This is the third part of a continuing series. Part One can be found HERE and Part Two 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 rolling this list out in parts over the next few weeks. In no particular order, this is Part Three of Dangerous Minds’ list of hits you (probably) didn’t realize were cover songs.
 

 
The song: “Girls Just Want to Have fun”

You know it from: Cyndi Lauper

But it was done first by: Robert Hazard

Cyndi Lauper’s 1983 smash-hit feminist anthem was originally written and recorded by a man in 1979. The song was originally a demo track from Robert Hazard who later had a minor MTV hit with the song “Escalator of Life.” Some readers who have been following this series on Dangerous Minds may cry “foul” in that Robert Hazard’s original version of the song was a demo and not available as a consumer release. Fair enough, but Hazard’s little-heard version is so remarkable that the urge to share it couldn’t be resisted.
 

 

 

 
The song: “Hello Hooray”

You know it from: Alice Cooper

But it was done first by: Judy Collins

One of the most-memorable tracks from Alice Cooper’s 1973 platinum-selling Billion Dollar Babies album is “Hello Hooray.” The song was actually written by Rolf Kempf and was recorded five years earlier by Judy Collins. There’s certainly no confusing Alice’s and Judy’s versions:
 

 

 

 
The song: “Everybody’s Talkin’”

You know it from: Harry Nilsson

But it was done first by: Fred Neil

Prolific singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson had a huge 1969 Grammy-winning hit with “Everybody’s Talkin’.” The song was recorded for the film Midnight Cowboy after director John Schlesinger rejected the Nilsson-penned “I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City.” The original version of “Everybody’s Talkin’” was written and released by Fred Neil in 1966. According to Wikipedia, “It was composed towards the end of the session, after Neil had become anxious to wrap the album so he could return to his home in Miami, Florida. Manager Herb Cohen promised that if Neil wrote and recorded a final track, he could go. ‘Everybody’s Talkin’‘, recorded in one take, was the result.” 
 

 

 

 
The song: “Twist and Shout”

You know it from: The Isley Brothers (or The Beatles)

But it was done first by: The Top Notes

“Twist and Shout” was written in 1961 by Phil Medley and Bert Berns. It was a huge hit for the Isley Brothers in 1962 and then again for the Beatles in 1963. It was recorded first in 1961 by The Top Notes. The recording was an early Phil Spector production.  Upon hearing the final mix, songwriter Bert Berns (aka Bert Russell) told Spector that he had “messed up the song” and predicted the single would flop. Berns felt that Spector had actually ruined the song with his production, and sought to show him “how it should be done” by producing the Isley’s hit version a year later.
 

 

 

 
The song: “Mandy”

You know it from: Barry Manilow

But it was done first by: Scott English

“Mandy” was a monster 1974 number one soft-rock hit for Barry Manilow, but it was originally recorded in 1971 as “Brandy” by Scott English. Between English and Manilow’s recordings, Looking Glass’ “Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl)” had become a 1972 number one hit. To avoid confusion, Manilow changed the title to “Mandy” and the rest is history.
 

 

 

 
The song: “The Tide is High”

You know it from: Blondie

But it was done first by: The Paragons

Blondie’s 1980 number one hit was originally a 1967 rocksteady track from The Paragons. It was also recorded in 1978 by reggae artist Gregory Isaacs.
 

 

 

 
The song: “Family Man”

You know it from: Hall and Oates

But it was done first by: Mike Oldfield

“Family Man” was a hit for Hall and Oates, reaching number 6 on the US Hot 100 in June 1983. It was recorded a year prior by Mike Oldfield (of The Exorcist soundtrack “Tubular Bells” fame) with Maggie Reilly on vocals. Oldfield’s production is pretty weird, and I mean that in the best way possible. What is that bassline? It was a minor UK hit for Oldfield, peaking at number 45 on the British singles chart.
 

 

 

 
The song: “Killing Me Softly With His Song”

You know it from: Roberta Flack (or The Fugees)

But it was done first by: Lori Lieberman

Depending on your age, you probably know “Killing Me Softly” by either Roberta Flack’s 1973 version or The Fugees 1996 recording. The original version is Lori Lieberman’s 1971 recording.  The song itself was a collaborative effort between Liberman, Charles Fox, and Normal Gimbel, based on a poem Liberman wrote about her reaction to Don McLean’s song “Empty Chairs.” Unfortunately for this humble reporter, I can’t hear any version of this beautiful song now without hearing that annoying “one time, one time—two times, two times” in my head. THANKS A LOT, Fugees.

 

 

 
The song: “Indian Reservation”

You know it from: Paul Revere and the Raiders

But it was done first by: Marvin Rainwater

“Indian Reservation” or “Indian Reservation (Cherokee People)” was a number one 1971 song for Paul Revere and the Raiders, but it was originally recorded in 1959 by Marvin Rainwater and released as “The Pale Faced Indian.” The first hit recording of the song was in 1968 by Don Fardon.
 

 
Here’s Don Fardon’s hit 1968 version:

 

 

 
The song: “Warning”

You know it from: Black Sabbath

But it was done first by: Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation

“Warning” was featured on Black Sabbath’s 1970 debut LP and is generally associated with that ground-breaking album, but it was originally a 1967 single by The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation on the Blue Horizon label. Dig how heavy this is for 1967:
 

 

 

 
The song: “Dazed and Confused”

You know it from: Led Zeppelin
 
But it was done first by: Jake Holmes

Originally written and recorded in 1967 for the The Above Ground Sound of Jake Holmes LP, the song was played in concert by Holmes opening for The Yardbirds that same year. According to Holmes, “That was the infamous moment of my life when Dazed and Confused fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page.” Page made the song a a live staple in Yardbirds performances and then took the song with him to Led Zeppelin. “Dazed and Confused” appeared on Led Zeppelin’s debut album in 1969, but Holmes didn’t follow up on it until the early 1980s when he sent a letter to Page asking for “some credit at least and some remuneration.” No reply was received. In June of 2010, Holmes sued Page for copyright infringement and the case was settled out of court. The Led Zeppelin version, which contains different lyrics and a modified melody was not credited to Holmes. 
 

 

 

 
The song: “Black Magic Woman”

You know it from: Santana
 
But it was done first by: Fleetwood Mac

One of Santana’s biggest hits off their 1970 album Abraxas and a classic rock radio staple, “Black Magic Woman” was originally recorded two years earlier as a single by Fleetwood Mac. Mac’s version went as high as number 37 on the UK charts.
 

 

 

 
The song: “New York Groove”

You know it from: Ace Frehley of KISS

But it was done first by: Hello

“New York Groove” appeared on the 1978 KISS album Ace Frehley and was performed on KISS’ 1979 and 1980 tours, later becoming a staple of Frehley’s solo shows after splitting with the group. Though “the solo albums” were released under the KISS moniker, essentially they were indeed “solo records” with each member of the band making a separate album, mostly using session musicians. It is generally agreed upon, even by die-hard KISS fans that the solo albums are TERRIBLE. Arguably, out of all four solo records, “New York Groove” may be the only stand out track, but it wasn’t a Frehley original. The original was recorded three years earlier in 1975 by British glam rock band Hello.
 

 

 
Keep your eyes peeled for Part Four of this list, coming soon at Dangerous Minds.

Previously on Dangerous Minds:
They didn’t write that?: Hits you (probably) didn’t realize were cover songs (Part One)
They didn’t write that?: Hits you (probably) didn’t realize were cover songs (Part Two)