June 17, 201312 yr Britney Spears - My Prerogative Britney Spears - You Oughta Know Britney Spears - Burning Up
June 18, 201312 yr Coming to this topic late. Massively disagree that 'U Got the Love' is best known in that awful Florence and the Machine version or that Leona Lewis' version of 'Run' is best known...and really can't see how anyone could ever think the Ellie Goulding cover of Elton John is more recognisable. Surprised nobody has agreed that many people think Jeff Buckley wrote 'Hallelujah' as I'd go along with that. At the time I think a lot of people were surprised that 'I'm Free' by the Soup Dragons was a cover of the Stones. I'll throw in 'Be Thankful For What You've Got' too - most UK folks would know the Massive Attack version, while the original William DeVaughn version would be best known in the USA where it sold high (but only reached #31 here)
June 18, 201312 yr Maybe five years ago people might have thought Jeff Buckley wrote Hallelujah but I think the Leonard Cohen original was mentioned often enough to correct that.
June 18, 201312 yr I'll throw in 'Be Thankful For What You've Got' too - most UK folks would know the Massive Attack version, while the original William DeVaughn version would be best known in the USA where it sold high (but only reached #31 here) I never even knew Massive Attack had covered it! William De Vaughn had a very minor hit with two different versions of the song, the original in 1974 and a really nice smooth re-recorded version in 1980
June 18, 201312 yr Did any of you know that BURNS' "Lies" is a cover? Well kind of, it uses the chorus of Deborah Cox's "It's Over Now". Big Ang feat. Siobhan did a complete cover of that song in 2005 so unfortunately for Deborah two versions of her song are more popular than hers :P
June 18, 201312 yr Miley Cyrus The CLimb, later covered in an awful and pointless X Factor rendition that same year.
June 18, 201312 yr 'Be Thankful' was the lead track on Massive Attack EP, which peaked at 25 in 1992 so it's not hugely well-known, except that I remember VH-1 used to show the video a lot late at night because it had nudity in it. I agree with Suedehead about 'Hallelujah', although it might depend on how you define "better-known" - I'm sure more people have heard the Buckley version, even if they know it's not the original. 'I'm Free' is a good example though, wish I'd thought of that. I meant to say earlier that the Isley Brothers are an act who could figure on both sides of the equation - their original of 'Shout' isn't as famous as Lulu's cover, but their cover of 'Summer Breeze' must be better known than the Seals & Crofts version.
June 19, 201312 yr Love The Way You Lie is a cover, originally by Skylar GreyDoesn't count. Her version is the demo version/sent to labels for someone to use/record it. If this is included, then we may as well include most other songs by mainstream artists. :lol:
June 19, 201312 yr 'Be Thankful' was the lead track on Massive Attack EP, which peaked at 25 in 1992 so it's not hugely well-known, except that I remember VH-1 used to show the video a lot late at night because it had nudity in it. Aha, didn't know that! I chose that one based on the fact 'Blue Lines' is still a very popular LP today and, well, because it surprised me when I found out the song was a cover of a well known song (on one side of the Atlantic anyway!) So, if it reached 25 then it's the officially highest charting version in the UK! :D
June 19, 201312 yr One for the future could be Higher Love - originally by Steve Winwood, the James Vincent McMorrow version already got some attention last year, I can easily see that version coming in and out of the charts in the future for various reasons - you just know it will be the token 'credible' choice for the likes of X Factor.
June 19, 201312 yr loads of four seasons songs are better known as covers, many of them already mentioned, and most recently Beggin' (Madcon) Mandy (Barry Manilow) is widely-thought to be one of his but it was a re-tread of a much better song called Brandy which charted in 1971 for Scott English. Girl's name change, take out all emotion and presto, immortality. Westlife is known to be a bland cover of Manilow's version, but it's actually third-generation bland. Beatles again: Dear Prudence (Siouxsie & The Banshees), I'm Only Sleeping (Suggs)/ Bee Gees: To Love Somebody (Nina Simone/JImmy Somerville), Words (Boyzone), Ghetto Supastar (back in the chart as we speak, though Dolly & Kenny had the original version I think) - stretching it in terms of being "famous" though for most of them, bar Mandy. I Heard It Through The Grapevine is either the original or a cover, depending on whether you count first recorded by (Marvin) or released/ hit (Gladys Knight). I think...
June 19, 201312 yr loads of four seasons songs are better known as covers, many of them already mentioned, and most recently Beggin' (Madcon) Mandy (Barry Manilow) is widely-thought to be one of his but it was a re-tread of a much better song called Brandy which charted in 1971 for Scott English. Girl's name change, take out all emotion and presto, immortality. Westlife is known to be a bland cover of Manilow's version, but it's actually third-generation bland. Beatles again: Dear Prudence (Siouxsie & The Banshees), I'm Only Sleeping (Suggs)/ Bee Gees: To Love Somebody (Nina Simone/JImmy Somerville), Words (Boyzone), Ghetto Supastar (back in the chart as we speak, though Dolly & Kenny had the original version I think) - stretching it in terms of being "famous" though for most of them, bar Mandy. I Heard It Through The Grapevine is either the original or a cover, depending on whether you count first recorded by (Marvin) or released/ hit (Gladys Knight). I think... Suggs had a 2nd top 10 hit with "Cecelia", which some people might not realise is a song by Simon & Garfunkel.
June 19, 201312 yr I don't think most Beatles covers really count, because even if it was only an album track more people probably get to hear it than a Top 10 cover. Although there are covers of more obscure Beatles songs, most of them are even more obscure (Justin's version of 'This Boy' anyone?). Did anyone catch the Bobby Womack documentary a couple of weeks ago? The original Valentinos version of 'It's All Over Now' is obviously less famous than the Stones' version. As he once put it, he was really annoyed about that until the first royalty cheque arrived.
June 20, 201312 yr Sad that Whitneys cover of IWALY was such a huge success when Dolly's version wasn't. I prefer the Dolly version by far.
June 20, 201312 yr Did any of you know that BURNS' "Lies" is a cover? Well kind of, it uses the chorus of Deborah Cox's "It's Over Now". Big Ang feat. Siobhan did a complete cover of that song in 2005 so unfortunately for Deborah two versions of her song are more popular than hers :P Make that 3. It was also covered by the Freemasons too. Watchin' was a hit back in 2006 & reached Number 19 :P Edited June 20, 201312 yr by gavindeejay
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