Whose Song Is It? Covers You Thought Were Originals
You think you know which is the original and which is the cover. Not so fast jack. These versions may have made a song famous, but they weren’t the first, and weren’t necessarily the best.
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I Write the Songs
In 1976 Barry Manilow had a number 1 hit with a song that was actually written by Bruce Johnston (of Beach Boys fame) in 1975.
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Don’t Know Why
In 2003 Norah Jones “Don’t Know Why” won three Grammy Awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. The song was written by Jesse Harris and appeared on his 1999 album, Jesse Harris and the Ferdinandos.
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Without You
Written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger, Without You appears on their 1970 album- No Dice. Harry Nilsson won the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal with his version in 1973.
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Everybody’s Talkin’
Another song that was a big hit for Nilsson, Everybody’s talking, was actually a cover written by folk singer, Fred Neil in 1966.
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Jersey Girl
B R U U C E ! Nope, more like Tom Waits!
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Hard Sun
Eddie Vedder brought this song to everyone’s attention as the hit off the soundtrack for “Into the Wild.” Everyone thought he wrote it. He didn’t. The original was written and performed by Gordon Peterson in 1989.
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Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Cyndi Lauper took this song to the top of the charts but the original, by Robert Hazard is worth checking out.
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Please Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
The Animals made this a hit, and a cover by the Esmerelda’s used in Kill Bill brought it around again, but the original was originally written for, and performed by Nina Simone back in 1964.
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