15 Songs You Didn’t Realize Were Covers

[BERIGAN]

Well, I am sure many will know several of these.... I didn't know about ....

Torn, Hey Joe, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Mambo No. 5, Don't Turn Around, Hanging On The Telephone, " Hey Mickey", Gloria, or The Crying Game!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/15-songs-you-didnt-realize-were-covers

[clifford_thornton]

4'33"

[JSngry]

You Made Me So Very Happy

And some of those on the list, like "I Think We're Alone Now", if you didn't know they were covers, it's probably because you're young (or old) enough to have an excuse.

Anyway, the best cover of that one is by The Rubinoos. No contest.

Edited January 12, 2011 by JSngry

[Noj]

I love this stuff, it's like music etymology. Shall we list most of the Led Zeppelin discography? A quick google provides this list:

* "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" - A folk song by Anne Bredon, this was originally credited as "traditional, arranged by Jimmy Page," then "words and music by Jimmy Page," and then, following legal action, "Bredon/Page/Plant."

* "Black Mountain Side" - uncredited version of a traditional folk tune previously recorded by Bert Jansch.

* "Bring It On Home" - the first section is an uncredited cover of the Willie Dixon tune (as performed by Sonny Boy Williamson).

* "Communication Breakdown" - apparently derived from Eddie Cochran's "Nervous Breakdown."

* "Custard Pie" - uncredited cover of Bukka White's "Shake 'Em On Down," with lyrics from Sleepy John Estes's "Drop Down Daddy."

* "Dazed And Confused" - uncredited cover of the Jake Holmes song (see The Above Ground Sound Of Jake Holmes).

* "Hats Off To (Roy) Harper" - uncredited version of Bukka White's "Shake 'Em On Down."

* "How Many More Times" - Part one is an uncredited cover of the Howlin' Wolf song (available on numerous compilations). Part two is an uncredited cover of Albert King's "The Hunter."

* "In My Time Of Dying" - uncredited cover of the traditional song (as heard on Bob Dylan's debut).

* "The Lemon Song" - uncredited cover of Howlin' Wolf's "Killing Floor" - Wolf's publisher sued Zeppelin in the early 70s and settled out of court.

* "Moby Dick" - written and first recorded by Sleepy John Estes under the title "The Girl I Love," and later covered by Bobby Parker.

* "Nobody's Fault But Mine" - uncredited cover of the Blind Willie Johnson blues.

* "Since I've Been Lovin' You" - lyrics are the same as Moby Grape's "Never," though the music isn't similar.

* "Stairway To Heaven" - the main guitar line is apparently from "Taurus" by Spirit.

* "White Summer" - uncredited cover of Davey Graham's "She Moved Through The Fair."

* "Whole Lotta Love" - lyrics are from the Willie Dixon blues "You Need Love."

The Animals - House Of The Rising Sun is a traditional blues song

Ram Jam - Black Betty is a Leadbelly song

Nirvana - Where Did You Sleep Last Night is a Leadbelly song

The Doors - Back Door Man is a Willie Dixon song

I wish there was an existing recording of the Anne Bredon original "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You."

[A Lark Ascending]

4'33"

I do the definitive version of that one...and a brilliant extended mix.

*************

For a few of those I'm clueless as to who the people doing the covers are. Hopefully I'm old enough to have an excuse.

*************

How about "Avalon" by Al Jolson, Buddy DeSylva and Vincent Rose. A cover of a well known Puccini ditty!

Edited January 12, 2011 by A Lark Ascending

[Quincy]

4'33"

I do the definitive version of that one...and a brilliant extended mix.

*************

I'm not going to be completely satisfied until you release it in mono on 180g vinyl. At 45 rpm too.

I didn't know about "Tainted Love." And after not having that song in my head for 25 some odd years it's in there now though. The "cure" is supposedly "Morning Train" which will knock out any earworm. Some cure that is.

[medjuck]

I always thought that Tim Rose's was the original of Hey Joe. Long piece in Wikepedia about the source of the song and it's earliest incarnations.

[GA Russell]

This brings up the issue of Otis Redding. He was the #1 r&b singer in the South when I was in high school, bigger than James Brown. Yet I have often thought that I never hear his hits on the radio except Dock of the Bay which was released posthumously. I can't remember the last time I heard Respect or Try a Little Tenderness or Call Me Mr. Pitiful on the radio.

So I guess that I'm not surprised that the younger generation would not know that Respect was Otis's song.

PS - Another cover that I suspect the younger crowd doesn't know about is Always Something There to Remind Me. I think it was Lou Johnson who did it first, but I grew up with Sandie Shaw's cover. You never hear them on the radio either.

PPS - Another example is Johnny Rivers' By the Time I Get to Phoenix. Glen Campbell had such a big hit with it that the radio stations seem to have completely forgotten that Rivers had a hit with it first.

PPPS - This morning on Sirius I heard Herman's Hermits' cover of I'm into Something Good. In New Orleans that was not played much because shortly before we had the original hit by the woman who I think was named Earl Jean. I haven't heard that on the radio since then, 46 years ago.

[John L]

It is interesting to look at B.B. King's discography from that point of view. His performances were always so original and influential that it is easy to loose sight of the fact that almost all of his songs are covers.

[Rooster_Ties]

"The Man Who Sold The World" -- an entire generation thinks this was written by Nirvana/Cobain.

Pretty sure I've read where Bowie has even been asked in interviews about covering "that Nirvana tune" (much to his frustration).

[Van Basten II]

For a long time I thought Vieille canaille was a Gainsbourg original .It is actually a Louis Prima cover of You rascal you.

And on the other hand when I heard for the first Aqua de março, I scrambled my mind for years , it was before the internet, to figure out where I heard that music before before finding out that I had heard the French version by George Moustaki.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=N7Wr8XndHAc

Edited January 12, 2011 by Van Basten II

[sonnymax]

I love this stuff, it's like music etymology. Shall we list most of the Led Zeppelin discography?...

People didn't realize Led Zeppelin was "covering" other people's music because they stole credit for the compositions. Willie Dixon and others had to sue them to get the recognition and compensation they deserved. While they weren't alone in this practice, such theft and plagiarism shouldn't be confused with those who publicly acknowledge another artist's talent by covering their tunes.

[JSngry]

You Made Me So Very Happy

The original, by Brenda Holloway...I didn't know about this one until relatively recently, just the last 5 years or so.

This brings up the issue of Otis Redding. He was the #1 r&b singer in the South when I was in high school, bigger than James Brown. Yet I have often thought that I never hear his hits on the radio except Dock of the Bay which was released posthumously. I can't remember the last time I heard Respect or Try a Little Tenderness or Call Me Mr. Pitiful on the radio.

So I guess that I'm not surprised that the younger generation would not know that Respect was Otis's song.

Did the Black Crowes version of "Hard To Handle" trigger any recognition for Otis's version?

[alocispepraluger102]

are changes considered 'covers'? inquiring ears want to know.

[JSngry]

No, str. When you cover a song you use the melody too.

[Quincy]

"The Man Who Sold The World" -- an entire generation thinks this was written by Nirvana/Cobain.

Pretty sure I've read where Bowie has even been asked in interviews about covering "that Nirvana tune" (much to his frustration).

There was a Musician interview in the '80s with The Jam where Weller is asked about "Disguises" sounding like a Who song. They give his smartass reply but not even the editor realized that yes, "Disguises" is a Who song. Hence why it sounds like one.

Edit - I think on Nirvana Unplugged "The Man Who Sold The World" is introduced as "this is a David Bowie song." I know he often did in concert too. Though did often mumble.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Quincy

[Noj]

I love this stuff, it's like music etymology. Shall we list most of the Led Zeppelin discography?...

People didn't realize Led Zeppelin was "covering" other people's music because they stole credit for the compositions. Willie Dixon and others had to sue them to get the recognition and compensation they deserved. While they weren't alone in this practice, such theft and plagiarism shouldn't be confused with those who publicly acknowledge another artist's talent by covering their tunes.

So...they aren't covers because...Zeppelin didn't acknowledge them as such?

[BERIGAN]

Edit - I think on Nirvana Unplugged "The Man Who Sold The World" is introduced as "this is a David Bowie song." I know he often did in concert too. Though did often mumble.

He mentions it's a Bowie song at the end sparky, you were close!

Yes, I did have to listen to it to make sure..

http://www.myspace.com/nirvana/music/albums/unplugged-in-new-york-6261

Edited January 13, 2011 by BERIGAN

[sonnymax]

I love this stuff, it's like music etymology. Shall we list most of the Led Zeppelin discography?...

People didn't realize Led Zeppelin was "covering" other people's music because they stole credit for the compositions. Willie Dixon and others had to sue them to get the recognition and compensation they deserved. While they weren't alone in this practice, such theft and plagiarism shouldn't be confused with those who publicly acknowledge another artist's talent by covering their tunes.

So...they aren't covers because...Zeppelin didn't acknowledge them as such?

That's how I view it. Others are free to disagree.

[Rooster_Ties]

Edit - I think on Nirvana Unplugged "The Man Who Sold The World" is introduced as "this is a David Bowie song." I know he often did in concert too. Though did often mumble.

He mentions it's a Bowie song at the end sparky, you were close!

Yes, I did have to listen to it to make sure..

http://www.myspace.com/nirvana/music/albums/unplugged-in-new-york-6261

Yeah, but an entire generation only knows it from radio play (who am I kidding, half of them only know it from illegal downloads) -- where the stage announcements are cut (radio), or are surely cut (downloads).

[Noj]

For me, despite the obviously poor taste Zeppelin had in taking credit for songs they didn't write, they chose amazing material to cover. It made for a very nice primer for exploring early acoustic blues, and a lot of what they covered are some of my favorite blues songs.

Naked Eyes "Always Something There To Remind Me," another 80s one hit wonder, was originally by Lou Johnson.

Cool thread. I have obviously neglected Otis Redding.

[Quincy]

Edit - I think on Nirvana Unplugged "The Man Who Sold The World" is introduced as "this is a David Bowie song." I know he often did in concert too. Though did often mumble.

He mentions it's a Bowie song at the end sparky, you were close!

Yes, I did have to listen to it to make sure..

http://www.myspace.com/nirvana/music/albums/unplugged-in-new-york-6261

Yeah, but an entire generation only knows it from radio play (who am I kidding, half of them only know it from illegal downloads) -- where the stage announcements are cut (radio), or are surely cut (downloads).

What's radio?

The Wiki entry for the song includes this: In the wake of this cover, Bowie bemoaned the fact that when he performed the number himself he would encounter "kids that come up afterwards and say, 'It's cool you're doing a Nirvana song.' And I think, 'Fuck you, you little tosser!'"

It also mentions that Lulu took the song to #3 on the UK charts, so perhaps authorship confusion wasn't a new thing for this song.

To his credit in concert Cobain was usually good about giving the songwriter credit before (or after ) this song and ones by The Vaselines, and a few others. But not "Love Buzz."