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Songs that you DIDN’t realise were cover versions
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We often have threads relating to great cover versions of songs.
This time however, I want you to list tracks that you have enjoyed but only subsequently found out to have been cover versions.
Also, as a bonus question, if you subsequently sought out and listened to the original, was it better or worse than that which you were used to hearing?
I’ll start the old ball rolling with one of my own discoveries: The Christian’s classic hit, Harvest For The World was originally recorded by The Isley Brothers (which as good as it was, I still prefer The Christian’s version over).
Over to you, good folks   |
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"Back in the day, Simply Reds If You Dont Know Me By Now.
Originally Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, I believe."
Simply Red, Moneys too tight to mention, cover of the Valentine Brothers track.
Winston |
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Several of the Fine Young Cannibal’s tracks are covers that I didn’t know at the time. Ever Fallen in Love and Suspicious Minds are two that spring to mind.
Tight Fit’s Lion Sleeps Tonight is a cover of The Tokens’ from the 60s. I didn’t realise that either until much later. |
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Funnily enough, I mentioned the brilliant Isley Brothers earlier; I have only just found out that possibly their most recognised song, Summer Breeze, is actually a cover (the original by Seals and Croft). |
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"Hurt by Johnny Cash, originally by Nine inch nails
I actually prefer the Johnny Cash version! So haunting
Me too. It works so much better with his voice at that period on his life"
Oh definitely! And the video just makes me cry! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Arguably I Heard it Through the Grapevine. Marvin recorded it after Gladys Knight and her Pips had a hit with it."
Actually I checked and Marvin's version was the third one to be released- The Miracles recorded it first for Motown. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Hurt by Johnny Cash, originally by Nine inch nails
I actually prefer the Johnny Cash version! So haunting
Me too. It works so much better with his voice at that period on his life
Oh definitely! And the video just makes me cry!"
The video is awesome |
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"Hurt by Johnny Cash, originally by Nine inch nails
I actually prefer the Johnny Cash version! So haunting
Me too. It works so much better with his voice at that period on his life
Oh definitely! And the video just makes me cry!"
At the end of the video, when just pulls the lid down over the keys, it's like he's saying "that's it, I'm done" 
Winston |
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"Back in the day, Simply Reds If You Dont Know Me By Now.
Originally Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, I believe."
I once won a karaoke competition singing this in Gran Canaria.
When it was announced and I was called up on stage to get my prize the guy said “it goes to show that it’s not always the best singer wins. Some times it’s about entertainment value’.
The cheeky sod! |
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By *rlandoMan
over a year ago
Lincolnshire |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcDj46elLhQ
"Blame it on the boogie" by the Jackson 5,
originally written by a guy from Scarborough called "Mick Jackson" who released it a week before ,
Michael Jacksons father heard it and they released it a week later , neither went to No 1 in the UK back in the day because it was in competion for the top spot ,,, |
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Here’s an interesting one: Many of you will know that Roberta Flack sang the haunting main theme song from the film, Play Misty For Me (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) but I only recently found out that it to is in fact a cover. The original is by Peggy Seeger. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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If you’re into music trivia - especially around covers and interpolations - then follow Luxxury on Insta & Tikt0k, he’s really interesting and knowledgeable |
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"Here’s an interesting one: Many of you will know that Roberta Flack sang the haunting main theme song from the film, Play Misty For Me (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) but I only recently found out that it to is in fact a cover. The original is by Peggy Seeger."
Never knew that! |
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"Tide is high by Blondie
I fought the law by The Clash
Sailing by Rod Stewart
Hanging on the telephone by blondie"
You’d be amazed how many of Blondie’s songs were covers - starting with Denis by Randy & The Rainbows |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I fought the law was originally recorded and written by sonny Curtis who by the way was buddy Holly's guitarist in the crickets, it was then picked up by the Bobby filler four who had a minor hit with it, the clash then, well the rest is history |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I fought the law was originally recorded and written by sonny Curtis who by the way was buddy Holly's guitarist in the crickets, it was then picked up by the Bobby filler four who had a minor hit with it, the clash then, well the rest is history "
Fuller* |
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"Here’s an interesting one: Many of you will know that Roberta Flack sang the haunting main theme song from the film, Play Misty For Me (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) but I only recently found out that it to is in fact a cover. The original is by Peggy Seeger.
Never knew that! "
The original is by Kirsty’s dad, Ewan McColl (who married Peggy Seeger). First recorded by Bonnie Dobson. |
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"Whitney Houston sang I will always love you but it was written by Dolly Parton "
And Elvis wanted to record it but Dolly turned the request down because Colonel Tom Parker wouldn’t accept the usual split of rights with the singer, he said Elvis always gets 90%. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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The piano piece by Maxence Cyrin for the series called The Leftovers is actually Pixies-Where is my mind.
Does that count?
I much prefer Maxence Cyrin version though.
T
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Video killed the radio star - Buggles
Simply the best - Tina Turner
Both cover versions
Bruce Woolley and Bonnie Tyler recorded them first  "
The Buggles version isn't really a cover, it was recorded at the same time by Wooley and Trevor Horn (as Buggles) who were co writers. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Meatloaf....all coming back to me now
Originally..Pandora's Box
It's All Coming Back to Me Now was first recorded by the girl group Pandora's Box in 1989. Meat Loaf eventually recorded the song, but not before Ms. Dion's best-known version was released in 1996
Will always say meatloaf sang it better |
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"Meatloaf....all coming back to me now
Originally..Pandora's Box
It's All Coming Back to Me Now was first recorded by the girl group Pandora's Box in 1989. Meat Loaf eventually recorded the song, but not before Ms. Dion's best-known version was released in 1996
Will always say meatloaf sang it better "
The author of that song, Jim Steinman, took out a court injunction to prevent Meatloaf from recording that song, at the time Celine Dion did it. He wanted it sung by a woman apparently. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Meatloaf....all coming back to me now
Originally..Pandora's Box
It's All Coming Back to Me Now was first recorded by the girl group Pandora's Box in 1989. Meat Loaf eventually recorded the song, but not before Ms. Dion's best-known version was released in 1996
Will always say meatloaf sang it better
The author of that song, Jim Steinman, took out a court injunction to prevent Meatloaf from recording that song, at the time Celine Dion did it. He wanted it sung by a woman apparently. "
should of just left it to meatloaf but I think that's when they had a bust up not 100% sure. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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It's the other way round for me. I did not know there were cover versions of the songs of my teens.
Only one I know is Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. It had been recorded by others in the 50s. List includes Jimmy Young - his version is awful. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"One of my favourites ... have you ever seen the rain.... Originally Creedance Clearwater Revival and covered by Rod Stewart and Corey Taylor "
Great song, used in Stargate SG-1 |
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I was shamefully ill informed about music when I was a young lad. Never listened to the radio (still don’t) and didn’t realise there were such things as covers.
One of my fave songs of all time is ‘only you’ by yazoo (actually written by the guy from depeche mode) but I only knew the flying pickets version. I still prefer it (not saying it’s better) and it is, by an amazing coincidence, the song to which I was listening when choosing my fab username.
Does anyone remember a guy who called himself Undercover? He covered Baker Street and, at the time, and having never heard Gerry Rafferty’s original, I absolutely loved it. Shameful!! Obviously the original is eight gerjillion times better. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I didn't realise at the time that "I think we're alone now" by tiffany was a cover.
I was about 12 and didn't know better, just thought it was a manufactured bubblegum pop song, which there was a lot of in the charts then.
The original 60s version by tommy james and the shondells is actually quite charming. Its used really well in the film "10 cloverfield lane", which is a disturbing film, but good |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"
Does anyone remember a guy who called himself Undercover? He covered Baker Street and, at the time, and having never heard Gerry Rafferty’s original, I absolutely loved it. Shameful!! Obviously the original is eight gerjillion times better."
You're forgiven! Undercover's was good but Gerry Rafferty's IS perfection! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"The piano piece by Maxence Cyrin for the series called The Leftovers is actually Pixies-Where is my mind.
Does that count?
I much prefer Maxence Cyrin version though.
T
"
Im a massive Pixies fan. So had to Google that. And ill admit, there is something about it being played like that on the piano.
The series Westworld had a load of cover versions played on the self playing piano in the Western Saloon.
Part of the fun was trying to guess the tune |
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"One of my favourites ... have you ever seen the rain.... Originally Creedance Clearwater Revival and covered by Rod Stewart and Corey Taylor
And Bonnie Tyler
Ooh I didn't know she'd covered it!"
Track one side one of her album "Faster than the speed of night"
It also has Total Eclipse of the heart as track 4 |
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A lot of people unfortunately think Florence and the Machine’s dreadful version of ‘You’ve got the love’ is the original. Candi Staton did it originally. The 91 Frankie Knuckles mix is the best version. |
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M People's "Don't Look Any Further" is a cover of a Dennis Edwards original.
Both are good but there's no denying Heather Small's voice puts M People's effort on top.
Be warned, though. The video for Dennis Edwards' original version borders on cringe-worthy... |
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So what by Metallica, never knew it was originally done by the Anti nowhere league..... probably because I’d never heard it played on the radio in the early 1980s, come to think of it I’ve never heard the Metallica version on the radio either |
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"One of my favourites ... have you ever seen the rain.... Originally Creedance Clearwater Revival and covered by Rod Stewart and Corey Taylor
And Bonnie Tyler
Ooh I didn't know she'd covered it!"
Joan jet also did a great version |
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By *lueFireCouple
over a year ago
just somewhere around here |
"So what by Metallica, never knew it was originally done by the Anti nowhere league..... probably because I’d never heard it played on the radio in the early 1980s, come to think of it I’ve never heard the Metallica version on the radio either "
Hmmm ...I wonder why 
The Metallica version is awesome...and having seen it live by both bands Metallica win hands down |
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"It's the other way round for me. I did not know there were cover versions of the songs of my teens.
Only one I know is Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers. It had been recorded by others in the 50s. List includes Jimmy Young - his version is awful."
. Heart did a version of it which was terrible (I think it was a live version) |
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"First cut is the deepest was by Cat Stevens, he wrote so many good songs
Covered by The Little angels if I remember rightly
And Rod Stewart of course and also sheryl crow"
It was still P P Arnold who recorded it first, in 1967. |
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"So what by Metallica, never knew it was originally done by the Anti nowhere league..... probably because I’d never heard it played on the radio in the early 1980s, come to think of it I’ve never heard the Metallica version on the radio either
Hmmm ...I wonder why
The Metallica version is awesome...and having seen it live by both bands Metallica win hands down"
. Dj in a pub I used to frequent played it most weekends never actually knew who did it until I saw Metallica live then read a gig write up in a magazine (probably kerrang) |
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"Funnily enough, I mentioned the brilliant Isley Brothers earlier; I have only just found out that possibly their most recognised song, Summer Breeze, is actually a cover (the original by Seals and Croft)."
Now... That I did not know. |
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"Here’s an interesting one: Many of you will know that Roberta Flack sang the haunting main theme song from the film, Play Misty For Me (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) but I only recently found out that it to is in fact a cover. The original is by Peggy Seeger."
Well I'll be jiggered. |
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"Any one who had a heart...Luther Vandross.
Any one who had a heart...Cilla Black.
Anyone who had a heart...Dionne Warwick. "
Dusty Springfield...
Like a lot of burt bacharach songs... Got a lot of covers. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Maria Carey’s first ever number one was “ without you “. Much better is the original by Harry Nilsson …. She murdered it. Lol "
The original was by Badfinger, the world's unluckiest band! |
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"Maria Carey’s first ever number one was “ without you “. Much better is the original by Harry Nilsson …. She murdered it. Lol
The original was by Badfinger, the world's unluckiest band!"
Found 7 inches of bad finger last week... No matter what. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Maria Carey’s first ever number one was “ without you “. Much better is the original by Harry Nilsson …. She murdered it. Lol
The original was by Badfinger, the world's unluckiest band!
Found 7 inches of bad finger last week... No matter what. "
Jellyfish did a cover of that, and Def Leppard, and R.E.M. |
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I just remembered this one.
Barry Manilow's classic 1974 hit Mandy started life as "Brandy". It was co-written by Scott English and recorded by him in 1971.
Barry's was the third commercially-released recording and he changed its name. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Not *quite* answering the question but interesting I think.
Because The Night by Patti Smith was written by Bruce Springsteen. Her producer was talking to him and saying that her album was great but was missing a hit single. Springsteen said that he had a song she could have...Springsteen had already recorded a version but didn't release it until years later. |
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