What? That's a cover version?

Popular songs (worldwide) that most of us consider them as the original recordings... while they are not!



My Way - Frank Sinatra

My Way is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra.

Its lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to music based on the French song Comme d'habitude composed in 1967 by Claude François and Jacques Revaux, with lyrics by Claude François and Gilles Thibault.

Anka's English lyrics are unrelated to the original French song.

My Way is often quoted as the most covered song in history.

Here is the french song Comme d'habitude by Claude François (1967)

Strangers In The Night - Frank Sinatra

Strangers in the Night is a popular song composed by Bert Kaempfert with English lyrics by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder.

It was originally created under the title Beddy Bye as part of the instrumental score for the movie A Man Could Get Killed.

The song was made famous in 1966 by Frank Sinatra.

Reaching number one on both the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the Easy Listening chart, it was the title song for Sinatra's 1966 album Strangers in the Night, which would become his most commercially successful album.

The song also reached number one on the UK Singles Chart.

Sinatra's recording won him the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance and the Grammy Award for Record of the Year.

Here is the final (ending) scene from the 1966 film A Man Could Get Killed with Melina Mercouri and James Garner.

New York New York - Frank Sinatra

Theme from New York, New York is the theme song from the Martin Scorsese film New York, New York (1977), composed by John Kander, with lyrics by Fred Ebb. It was written for and performed in the film by Liza Minnelli. It was suggested to him by Howard Huntridge, an English Television producer, during a meeting at Caesars Palace Las Vegas in 1977. The song has been embraced as a celebration of New York City, and is popular particularly at public social events in the city, lending it a quasi-status as the city's anthem. In 1979, it was recorded by Frank Sinatra, for his album Trilogy: Past Present Future (1980), and has since become closely associated with him. He occasionally performed it live with Minnelli as a duet. Sinatra recorded it a second time in duet with Tony Bennett for his 1993 album Duets.

Here is the original version, from the final (ending) scene of  Martin Scorsese's film New York, New York (1977)

Ring Of Fire - Johnny Cash

Ring of Fire or The Ring of Fire is a country music song popularized by Johnny Cash and co-written by June Carter Cash (wife of Johnny Cash) and Merle Kilgore.

The single appears on Cash's 1963 compilation album, Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash.

The song was originally recorded by June's sister, Anita Carter, on her Mercury Records album Folk Songs Old and New (1963) as "(Love's) Ring of Fire".

The song was recorded on March 25, 1963, and became the biggest hit of Johnny Cash's career, staying at number one on the charts for seven weeks. It was certified Gold on 1/21/2010 by the R.I.A.A.

Here is the original version by Anita Carter

Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles

Hit the Road Jack is a song written by rhythm and bluesman Percy Mayfield and first recorded in 1960 as an a capella demo sent to Art Rupe, available on the Memory Pain CD vol. 2, Specialty Records SPCD-7027-2.

It became famous after it was recorded by singer-pianist Ray Charles.

It hit number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, beginning on Monday, October 9, 1961. The song was also number one on the R&B Sides chart for five weeks, becoming Ray Charles' sixth number one on that chart.

The song is ranked #377 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time Unhappily Ever After season 1, 5.

Here is the original version by Percy Mayfield

 

 

Hound Dog - Elvis Presley

Hound Dog is a twelve-bar blues written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton in 1952. Other early versions illustrate the differences among blues, country, and rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The 1956 remake by Elvis Presley is the best-known version; it is his version that is No. 19 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Hound Dog was also recorded by five country singers in 1953 alone, and over 26 times through 1964. From the 1970s onward, the song has appeared, or is heard, as a part of the soundtrack in numerous films, most notably in blockbusters such as American Graffiti, Grease, Forrest Gump, Lilo & Stitch, A Few Good Men, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Here is the original version by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton

Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley

Suspicious Minds is a song written by American songwriter Mark James that, after the failure of his own recording, was handed to Elvis Presley by producer Chips Moman becoming one of his most notable hits and a number one in 1969, "Suspicious Minds" was widely regarded as the single that returned Presley's career success, following '68 Comeback Special. It was his seventeenth and last number-one single in the United States. Rolling Stone later ranked it #91 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Here is the original version by Mark James

Always On My Mind - Elvis Presley

Always on My Mind is an American country music song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson, originally recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972.

Allmusic lists over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers.

While Brenda Lee's version had stalled at #45 on the country charts in 1972, other performers would reach top 20 (including #1) success with their own versions: Elvis Presley in 1972; John Wesley Ryles in 1979; Willie Nelson Grammy Award winning version in 1982; Pet Shop Boys in 1987.

 

 

Here is the original version by Brenda Lee

 

 Somebody To Love - Jefferson Airplane

Somebody to Love is a rock song that was written by Darby Slick and originally recorded by 1960s folk rock band The Great Society and later by the psychedelic rock band Jefferson Airplane.

Rolling Stone magazine ranked Jefferson Airplane's version #274 on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Here is the original version by The Great Society

Respect - Aretha Franklin

Respect is a song written and originally released by Stax recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. Respect became a 1967 hit and signature song for R&B singer Aretha Franklin

Franklin's cover was a landmark for the feminist movement, and is often considered as one of the best songs of the R&B era, earning her two Grammy Awards in 1968 for "Best Rhythm & Blues Recording" and "Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female", and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2002, the Library of Congress honored Franklin's version by adding it to the National Recording Registry. It is number five on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It was also included in the list of Songs of the Century, by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.

 

 

Here is the original version by Otis Redding

Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinéad O'Connor 

Nothing Compares 2 U is a pop song written by American recording artist Prince for one of his side-projects, The Family.

However, it wasn't until Sinéad O'Connor recorded her version for the album I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got when it became a worldwide hit, topping charts in 15 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada.

Here is the original version of the song by The Family (1985).

 

 

  I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye

I Heard It Through the Grapevine is a landmark song in the history of Motown. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.

Released on September 25, 1967 as Soul 35039 by Gladys Knight & the Pips who recorded the third version of the song, it has since become a signature song for singer Marvin Gaye, who recorded his version of the song prior to the Pips' but released it after theirs on October 30, 1968 as Tamla 54176. Creedence Clearwater Revival released their version of the song in 1970.

Gaye's version has since become a landmark in pop music.

 In 2004, it ranked No.80 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

On the commemorative 50th Anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine in June 2008, Gaye's version was ranked as the 65th biggest song on the chart.

 

 

Here is the original version of the song by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

Georgia on My Mind - Ray Charles

Georgia on My Mind is a song written in 1930 by Hoagy Carmichael (music) and Stuart Gorrell (lyrics). It is the official state song of the U.S. state of Georgia. Gorrell wrote the lyrics for Hoagy's sister, Georgia Carmichael.

The song was first recorded on September 15, 1930 in New York by Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra with Bix Beiderbecke on muted cornet and Hoagy Carmichael on vocals. The recording was part of Bix Beiderbecke's last recording session. The recording was released as Victor 23013 with "One Night in Havana".

Frankie Trumbauer had the first major hit recording in 1931 when his recording made the top ten on the charts. Trumbauer had suggested that Carmichael compose the song. Another 1931 hit version was Mildred Bailey's vocal made with members of Paul Whiteman's Orchestra (Victor 22880).

Ray Charles recorded it in 1960 on the album The Genius Hits the Road. It became Georgia's state song in 1979. Inspired by this blues version, Willie Nelson introduced the song to country audiences in 1978 as a #1 Country/Western hit.

 

Here is the original recording by Hoagy Carmichael and His Orchestra (1930)

Twist and Shout - The Beatles

Twist and Shout is a song written by Phil Medley and Bert Russell.

It was originally titled "Shake It Up, Baby" and recorded by the Top Notes and then covered by The Isley Brothers.

It was covered by The Beatles with John Lennon on the lead vocals and originally released on their first album Please Please Me.

The song was covered by The Mamas & the Papas in the style of a ballad in 1967 on their album Deliver, and on a film soundtrack by Cliff Richard.

It was also covered by The Tremeloes.

Most recently Chaka Demus and Pliers reached No. 1 on the UK charts with their version in January 1994.

The Who performed it throughout their career, most notably on Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970 and 1982's Who's Last.

It was heavily sampled by female rap trio Salt-N-Pepa in 1988.

 

 

Here is the original version by Top Notes (1961)

Sinnerman - Nina Simone 

Sinner Man or Sinnerman is an American traditional spiritual song that has been recorded by a number of performers.

The song dates to the turn of the 20th century but most modern recorded versions derive from the 1956 recording by Les Baxter, further changes and additions were codified in 1959 by the folk music group the Weavers. The Weavers' performance of the song appears on their compilation albums Gospel and Reunion at Carnegie Hall Part 2.

"Sinnerman" (spelled as one word) is one of Nina Simone's most famous songs and she recorded her definitive 10-minute-plus version on her 1965 album Pastel Blues.

Simone learned the lyrics of this song in her childhood when it was used at revival meetings by her mother, a Methodist minister, to help people confess their sins.

An earlier version of the song exists, recorded live at The Village Gate, but was never used on the 1962 Colpix album Nina at the Village Gate.

Here is the version by Les Baxter (1956)

Got My Mind Set On You - George Harrison 

Got My Mind Set on You is a song written by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962.

It is best known for the cover version released by George Harrison in 1987.

Here is the original version by James Ray

I Love Rock 'n Roll - Joan Jett 

I Love Rock 'n Roll is a rock song written in 1975 by Alan Merrill and Jake Hooker of Arrows, who recorded the first released version. The song was later made famous by the hit version recorded by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts in 1981.

Here is the original version by Arrows

Madness + Prince Buster

The band named itself Madness; paying homage to one of their favourite songs by ska/reggae artist Prince Buster.

Here is the song Madness by Prince Buster from which they were named.

In 1979, the band recorded the Lee Thompson composition "The Prince".

The song, like the band's name, paid homage to their idol, Prince Buster.

The song was released through 2 Tone Records, the label of The Specials founder Jerry Dammers. The song was a surprise hit, peaking in the UK music charts at number 16.

A performance of "The Prince" on popular UK music show Top of the Pops helped Madness gain public recognition. Madness then toured with fellow 2 Tone bands The Specials and The Selecter, before recording their debut album.

That debut album, One Step Beyond... was released by Stiff Records.

The album included a re-recording of "The Prince" and its B-side "Madness", and the band's second and third singles: One Step Beyond and "My Girl".

The title song was a cover of the B-side of the 1960s Prince Buster hit "Al Capone". One Step Beyond... stayed in the British charts for 37 weeks, peaking at number 2.

One Step Beyond - Madness 

One Step Beyond is a tune written by Jamaican ska singer Prince Buster as a B-side for his single "Al Capone". (Label: Blue Beat - BB 324, 1964)

It was made famous by British band Madness who covered it for their debut 1979 album, One Step Beyond....

Although Buster's version was mostly instrumental except for the song title shouted for a few times, the Madness version features a spoken intro by Chas Smash and a barely audible but insistent background chant of "here we go!". The spoken line, "Don't watch that, watch this", in the intro is from another Prince Buster song, "The Scorcher".

According to Alan Winstanley, one of the producers, the released Madness version was a rough mix, created by taking the original 1 minute 10 second instrumental and repeating it, with the second half treated with an Eventide harmonizer to make it sound slightly different.

 

 

Here is the original version of the song by Prince Buster

It Must Be Love - Madness

It Must Be Love is a song written and originally recorded in 1971 by Labi Siffre.

However, the best known version was recorded by ska/pop band Madness in 1981.

The song was featured in the 1989 movie, The Tall Guy starring Jeff Goldblum, Rowan Atkinson and Emma Thompson.

Suggs also appeared in the movie whilst singing this song.

The single was reissued to tie in with the film but was not a hit on that occasion.

A version with altered lyrics was used to advertise Midland Bank in 1994, and Madness' version was also used to advertise LoveFilm in 2009. Siffre's original version also appeared in a 2007 UK television advertisement for Vodafone.

The singer of the Belgian group Arid, Jasper Steverlinck, also released a cover of this song.

Here is the original version by Labi Siffre

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - The Animals or Santa Esmeralda 

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood is a song written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for the singer/pianist Nina Simone, who first recorded it in 1964.

"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" has been recorded or performed by many artists, and is widely known by the 1965 blues rock hit recording from The Animals. A 1977 disco/Latin rendition by Santa Esmeralda was also a hit.

Here is the original version by Nina Simone

Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers or Les Baxter

Unchained Melody is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret.

It has become one of the most recorded songs of the 20th century, by some counts having spawned over 500 versions in hundreds of different languages.

In 1955, Alex North used the music as a theme for the prison film Unchained, hence the name.

Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack.

Les Baxter (Capitol Records catalog number 3055), released an instrumental version which reached #2. Then song recordings were released by Al Hibbler (Decca Records #29441) reaching #3 on the Billboard charts, Jimmy Young which hit #1 in the United Kingdom, and Roy Hamilton (Epic Records no. 9102) reaching #1 on the R&B Best Sellers list and #6 on the pop chart.

Hundreds of other recordings followed.

It was the July 1965 version by The Righteous Brothers that became a jukebox standard for the late 20th century, regaining massive popularity when used in the 1990 blockbuster film Ghost.

Here is the original version of the song by Todd Duncan

Piece Of My Heart - Big Brother And The Holding Company (vocals by Janis Joplin)

Piece of My Heart is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Bert Berns and originally recorded by Erma Franklin in 1967.

The song came to greater mainstream attention when Big Brother and the Holding Company covered the song in 1968 on their album Cheap Thrills and had a hit with it.

The song has since been remade by several singers, including hit versions by Faith Hill in 1994 and Melissa Etheridge in 2005.

In 2004, the Big Brother and the Holding Company version of this song was ranked Number 344 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The song is also included among The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.

Here is the original version by Erma Franklin

Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes

Bette Davis Eyes is a song written in 1974 by Donna Weiss and Jackie DeShannon and made popular by American singer-songwriter Kim Carnes.

DeShannon recorded the song that same year (1974) on her album New Arrangement.

But it was not until 1981, when Kim Carnes recorded her version of the song, that it became a commercial success.

Here is the original version of the song by Jackie DeShannon

At Last - Etta James

At Last is a 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren for the musical film Orchestra Wives, starring George Montgomery and Ann Rutherford. It was performed in the film and on record by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday. Unreleased recordings of the song, however, had been made in 1941 by Glenn Miller for possible inclusion in the film Sun Valley Serenade. A new version was recorded by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra in Chicago on May 20, 1942, and released by RCA Victor Records as a 78 single, catalogue number 27934-B, backed with the A side "(I've Got a Gal In) Kalamazoo". The song reached number 9 on the Billboard pop charts in 1942, staying on the charts for 9 weeks, and later became a standard. In 1960, it was covered by blues singer Etta James in an arrangement that improvised on Warren's melody. James' version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.

Here is the version by Glenn Miller and his orchestra, with vocals by Ray Eberle and Pat Friday (from the film ''Orchestra Wives'').

I Just Want To Make Love To You - Etta James

I Just Want to Make Love to You is a 1954 blues song written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters.

The song was a major hit, reaching number four on Billboard magazine's Black Singles chart.

Backing Waters' vocals and guitar on the single were Little Walter on harmonica, Jimmy Rogers on second guitar, Otis Spann on piano, Willie Dixon on bass, and Fred Below on drums.

Waters recorded the song again for the album Electric Mud (1968).

In 1961, Etta James recorded the song for her debut album At Last!.

Her rendition also served as the b-side to her hit "At Last."

In 1996, Etta James' version became popular in the UK after featuring in a Diet Coke ad campaign. As a result, the single was re-released there.

The song first appeared on the UK Singles Chart on February 10, 1996 at #5, the single stayed on the charts for 7 weeks and left the charts at #62 on March 23.

Here is the original version by Muddy Waters

Black Magic Woman - Santana 

Black Magic Woman is a song written by Peter Green that first appeared as a Fleetwood Mac single in various countries in 1968, subsequently appearing on the 1969 Fleetwood Mac compilation albums English Rose (US) and The Pious Bird of Good Omen (UK). In 1970, it became a classic hit by Santana, as sung by Gregg Rolie, reaching #4 in the U.S. and Canadian charts, after appearing on their Abraxas album, becoming more closely associated with Santana than Fleetwood Mac. In 2005 the song was covered by ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Snowy White on his album The Way It Is. In 1996, the song was also covered by Gary Hoey on his album Bug Alley.

Here is a live version by Fleetwood Mac (Live At The Boston Tea Party 1970)

Non, je ne regrette rien - Édith Piaf

Non, je ne regrette rien meaning "No, I'm not sorry for anything", is a French song composed by Charles Dumont, with lyrics by Michel Vaucaire.

It was written in 1956, and is best known through its 1960 recording by Édith Piaf.

Piaf dedicated her recording of the song to the French Foreign Legion.

At the time of the recording, France was engaged in a military conflict, the Algerian War (1954–1962), and the 1st REP (1st Foreign Parachute Regiment) — which backed a temporary putsch of 1961 by the French military against the civilian leadership of Algeria — adopted the song when their resistance was broken.

The leadership of the Regiment was arrested and tried but the non-commissioned officers, corporals and Legionnaires were assigned to other Foreign Legion formations. They left the barracks singing the song, which has now become part of the French Foreign Legion heritage and is sung when they are on parade.

Wild Thing - The Troggs

Wild Thing is a song written by New York City-born songwriter Chip Taylor.

Originally recorded by The Wild Ones in 1965, "Wild Thing" is best known for its 1966 cover by the English band The Troggs, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1966.

The song peaked at one position lower in Britain.

As performed by The Troggs, "Wild Thing" is ranked #257 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

The original version by The Wild Ones is not available on Youtube anymore.

Babe I'm Gonna Leave You - Joan Baez or Led Zeppelin 

Babe I'm Gonna Leave You is a folk song written by Anne Bredon (then known as Anne Johannsen) in the late 1950s.

It was recorded by Joan Baez (credited as "traditional") and released on her 1962 album Joan Baez in Concert, Part 1, and also by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, who included it on their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin.

Other interpretations of the Bredon song include versions by The Plebs (1964 Decca Records UK/MGM Records USA), The Association in 1965 (also doing a live version in 1970) and British pop singer Mark Wynter in 1965.

Quicksilver Messenger Service recorded a variation on the song in 1967.

Welsh band Man would later cover the QMS song on their 1976 album Maximum Darkness (recorded live at Roundhouse, Chalk Farm on 26 May 1975).

 

Joan Baez version 

Whilst a student at UC-Berkeley in around 1960, Anne Bredon appeared on a live folk-music radio show The Midnight Special on radio station KPFA, on which she sang "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You". A fellow folk singer who guested on The Midnight Special, Janet Smith, took up the song and developed it further, playing it live at hootenanny folk-song events at Oberlin College, one performance of which was attended by Joan Baez. Baez requested Smith to send her a recording of her songs, including "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You", which Baez subsequently began performing herself. 

It became the opening track on Joan Baez in Concert, Part 1. Initially, the song had no writers' credit, but after Smith contacted Bredon, who confirmed her authorship, later pressings of ...In Concert gave the writing credit to Bredon. 

 

 

The House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals 

The House of the Rising Sun is a folk song from the United States.

Also called House of the Rising Sun or occasionally Rising Sun Blues, it tells of a life gone wrong in New Orleans.

The most successful commercial version was recorded by the English rock group The Animals in 1964, which was a number one hit in the United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Finland and Canada.

The oldest known existing recording is by Appalachian artists Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster and was made in 1933.

Ashley said he had learned it from his grandfather, Enoch Ashley. Alger "Texas" Alexander's "The Risin' Sun," recorded in 1928, is sometimes mentioned as the first recording, but is a completely different song.

Here is a version of the song by Clarence Ashley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hey Joe - The Jimi Hendrix Experience 

Hey Joe is an American popular song from the 1960s that has become a rock standard and as such, has been performed in a multitude of musical styles by hundreds of different artists since it was first written.

"Hey Joe" tells the story of a man who is on the run and planning to head to Mexico after shooting his wife.

However, diverse credits and claims have led to confusion as to the song's true authorship and genesis.

The earliest known commercial recording of the song is the late 1965 single by the Los Angeles garage band, The Leaves, who also had the first hit version of the song with a re-recording in 1966. Currently the best-known version is The Jimi Hendrix Experience's 1966 recording, their debut single.

The song title is sometimes given as "Hey Joe, Where You Gonna Go?" or similar variations.

Here is the 1965 version of the song by The Leaves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Without You - Harry Nilsson or Mariah Carey 

Without You is a song written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of British rock group Badfinger, and first released on their 1970 album No Dice. The song has been recorded by over 180 artists and versions released as singles by Harry Nilsson (1971) and Mariah Carey (1994) became international best-sellers. Beatle Paul McCartney once described the ballad as "...the killer song of all time."

Here is the original version by Badfinger

Mad World - Gary Jules 

Mad World is a song by the British band Tears for Fears. Written by Roland Orzabal and sung by bassist Curt Smith, it was the band's third single release and first chart hit, reaching #3 on the UK Singles Chart in November 1982. Both "Mad World" and its B-side, "Ideas As Opiates", would turn up on the band's debut LP The Hurting the following year. The song would eventually become Tears for Fears' first international hit, reaching the Top 40 in several countries between 1982 and 1983.

Nearly two decades later, the song made a popular resurgence when it was covered in a much slower, ballad-like style by composers Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for the soundtrack to the movie Donnie Darko. This version reached #1 in the UK in December 2003, and became an international hit.

 

Here is the original version by Tears For Fears

Black Betty - Ram Jam or Spiderbait

Black Betty is a 20th century African-American work song often credited to Huddie "Lead Belly" Ledbetter as the author, though the earliest recordings are not by him. Some sources claim it is one of Lead Belly's many adaptations of earlier folk material; Ιn this case an 18th century marching cadence about a flintlock musket. There are numerous recorded versions, including a cappella, folk, and rock arrangements. The best known modern recordings are rock versions by Ram Jam and Spiderbait, both of which were hits.

 

Here is the a cappella version of the song by James Iron Head Baker, recorded in 1933

Fire Water Burn - Bloodhound Gang (The Roof Is On Fire)

Not exactly a cover. It just uses the chorus ''The Roof Is On Fire'' taken from the 1984 Rockmaster Scott & The Dynamic Three song The Roof Is On Fire. 

Here is the 1984 song by Rockmaster Scott & The Dynamic Three

The Chemical Brothers also sample the first line of the song repeatedly in their hit "Hey Boy Hey Girl."

Where Did You Sleep Last Night - Nirvana 

In the Pines, also known as Black Girl and Where Did You Sleep Last Night, is a traditional American folk song which dates back to at least the 1870s, and is believed to be Southern Appalachian in origin.

The identity of the song's author is unknown.

Traditionally, it is most often associated with the American folk musician Lead Belly, who recorded several versions in the 1940s, as well as the American bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, who helped popularize the song (in a different variant, featuring lyrics about a train) among bluegrass and country audiences with his versions recorded in the 1940s and 1950s.

The song, performed by The Four Pennies, reached the UK top twenty in 1964.

A live rendering by the American grunge band Nirvana, which reinterpreted Lead Belly's version and was recorded during their MTV Unplugged performance in 1993, helped introduce the song to a new generation.

Here is a version of the song by Lead Belly

Here is the version of the song by Bill Monroe

Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper

''Girls Just Want to Have Fun'' is a song written and first recorded in 1979 by American musician Robert Hazard.
It is better known as a single by American singer Cyndi Lauper, whose version was released in 1983.
It was the first major single released by Lauper as a solo artist and the lead single from her debut studio album She's So Unusual (1983).

Here is the original version by Robert Hazard

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On - Jerry Lee Lewis 

Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On (also rendered Whole Lotta Shaking Going On) is a song best known in the 1957 rock and roll/rockabilly hit version by Jerry Lee Lewis.

Origins of the song 

The origins of the song are disputed, but the writing is co-credited to African American singer/songwriter Dave "Curlee" Williams, and white pianist, bandleader and songwriter James Faye "Roy" Hall (May 7, 1922 - March 2, 1984)

On March 21, 1955, Big Maybelle made the first recording for Okeh Records; it's produced by the young Quincy Jones

Roy Hall made a recording of the song in September, 1955 for Decca Records, and maintained that he had written it and had secured the legal copyright as co-writer under the pseudonym of "Sonny David". However, a Decca sample copy of Hall's recording lists Dave Williams as the sole writer. On the Pop Chronicles documentary, Jerry Lee Lewis credited Big Mama Thornton.

Other early recordings include Dolores Frederick and The Commodores (no relation to the '70s Motown group). 

However, none of these early recordings found much commercial success. 

All subsequent recordings of the song list the composers as Sonny David and Dave Williams. Hall was also a Nashville club owner, who later claimed to have employed the young piano player Lewis, at some point around 1954.

Here is the version of the song by Big Maybelle (1955)

Jin-Go-Lo-Ba - Santana

Drums of Passion is an album released by Nigerian percussionist Babatunde Olatunji in 1960.

It was one of the first world music albums that was recorded in the United States.

It was immensely successful and sold over five million copies. In 2002, it was released as a single layer stereo and 5.1 SACD by Columbia Records.

The song Jin-Go-Lo-Ba or Jingo has been covered by Serge Gainsbourg, under the title "Marabout" on his Gainsbourg percussions LP (1964); by Santana on their first album, Santana, (1969); by James Last on his album Voodoo-Party (1971); by Pierre Moerlen's Gong on the album Downwind (1979); and by Fatboy Slim on his album Palookaville (2004).

Here is the original version by Babatunde Olatunji

Dream A Little Dream Of Me - The Mamas & The Papas or Ella Fitzgerald 

Dream a Little Dream of Me is a song with music by Fabian Andre and Wilbur Schwandt and lyrics by Gus Kahn

Early recordings 

Dream a Little Dream of Me was recorded by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra with vocal by Nelson on February 16, 1931 for Brunswick Records. 

That February 18, Wayne King and His Orchestra with vocal by Ernie Birchill recorded the song for Victor Records. 

"Dream a Little Dream of Me" was also an early signature tune of Kate Smith. 

In the summer of 1950 seven recordings of "Dream a Little Dream of Me" were in release with the versions by Frankie Laine and Jack Owens reaching the US Top 20 at respectively #18 and #14: the other versions were by Cathy Mastice, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Jordan, Vaughn Monroe, Dinah Shore and a duet version by Bing Crosby and Georgia Gibbs. 

Other traditional pop acts to record "Dream a Little Dream of Me" include Barbara Carroll, Nat King Cole, Doris Day, Joni James, and Dean Martin and Italian vocal group Blue Penguin. 

Here is the original version of the song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra (1931, Brunswick Records)

A Message To You, Rudy - The Specials 

Rudy, A Message to You is a 1967 rocksteady song by Dandy Livingstone. The song later achieved broader success when in 1979, The Specials cover, titled "A Message to You, Rudy", reached Number 10 in the UK chart

Veteran trombone player Rico Rodriguez played on both Dandy's and The Specials' versions.

The song has also been covered by a number of artists including The Mescaleros, Judge Dread, Barenaked Ladies, Dead Milkmen, Madness, Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty at the Eurockéennes de Belfort in 2009 and the band Sublime featured lyrics borrowed from "A Message to You, Rudy" in their song "D.J.s." on their debut album. Propagandhi used the melody and partial lyrics in their song "Ska Sucks".

Crawley Town F.C. and musician Mike Dobie recorded a cover of the song ahead of their clash with Premier League giants Manchester United.

Here is the original version by Dandy Livingstone

Got My Mojo Working - Muddy Waters

Got My Mojo Working is a blues song written by Preston "Red" Foster and first recorded by Ann Cole in 1956.
Muddy Waters popularized it in 1957 (Chess‎-1652) and the song was a feature of his performances throughout his career.

Here is the original version by Ann Cole

La Bamba - Ritchie Valens or Los Lobos

La Bamba is a Mexican folk song, originally from the state of Veracruz, best known from a 1958 adaptation by Ritchie Valens, a top 40 hit in the U.S. charts and one of early rock and roll's best-known songs. Valens' version of "La Bamba" is ranked number 345 on Rolling Stone magazine′s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and is the only song on the list not sung in English.

"La Bamba" has been covered by numerous artists, most notably by Los Lobos, whose version was the title track of the 1987 film La Bamba and reached #1 in the U.S. and UK singles charts in the same year. The music video for Los Lobos' version, directed by Sherman Halsey, won the 1988 MTV Video Music Award for Best Video from a Film.

Love Hurts - Nazareth or Roy Orbison

Love Hurts is the name of a song, written and composed by Boudleaux Bryant. First recorded by The Everly Brothers in July 1960, the song is also well known from a 1975 international hit version by the rock band Nazareth, in the UK by a top 5 hit in 1975 by Jim Capaldi and in 1961 by Roy Orbison's version.

 

Here is the original version of the song by The Everly Brothers

Whiskey in the jar - Thin Lizzy or Metallica

Whiskey in the Jar is a famous Irish traditional song, set in the southern mountains of Ireland, with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry, as well as Fenit, a village in county Kerry. It is about a Rapparee (Highwayman), who is betrayed by his wife or lover, and is one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs. It has been recorded by numerous professional artists since the 1950s. The song first gained wide exposure when the Irish folk band The Dubliners performed it internationally as a signature song, and recorded it on three albums in the 1960s. Building on their success, the Irish rock band Thin Lizzy hit the Irish and British pop charts with the song in the early 1970s. The American metal band Metallica brought it to a wider rock audience in 1998 by playing a version very similar to that of Thin Lizzy's with a heavier sound, and won a Grammy for the song in 2000 for Best Hard Rock Performance.

Here is a version by The Dubliners

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps - Doris Day

Quizás, Quizás, Quizás (also known as Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps in English), is a popular song by Cuban songwriter Osvaldo Farres.Farrés wrote the original Spanish lyrics, as well as composing the 1947 hit. The English lyrics were written by Joe Davis and are not a translation of the Spanish lyrics.

 Cover versions

 1949: The Gordon Jenkins version, with Tony Bavaar as vocalist, was recorded on August 12, 1939 and released by Decca Records.

1958: Nat King Cole regularly performed the song with a heavy American accent. His version appeared on his 1958 album Cole Español and frequently appeared in the 2000 film In the Mood for Love.

1958: The Algerian Abdelhakim Garami wrote the Arabic lyrics "Chehilet laayani" inspired by the music of "Quizas quizas".

1959: Finnish singer Olavi Virta recorded this song in Spanish.

1960s: The Jamaican ska musician Prince Buster recorded the song in the 1960s as "Rude, Rude, Rudee".

1961: Brazilian singer Maysa recorded this song in the original Spanish on her 1961 album "Maysa, Amor... e Maysa" (RGE XRLP 5121)

1964: The Doris Day version was recorded on November 5, 1964 for Columbia Records and not released as a single, but only on albums. It was featured in the Australian film Strictly Ballroom in 1992.

1964: The Trini Lopez version was recorded for Reprise Records and also not released as a single; from the album entitled The Latin Album released as "RS 6125".

1965: Celia Cruz originally recorded a version of the song; later re-released on the 1994 greatest-hits album Irrepetible.

1965: The Skatalites recorded "Perhaps" on Blue Beat in 1965 for the Latin American Music Company, similar to Prince Buster's "Rude, Rude, Rudee" version of the song.

1969: Paco de Lucia recorded an instrumental flamenco version on the album Hispanoamérica.

1973: Rigo Tovar version was recorded for Fonovisa Records and released on his album Cómo será la mujer.

1982: Dennis Brown released a version titled "Perhaps" on his album Stage Coach Showcase.

1987: Finnish singer Tapani Kansa sung the song in Finnish under the name "Kenties, Kenties"

1996: The alternative rock band Cake released "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" on their album Fashion Nugget.

1998: British singer Samantha Fox recorded a cover of "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" for her 21st Century Fox album, but she titled the song simply "Perhaps". It was then released as a single.

And many more.. 

Let's Stick Together - Bryan Ferry

Let's Stick Together or Let's Work Together as it was subsequently titled, is a blues song written by Wilbert Harrison, which was released in 1962.

Wilbert Harrison recorded "Let's Stick Together" in 1962 as a mid-tempo twelve-bar shuffle-style blues.

The song failed to appear in the charts; however, when Harrison re-recorded it as "Let's Work Together" in 1969 for Sue Records, the song reached #32 in the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart in 1970, making it Harrison's first chart appearance since his #1 1959 hit "Kansas City".

Unlike his earlier song, it is a solo performance, with Harrison (credited as the "Wilbert Harrison One Man Band") providing the vocal, harmonica, guitar, and percussion.

Shortly after the release of Wilbert Harrison's "Let's Work Together", Los Angeles blues-rock band Canned Heat recorded their version of the song.

 Canned Heat's "Let's Work Together" was released in August 1970 and reached #26 in the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It was featured on their 1970 album, Future Blues.

In the UK, where Harrison's single failed to generate interest, Canned Heat's version was released earlier in January 1970.

It became their biggest UK hit, reaching #2 in the UK Singles chart during a stay of fifteen weeks. 

In 1976, Bryan Ferry released his version of Let's Stick Together as a single.

It became his highest charting solo single, reaching #4 in the UK chart.

The song is included on his album Let's Stick Together. In 1988, Ferry released a remix of the song as "Let's Stick Together '88", which reached #12 in the chart.

Here is the original version of the song by Wilbert Harrison

 

Obsession - Animotion 

 

Obsession is a 1983 song covered in 1984 by the Synthpop-New Wave group Animotion. The song hit number six in the United States, and number five in the United Kingdom in early 1985, helped by a distinctive video that received heavy rotation on MTV.

Obsession was originally written and recorded as a duet by songwriter Holly Knight and musician Michael Des Barres in 1983, although the recording did not perform well. This version was prominently featured in the 1983 film A Night in Heaven, most notably in a scene in which Christopher Atkins bumps and grinds in Lesley Ann Warren's face in sync with the rhythm of the song. The song was featured on the film's soundtrack, but did not receive enough attention to warrant much radio play or a place on any Billboard charts. That version was also featured in the theatrical trailer to the 1986 film 9 1/2 Weeks, starring Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger.

 

 

Here is the original version by Michael Des Barres and Holly Knight

Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford or Johnny Cash 

 Sixteen Tons is a song about the life of a coal miner, first recorded in 1946 by American country singer Merle Travis and released on his box set album Folk Songs of the Hills the following year.

A 1955 version recorded by Tennessee Ernie Ford reached number one in the Billboard charts, while another version by Frankie Laine was released only in the United Kingdom, where it gave Ford's version competition.

 

 

Here is the original version of the song by Merle Travis (1947) 

Organ Donor - DJ Shadow

Organ Donor was released in 1996 in Dj Shadow's debut album Endtroducing.....

The album was conceived as an effort by Shadow to make an album completely based around sampling. It is structured almost entirely out of sampled elements from genres ranging from hip hop, jazz, funk, psychedelia, as well as samples from films and interviews. All sampling on the album was done on an Akai MPC60 MKII sampler.

The song uses sample from 3 songs

Tears by Giorgio Moroder

Someone by Tim and Bill

There's a DJ in Your Town by Samson and Delilah

 

 

But it mainly uses sample from Giorgio Moroder's Tears

This Strange Effect - Hooverphonic

This Strange Effect is a song written by Ray Davies of The Kinks and released first by Dave Berry in July 1965. The single was released in the United States in September 1965. It reached #1 in the Netherlands and Belgium and No.37 on the UK singles chart.

A studio recording was never officially released by The Kinks, but live recordings exist. An in-studio BBC recording by the Kinks from August 1965 was released in 2001 on The Songs We Sang for Auntie - BBC Sessions 1964-1977.

Former Rolling Stones bassist, Bill Wyman, covered the track for his 1992 album Stuff. This version can also be found on A Stone Alone: The Solo Anthology 1974-2002.

Belgian band, Hooverphonic, covered the song in 1998 for their album, Blue Wonder Power Milk. Their version of "This Strange Effect" was released as a single and was featured in the American television advertisement for the Motorola SLVR.

Here is the original version by Dave Berry

I'm Free - The Soup Dragons

I'm Free is a song by The Rolling Stones written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, first released as the final track on the UK Out of Our Heads album on 24 September 1965. It was later placed on the December's Children (And Everybody's) album in the United States.

Rolling Stones recorded a re-worked acoustic version for their 1995 live album Stripped, and performed a live version in the 2008 film Shine a Light.

The song has been covered by several artists, including Chris Farlowe on his album The Art of Chris Farlowe (1966); Wilmer and the Dukes, who made it a regional hit in upper New York state in 1969; and by the British alternative rock/dance band The Soup Dragons, who took their version to #5 UK and #79 US in 1990. (first released in 1989 as a single and then in 1990 in Lovegod album)

In 2007 a remixed version of the original recording was used in a television commercial for the Chase Freedom credit card and in 2008 it was used in a UK commercial for a Renault SUV.

Here is the original version by The Rolling Stones

Bitter Sweet Symphony - The Verve

Bitter Sweet Symphony is a song by English alternative rock band The Verve, and is the lead track on their third studio album, Urban Hymns (1997).

It is based on an Andrew Loog Oldham orchestral version of The Rolling Stones' song "The Last Time", (The Rolling Stones Songbook, 1965)
from which it samples a main theme, and involved some legal controversy surrounding a plagiarism charge as a result.

Consequently, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were added to the songwriting credits.

Here is the 1965 orchestral version of the Stones' ''The Last Time'' by Andrew Loog Oldham Orchestra....

Glory Box - Portishead

Glory Box is a single by Portishead, released in 1995.

The title song samples "Ike's Rap II" by Isaac Hayes. The music video features lead singer Beth Gibbons dressed as a man.

 

Isaac Hayes "Ike's Rap II"

The Rolling Stones + Muddy Waters

The band took its name from Muddy Waters' song Rollin' Stone. 

Rollin' Stone is a blues song recorded by Muddy Waters in 1950.

It is Waters' interpretation of Catfish Blues, a traditional blues that dates back to 1920s Mississippi.

Rollin' Stone has been recorded by a variety of artists and has been acknowledged by the Grammy Hall of Fame and Rolling Stone magazine.

Here is the song

In their debut album The Rolling Stones, that was released by Decca Records in the UK on 16 April 1964, they had included covers of American blues songs such as Muddy Waters' I Just Want To Make Love To You, which was written by Willie Dixon, Slim Harpo's I'm a King Bee and other.

November 22, 1981.

While Muddy Waters was singing Baby Please Don't Go at Buddy Guy's Checkerboard Lounge in Chicago, Rolling Stones joined him on the stage for a few songs.

Here's the video.

(You can find more parts of this video on YouTube and there's also a cd somewhere out there by Swingin' Pig Records, under the title Sweet Home Chicago)