Given the possibility of Gabrielle Aplin's take on 'The Power Of Love' following FGTH's original to #1, does anyone have a list of songs that've gone to #1 in more than one version?

Unchained Melody has the record with about four doesn't it?

Unchained Melody (Righteous Bros, Robson & Jerome, Gareth Gates)

Spirit In The Sky (Norman, Doctor and Medics, Gareth Gates)

 

That's all I can think of so far...

'Against All Odds' (went to #1 for Mariah Carey feat. Westlife / Steve Brookstein, but not the original).

 

Lots of songs from the 50s did it. I think Frankie Laine and David Whitfield were a joint #1 at one stage with their versions of 'Answer Me'.

 

'Do They Know It's Christmas?' has been #1 in three different versions. Arguably 'Three Lions' has been #1 in two different versions as well.

 

'You Are Not Alone' (Michael Jackson and The X Factor Finalists 2009).

 

'What A Wonderful World' (Louis Armstrong / Eva Cassidy and Katie Melua).

 

'The Tide Is High' (Blondie and Atomic Kitten).

 

'Uptown Girl' (Billy Joel and Westlife).

 

'Mambo No. 5' (Lou Bega and Bob The Builder) :P

 

'Somethin' Stupid' (Nancy Sinatra and Frank Sinatra / Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman).

 

I'm sure there's loads more.

Edited December 3, 201212 yr by Bré

Lady Marmalade - All Saints and the Moulin Rouge version.

 

I wonder how many cover versions had the same two first week positions?

 

 

Both versions of Lady Marmalade went 1-2 in their first two weeks.

Edited December 3, 201212 yr by AnthonyT

A whole list of them here.

 

http://www.onlineweb.com/theones/auxiliary.../double_top.htm

Unchained Melody (Righteous Bros, Robson & Jerome, Gareth Gates)

Bizarrely, all three of these versions were million sellers. Seems a good song to cover!

 

I was ready to ask the same question :lol:

 

That list is incomplete though. For example, David Whitfield and Frankie Laine both topped the chart with Answer Me in 1953, including a week when they were both joitn top. There are other examples of two versions topping the chart around the same time such as Singing The Blues Tommy Steele and Guy Mitchell, 1957) and Cherry Pink & Apple Blossom White (Perez Prado and Eddie Calvert, 1955).

Everyone's forgetting Jimmy Young's version of Unchained Melody that hit number one first.

 

Also, it's likely that (He Ain't Heavy) He's My Brother will also do the double this Christmas.

 

Should also point out that The Paragons had the original and best version of 'The Tide is High'.

Edited December 3, 201212 yr by richie

Unchained Melody has the record with about four doesn't it?

Actually 8 versions charted in the UK

1955 - Jimmy Young #1

1955 - Al Hibbler #2

1955 - Les Baxter #10

1955 - Liberace - #20

1965/1990 - Righteous Brothers #14/#1

1986 - Leo Sayer #54

1985 - Robson & Jerome #1

2002 - Gareth Gates #1

 

Actually 8 versions charted in the UK

1955 - Jimmy Young #1

1955 - Al Hibbler #2

1955 - Les Baxter #10

1955 - Liberace - #20

1965/1990 - Righteous Brothers #14/#1

1986 - Leo Sayer #54

1985 - Robson & Jerome #1

2002 - Gareth Gates #1

But only four number ones. ;) It must be one of the most covered songs to be released as a single though!

I Believe charted in 4 versions

1953 - Frankie Laine #1

1960 - David Whitfield #49

1964 - The Bachelors #2

1995 - Robson & Jerome #1

 

With A Little Help From My Friends charted in 5 versions

1967 - Joe Brown #32

1967 - Young Idea #10

1968 - Joe Cocker #1

1978 - Beatles #63

1988 - Wet Wet Wet #1

 

Answer Me charted in 4 versions

1953 - Frankie Laine #1

1953 - David Whitfield #1

1960 - Ray Peterspn #47

1976 - Barbara Dickson #9

 

I Got You Babe charted in 3 versions

1965 - Sonny & Cher #1

1985 - UB40 & Chrissie Hynde #1

1994 - Cher with Beavis & Butthead #35

 

Edited December 3, 201212 yr by euro music

Mack The Knife/Theme From "The Threepenny Opera" has been a hit for at least 7 different artists

With A Little Help From My Friends charted in 5 versions

1967 - Joe Brown #32

1967 - Young Idea #10

1968 - Joe Cocker #1

1978 - Beatles #63

1988 - Wet Wet Wet #1

 

 

Surely, Sam and Mark's 2004 version should be added #1

Off the top of my head, didn't "Eternal Flame" top the charts for both The Bangles & Atomic Kitten?

Off the top of my head, didn't "Eternal Flame" top the charts for both The Bangles & Atomic Kitten?

Yes it did 1989 for The Bangles and in 2001 for Atomic Kitten

But only four number ones. ;) It must be one of the most covered songs to be released as a single though!

 

 

The most covered song is...

 

 

'He Ain't Heavy, He’s My Brother”' has been covered and re-recorded on 25 previous occasions:

 

· Neil Diamond: Released as a single on November 7, 1970 and on his album 'Tap Root Manuscript' released two weeks later

· The Ruffin Brothers (David & Jimmy): Covered on their 1970 album 'I Am My Brother's Keeper'

· Bobby Goldsboro: On his album 'We Gotta Start Lovin' (1970)

· Cher: On her 1971 album 'Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves'

· Donny Hathaway: On his eponymous 1971 album

· The Osmonds: In 1971 (and frequently in concert as a finale)

· Alex Harvey: In 1972 on 'The Joker Is Wild'

· Brotherhood of Man: On their 1974 album 'Good Things Happening'

· Olivia Newton-John: In 1975 (as the B-side of her single 'Let It Shine')

· The Housemartins: Recorded an 'a cappella' version in 1986 as a B-side for the 12" vinyl release of their single 'Happy Hour'

· The Shadows: In 1989 on the album 'Steppin' to the Shadows' (instrumental version)

· Gotthard: In 1996 BMG Ariola version of their third album 'G'

· Rufus Wainwright: For the soundtrack to the Ben Stiller film 'Zoolander'

· Clay Crosse: On his 'Stained Glass' album

· The Choirboys

· Austria3: Recorded a version in the Austrian dialect of the German language: 'Weusd' mei Freund bist' (Literal translation: 'Because you are a friend of mine')

· Roger Whittaker: On his 1996 album 'The World of Roger Whittaker'

· American Idol Season Four's Top 12 contestants for a Red Cross charity single

· Sanchez: On his album No More Heartaches (2003)

· Barry Manilow: On his 2007 album 'The Greatest Songs of the Seventies'

· Radka Toneff: Recorded live at the Kongsberg Jazzfestival in 1977, released on Toneff's posthumous album 'Butterfly' (2008).

· Paul Carrack: On his 2008 album 'I Know That Name'

· Glen Campbell

· Ali Campbell: Covered the song on his 2010 album 'Great British Songs'

· Tommy Emmanuel: Made an instrumental cover on 2010's 'Little by Little' with Dr. John Knowles CGP, William Robert Scott and Sidney Keith Russell.

 

 

:lol:

 

I Believe charted in 4 versions

1953 - Frankie Laine #1

1960 - David Whitfield #49

1964 - The Bachelors #2

1995 - Robson & Jerome #1

 

With A Little Help From My Friends charted in 5 versions

1967 - Joe Brown #32

1967 - Young Idea #10

1968 - Joe Cocker #1

1978 - Beatles #63

1988 - Wet Wet Wet #1

 

Answer Me charted in 4 versions

1953 - Frankie Laine #1

1953 - David Whitfield #1

1960 - Ray Peterspn #47

1976 - Barbara Dickson #9

 

I Got You Babe charted in 3 versions

1965 - Sonny & Cher #1

1985 - UB40 & Chrissie Hynde #1

1994 - Cher with Beavis & Butthead #35

 

You're spectacularly missing the point.

The most covered song is...

'He Ain't Heavy, He’s My Brother”' has been covered and re-recorded on 25 previous occasions:

Blimey that's a lot! How many were released as singles?

 

Over the Rainbow is a song which springs to mind that has been covered a lot, whether recorded or just performed on tour.

If we're talking about songs which always seemed to be covered on albums/live tours. I'd add "Cry Me A River" to that list.