The songs here are cover versions of songs that are more famous than their originals. There are hundreds of examples of famous songs that people know only from a cover version. Many times they think the cover artist(s) actually wrote the song. Even with a song as well-loved as “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton, there are younger listeners who think it was a Whitney Houston original. However, the songs on this list are ones where the cover version completely eclipsed the original, while “I Will Always Love You” was a no. 1 hit for Dolly Parton more than once.
Sometimes, a cover version becomes more popular because it improves on the original in some way. Just as often, however, it is pure timing, luck, and circumstance. The original artist may have believed in their song, for instance, but the record company or the producer did not. Lots of cover hits were originally B-sides.
Keep in mind that a “cover song” is a song that was previously recorded and commercially released and then recorded again by a new artist. A song that is written by another person but never recorded, and then later recorded by another artist, is not a cover song.
Song: House of the Rising Sun (1964) Artist: The Animals Label: Columbia Writer: Traditional (arrangement by The Animals, et al.) House of the Rising Sun Original? The tune most identified with the animals was not written entirely by them and yet was not a cover. House of the Rising Sun, also known as Rising Sun … Read more
Joan Jett has had a storied career. Before she was the frontwoman of her own band, she was a part of the band The Runaways, famous for such songs as “Cherry Bomb.” The song she is most known for, however, she did as part of Joan Jett & the Blackhearts: I love Rock ‘n Roll. In … Read more
Before you hit play on Darius Rucker’s massive country hit, you might be surprised to learn that this simple little ditty has a history far deeper than its 2013 chart-topping run. While Rucker took “Wagon Wheel” to the top of the Billboard Hot Country charts and snagged a Grammy for it, the song’s journey from … Read more
Song: Babe I’m Gonna Leave You (1962) Artists: Joan Baez, Led Zeppelin Album: In Concert Writer: Anne Bredon When you hear Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You by Led Zeppelin, you may not realize that the song started out as a folk song. This in itself is not surprising since Led Zeppelin was heavily influenced by folk. Songs … Read more
Juice Newton had a big ‘crossover’ country-pop hit with Angel of the Morning in 1981 but the song has actually been covered by many artists, including Olivia Newton-John. The first person to sing the song, in 1967 was actually a singer named Evie Sands who recorded a number of songs by songwriter/producer Chip Taylor and … Read more
Song: Don’t Know Much (1980, 1989) Artist: Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville Album: Cry Like a Rainstorm – Howl Like the Wind Writers: Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Tom Snow Don’t Know Much is perhaps one of the most famous duets ever recorded. Like many such songs, though, it was not written as a duet. It was first … Read more
Song: Babara Ann (1961) Artist: The Regents Writer: Fred Fassert Label: Cousins Records Barbara Ann is one of the most recognizable Beach Boys songs. It may even be the song many think of when they think of the Beach Boys, although purists might object. But Babara Ann wasn’t original to the group. It was first … Read more