5 songs we didn’t know were in fact covers
Just as filmmakers can’t stop reinventing classic movies, musicians have long been borrowing songs from one another. But what happens when the borrowed song becomes more popular than the original? We take a look at five songs you might not have known were actually covers.
1. “Tainted Love”
The Soft Cell cover may sound extremely ‘80s, but did you know it was actually first released in 1965 by American singer Gloria Jones? It was never a hit (obviously, we’ve never heard of it!) until the UK synth-pop duo covered it in 1981. Click here to listen to the original. Give it a listen, we think it’s great!
2. “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll”
It was made famous by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts in 1982, of course, but “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” was actually first written and performed by English-American band The Arrows. It has been covered many times since, but even after listening to the fantastic original, you’ll agree Jett’s version is the best!
3. “Hey Joe”
Who knew that one of Jimi Hendrix’s most popular songs was actually a cover? “Hey Joe”, released in 1966 by the Jimi Hendrix Experience as their debut single, has been around since the 1950s, however the true writer of the song is still unknown to this day. Many versions of “Hey Joe” exist, but Hendrix’s is unbeatable.
4. “Hound Dog”
Elvis Presley covered many songs throughout his career, making them more famous than ever before, but we were surprised to learn one of his most iconic hits, “Hound Dog”, was actually first released in 1952 by blues singer “Big Mama” Thornton. Click here to listen to her soulful, bluesy version.
5. “The Tide is High”
Blondie made “The Tide is High” hugely successful with their hit cover in 1980, and it re-emerged again in 2002 thanks to a cover by Atomic Kitten, but the song was actually first released in 1967 by Jamaican group The Paragons. The original is a bit different to the more recent versions, but it’s certainly very funky!
How many of these songs did you know were covers? Tell us your favourite in the comments below.
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