Songs whose cover version was more popular than the original

bermuda

Drummerworld Pro Drummer - Administrator
Staff member
What songs were released by an artist or group, got some or maybe a lot of recognition, but the cover version was more popular?

I'll name a few off the top of my head:

"Without You" - major hit for Nilsson, but written & recorded by Badfinger (their version is pretty good too!)

"Gloria" - a hit for Them (w/Van Morrison) but a bigger hit for Shadows of Knight.

"I Feel For You" - Prince wrote & recorded, but Chaka Khan had the hit version.



Bermuda
 
The only one I can remember is Hallelujiah (I would bet money I spelled that wrong)
I'm pretty sure Leonard Cohen wrote it originally.
I only really remember it from Shrek.
 
Blinded by the Light. I think Bruce Springsteen did the original.
It's a toss up when speaking of CCR as far as a few songs goes. There's Proud Mary, Heard it through the Grapevine & I Put a Spell on You.
 
There are tons. However, only a few come to mind right now...

Smokin' in the Boys Room - Motley Crue
Little Suzi - Tesla
Take it Easy - The Eagles
I've Done Everything For You - Rick Springfield
 
Off the top of my head

I will always love you
Tainted Love
Hard to Handle
Because the Night
Man who sold the world
I Love Rock-n-Roll
I will always love you
Me and bobby magee
Dazed and Confused
Achy breaking heart
Girls just wanna have fun
What if god was one of us
All along the watchtower
Woodstock
 
Well, if you look at the Beatles, I mean MOST if not ALL of their early stuff they recorded was cover stuff! Twist and Shout, Please Mister Postman, Roll Over Beethoven, I could go ON and ON.......Most if not ALL of the stuff that was in the "British Invasion" was stuff English bands covered that was originally American, and quite often BLACK! (Oh my GOD!!!) LOL! But as always, the "Puritans" in American had their way, and so it had to be re-introduced in a new way to America by English bands, and was more acceptable from White English bands, although there was a lot of resistance in the South and the "bible belt"...always has been, always will be that way. We live in a "free country", where those buggers are always trying to take away our freedom! Just wait! You ain't seen NUTHIN yet!
 
Several of the 'black' hits of the 50's were re-recorded for white audiences in the US. 'Sha-boom' (life could be a dream) was a bigger hit for The Crew Cuts than the original.
Then again, songs like Maybelline and Shake, Rattle and Roll were covers of 40's country and R&B artists, so it was already common practice, regardless of racial background.
 
R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Originally, Respect was written by Otis Redding for Speedo Sims, recorded at Muscle Shoals. It was then recorded at Stax and popularized by Otis Redding. The lyrics mainly depict a humble, hard-workin' man who loves his woman, who he believes can do no wrong. The man comes home and only wants a little respect, no more. Aretha Franklin covered it two years later (1967) and it became a rally cry for feminism. The spelling out of r-e-s-p-e-c-t at the end and "sock it to me, etc" was an idea of her sister Carolyn, a back-up singer. Jerry Wexler, who later had a large part in robbing the entire Stax catalog for Atlantic records, encouraged Franklin to record Otis's song.
 
Black Magic Woman, All Along the Watchtower, Mighty Quinn. Not Fade Away. A Little Help from my Friends. Mexican Divorce. Goodnight Irene. It's All Over Now.House of the Rising Sun.
 
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I prefer Johnny Rivers' version of Baby, I need your Lovin' over the original while I like both Johnny Rivers and Johnny A's versions of Poor Side of Town equally well. Johnny A's version of Wichita Lineman is preferred over Glenn Campbell's as is Johnny's version of the Wind Cries Mary.

Crimson & Clover - Tommy James & the Shondell's over the Joan Jet version.

Drift Away - Dobie Gray over Uncle Cracker.

Ashes to Ashes - Tears for Fears over David Bowie

Groovy Kind of Love - Phil Collins version is the best.

I will listen to Vanilla Fudge's version of You Keep Me Hanging On before I listen to the Supremes version. This song was on the charts at least 4 times, BTW.

Going to a Go-Go - Definitely the Miracles version.

Oddly enough, both versions, Huey Lewis and JJ Jackson's versions of But It's Aright both sound equally well to me.

I would give the nod to Mellencamp's version of Wild Night over Van Morrison ever so slightly.

Van Halen's version of You Really Got Me over the Kinks.


Santana's version of Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va over both originals.

Peter Gabriel's version of In Your Eyes over Chris Gaines by a Southern Country Mile, since I'm a Southerner in the Bible Belt.

David Lee Roth's version of Tobacco Road

The original "Dancing in the Streets" over both Van Halen and David Bowie's version.

Beatles version of the Taxman over Stevie Ray Vaughn's.

Both Aerosmith's and the Beatles' version of Come Together are equally liked.

The Animals Dirty Old Town/It's My Life over the David Johansen version.

Roxy Music's version of "More Than This" than whoever brought it back out in the mid to late 1990s.

Maynard Ferguson's live performance of Hey Jude was always outstanding. The recorded version - not so much.

Wrap it Up - Fabulous Thunderbirds over Sam & Dave.

Guns 'n' Roses version of Knocking on Heaven's Door is the best version in my opinion.




Mike

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Kiss - Tom Jones over Prince's original
Red Red Wine - UB40 is a cover of a Neil Diamond song.
it might just be me but I like Pseudo Echo's version of Funkytown over the original.

Smooth Criminal - Alien Ant Farm over Michael Jackson
The Boys of summer - The Ataris was pretty big, though I prefer Don Henley's
 
Glenn Miller had a huge hit in 1940 with 'In the mood" based on a riff from a 1930 song called 'Tar Paper Stomp."

Donna Summer made the song "State of Independence" popular in 1982 from a 1981 Jon Anderson/Vangelis recording.
 
"I'm a believer" - The Monkees over Neil Diamond's original. Then it was re-recorded by Smashmouth, also for a Shrek movie, and became popular again.

"Walk This Way" by Run DMC over Aerosmith.

"Hurt" and "Rowboat" covers by Johnny Cash, much better than the originals by Nine Inch Nails and Beck, respectively. Probably not more popular, though.

And it wasn't more popular, but I love Sonic Youth's version of "Superstar" over The Carpenters'.

Marty McFly's version of "Johnny B Goode" over Chuck Berry's. Ok, now I'm cheating.
 
With a little help of my friends - Joe Cocker [Beatles]
Summertime blues - The Who [Eddie Cochran]
I shot the Sheriff - Eric Clapton [Bob Marley]
Dream a little dream of me - Mamas & the Papas [Ella Fitzgerald]
Hey Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds [Bob Dylan]



Some songs that instantly came to my mind.
 
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