Songs that are Covers but Most Think are Originals

[brakel]

God Gave Rock and Roll to You
Made famous by Kiss for the Bill and Ted movie in the early '90s.
I first heard this song in the late 1970s performed by Petra. However, Petra was doing a cover of the song originally published by Russ Ballard in 1973. A cover within a cover wrapped in Gene Simmons tongue.

 

[Trenchbroom]

True story. First day as a freshman in college, taking a music appreciation class. Music professor comes in the room, goes to his turntable, puts a record on and before he puts the tone arm down he says:
"This class is to bring you new sounds to enjoy. Some of you may think you have a diverse taste in music. This is a test; if someone can tell me who did this song originally will get an 'A' for this course. "
He puts the tone arm down, a few fiddles start to play and I am instantly transported to my childhood, back to my Grandparents living room, going through their 78s and listening to their music.

"Cool, clear water..."

I knew that he was expecting someone to answer Marty Robbins. But that would be incorrect.

"Sons of the Pioneers!" I shout from the back of the room. The professor gets a stunned look on his face and tells me I am correct. He was visibly shaken... over the rest of the hour he regrets his wager and instead of a guaranteed 'A' he decides to buy me lunch instead. What BS!

Still, looking back over 20 years later, it was a pretty proud moment.

 

[Bowflex]

God Gave Rock and Roll to You
Made famous by Kiss for the Bill and Ted movie in the early '90s.
I first heard this song in the late 1970s performed by Petra. However, Petra was doing a cover of the song originally published by Russ Ballard in 1973. A cover within a cover wrapped in Gene Simmons tongue.

I was at a five guys the other day and some dudes in their 30s, maybe 40s start discussing when kiss started playing keyboards. I let them know they were hearing the original version by argent that predates it by 20 years. They seemed blown away.

 

[Tabe]

"Mony Mony"- Billy Idol
Original- Tommy James and the Shondells

"Knockin' On Heaven's Doors"- Guns N' Roses
Original- Bob Dylan

Who actually thought those weren't covers? The originals are really, really famous.

 

[Dedpop]

True story. First day as a freshman in college, taking a music appreciation class. Music professor comes in the room, goes to his turntable, puts a record on and before he puts the tone arm down he says:
"This class is to bring you new sounds to enjoy. Some of you may think you have a diverse taste in music. This is a test; if someone can tell me who did this song originally will get an 'A' for this course. "
He puts the tone arm down, a few fiddles start to play and I am instantly transported to my childhood, back to my Grandparents living room, going through their 78s and listening to their music.

"Cool, clear water..."

I knew that he was expecting someone to answer Marty Robbins. But that would be incorrect.

"Sons of the Pioneers!" I shout from the back of the room. The professor gets a stunned look on his face and tells me I am correct. He was visibly shaken... over the rest of the hour he regrets his wager and instead of a guaranteed 'A' he decides to buy me lunch instead. What BS!

Still, looking back over 20 years later, it was a pretty proud moment.

A beautiful story....

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

Who actually thought those weren't covers? The originals are really, really famous.

If you're of the right age (and both me and the missus are of the right age) you will have grown up with the Billy Idol song being blasted at every school dance and every other wedding, bar mitzvah, or other social occasion you can think of. My wife even admits to knowing some of the "alternate" lyrics for Mony Mony that sadly I can't use in this forum.

So yeah it doesn't surprise me if a lot of people don't know it's a cover.

Knockin' On Heaven's Door, on the other hand... it's a standard that's been covered by many. Not just G N' R, but also by Clapton, and others.

 

[Tabe]

I'm of the right age to have grown up on the Billy Idol version and knew it was a cover. It was mentioned constantly back when Idol released his version.

I know the dirty lyrics too

 

[Nightwing]

Who actually thought those weren't covers? The originals are really, really famous.

Well,some people think that Guns N' Roses are the greatest band of all time - which ties into my picks...

Being a BIG James Bond Fan:

"Live and Let Die" - Original - Paul McCartney & Wings
Remake - G N' R

Also, Celine Dion's first big hit here in the USA - "If You Asked Me To... was previously released by Patti LaBelle for Timothy Dalton's last Bond film - "License To Kill"

True story - a few years back...I had this kid on my high school run who absolutely HATED The Beatles. Called them the most overrated group ever. He said Aerosmith was much better!
Anyways - the kids & I get into a music discussion and this guy is hating on the Fab Four. It just so happened at that time that "Come Together" comes on the radio. He says that this song makes Aerosmith rock! One of his favorites!

Of course - being the helpful guy that I am - I pointed out that the original artists for "Come Together" were The Beatles. And,because he deserved it - I then pointed out to the bus that the song currently being played on the radio wasn't the Aerosmith version,but the Beatles one that he couldn't stand.

it took about a month before the kids stopped teasing him about it

 

[Biff]

The Marcels did the best cover of Blue Moon. The doo wop version.

 

[Kratos3]

Never mind.

 

[EldarOfSuburbia]

The Marcels did the best cover of Blue Moon. The doo wop version.

Oh come on. (ffw to about 0:52)

 

[Biff]

Hysterical Kratos, most ppl think of the Marcels when Blue Moon comes up.

Nice catch Eldar, we really enjoy singing in the stadium here in Europe.

 

[brakel]

I was at a five guys the other day and some dudes in their 30s, maybe 40s start discussing when kiss started playing keyboards. I let them know they were hearing the original version by argent that predates it by 20 years. They seemed blown away.

I had never heard of the song before I heard Petra do it but I knew it was a cover from the liner notes on the LP. I think that's one reason that people don't know songs are covers anymore. Digital files don't have liner notes.

 

[Kratos3]

"Hallelujah", made popular by the amazing Jeff Buckley, is a Leonard Cohen song, I believe.