They didn’t write that?: Hits you (probably) didn’t realize were cover songs (Part Four)

09.14.2015
09:08 am
Topics:
Music
One-hit wonders
Tags:
David Hess
cover songs

This is the fourth part of a continuing series. Part One can be found HERE, Part Two can be found HERE, and Part Three can be found HERE.

Recently a friend hipped me to a song that I had NO IDEA existed, having thought for decades that the COVER of it by an ‘80s one-hit-wonder band was the original and only version that was ever recorded. This led to a conversation about hit songs that we didn’t at first realize were covers—sometimes not discovering the original versions until many years after the fact. A few friends joined in and at the end of the conversation I had a list of over 50 songs that were “surprise” cover versions.

As a public service to Dangerous Minds readers, I’m sharing this list so that you can wow your friends at parties with your vast musical knowledge. Granted, our readership is a smart and savvy bunch, so undoubtedly you’ll come across songs on this list and say “I already knew about that.” Of course you did, but indulge the rest of us. Hopefully, though, something here will surprise you.

We’ll be continuing to roll this list out in parts, as we have for the past next few weeks. In no particular order, this is Part Four of Dangerous Minds’ list of hits you (probably) didn’t realize were cover songs.

The song: “All Shook Up”

You know it from: Elvis Presley

But it was done first by: “David Hill” (AKA David Hess, star of The Last House on the Left)

“All Shook Up” was a number one hit single for Elvis Presley in 1957. Penned in 1956 by Otis Blackwell, the first recorded version of the song was recorded that same year by “David Hill,” which was the stage name of David Hess. Hess’ recording was a flop, but he later achieved fame as an actor in Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left, as well as other horror films such as The House on the Edge of the Park, and Hitch-Hike.

The song: “Hanging on the Telephone”

You know it from: Blondie

But it was done first by: The Nerves

“Hanging on the Telephone” was the second single release from Blondie’s 1978 Parallel Lines LP, but it originally appeared on The Nerves 1976 self-titled EP.

The song: “Ring of Fire’”

You know it from: Johnny Cash

But it was done first by: Anita Carter

In 1962 June Carter wrote “Ring of Fire,” allegedly inspired by her feelings towards Johnny Cash, whom she would later marry. Cash recorded the song in 1963 and it became one of his signature numbers and biggest hits, but the first recording of the song was done by June Carter’s sister, Anita.

The song: “Rock Around the Clock”

You know it from: Bill Haley and the Comets

But it was done first by: Sunny Dae & the Knights

The song “Rock Around the Clock” was written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers specifically for Bill Haley and the Comets who had a huge smash hit with it. As the song was written for Haley, we’re not going to call Haley’s version a “cover,” but it was preceded by a recording done twenty three days earlier in Philadelphia by Sunny Dae and the Knights for the Arcade Record label. Dae’s recording was not a hit, but Haley’s version went on to change the course of music.

The song: “Alone”

You know it from: Heart

But it was done first by: i-Ten

“Alone” was a number one hit for Heart in 1987, but it was originally written and recorded four years earlier in 1983 by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly on their i-Ten project album Taking a Cold Look. It was recorded again the following year by Valerie Stevenson and John Stamos for the original soundtrack of the CBS sitcom Dreams in 1984.

The song: “Black Betty”

You know it from: Ram Jam

But it was done first by: James “Iron Head” Baker

“Black Betty” is an American roots song dating back possibly to the Civil War era. It has been often times credited to Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter, though the earliest recordings are not by him. John and Alan Lomax’s recordings for the Library of Congress and later field recordings in 1934, 1936 and 1939 include different versions of “Black Betty.” The earliest known recording is by James “Iron Head” Baker in 1933. Manfred Mann recorded a version called “Big Betty” in 1968. The hit 1977 Ram Jam recording was actually an edit of a recording done a year earlier by Ram Jam guitarist Bill Bartlett’s previous band Starstruck. The Starstruck version is worth a listen to hear what got left out.

James “Iron Head” Baker’s 1933 recording:

The pre-Ram Jam Starstruck version can be heard here:

The song: “Don’t Cha”

You know it from: The Pussycat Dolls

But it was done first by: Tori Alamaze

Before the Pussycat Dolls had a hit with “Don’t Cha,” it was almost a hit for Tori Almaze. It might be best to just let Wikipedia explain the mess with this song:

In January 2004, in a basement studio in Atlanta, Cee Lo Green (then still known as a member of Goodie Mob) finished producing the song “Don’t Cha” which revolved around the hook from Sir Mix-a-Lot’s “Swass” taken from album of the same name. The song was originally written for Tori Alamaze, a former backing vocalist for the hip hop duo OutKast. In November, Alamaze signed with Universal Records and decided to release the song as her first single from her debut album which was due to release that same year. However, months later, Alamaze decided to part ways with the label as she was “unhappy” and felt that she “got caught up in the middle of egos and favors.” Thus she agreed to give up her rights to the song to get out of her contract. The song was still playing on radio while copies were available at stores. Her version of the song received minor success reaching number 53 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

After Universal Records dropped Almaze, the label was still very much interested in “Don’t Cha”. Record executives asked Green to rerecord “Don’t Cha” with The Pussycat Dolls. Initially Green was skeptical saying, “I didn’t know too much about them [...], but when I found out that [Universal-owned] Interscope Records was involved, that was an alliance I didn’t hesitate to make.” The Pussycat Dolls version was recorded around March adding two verses from rapper Busta Rhymes. Lead singer Nicole Scherzinger admitted that two records sounded identical. “I had [Alamaze’s] version as a guide. But ours is just a bit fresher.” This song was initially offered to both Sugababes and Paris Hilton, but both declined.

Here’s Alamaze’s original recording:

The song: “Love Will Keep Us Together”

You know it from: The Captain and Tennille

But it was done first by: Neil Sedaka

“Love Will Keep Us Together” won Captain and Tennille the Record of the Year Grammy in 1976, but it appeared three years earlier on Neil Sedaka’s The Tra-La Days Are Over LP. Toni Tennille acknowledged Sedaka’s authorship with the line “Sedaka is back” sung in the fade-out of her hit recording. Between Sedaka’s recording and Captain and Tennille’s, there was also a 1973 recording by Mac and Katie Kissoon which charted in the Netherlands.

The song: “I’ve Done Everything For You”

You know it from: Rick Springfield

But it was done first by: Sammy Hagar

Rick Springfield had a 1981 hit with “I’ve Done Everything For You” which was the follow-up single to “Jessie’s Girl” from his Working Class Dog LP. The song was originally recorded by its author, Sammy Hagar, in 1978 on his All Night Long live album.

The song: “Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite”

You know it from: Rezillos

But it was done first by: Fleetwood Mac

The Rezillos’ first studio LP Can’t Stand the Rezillos is considered a classic album of the first wave of British punk and “Someone’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite” is considered one of the band’s signature songs along with “Top of the Pops.” “Someone’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonite” is, however, a cover. The original was a 1969 B-side by none-other-than Fleetwood Mac.

The song: “Everytime You Go Away”

You know it from: Paul Young

But it was done first by: Hall and Oates

“Everytime You Go Away” was a number one 1985 hit for Paul Young, but it originally appeared on Hall & Oates’s 1980 album, Voices. The Hall and Oates original was not released as a single, but was later included on their Essentials “greatest hits” release.