Cover versions you didn't realise were..

[servodude]

Following hot on the heels of the last cover versions thread...here's another one.

Watching "the Serpent" on Netflix last night episode7 started with John Kongos - He's Gonna Step On You Again

It took me a moment to realise what was going on - and in my shame I had thought that it was a Happy Mondays original

I can't be the only one...
...and this can't be the only song I'm misattributing

suggestions for others?

-sd

[absolutezero]

Tainted Love

[bungeejumper]

John Kongos! Great song. I'd forgotten that one - thanks for the memory.

There are probably thousands of songs that are basically simple chord progressions, but with different rhythms that make them seem like different songs. (And that's leaving aside all the boogies which were only ever one chord to start with.....) Norman Greenbaum's religious mega-hit Spirit in the Sky (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZQxH_8raCI) was a straight steal from just about everything that Canned Heat (that bunch of old druggies) ever recorded. As the first ten seconds will confirm - don't worry, you're not obliged to put up with the rest of it.

If we're going as far back as John Kongos, or Canned Heat for that matter, Mungo Jerry's In the Summertime (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUQcnfwUUM) was a straight chord-lift from the old Juke Box Jury theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA-rKWM0IIc), but you weren't supposed to notice that because of the reggae beat.

Getting more obscure, 1970s jazz pianist Chick Corea once tried to sue the Martini people over their catchy "Any time, any place, anywhere" advert, because he insisted that they'd lifted his tune from a rather good piece called Tones for Joan's Bones. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uALWPswGJeE - good stuff if you're into that sort of thing.) Until, that is, somebody pointed out that Corea had lifted the tune himself from Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin. Collapse of plaintiff's party, and much derision all round.

BJ

[servodude]

Tainted Love

Yes that took a couple of years for me to realise... In the same vein was "Don't leave me this way" by the Communards

-sd

[AsleepInYorkshire]

...and this can't be the only song I'm misattributing
-sd

AiY Phew

[redsturgeon]

If we're going as far back as John Kongos, or Canned Heat for that matter, Mungo Jerry's In the Summertime (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvUQcnfwUUM) was a straight chord-lift from the old Juke Box Jury theme (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA-rKWM0IIc), but you weren't supposed to notice that because of the reggae beat.

BJ

Quite surprisingly "In the Summertime "is listed after "White Xmas" and "Candle in the Wind 1997" as the third best selling single of all time!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_b ... ng_singles

John

[NotSure]

Police and thieves, The Clash: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3A8uNG3GH4&ab_channel=theclashVEVO

Original, Junior Murvin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlP3J3J3Upw&ab_channel=Alwaysthesun0


Piece of my heart, Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCngPse1iiI&ab_channel=JanisJoplinVEVO

Original, Erma Franklin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_6gptd01mY&ab_channel=ClassicMood

[AleisterCrowley]

I thought of Tainted Love straight off
Also;
The Tide is High - Blondie
(original by The Paragons)

[gvonge]

Piece of my heart, Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCngPse1iiI&ab_channel=JanisJoplinVEVO

Original, Erma Franklin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_6gptd01mY&ab_channel=ClassicMood

In a similar vein
Ball & Chain -Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company: https://youtu.be/X1zFnyEe3nE

Original - Big Mama Thornton https://youtu.be/IJlBo5KJ3b4

[Mike4]

Following hot on the heels of the last cover versions thread...here's another one.

Watching "the Serpent" on Netflix last night episode7 started with John Kongos - He's Gonna Step On You Again

It took me a moment to realise what was going on - and in my shame I had thought that it was a Happy Mondays original

I can't be the only one...
...and this can't be the only song I'm misattributing

suggestions for others?

-sd

Good idea and more interesting than 'better than the original'.

A couple spring to mind. friend in her 40s firmly believed I was making it up when I insisted Man who sold the World by Nirvana was a Bowie original, and Killing me softly by The Fugees was a hit 20 years previously by Roberta Flack, who I've just discovered, also didn't write it!

[NotSure]

In a similar vein
Ball & Chain -Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company: https://youtu.be/X1zFnyEe3nE

Original - Big Mama Thornton https://youtu.be/IJlBo5KJ3b4

Did Janis actually write anything?

Perhaps we need an 'originals you thought were covers' thread?

[redsturgeon]

In a similar vein
Ball & Chain -Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company: https://youtu.be/X1zFnyEe3nE

Original - Big Mama Thornton https://youtu.be/IJlBo5KJ3b4

Did Janis actually write anything?

Maybe...

https://performingsongwriter.com/janis- ... edes-benz/

[NotSure]

Also;
The Tide is High - Blondie
(original by The Paragons)

Another Blondie one - hanging on the telephone, original (The Nerves) here: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/mar/16/fca-launches-proceedings-against-natwest-over-alleged-money-laundering

[NotSure]

In a similar vein
Ball & Chain -Janis Joplin/Big Brother and the Holding Company: https://youtu.be/X1zFnyEe3nE

Original - Big Mama Thornton https://youtu.be/IJlBo5KJ3b4

Did Janis actually write anything?

Maybe...

https://performingsongwriter.com/janis- ... edes-benz/

My friends all drive Teslas...

[redsturgeon]

This Flight Tonight

Nazareth

Although it many years since I learned of the true original.

John

[redsturgeon]

The First Cut is the Deepest.

P P Arnold.

[gvonge]

Did Janis actually write anything?

It's an occupational hazard for Blues artists

Classic example

Cream
https://youtu.be/7HfkSzsyh1E

vs

Robert Johnson
https://youtu.be/tV5B1GeOqRI


There's also a very large subset of Led Zeppelin's output.

[NotSure]

It's an occupational hazard for Blues artists

Leadbelly, where did you sleep last night, predates even Leadbelly: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsfcUZBMSSg&ab_channel=todd131981

I'll now be listening to old, old blues for the rest of today!

[nmdhqbc]

A couple spring to mind. friend in her 40s firmly believed I was making it up when I insisted Man who sold the World by Nirvana was a Bowie original

I've heard this happens alot which is weird because I'm pretty sure Cobain says it's a Bowie song either right before or after on the recording. I guess that bit doesn't get played on the radio etc though.

[redsturgeon]

A couple spring to mind. friend in her 40s firmly believed I was making it up when I insisted Man who sold the World by Nirvana was a Bowie original

I've heard this happens alot which is weird because I'm pretty sure Cobain says it's a Bowie song either right before or after on the recording. I guess that bit doesn't get played on the radio etc though.

Fortunately I don't remember anyone thinking that Lulu's was the original version!

John