21 Hit Songs You Never Knew Were Actually Covers
Here are 21 songs you didn't know were actually covers:
"1985" by Bowling for Soup is a cover of the song by American pop-punk band SR-71, which was released just two months earlier in Japan before the manager believed it was a better fit for Bowling for Soup.
Although probably more well-known, the emotional song "Hurt" by Johnny Cash is a cover of the song performed by the rock band Nine Inch Nails.
"Respect" by Aretha Franklin is a cover of Otis Redding's 1965 song by the same name. Franklin really flipped the lyrics on their head to create an all-time classic.
"Renegades of Funk" by Rage Against the Machine is a cover of the Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force song of the same name.
The song "It's My Life" by No Doubt is a cover of the English band Talk Talk's original release in 1984.
The iconic "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston is a cover of the 1974 song by Dolly Parton, which was featured on her famous album "Jolene."
An absolute shocker to my '90s brain, but the 1997 hit song "Torn" by Australian singer Natalie Imbruglia is actually a cover originally sung by American rock band Ednaswap, which was released in 1995.
The popular song "Don't Cha" by The Pussycat Dolls is a cover of the original song by Tori Alamaze.
The popular '80s hit "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell is a cover of Gloria Jones's "Tainted Love," released in 1964.
The song "Superman" by R.E.M. is a cover of "Superman" by The Clique. A B-Side track on the album "White Tornado," it's an R.E.M. gem.
The mega summer hit from 1999 "Mambo No. 5" by Lou Bega is a sample of the original version by Cuban musician Dámaso Pérez Prado from 1950.
The 1992 song "Achy Breaky Heart" by Billy Ray Cyrus is a cover of "Don't Tell My Heart," which was first recorded in 1991 by The Marcy Brothers.
The song "If I Were A Boy" by Beyoncé was performed initially by BC Jean in 2008.
The song "Black Magic Woman" by Santana is a cover of the song by Fleetwood Mac. Mind blown. In my defense, the Santana version has more views on YouTube than any other version by Fleetwood Mac.
"Blinded by the Light" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band might be the more popular version, but it was originally written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen.
The popular Joan Jett & the Blackhearts song "I Love Rock 'n Roll" is a cover of the British glam band Arrow's song "I Love Rock 'n 'Roll."
"Dancing in the Moonlight" by the English band Toploader is a cover of the song originally recorded by Sherman Kelly's band, Boffalongo, which first released it in 1970. Then, Kelly rereleased the song with his new band, King Harvest, in 1972. So, technically, Kelly covered his own song.
"Black Betty" by Ram Jam is a cover of a song credited to songwriter Huddie Ledbetter. The oldest recorded version was performed by James "Iron Head" Baker and a group of Texas prisoners in the 1930s.
"Take Me to the River" by American rock band Talking Heads is a cover of the 1974 soul song by Al Green.
The 1995 hit "Gangster's Paradise" by Coolio (ft. L.V.) is actually a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Pastime Paradise" from 1976.
Lastly, and mainly for the youngins, Post Malone's cover of the alternative rock song "Only Wanna Be With You," originally released by Hootie & the Blowfish, is now a pop song featured in the Pokémon 25 soundtrack, which has 18M views on YouTube.
Is there a song you were stunned to learn was a cover? Comment below (the song and artists)!
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