Janis Joplin's Me and Bobby McGee is a great example of a song written for someone who didn't record it first. It's written by Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster. At the time, Joplin dated Kristofersson and apparently he wrote the song for her. But Joplin wasn't first to record it, as Roger Miller released it in 1969. Joplin later recorded it for her album "Pearl" couple of days before she famously died and it was released in 1971.

#4 hit in 1976 - Sylvia - Y Viva Espana -- original by Belgium singer Samantha (as Eviva Espana) in 1972

#7 hit - Take That - It Only Takes A Minute -- original Tavares

#3 hit - Take That - Could It Be Magic -- original Barry Manilow

#5 hit - Jonathan King - Una Paloma Blanca -- original (as Paloma Blanca) - George Baker Selection

#3 hit - The Damned - Eloise -- original Barry Ryan

#1 hit - Westlife - I Have A Dream -- original Abba

#1 hit - Westlife - Seasons In The Sun -- original Terry Jacks

#1 hit - Westlife - You Raise Me Up -- original Josh Groban

#4 hit - Lulu - Shout -- original Isley Brothers

#8 hit in 1986 - Whitney Houston - Greatest Love Of All -- original #27 hit in 1977 George Benson

#3 hit - Maureen Evans - Like I Do -- original Nancy Sinatra

Edited July 5, 201212 yr by euro music

Just went through this thread, and I am sure someone said that Live And Let Die by Guns & Roses was not a cover version!

 

Certainly was, original was by Paul McCartney and Wings in the seventies, and done for the James Bond film of the same name.

 

My contribution? George Harrison's Got My Mind Set On You is often assumed to have been written by George himself - not true! Original was by an artist called James Ray.

My Sweet Lord by George Harrison is a curious one.

 

George wrote the song but was found to have accidentally plaigarised the Chiffons one fine day, however as a nod to George Harrison The Chiffons later recorded their own version.

 

Though what is less known is that George Harrison gave My Sweet Lord to his friend Billy Preston who recorded it first and released it as a single (unsuccesfully) before George did.

Edited January 25, 201213 yr by fiesta

A cover version that is very rarely mentioned or known is Delilah by Tom Jones which was originally recorded by PJ Proby

My Sweet Lord by George Harrison is a curious one.

 

George wrote the song but was found to have accidentally plaigarised the Chiffons one fine day, however as a nod to George Harrison The Chiffons later recorded their own version.

 

Though what is less known is that George Harrison gave My Sweet Lord to his friend Billy Preston who recorded it first and released it as a single (unsuccesfully) before George did.

 

The surprising thing is that Phil Spector produced both George Harrison's My Sweet Lord and The Chiffons He's So Fine. You would think that Spector, at some stage, would have turned around to George and told him that My Sweet Lord Sounded an awful lot like an old Chiffons record he had already produced!

 

I have not got George's All Things Must Pass album, but I am told that there is another example of alledged copying on that, with the track "It's Johny's Birthday" sounding very much like Cliff Richard's Congratulations.

 

One check on youtube or some other source might confirm that allegation.

 

Probably the most successful cover version in recent years has already been mentioned in this thread - Whitney Houston's multi million selling I Will Always Love you was originally done by Dolly Parton, and all things considered, I prefer Parton's version.

'Girl with one eye' by Florence and the machine and 'Hiding my heart' By Adele.

No Angels' "Daylight In Your Eyes" is also a cover of a American rock band New Life Crisis.

The surprising thing is that Phil Spector produced both George Harrison's My Sweet Lord and The Chiffons He's So Fine. You would think that Spector, at some stage, would have turned around to George and told him that My Sweet Lord Sounded an awful lot like an old Chiffons record he had already produced!

 

I have not got George's All Things Must Pass album, but I am told that there is another example of alledged copying on that, with the track "It's Johny's Birthday" sounding very much like Cliff Richard's Congratulations.

 

One check on youtube or some other source might confirm that allegation.

 

Probably the most successful cover version in recent years has already been mentioned in this thread - Whitney Houston's multi million selling I Will Always Love you was originally done by Dolly Parton, and all things considered, I prefer Parton's version.

 

Chiffons weren't produced by Phil Spector, they were produced by The Tokens (Lion Sleeps Tonight) who 'discovered' them.

 

I Will Always Love You I hate that song - in any version :puke2:

Chiffons weren't produced by Phil Spector, they were produced by The Tokens (Lion Sleeps Tonight) who 'discovered' them.

 

I Will Always Love You I hate that song - in any version :puke2:

 

Sorry, my mistake, was probably thinking of The Crystals or some other girl group from that era.

 

I was right about "It's Johnny's Birthday" though - the writers of Congratulations did, according to one source I have read, successfully sue George for breach of copyright on that track.

 

Poor George!

The One And Only was not a cover - it was penned and co-produced by Nik Kershaw for Chesney!

 

It sounds like Nik Kershaw too (especially in the chorus - must be him on backing vocals).

 

On a similar note, Manic Monday by the Bangles was originally written and recorded by Prince but he scrapped it and later gave it to the Bangles as he wanted to get his leg over with Suzanne Hoffs.

No Angels' "Daylight In Your Eyes" is also a cover of a American rock band New Life Crisis.

 

Didn't realise that until really recently :o The other one I just found out about is Animotion - Obsession, originally by Holly Knight & Michael Des Barres...

 

Money's Too Tight To Mention by Simply Red - not sure if that has been mentioned yet. Original by The Valentine Brothers.

I've spotted a couple of wrong suggestions.

 

The Birdie Song was originally recorded by Cash & Carry in 1974. They were from Belgium & the song was called "Cheep Cheep".

 

King Harvest did not do the original of "Dancing In The Moonlight". They were the 3rd act to do it. The 2nd was a group called Hi-Broom...the original version escapes me, but it was in 1970.

 

Then the big one is "Whole Lotta Love". Not originally a Led Zeppelin song.

Whole Lotta Love is not really a cover but LZ were sued for plagiarism by Willie Dixon in the 80s who won.

 

The writing credits now include Dixon along with the four members of Led Zep.

 

 

Whole Lotta Love is not really a cover but LZ were sued for plagiarism by Willie Dixon in the 80s who won.

 

The writing credits now include Dixon along with the four members of Led Zep.

And we know how Ray Parker Jnr plagiarised M's "Pop Muzik".

And we know how Ray Parker Jnr plagiarised M's "Pop Muzik".

 

I always thought that it was Huey Lewis And The News that Parker plagiarised, their song "I Want A New Drug" sounding very much like Ray Parker Jnr's Ghostbusters.

'Girl with one eye' by Florence and the Machine. I always kind of wished she didn't write that one.

'Girl with one eye' by Florence and the Machine. I always kind of wished she didn't write that one.

Best song on the album whattt?

Mandy - Barry Manilow. Written by Scott English.

When Scott English wrote & recorded it in 1971 it was titled BRANDY - it was a #12 hit

 

Edited March 9, 201213 yr by euro music