Cover songs that were a bigger hit than the original.

[-..__...]

Doesn't matter if it's better or worse. Name a song where the cover version was more popular (sold more albums), than the original.

"I've Done everything For You".

Original: Sammy Hagar. Cover: Rick Springfield. (I was at a concert eons ago... Sammy opening for Ted Nugent, and Hagar was a bit pissed off when he preluded into the song... "I wrote this!!!" "Not that other fucking guy!).

"Better be Good to Me".

Original: Spider. Cover: Tina Turner.

"I Will Aways Love You" :puke:

Original: Dolly Parton. Cover: Whitney Houston.

[JimmyJazz]

1. I fought the Law - the Clash , written by Sonny Curtis of the Crickets

[NightTrain]

4. The Bobby Fuller Four, too.

[JimmyJazz]

6. Somehow I knew you would know that!

You are the man with the encyclopedic mind (no sarcasm intended - I've seen your posts) :hi:

[lenidog]

14. My fellow Clash fan

How is it going?

[JimmyJazz]

Ack, my love. I've been getting extra Clashified these days.

In two days, it will have been two years. It's still hard to believe. I am going to post the full picture of my avatar and some other concert pics I have that day. And you? How are you doing?

[lenidog]

22. Very good

I have all my shopping done for Christmas and had several succeses in finding out of print music for my gift list. (I love the hunt for hard to get items around this time.) Since I was succesful I can get back one of my favorite albums from my girlfriend. She fell in love with it and and keeps borrowing it. So I got her a copy of her own. Though I did have one failure not becuase I couldn't find the album because it was 200 bucks, (AAACK!)

[cry baby]

2. J.J. Cale wrote and released "Cocaine" and "After Midnight"

both of which Eric Clapton covered and made millions.

[Webster Green]

3. 'I shot the sheriff'........by Eric Clapton

[NightTrain]

5. "Rock On" by Michael Damian. Original: David Essex. Also....

"The Boy From New York City" by the Manhattan Transfer. Original: the Ad-Libs.

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye. Original: Gladys Knight & The Pips.

"Little Darlin'" by the Diamonds. Original: the Gladiolas.

"Respect" by Aretha Franklin. Original: Otis Redding.

"Tainted Love" by Soft Cell. Original: Gloria Jones.

[jmowreader]

7. Probably "Blinded By The Light"

About two-thirds of America thinks that's a Manfred Mann song.

[sendero]

15. I thought...

... it was a Bruce Springsteen song :)

[jmowreader]

30. Well, it was. Welcome to the other 33 percent

It was the first song on Springsteen's first album "Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ."

[gnofg]

8. black magic women

original-fleetwood mac
remake-Santana

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. Me and Bobby McGee

Written and recorded by Kris Kristofferson, made a hit by Janis Joplin.

Also, "Indian Reservation," originally recorded by Don Farden, made a big hit by Paul Revere and the Raiders.

"All Around the Watch Tower," written and recorded by Bob Dylan, made a hit by Jimi Hendrix.

[Placebo]

10. "Nothing Compares To You" by: Sinead O'Connor...

cover of the Prince original.

[CarbonDate]

11. "All Along the Watchtower"

Original: Bob Dylan. Cover: Jimi Hendrix.

(only Dylan would be covered by a master like Hendrix....)

Also:

"Shameless"

Original: Billy Joel. Cover: Garth Brooks.

[lenidog]

12. Jersey Girl

done by Bruce Springsteen originally by Tom Waits. Both are great.
"Broken Arrow" ruined by Rod Stewart originally by Robbie Robertson
"Downtown Train" again ruined by Rod Stewart originally by Tom Waits.
















Edit: Forgot to say who wrote "Broken Arrow"

[Jean Louise Finch]

13. Last Kiss

Written by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers

Made famous (and a lot of money for Kosovar refugees) by Pearl Jam.

[CarbonDate]

20. No, sorry.

The song was a big hit when it was released. If you want to make an argument for "worst cover", then I'll agree with you.

[Jean Louise Finch]

A big hit yes

but wasn't the remake just a bigger hit?

perhaps not, I stand corrected!

[Beware the Beast Man]

16. "Tainted Love" Soft Cell's version

The name escapes me on who did the original.

[NightTrain]

18. Original: Gloria Jones (1964).

[NightTrain]

17. For more info on originals and their covers, check out this webpage:

http://www.soulexpressradio.com/originals.html

[hickman1937]

19. Unchained Melody

recorded by a lot of people, till Bobby Hatfield put it over the top. Used to be my all time fave, till it was put in that stupid movie, and overplayed for years. That git Simon Cowel needs to leave it alone.

[donheld]

21. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

Elton John kicked ass on that remake.

[CarbonDate]

23. I didn't even know Elton John did a cover of that song....

...so it probably wasn't bigger than the original :P

[donheld]

25. it went to #1

what more could it do?

[donheld]

24. Chaka Khan kicked ass on Prince's "I feel for you"

[immoderate]

26. Mr. Tambourine Man

Dylan's song was big hit for the Byrds.

--IMM

[hickman1937]

27. BTW, The original

I Will Always Love You by Dolly Parton, was actually the best. Very simple, very heartfelt. The rest have been bombastic.

[donheld]

29. I like whitney's better

i think i'm alone in that. oh well

[Kire]

28. "Mony, Mony" by Billy Idol

Hey hey, what, get laid, get fucked

[hickman1937]

31. Gladys Knight and the Pips

Bridge over Troubled Waters.
Original Simon and Garfunkle.

[immoderate]

32. Sh-Boom, Tweedlee Dee, Blue Velvet, and Tutti Fruity

By the Chords, Lavern Baker, the Clovers and Little Richard, were covered by the Crew Cuts, Theresa Brewer, Bobby Vinton and Pat Boone respectively. This was at a time when the originals could not get played on white stations.

Similarly, the Diamonds' Little Darlin was an original for the Gladiolas.

--IMM

[ilovenicepeople]

33. This Flight Tonite. by Joni Mitchell

Remake:by Nazareth (and the only version played on the radio)Oh the painful arguments being told by self-proclaimed music experts,"Don't you know that Nazareth wrote that song, YOUR WRONG!"(F***ing Idiots):puke: