And, in the same way, “Because the Night” was also recorded for Darkness (but left unused) before Patti Smith had a hit with it. So many artists were seeing hits off of Springsteen-penned material that his manager refused to let him give “Hungry Heart” to the Ramones, like was originally planned. I would have loved to have seen their take on the song.
Wow, I really would have liked to hear that too!
Manfred Mann were/are the covermeisters. Who here is familiar with Bob Dylan’s Quinn the Eskimo? If I hear Manfred Mann, I instinctively seek out the original, to hear the undesiccated version.
Well over two pages into the thread, and no mention yet of “Queen of Hearts”?
This song was first recorded by Dave Edmunds in 1979 and went to #11 in the U.K. The story goes that he wanted his U.S. label to release it but they declined - then, in 1981 it was recorded by Juice Newton and went to #2 in the U.S.
Edmunds also claimed that Newton stole his arrangement of the song.
In any event, Edmunds’ version is terrific in my opinion, Newton’s recording bleah by comparison (especially if you’re not crazy about countrified versions of rock songs).
Janis’ “Cry Baby” was a cover of same by Garnet Mimms recorded in 1963.
Also “You’re no Good” best known by Linda Ronstadt was a cover of one I remember by Betty Everett and “Just one Look” was done first by Doris Troy.
Nope. Redding’s was the cover version; Jagger and Richards wrote it.
Each of the above is listed in a link in Ponch8’s post #9. But really this post here is just to mention “Hungarian Dance #1”. Perhaps influenced by YouTube, you think of something like the Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra or of Evgeny Kissin. But the composer, Johannes Brahms, recorded it in 1889.
No Shizzle Sherlockizzle, I guess I have to use multiple smilies for lame music jokes.
Otis covered it the same year the Stones released it, with slightly different words.
OK, here’s a serious one … Wilson Pickett covered Mustang Sally, shortly after Mack Rice released it in 1965.
With a Little Help from My Friends by Joe Cocker, over the Beatles version.
Okay, that was seriously funny! 