Covers Songs You Thought Were Originals

[WyattEarp]

The 1956 Johnny Burnette's rockabilly version picks up the pace and gets us further down the tracks on the way to Aerosmith's classic. The original performance is spiced up in this video. Betty Page shimmies in interspersed clips.

 

[lomotil]

Almost all of my Led Zeppelin collection fits the title of this thread as they are they greatest most successful cover band in history but the plagiarized most of it. Cover bands give credits, Led Zeppelin gave credit under duress after court battles.

 

[Boss Nass]

Big Mama Thornton doing Hound Dog before anyone knew who Elvis was.

 

[ogibowt]

Big Mama Thornton doing Hound Dog before anyone knew who Elvis was.

or this one , covered by Janis Joplin. among others....Big Mama Thornton,,Ball And Chain

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJlBo5KJ3b4

 

[mandrill]

Maybe at least 2 hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aR_cSVYyIpM

Hollis dies this past year. Receded into family life after the fame, or rejecting it content with that.

IIRC, the follow-up crashed and burned and barely dented the Top 40.

Shame - As "It's My Life" was a pretty great song!

 

[MissCroft]

When I was a kid I discovered Aerosmith's Train Kept A-Rollin'. For me, it epitomized everything about American Rock & Roll. The sound of the train, the muscular rhythm and riff.

Then years later, I learned it was written and recorded by a Jazz/R&B guy named Tiny Bradshaw in the early 1950s. It has a jump blues sound that was lighter. It was then recorded by Johnny Burnette in 1956 with a faster rockabilly pace.

I didn't know that! Love the song.

 

[wawa]

Black magic woman

 

[MissCroft]

Big Mama Thornton doing Hound Dog before anyone knew who Elvis was.

Excellent!

 

[mandrill]

 

[mandrill]

The early 80's British "Two Tone Bands" movement basically covered 60's Jamaican ska and rocksteady classics as their singles.

 

[wigglee]

This Flight Tonight by Nazareth was originally written and recorded by Joni Mitchell

 

[peteeey]

This Flight Tonight by Nazareth was originally written and recorded by Joni Mitchell

Love Hurts was an Everly Brothers hit way before Nazareth recorded it.

 

[Insidious Von]

One of The Rolling Stones most haunting song is Play With Fire, written by Nanker Phelge.

I haven't found a video of the original, this is as close as it gets.

 

[ogibowt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMJweuiKPi0

here ya go IV.....Nanker Phelge was a psuedonem for the entire Rolling Stones crew and not just Jagger/Riichard

 

[ogibowt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2OIvFg-ljc

IV, one of the great talents of the early Stones was covering great songs....King Bee.. for instance

 

[ogibowt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWLvm11MAaM

this is the original by Slim Harpo

 

[Boss Nass]

The Rooftop Singers did this in 1962, Gus Cannon did it first in 1929.

 

[Buick Mackane]

The Tide Is High was originally done by the Paragons in 1967, Blondie took it to #1 in 1980.

 

[mandrill]

The Tide Is High was originally done by the Paragons in 1967, Blondie took it to #1 in 1980.

Great version. They have a ton of old 60's ska and bluebeat and rocksteady on Youtube.

 

[Buick Mackane]

Original version of Born Under A Bad Sign by William Bell is really cool, a bit different from the more known versions by Albert King and Cream.