15 replies to this topic

[MBlues]

Alright, I just found out this very second that Billy Idol's "To Be A Lover" is a cover of a song written by William Bell and Booker T. Jones. And this is the not the first time I've had this kind of experience. How about you? What songs did you first hear covered by other artists not knowing they were cover songs at the time?

[Dauber]

"Hard To Handle." Never knew that was a cover until I heard Bob Stroud play the original version on the radio...and y'know what? That'd be a good song for Jake to sing.

[enrico.reb]

You won't believe that but it happened with Zappa's version of Stairway To Heaven...

[Vinnie Blues]

Everybody need somebody to love

When I learnt the brothers's most famous song was not theirs but made by Solomon Burke, I was puzzled. Above all that the original version was played slower, slower than by the brothers.

I learnt later that the brothers' songs were covers only - but some covers become more famous than the original. Soul Man is a good example, but I could quote Proud Mary too. Just these two come to my mind but I'm sure there are others.

[Belford_Blues]

The first to pop-up: Joe Cocker´s "With a little help from my friends"

Never realized that was the Beatles song... even when I´m a big fan of the FabFour

[FatJim]

Vinnie Blues said:

Everybody need somebody to love
I learnt later that the brothers' songs were covers only - but some covers become more famous than the original. Soul Man is a good example...

Iheard an interview once, where Sam Moore said he was actually quite upset that the Blues Bros version of Soul Man had become more popular than their original. Didn't seem to stop him popping up in that travesty of a sequel though!

[TakkunEG]

Belford_Blues said:

The first to pop-up: Joe Cocker´s "With a little help from my friends"

Never realized that was the Beatles song... even when I´m a big fan of the FabFour

Me too. I like Cocker's version better - more emotion.

Also Janis Joplin's "Summertime", covered by lots of people over time. I have an old Billie Holiday version. I just Wiki'd it and learned that it's a song from the Gershwins' Porgy and Bess.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summertime_%28song%29

[Vinnie Blues]

That Joe Cocker version is another example of a more famous cover than the original. I agree with you, Tak, much more bluesy and emotional in my opinion. I like it better.

Summertime is part of Porgy & Bess opera. My favorite version is a medley of Summertime and Sometimes I feel like a motherless child, sung by Mahalia Jackson. A pure marvel. I may probably sing it next year in our brass band (with the piano only). A marvel of emotion, I cry everytime I listen to it. I hope I could sing it like this and make audiences cry too !

[Cropper Classic]

Dauber said:

"Hard To Handle." Never knew that was a cover until I heard Bob Stroud play the original version on the radio...and y'know what? That'd be a good song for Jake to sing.

BINGO!

This is the song that I was going to mention. When I found out who had written it, I was blown away.

[Cropper Classic]

FatJim said:

Iheard an interview once, where Sam Moore said he was actually quite upset that the Blues Bros version of Soul Man had become more popular than their original. Didn't seem to stop him popping up in that travesty of a sequel though!

But Sam sure didn't mind all the pub and record sales that came his way after the Blues Brothers version charted.

There are a lot of artists who can thank the band for bringing them some recognition.

[Vinnie Blues]

Yes, the brothers and their band brought back the blues and R&B to a new audience. Artists like James Brown, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles used to say that the movie put their careers back on track.

[Cropper Classic]

Well said Vinnie!

[Vinnie Blues]

Hey Cropper Classic, you changed your avatar ! To our dear Duck Dunn, this time ? (Looks like it's him, eh ?)

[Belford_Blues]

Another one: Johnny Cash - Hurt

I heard it for the very first time on one Smallville episode (when Lex goes nuts and gets into the psyquiatric hospital). Then I knew this song was originally released by Nine Inch Nails... and, as courious note, when Trent Reznor (NIN) realized Cash made a cover of his song, he was completly pissed off... called his manager and ask him to sue Cash... the manager told him "Trent, you should hear the song first". Trent did it... and he almost cried... he loved the version the Man in Black recorded and gave him his respect.

[Blueblood]

I'm still thinking....

[Dauber]

Sorry to revive this old thread, but...my wife recently started taking a go-go dancing class, and the instructor e-mailed her students a list of songs they'd be using in case they wanted a sneak preview.

One of the songs listed was one by ? and the Mysterians called "I Can't Get Enough Of You" -- and it turned out to be the song that Smashmouth had a huge hit with about twelve years ago! I never knew it was a cover, although it didn't surprise me one bit. (BTW -- those of you who haven't heard the original, it sounds just like "96 Tears". Go figure!)