12 Song’s You Won’t Believe Are Actually Covers
Call it creative genius, call it stealing, call it whatever you want. The following list is 12 songs that you won’t believe aren’t original.
#1 Hound Dog– Elvis Presley
Original Artist: Big Mama Thornton
A song synonymous with musical powerhouse Elvis Presley career, it was originally sang and and recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952. It is said to now have over 250 different artists renditions, but none is more popular than the King's.
#2 If I Were A Boy– Beyonce
Original Artist: BC Jean
If you listen to BC Jean's version of the song, its understandable why she never hit it big. Beyonce found a diamond in the rough with this one though, producing it on her "I Am Sasha Fierce" Album. Wildly successful, the song reached as high as #3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
#3 Hurt– Johnny Cash
Original Artist: Nine Inch Nails
In a dark place with both his own and his wife June's health declining, the recording of "Hurt" by Cash resonates with so many people as a song to listen to and contemplate your life choices. Be it the passion that went into the recording or the brand that Cash was most people associate the song with him over its original creators. Sad side note, June died only 3 months after Cash's recording.
#4 Girls Just Want to Have Fun– Cyndi Lauper
Original Artist: Robert Hazard
This is just really creepy, not much more to say about that.
#5 I love Rock n Roll– Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Original Artist: The Arrows
Arguably no song is more associated with Jett and the Blackhearts then this one. Yet surprisingly it is not theirs at all. In 1975 the song was released by The Arrows with moderate success. Seven years later Jett made the song into the hit that it is today.
#6 Nothing Compares 2 U– Sinead O’Connor
Original Artist: The Family, a side project of Prince.
This classic was originally written and produced by Prince in 1985. However, shaved head Sinead O'Connor cemented the break-up ballad's place in musical history with her 1990 version. Prince later went on to produce more versions of his song, but nothing compares (pun intended) to the O'Connor version.
#7 Respect– Aretha Franklin
Original Artist: Otis Redding
Released in 1965, Redding's original version of the song was meant to demonstrate his willingness to do anything to hold on to a woman, a plea of sorts. Franklin's version (1967) embodies a strong and confident woman who knows she is enough. Incredible vocal ability paired with the civil rights movement time period made Franklin's version an endless classic.
#8 Tainted Love– Soft Cell
Original Artist: Gloria Jones
Recorded originally in 1964, Jones version didn't garner much attention. It wasn't until 1981 when Soft Cell 80-tized the song with its catchy, almost robotic, piano melody. Since 1981 this song has been recreated by several artist, most notably Marilyn Manson.
#9 Dazed and Confused– Led-Zeplin
Original Artist: Jake Holmes
Arguably the "fathers" of hard rock, it is a little hard to swallow that one of their most well known songs isn't actually theirs. Lyrics aligned with the band personality and at the time they were playing music that sounded like no one else, so I guess it shouldn't be surprising that they could make this song their own.
#10 Superstition– Stevie Wonder
Original Publisher: Jeff Beck
Stevie Wonder wrote the song in 1971, but Jeff Beck was the first to produce and publish it in 1973. Wonder decided to produce the song a year later after he noticed the popularity of the now forgotten Jeff Beck version.
#11 I Will Always Love You– Whitney Houston
Original Artist: Dolly Parton
This one is surprising because it was stolen from an arguably more popular artist in Dolly Parton. Houston's amazing vocal range is what cemented this song as one of the most recognizable of her career, but Dolly's version is still a classic in its own right.
#12 Mamba No. 5– Lou Bega
Original Artist: Damaso Perez Prado
No late 90's skate rink or bowling alley birthday party was complete without this song playing at least once. Now we have a new ass hole to hate for creating it.
