to be really shocked that Soft Cell covered

[Jaxsbum]

Tainted Love?? I thought it was their song

Aggh someone beat me to the Otis titbit.

A whole heap of Neil Diamond songs were made more famous by other people Little bit me, little bit you & I'm a believer (the Monkees), the boat that I row (Lulu) and Red, Red Wine (Tony Tribe and then later massacred by UB40 who had no idea it was written by Neil Diamond and were only familiar with Tony Tribe's Ska version).

Willie Nelson wrote and recorded the original version of 'Always on my mind' before Elvis got his hands on it. Apparently Elvis wanted to record Dolly Parton's 'I'll always love you' but wanted a cut of the songwriting royalties and a co- writer credit. Dolly told him to shove it which turned out to be a wise move when she hit paydirt hen it was covered for the bodyguard.

Tainted Love was written by Ed Cobb. Soft Cell recorded another Northern Soul song, What ! which was originally recorded by Judy Street in the 1960s (I think).

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye is a terrific record. The Soft Cell version is, IMO, the only one worth listening to, even if Marc Almond sings slightly out of tune .

John Kongos first recorded Step On in 1970. I believe he wrote it as well.

Speaking of Neil Diamond, he recorded a song called Red Rubber Ball in the mid 1960s. It's very much of his style at the time but I was surprised to find out recently that Paul Simon wrote it.

Reminds of the day in the office when a young colleague was singing a Sugar Babes song Freak like Me and refused to believe an ancient music God called Gary Numan was responsible for the best bit of that song "cos the Sugar Babes are totally original and don't need old stuff."

In my head the colleague was dangled out of the window by the computer cables until the apologised for their crime.

I think Paul Young made 'Wherever I lay my Hat' their own

ARich

DD (12) refuses to believe the 5SOS have used an "oldie" track on their latest record.

I started signing along to the Duran Duran version and she was horrified

I was about to mention Wherever I Lay My Hat" pancakeflipper. The Marvin Gaye version is so chirpy!

I didn't know Heartbeats by Jose Gonzales was a cover. The original (by The Knife I think?) is brilliant but a completely different song.

I think Will Young always does good cover versions, especially his version of Running Up That Hill. Placebo did a good cover of it as well.

The one that always gets me is 'Hanging on the Telephone' by Blondie. Not an original.

That is a very interesting fact about Gloria Jones and Marc Bolan, ADish. I will enjoy regaling DH with it later. He's a big Northern Soul fan.

We saw Marc Almond in Borough High Street a couple of months ago. Both of us were slightly star struck. He was getting on a scooter with a passenger so I guess the accident didn't put him off.

I love this guy's cover versions. Can't help but smile.
Richard Cheese.

Surprised that Step On is a cover, though I have thought that the lyrics are a bit profound for the Happy Mondays. Best cover version ever was Roxy Music "Jealous Guy", I love that song.
Agree Roland Gift did a better job than Elvis with "Suspicious Minds".

Worst cover was Rod Stewart "First Cut is The Deepest" sung by a girl with a quavery voice, don't know who it was. Much prefer Rod's gravel tones.

Currently my favourite cover is Steam Powered Giraffe's version of Diamonds

bertsdinner. The First Cut Is The Deepest was written by Cat Stevens. He also recorded it but the definitive version is by P.P. Arnold. An absolute classic.

I feel so old reading this thread as I don't think I'm surprised about any of these songs being covers.

I think GJ's and SC's versions of Tainted Love just sound like 2 different, be equally great songs so no need to choose.

I love this cover of MGMT's Time to Pretend = different but equal.

I love Alien Ant Farm's Smooth Criminal

The Four Tops' Wall away Renee was originally by the Baroque pop group The Left Banke. It was written by the band's then 16 year old keyboard player about his unrequited love for the bassist's girlfriend Renée. Must have made for an interesting inter band dynamic.

Also think Suede's cover of Brass In Pocket is the definitive version.

Suede are called "London Suede" in the USA, due a dispute about the name.

I remember getting shocked look off my teen DS when I was singing along to Love me for a Reason (was it Westlife) and him asking how I knew the words to the tune

You know in that... this is not old fogey music so why are you singing to it, look that teens do so well. He was shocked it was an oldie

I quite like Depeche Mode's version of Tainted Love too. It's just a great song.

It was Boyzone old

Or Middleagedmanzone as they would be known as today.

was on another fun Suede fact. The bassist from Suede is Richard Osman from Pointless's brother.

I was reading this last night, but missed the programme. It's repeated now.
I knew most of these were covers (many years working in a record shop), but it's always interesting to realise how many people don't.

One that used to wind me up was 'She's the one' being attributed to Robbie Williams, rather than World Party. I'm over it now.

Loved seeing 'Doctor and the Medics' - says everything about the university I went to, that in 1990, they were one of the biggest acts ever to play there Although Kirsty MacColl was there the year after

Of course, they could have done a whole hour on Westlife- whose entire career has been built on covers. But they wouldn't have been good covers

I say it all the time but This Mortal Coil's version of Tim Buckley's Song To The Siren is unbelievably good. It's an amazing song to begin with but in their hands it becomes something else altogether.

Listen to it if you don't already know it: prepare for your spine to start atinglin'

Alien Ant Farm - Smooth Criminal

Oh- I agree. It's beautiful.

also the fact Elizabeth Fraser was in a relationship with Tim's son Jeff briefly, I find interesting.

The latter section of this covers programme has been a bit disappointing, and no real surprises. And Alexandra Burke ffs