Songs whose cover version was more popular than the original

Nobody mentioned johnny cash covering Nine Inch Nails - Hurt yet?
These werent bigger than thenoriginal vut good covers...
Johnny cash covering soundgardens rusty cage
Chris cornell covering michael jackson billie jean
Chris cornell covering prince nothing compares is amazing too.
Nirvana all the covers on unplugged in new york
 
""Wild thing"---The Jimi Hendrix Experience over The Troggs

The Troggs version was a number 1 hit.
Hendrix's was not.
 
The Troggs version was a number 1 hit.
Hendrix's was not.[/QUOT

Don't say no. The song was originally recorded by The Wild Ones in 1965 and it failed to reach the charts. In 1966 The Troggs made their version and reached #1.
But when the Experience did their version(guitar burning included) at the Monterey Pop Festival, the Trogg's cover appeared to be pale, weak and lame and just...died. In the years to come, most people(except purists) couldn't even remember that The Troggs made the song famous.
And I'm sorry, my personal preferences came first over the intentions of the OP.
 
New York, New York

I believe the original was Liza Minelli. Frank Sinatra's cover is the only version most people have heard of.
 
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

As you've mentioned Prince then the obvious other one is Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinead O' Connor, but done by The Family previously.
 
Forever Young by Youth Group is more popular than the original by Alphaville, when Alphavilles is clearly better.
 
My 2 cents:
More successful, "Love Hurts" by Nazareth was more successful than the original by Graham Parsons and Emmy Lou Harris. Not sure which one I like better though.

Ones I like better than the originals: Elton John's covers of "Pinball Wizard" and "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds"
 
Both of Quiet Riots hits
-Cum on feel the noize (cover of 1973 hit by Slade)
-Mama we're all crazy now (cover of 1972 by Slade)
 
Louie Louie!

Original by Richard Berry and of course the Kingsmen's cover was the more notable version.
 
"Where Have All The Good Times Gone?" - Van Halen (The Kinks)

"China Girl" - David Bowie (Iggy Pop)

"Hurt" - Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails)

Anyone that's covered a Bob Dylan Tune.
 
This thread is a delight to read, thank you Bermuda for the initiative!

Focusing on the cover being more popular than the original, I'd like to suggest:
Metallica's cover of "Whiskey in the jar"
Gun's cover of "Word Up" (maybe not more popular, but certainly better)
Blues Brothers movie version of "Everybody needs somebody"
Benny Goodman's recording of Sing, Sing, Sing (it's drum set history for crying out loud)

And while it's probably not more popular, La India recorded a great salsa version of Teddy Pendergrass's Turn off the lights.

Oh, and the tune "Walking my baby back home" was translated into swedish and recorded by Monica Zetterlund, locally much more successful than the original.
 
Guns 'n' Roses version of Knocking on Heaven's Door is the best version in my opinion.

Mike

I like Eric Clapton's vocal take better than any other, but as far as emotions go, nothing tops this in my book - best take forever:
(from yt more..)
"This version was recorded in memory of the Dunblane Massacre 13 March 1996, were 16 children and one adult got killed.
A new verse was written, and the children choir who sing the chorus are brothers and sisters of the victims.
The song was released 9 December 1996, and it reached number 1. The proceeds went to charities for children."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgAoe1o2134

Just my opinion ...
 
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