Songs you didn't know were covers, Most people think the original is always the best, especially when it comes to music. But what happens when someone creates a version so great, it overshadows the first rendition? Check out our gallery of songs you might not have known were covers.
'DAZED AND CONFUSED' BY LED ZEPPELIN (1969)
This feverish, slow rock jam was a highlight of Led Zeppelin's debut album (watch them perform it). But the song proved to have more than a little "inspiration" in a song with the same title by an American singer-songwriter who opened for Page's earlier band, the Yardbirds, during a Greenwich Village gig in 1967. A copyright suit was later settled out of court.
'EMOTION' BY DESTINY'S CHILD (2001)
Houston-based Destiny’s Child retooled girl group R&B with a vengeance during the '90s, and by the turn of the millennium, had settled into the final trio of Beyoncé Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. If personnel changes informed the title of their "Survivor" album, the full-length was anything but embattled, debuting at No. 1 and yielding five singles, including this sensuous ballad, a cover of a 1977 single written by two brothers then setting their sights on the dance floor.
(WHAT'S SO FUNNY 'BOUT) PEACE, LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING' BY ELVIS COSTELLO AND THE ATTRACTIONS (1979)
By the time Elvis Costello released his third album, the prolific British new wave icon was displaying a broader, even majestic sonic power while still sharpening his lyrics to a satiric sting. Amid songs pondering toxic relationships and railing against Thatcher-era politics, this galloping rocker struck a more direct note of anguished idealism. It was an inspired choice, although not entirely surprising given the songwriter, one of Costello's producers, who had parodied '60s flower power in the original recording. Years later, a surprise soundtrack cover would prove a huge windfall for the writer.
IT'S MY LIFE' BY NO DOUBT (2003)
By the time No Doubt dropped this signature single hit, the erstwhile Cali pop-ska band had transformed into a full-blown platinum pop machine, with lead singer Gwen Stefani fully vetted as an icon. Yet the track confirmed that before they were superstars, they were teenaged fans who swooned over '80s synth-pop, especially when minted in the U.K.
'I LOVE ROCK 'N' ROLL' BY JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS (1982)
After gaining notoriety as part of the provocative ‘70s girl band The Runaways, Jett found fame on her own with this hit track about teenage flirtations and (what else?) rock music. “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” leapt to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 as well as charts in six other countries, cementing her commercial success.
KILLING ME SOFTLY WITH HIS SONG' BY ROBERTA FLACK (1973)
Before Flack recorded the hit track, the singer debuted "Killing Me Softly With His Song" during a 1972 show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles opening for Marvin Gaye. After the audience went nuts over her performance, Flack recalled Gaye coming up to her and saying, "Baby, don't ever do that song again live until you record it." The tune went on to win three Grammy Awards (watch her sing it) and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.
TORN' BY NATALIE IMBRUGLIA (1998)
Sweet-voiced Imbruglia made the jump from acting (she had a two-year stint on this long-running Australian soap opera) to singing with this catchy tune about devastating heartbreak. "Torn" was released in the U.S. in early February 1998 and at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Airplay Chart for nearly three months. At current count, it remains the most played song on Australian radio since 1990.
NOTHING COMPARES 2 U' BY SINEAD O'CONNOR (1990)
Already a star in her native Ireland, O'Connor was catapulted to international fame with the release of this heart-wrenching single. "Nothing Compares 2 U" went on to top the charts in 15 countries and spawned an iconic music video to boot. But her outspoken views on organized religion (not to mention this controversial performance on "Saturday Night Live") brought the singer's meteoric rise to a screeching halt, and her career never quite recovered.
'TAINTED LOVE' BY SOFT CELL (1981)
This British synth pop duo was relatively unknown until “Tainted Love” put the group on the musical map. Extolling the dangers of dabbling with femme fatales, the snappy tune became the best-selling single of 1981 in the U.K. and spent a record-breaking 43 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in the U.S., where it never quite reached No. 1. Nevertheless, it remains an instantly recognizable '80s classic.
'RESPECT' BY ARETHA FRANKLIN (1967)
The Queen of Soul truly hit her stride as an artist with this signature tune, which was later touted as an anthem for both the feminist and civil rights movements of the late '60s. "Respect" turned Franklin into an international superstar and earned her two Grammy Awards in 1968. Deemed to be culturally and historically significant, the song was added to the National Recording Registry in 2002 by the Library of Congress.
'VALERIE' BY AMY WINEHOUSE (2007)
The British neo-soul maven followed up the success of "Back to Black" with this Mark Ronson collaboration for his album "Version." The tune paid homage to much of Winehouse's musical influences (namely girl groups from the '50s and '60s) and showed off her trademark smoky vocals against a rollicking backbeat. "Valerie" became a hit, spending 19 consecutive weeks in the Top 20 of the U.K. Singles Chart and earning the duo a 2008 BRIT Award nomination.
IF I WERE A BOY' BY BEYONCÉ (2008)
Slipping into her alter ego (what's her name?), Beyoncé showed a very different side with this guitar-driven ballad that managed to weave together broken-hearted sentiments and feminism. Fittingly, "If I Were a Boy" was released simultaneously with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)", making for one heck of a one-two musical punch for the singer.
CRAZY' BY PATSY CLINE (1961)
"Crazy" is considered by many to be Cline's signature song, but the recording of the classic tune almost never happened. The singer was involved in a nearly fatal car accident in June 1961. Broken ribs made it difficult for her to reach the high notes, and four grueling hours in the studio failed to produce a satisfactory result. But a week later, after Cline's injuries had healed, she successfully laid down the vocals to "Crazy" in a single take.
TIME IS ON MY SIDE' BY THE ROLLING STONES (1964)
Perhaps proof that hype can sometimes harm artists, the pandemonium surrounding The Rolling Stones' first performance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964 led the TV host to ban the British rockers from his show (the ban was subsequently forgotten, of course, following their massive success). The Stones played "Time Is On My Side," which went on to become their first Top 10 hit in the U.S., peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Pop Singles Chart.
HEY JOE' BY JIMI HENDRIX (1966)
Hendrix was just another struggling artist in New York City until he was discovered by former Animals bassist Chas Chandler, who offered to manage the guitarist and take him to London. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was formed soon after and "Hey Joe" was the group's first official single. Although it failed to chart in the U.S., the song was a hit in the U.K. (watch Jimi perform it) and introduced a willing audience to a musical legend in the making.
MIDNIGHT TRAIN TO GEORGIA' BY GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS (1973)
Knight & the Pips were already at the top of their game when they decided to move from Motown Records to New York City-based label Buddah Records in 1973. Luckily, the decision coincided with the release of the group's biggest hit, "Midnight Train to Georgia." The soulful track managed to topple The Rolling Stones' "Angie" from the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and earned Knight & the Pips a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.
IT'S OH SO QUIET' BY BJÖRK (1995)
The Icelandic chanteuse first found fame with the band The Sugarcubes, but by 1993 she had ventured on a solo career and risen to international stardom thanks to her unique vocal styling. With her second album, "Post", Björk had her biggest hit to date with the single "It's Oh So Quiet." A quirky video (check it out) directed by Spike Jonze helped propel the track to No. 4 on the U.K. Singles Chart and helped the singer make headway in Australia, where the song peaked at No. 6 on the Singles Chart.
GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN' BY CYNDI LAUPER (1983)
This rainbow-haired singer had a brief stint as the lead singer of new wave band Blue Angel before striking out on her own as a solo artist. Lauper’s debut album, "She's So Unusual," spawned five hit singles, the first (and most memorable) of them being "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" (watch the classic video). The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart but was No. 1 in seven other countries.
DON'T TURN AROUND' BY ACE OF BASE (1994)
Sweden has given us many musical gifts over the years (see: ABBA, Robyn, et al.), but the '90s belonged to Ace of Base. The quartet was ubiquitous throughout the mid-1990s thanks to a string of hits (their signature song?) off the group's debut album, "The Sign." The last of those songs was "Don't Turn Around," a bass-heavy, reggae-tinged ode to forgetting about a past lover.
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU' BY WHITNEY HOUSTON (1992)
Houston was already a huge star by the early '90s, and soon Hollywood came knocking with movie offers. The singer chose to make her big-screen debut alongside Kevin Costner in "The Bodyguard," a film about a pop star who hires a bodyguard to protect her from a crazed stalker. The movie's soundtrack gave us the powerhouse ballad "I Will Always Love You," (watch the video) which is widely considered to be her signature song.
MANIC MONDAY' BY THE BANGLES (1986)
The Bangles reached a career high with the band’s second album, "Different Light," which spawned two popular singles. One of them was this catchy number inspired by an ancient civilization, while the other was the mid-tempo track "Manic Monday." A generous songwriting gift from this superstar who allegedly offered the song to The Bangles because he was smitten with singer Susanna Hoffs. "Manic Monday" turned out to be the band's first hit and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.
ME & BOBBY MCGEE' BY JANIS JOPLIN (1971)
Recorded only a few days before her death in October 1970, "Me and Bobby McGee" was the raucous singer's lone No. 1 single. The song was written by this friend and former lover.
'HOUND DOG' BY ELVIS PRESLEY (1956)
"Hound Dog" proved to be the singer's breakout hit – and the source of his first brush with controversy. Presley performed the single on the "Milton Berle Show" on June 5, 1956, and surprised the audience with his gyrating dance moves (check out the video). More than 40 million viewers watched the spectacle on television, and NBC was flooded with letters protesting the morality of Presley's hip-shaking appearance. Needless to say, the handsome crooner survived the scandal, and the rest is history.
CUM ON FEEL THE NOIZE' BY QUIET RIOT (1983)
Quiet Riot helped spotlight the Los Angeles heavy metal scene with the release of "Cum On Feel the Noize," the band's signature song. The foot-stomping track peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and pushed the album (what was the name of it?) to the top of the charts as well.
HANGING ON THE TELEPHONE' BY BLONDIE (1978)
Blondie's breakthrough album, "Parallel Lines," was packed with stellar singles, including this power pop number. Although "Hanging On the Telephone" failed to chart well in the U.S., it peaked at No. 5 on the U.K. singles chart.
'I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW' BY TIFFANY (1987)
Malls everywhere echoed with excitement when Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now" dropped in 1987. It wasn't the lead single off the singer's self-titled debut album. But radio began playing "I Think We're Alone Now," and a nationwide tour helped the song shoot to the top of the charts.
I WANT CANDY' BY BOW WOW WOW (1982)
This British new wave act broke into the U.S. market with this catchy, surf rock-influenced tune (remember their controversial album cover?). "I Want Candy" only peaked at No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, but the fun-loving music video and lead-singer Annabella Lwin's avant-garde style helped the song become an instant '80s classic.
LOUIE, LOUIE' BY THE KINGSMEN (1963)
A frequent musical staple at sporting events, "Louie, Louie" became the biggest hit for this Portland rock group. By the time the song made the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, The Kingsmen had already split (watch a video). "Louie, Louie" drummed up controversy due to the song's indistinguishable lyrics, with many believing the band members purposefully slurred the words to cleverly hide profanities. Radio stations across the country banned the song and the FBI conducted a 31-month investigation into the matter.
'I FOUGHT THE LAW' BY THE CLASH (1979)
Before The Clash released the iconic "London Calling," the British punk rockers put out an EP called "Cost of Living" which produced the single "I Fought the Law" (watch the video). Already adored in their native England, the band finally garnered attention and radio play in the U.S. with this memorable tune about trying (and failing) to circumvent the law.
