Songs where the famous version is a cover

[KeithE4Phx]

'Open Arms' by Journey. The more well-known version is a cover by Mariah Carey from her 1995 album Daydream.

Yup, so is her cover of Def Leppard's "Bringin' on the Heartbreak"... 

That's like saying Britney Spears's cover of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction is more popular than the Rolling Stones's version.

Or Devo's. 

[US71]

'Open Arms' by Journey. The more well-known version is a cover by Mariah Carey from her 1995 album Daydream.

Yup, so is her cover of Def Leppard's "Bringin' on the Heartbreak"... 

That's like saying Britney Spears's cover of (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction is more popular than the Rolling Stones's version.

Or Devo's. 

I didn't realize before this past weekend "You've Made Me So Very Happy" by Blood Sweat & Tears was a cover version.  Originally recorded by Brenda Holloway .

[Brandon]

-Woodstock, known as a CSNY song, was a Joni Mitchell song

However, Mitchell specifically wrote the song for CSNY while recording her own version of it.  She gave them the song and taught it to them.  Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young did rearrange a few lyrics in the chorus.

'All by Myself' by Eric Carmen, the Celine Dion version is probably the most well known.

Where in the world would that be?  It's definitely not North America.

[US71]

-Woodstock, known as a CSNY song, was a Joni Mitchell song

However, Mitchell specifically wrote the song for CSNY while recording her own version of it.  She gave them the song and taught it to them.  Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young did rearrange a few lyrics in the chorus.

'All by Myself' by Eric Carmen, the Celine Dion version is probably the most well known.

Where in the world would that be?  It's definitely not North America.

"All by Myself" is a power ballad by American artist Eric Carmen released in 1975. The verse is based on the second movement (Adagio sostenuto) of Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Opus 18. The chorus is borrowed from the song "Let's Pretend", which Carmen wrote and recorded with the Raspberries in 1972.

Carmen's original version has spawned numerous cover versions by such artists as Rico J. Puno in 1976, Celine Dion in 1996, Frank Sinatra, Igudesman & Joo, Il Divo, and Only Men Aloud!.

(per Wikipedia)

[tchafe1978]

I heard Neil Diamond's "Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon" over the PA at work, and it got me to thinking, I know I heard a cover of it somewhere before. Sure enough, Urge Overkill covered the song for the Pulp Fiction soundtrack. Neil Diamond's original is probably the more well known version, though. Although I happen to like Urge Overkill's version better myself.

Neil Diamond's original:

https://youtu.be/qGvMjgLXBi0

Urge Overkill's cover:

https://youtu.be/1fr1iyhkyVs

[kphoger]

"Cry" by Faith Hill was originally by Angie Aparo (and not a country song).

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Justin Hayward's (often credited to the Moody Blues as a whole, though it was just Hayward in a solo collaboration) version of "Forever Autumn" was a Lego jingle in 1969 that the original performers turned into "Forever Autumn" in the early 1970s and scored a hit in Japan, but their version was unknown elsewhere.

[Takumi]

[english si]

Most 90s kids are too young to remember Torn - my '89-born brother had only just turned 8 when it came out.

Though, for 80s kids, those tweets are right.

[kphoger]

Most 90s kids are too young to remember Torn - my '89-born brother had only just turned 8 when it came out.

Though, for 80s kids, those tweets are right.

I was born in '81, and I remember Torn from a mix tape.  Kids these days have no clue what a mix tape is.  So I almost agree with you.  However, the term "90s kid" could mean a kid who grew up in the 90s, not one who was born in the 90s.  The 90s for me were 4th grade through high school, so those were certainly defining years for me.

[7/8]

Most 90s kids are too young to remember Torn - my '89-born brother had only just turned 8 when it came out.

Though, for 80s kids, those tweets are right.

I was born in '81, and I remember Torn from a mix tape.  Kids these days have no clue what a mix tape is.  So I almost agree with you.  However, the term "90s kid" could mean a kid who grew up in the 90s, not one who was born in the 90s.  The 90s for me were 4th grade through high school, so those were certainly defining years for me.

I was born in 1995 and I remember it well. I'm sure it was played on the radio a lot during the 00's. Also, I agree with kphoger's definition (i.e., I was born in the 90's, but I consider myself a 00's kid).

[20160805]

Thought of this thread earlier today when I heard "Red Red Wine" on the radio. UB40's cover version seems to be far better known than Neil Diamond's original.

Coincidentally, I heard UB40's version today driving home from work, and it's still in my head 3 hours later.

Most 90s kids are too young to remember Torn - my '89-born brother had only just turned 8 when it came out.

Though, for 80s kids, those tweets are right.

A "90s kid" is someone who was a child in the 90s, not someone who was born then.  Someone born in December 1999 is sure as heck not a 90s kid; their childhood lasted from Dec 2002-Dec 2012, making them very much an 00s kid.  Someone born after 1996 has absolutely zero cred as a 90s kid.

The quintessential 90s kids were born in 1986/87; someone born 1 Jan 1987 would have turned 3 on the first day of the 90s and 13 on the first day of the 00s, which fits the childhood range perfectly.

[Throckmorton]

This Masquerade - Leon Russell covered by George Benson

And when I die - Laura Nyro covered by Blood Sweat and Tears

Eli's Comin' - Laura Nyro covered by Three Dog Night

Stoned Soul Picnic - Laura Nyro covered by The Fifth Dimension

Wedding Bell Blues - Laura Nyro covered by The Fifth Dimension

Handbags and Glad Rags - Mike d'Abo covered by Rod Stewart probably best known by Chase

Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) - Bob Dylan covered by Manfred Mann (of which Mike d'Abo was a once a member)

Spirit in the Night - Bruce Springsteen covered by Manfred Mann's Earth Band (don't know about more popular but it sure got a lot of air play)

The 59th Street Bridge Song - Simon & Garfunkle covered by practically everybody in the world but best known by Harpers Bizzare

Speaking of Satisfaction (mentioned elsewhere in the thread), I don't think anyone's cover has been more popular than the original but the Stones were extremely flattered when Otis Redding, one of their idols, covered it.

Sorry if there are any repeats. I skimmed the thread but I probably missed some of these.

[20160805]

^ As already mentioned upthread, Manfred Mann's Earth Band also had a #1 hit with Springsteen's "Blinded by the Light", though Chris Thompson's weird accent led to lots of misheard lyrics.

[Henry]

There was a time when Rod Stewart's Your Song got more airplay than the Elton John original. Also, on a technicality, John and the late George Michael's duet of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me has become superior to John's original, and Stewart's Forever Young is far better known than Bob Dylan's composition.

[Flint1979]

I would go with Yesterday by The Beatles (actually only Paul). Marvin Gaye's cover gave him a run for his money.

[Henry]

There's some interesting history behind the song After the Love Has Gone. Originally, Bill Champlin (of Chicago fame) was to record the song, but then Earth, Wind & Fire wanted it for their own (which eventually became a pop/R&B standard for them), and he agreed to let them have it. However, he has gone on to record several versions of it, including one with the supergroup Airplay (which also included fellow cowriters David Foster and Jay Graydon, as well as Tommy Funderburk).

Airplay

Earth, Wind & Fire

[1995hoo]

Heard this one on the radio this morning and it made me think of this thread: George Harrison had a #1 hit single in 1987 with "Got My Mind Set on You," a cover of a song originally recorded by James Ray in 1962 (under the title "I've Got My Mind Set on You"). Harrison's version is far better-known.

[jp the roadgeek]

There was a time when Rod Stewart's Your Song got more airplay than the Elton John original. Also, on a technicality, John and the late George Michael's duet of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me has become superior to John's original, and Stewart's Forever Young is far better known than Bob Dylan's composition.

Stewart's Forever Young has very little relation to Dylan's Forever Young (and no relation whatsoever to Alphaville's Forever Young), although Stewart did agree to share royalties with Dylan because it had similar stanzas.


Stewart also made Having a Party popular.  It was originally a Sam Cooke song, and was also covered by Southside Johnny.

[hbelkins]

Originally, Bill Champlin (of Chicago fame)

Chicago was my favorite band when I was in high school. I was devastated when Terry Kath died, but found Donnie Dacus to be an adequate replacement, and "Hot Streets" a fitting continuation of the band's legacy.

They brought Champlin in after Dacus was dismissed and Chris Pinnick sat in on "Chicago XIV". I didn't like the ballad-heavy, de-emphasis on horns approach of the late 80s, but Champlin's voice was like the proverbial nails on the chalkboard to me. It drove me crazy to hear him singing Kath's parts on "Ballet for a Girl in (Misspelling of Buckhannon)." I think Champlin's voice, as much as the shift in direction, caused me to be less of a fan in the later years.

Conversely, I don't have any issues with the way Jason Scheff filled in for Peter Cetera, but Scheff's gone now and I'm not sure who's singing Cetera's old songs.

[Stephane Dumas]

The original version of Knock on Wood by Eddie Floyd is completely eclipsed by Amii Stewart version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kceiks__PsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAbq_qkzFR0

[Brandon]

The original version of Knock on Wood by Eddie Floyd is completely eclipsed by Amii Stewart version.

Since when? They seem to get about equal airplay from what I've seen.  Now, Otis Redding's (extremely good, IMHO) version of Knock on Wood seems to get buried.

[Mr_Northside]

Despite being a story from 2000, Rolling Stone had this linked on their page a little while ago - it's a long read, but I found the article to be really enjoyable....

In the Jungle: Inside the Long, Hidden Genealogy of 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'

[roadman]

Arlo Guthrie's cover of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans became way more popular than Goodman's version, and eventually prompted Amtrak to restore that name to their Chicago to New Orleans train.

[ftballfan]

Arlo Guthrie's cover of Steve Goodman's City of New Orleans became way more popular than Goodman's version, and eventually prompted Amtrak to restore that name to their Chicago to New Orleans train.

Later covered by Willie Nelson.

Also, Travis Tritt's version of "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" is much more well known than the original by Elvis (one of his last songs).

Speaking of Travis Tritt, his cover of "Take It Easy" helped reunite the Eagles (the Eagles version is still more well known)