Songs you didn't realise were covers

[hoarahloux]

I almost grew up with Natalie Imbruglia's Torn. I used to put the music video channels on TV in the early morning before my parents got up. I loved it, she was one of my first crushes. I watched the video of it over and over again and was bemused how the man was so normal when she was so incredible.

It wasn't until much later I found out that the song was a cover, and the original by Ednaswap was almost identical so it wasn't even an interesting cover!

That’s a completely different song, albeit with the same title.

The unusual thing with that was she covered it fairly recently after it came out

Thanks, I'd never heard that version before, it's very powerful, and quite faithful to Stevens' original, whereas Rod Stewart's version was something of a departure (upon which Sheryl Crowe apparently based her later version).

I suppose there's a (pedantic and semantic) debate to be had about whether an artist "covers" their own song? It seems reasonable to say that Cat Stevens' version was the original version, and PP Arnold's was itself a cover of that original (if currently unreleased) song.

In the spirit of the thread, though, I was as surprised to find out that PP Arnold's version preceded Cat Stevens' release, as I was to find out Rod Stewart's (the first version I heard) wasn't the original.

This is true - by Tarkan. My and my sister recognised the sing instantly having heard it on holiday several years earlier

I had no idea! Original is better imo

Driving in France this year, we heard this "remix" of Disturbed's Sound of Silence. It's at number 12 in the French charts. I quite like it..but I wonder how many people know the original.

Most of us I should think. Very well known Simon and Garfunkel track.

Ub40's was better.
I think a lot of soft cells were covers - but brilliant (think they pinched the records out their dads attic )

Then a rock band called Little Angels also covered it. Love their version.

Got My Mind Set On You by George Harrison is a cover

It depends on if you like UB40. I can't abide their music, so I prefered Neil Diamond.

Me and Dh call it a sellotape song. Fleetwood Mac's Chains is another example. There are good few but of course I can't think if any right now.

Eric Clapton is always associated with the song Cocaine, but it was written by JJ Cale. Always a good bit of trivia for a pop quiz.

I think Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand is two songs in one as well.

The video gives mid-70s Benny Hill vibes, but it’s still a tune.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=GZpTksAkPx8

Got my mind set on you by George Harrison

no idea that was a cover, and I was really disappointed as I’m pretty sure it was badged up as George Harrison’s great return to songwriting so felt cheated it wasn’t his song

I have just watched it. Benny Hill on location in Greece with the cast of Mamma Mia the movie.

@Alalalalalongalalalalalonglonglilong
A Day in the life - The Beatles also a 2 in one song.

It's 27 years old. He had a look of a young Elvis back then did Tarkan.

Bloody hell op - you really do learn something new every day! I had no idea Torn was a cover!! Off to Spotify the original...

It's not much different!

Actually, “You were always on my mind” was an original by Brenda Lee - not Elvis

Annie Lennox 'No more I love you's' is a cover, the original is by The Lover Speaks (which I prefer)

The Prodigy is a sample, not a cover. Samples are a whole new can of worms!

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack - originally written by Ewan MacColl for Peggy Seeger.