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coolhandgopher

coolhandgopher

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We all know Hendrix covered Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" and Johnny Cash covered NIN's "Hurt"-but what about those obscure songs turned into hits which become synonymous with the covering artist/bands? Here's a thread dedicated to those songs-as you'll see, a great deal of R&B artists who didn't reap the fame that followed for others.

Let's start however with The Nerves with Hanging On the Telephone (I like both versions quite a bit):
 


Eddie Floyd-Knock on Wood (Amii Stewart's cover might be the best disco song ever, IMO):
 




I don't know that a song has ever been improved more from its original version than when Kim Carnes covered Bette Davis Eyes:
 

coolhandgopher said:
Another Blondie cover-The Paragons with The Tide is High:
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Heard this back in the early 90s on a compilation of the producer, Duke Reid. The harmonies are so great it just blows the Blondie version away.
 

So, technically Dionne Warwick recorded this Burt Bacarach song first, but as a demo; Lou Johnson was the first to record and release the song. I first heard this version as the credits were rolling on an episode of Mad Men, it's quite sublime I would say:
 

Los Lobos' does a smoking cover of this song on their album Down by the Riverbed which I didn't realize was actually a cover until a few weeks ago. The original is a corker too:
 



Frink said:
Heard this back in the early 90s on a compilation of the producer, Duke Reid. The harmonies are so great it just blows the Blondie version away.
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I really like Blondie, but yeah, this version is superior. Could also have something to do with that among Blondie's hits, their version of this song feels like an outlier-doesn't have the edge of One Way or Another, Hanging on the Telephone, Call Me, etc. that made/makes Blondie great.
 

Another Los Lobos cover from their debut album, a great original:
 

coolhandgopher said:
I really like Blondie, but yeah, this version is superior. Could also have something to do with that among Blondie's hits, their version of this song feels like an outlier-doesn't have the edge of One Way or Another, Hanging on the Telephone, Call Me, etc. that made/makes Blondie great.
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Well put. It's a nice enough cover and hey, it got kids on my elementary school bus in the sticks singing reggae, so that counts for something.
 





The R & B original:




The Rock 'N Roll original (...and still champion):

 


Well, presenting the obvious, here's how a song takes root, spreads widely while morphing from a big sky anthem to launching a thousand breaks. Unfortunately, it also is the background to some really bad commercials; but that's the way it goes.

The original:

The writer appoved original:

The original morph:
 



The Clique, (I am) Superman.


REM cover.


The loud jangle of the guitars hooked me into a fanatic.
 

The original: In 1962, The Falcons with lead singer Wilson Pickett recorded "I Found a Love". A terrific record featuring a young Pickett and Robert Ward's distinctive guitar and magnatone amp. Five years later, PIckett recorded his own version for Atlantic records which made the top 40.

 

One of my favorite oldies: California Sun

First recorded by Joe Jones in 1961. Covered and made a hit (#5 position) by the Rivieras in 1964. Covered by the Ramones and others over the years. My favorite version was by the Dictators from their 1975 album linked below.

California Sun by the Dictators
 

cjbfbp said:
One of my favorite oldies: California Sun

First recorded by Joe Jones in 1961. Covered and made a hit (#5 position) by the Rivieras in 1964. Covered by the Ramones and others over the years. My favorite version was by the Dictators from their 1975 album linked below.

California Sun by the Dictators
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Handsome Dick Manitoba is the greatest rock name ever.
 

I had a friend once tell me his favorite Rolling Stones song is Not Fade Away. Your favorite Rolling Stones song is a two-minute Buddy Holly cover? Sounds about right. :rolleyes:


 

Nokomis said:
I had a friend once tell me his favorite Rolling Stones song is Not Fade Away. Your favorite Rolling Stones song is a two-minute Buddy Holly cover? Sounds about right. :rolleyes:


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I feel that earlier Stones stuff like Not Fade Away and High and Dry is under appreciated today. Before they became the prototype for all swaggering blues rockers they were one of the best ever country blues bands.
 

No Depression by the Carter Family


Cover by Uncle Tupelo.


Became the namesake for a prominent Alt Country mag/website.
 

My son takes guitar lessons. One week he came home with Knockin' on Heaven's Door by "Guns N Roses". I just rolled my eyes and brushed it off. The next week he came home with You Really Got Me by "Van Halen". :mad: I nearly lost my sh-t. What the heck kind of instructors do they have at that place? I will not have my son corrupted into liking hair metal. I promptly played him the Dylan & Kinks versions.

Edit: my son now has a new instructor who also corrected the former instructor's mistakes.
 

Nokomis said:
My son takes guitar lessons. One week he came home with Knockin' on Heaven's Door by "Guns N Roses". I just rolled my eyes and brushed it off. The next week he came home with You Really Got Me by "Van Halen". :mad: I nearly lost my sh-t. What the heck kind of instructors do they have at that place? I will not have my son corrupted into liking hair metal. I promptly played him the Dylan & Kinks versions.

Edit: my son now has a new instructor who also corrected the former instructor's mistakes.
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Solid parenting. There is hope for the next generation (no offense to Eddie VH, Slash & Duff).
 

Nokomis said:
The next week he came home with You Really Got Me by "Van Halen". :mad: I nearly lost my sh-t. What the heck kind of instructors do they have at that place? I will not have my son corrupted into liking hair metal.
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Van Halen (in their prime) wasn't just a hair metal band. They were the very best hair metal band ever.
 


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