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They made these songs their own! Join us as we count down the cover versions that overshadowed the originals. From Whitney Houston's soaring "I Will Always Love You" to Disturbed's haunting take on "The Sound of Silence," these renditions transformed good songs into unforgettable classics. Which cover surprised you the most?
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MusicTranscript
00:00It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth, the minor fall and the major lift.
00:07Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the covers
00:11that were more commercially successful and or culturally significant than the first recording.
00:17I hope life treats you kind.
00:24Number 50, House of the Rising Sun.
00:26Original, Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster.
00:29Cover, The Animals.
00:30If you're a music historian, you might know that this song has a long track record.
00:42It's a traditional folk tune that came long before the British invasion.
00:46Clarence Ashley and Gwen Foster created a version back in the 1930s,
00:50performing what's considered the first recording.
00:52Many artists played the song afterwards, including Bob Dylan and The Animals.
00:56In 1964, the latter band delivered an iconic rendition of House of the Rising Sun.
01:01It's been the ruin of many, oh boy, and God, I know I'm one.
01:12It was a certified hit that helped make the group legends.
01:16Led by the fearsome voice of Eric Burden,
01:18the production mixes folk, rock, and Alan Price's organ into a popular classic.
01:23And God, I know I'm one.
01:27Number 49, This Masquerade.
01:30Original, Leon Russell.
01:31Cover, George Benson.
01:33As an underrated songwriter,
01:35Leon Russell composed multiple songs that became classics with other artists.
01:38His ballad, This Masquerade, is infused with plenty of soul.
01:42Are we really happy with...
01:46Many years later, George Benson came along to perform what might have been the greatest version.
01:51The guitarist and singer put his own spin on it.
01:54Looking for words to say...
02:00Benson should be commended for his vocal abilities,
02:03but he can also work wonders with his preferred instrument.
02:06It has a crossover appeal for those that like a pop hook with more technical and jazzy sounds.
02:11Appearing on the man's 15th album, Breesin',
02:14the cover earned the artist a Grammy and a spot on the charts.
02:18We're lost in a masquerade.
02:25Number 48, Blinded by the Light.
02:27Original, Bruce Springsteen.
02:29Cover, Manfred Mann's Earthband.
02:31Unless you're a diehard fan of Bruce Springsteen,
02:34you might not know this song's origin story.
02:36Dead man drummers, bombers, and Indians
02:42The artist wrote and recorded the track for his first album.
02:45The version on Greetings from Asbury Park, New Jersey is much more of a straightforward rocker.
02:50But then, it was covered by Manfred Mann's Earthband.
02:53Blinded by the Light became a huge hit for the latter group and an enduring record from the mid-1970s.
02:58She was blinded by the lights
03:01Wrapped up like a deuce into the runner in the night
03:05Topping the charts, the cover tinkered with the arrangement and the lyrics.
03:09You might still find it hard to decipher what exactly they're saying in the chorus.
03:13Along with bringing this tune to a larger audience,
03:16the band helped to popularize the misconception about the words.
03:20Gonna make it through the night
03:31The more popular version of this song is a 1987 classic.
03:36Years before that, a musical partnership created the track under the name I-10.
03:40I hear the ticking of the clock
03:44I'm lying near the room's bed
03:47The one-off group consisted of songwriters Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg
03:51with Toto's Steve Lukather as one of the producers.
03:54Alone eventually ended up in the hands of Heart.
03:57I always got my own
04:01The Wilson sisters and their band delivered a much more bombastic version
04:05making the original into more of an arena-ready power ballad.
04:09Han Wilson's incredible vocal talents are on full display throughout.
04:13The cover flew to number one on the Billboard Hot 100
04:15giving the Seattle act one of their biggest singles.
04:18How do I get you alone?
04:23Number 46
04:24Mama Told Me Not To Come
04:25Original
04:26Eric Burden and the Animals
04:27Cover
04:28Three Dog Night
04:29This song changed hands through several legendary artists and acts.
04:37It was composed by Randy Newman, but the writer didn't record it himself for many years.
04:45He originally gave the song to Eric Burden and the Animals.
04:48The English singer provided the full depth of his voice,
04:50but his version did not go on to become the most popular.
04:54Three Dog Night released their cover in 1970 and gave audiences the definitive production.
04:59Told me not to come
05:02Mama told me not to come
05:04Led by an electric piano,
05:07this take on Mama Told Me Not To Come became one of Night's signature songs.
05:10It's also a great blend of rock and funk styles.
05:14Let it go in and burn
05:16So
05:17Number 45
05:18A Song For You
05:20Original
05:20Leon Russell
05:21Cover
05:22Donny Hathaway
05:23It's a beloved ballad that might have been best sung by Donny Hathaway.
05:27Originally written by Leon Russell,
05:29A Song For You could very well be the greatest love song of its kind.
05:32I've been so many places
05:35In my life and time
05:39Hathaway later covered the track and gave it a heartfelt performance.
05:42While other artists have tried,
05:44few can compete with the soul singer's vocals.
05:47I've acted out my life in stages
05:50It's already full of some fantastic lyrics about love and relationships.
05:55Russell's template needed something extra,
05:56with Hathaway's emotional take providing the magic touch.
06:00It's especially impressive given that he beats out competing covers from The Carpenters,
06:04Willie Nelson,
06:05and Ray Charles.
06:06We were alone and I was singing this song to you
06:13Number 44
06:14The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
06:17Original
06:17The Band
06:18Cover
06:18Joan Baez
06:19Known for their work and collaborations with Bob Dylan,
06:22the band built a catalog full of winners like this one.
06:25I heard your cane is the name
06:27And I served on the Danville train
06:31Songwriter Robbie Robertson examined the Civil War,
06:34with drummer Levon Helm taking the microphone by storm.
06:37The song took on a somewhat controversial legacy,
06:39but it also spawned a hit cover from Joan Baez.
06:42She made The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
06:44into one of her finest 1970s works.
06:52Giving the track some more folk flair,
06:55Baez lends her legendary voice to Robertson's composition.
06:58It later became a top 10 single,
07:00with a much softer but powerful vibe.
07:02Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
07:08Number 43
07:09A Groovy Kind of Love
07:10Original
07:11Diane and Anita
07:12Cover
07:12Phil Collins
07:13With all of his success in the 1980s,
07:16Phil Collins kept his hot streak rolling with this cover.
07:19A Groovy Kind of Love comes from the vintage pop era of the mid-1960s.
07:23I'm feeling blue
07:24All I have to do
07:26Is take a look at you
07:29The original from Diane and Anita
07:32came before another version by the Mindbenders.
07:34These have the smiley but slightly melancholic energy
07:37of many pop tunes around the same time.
07:39Collins then slowed it down for the 1988 audience.
07:43The latter production made it something of a tearjerker,
07:45with the Genesis member giving it a piano ballad treatment.
07:48Wouldn't you agree
07:51Baby you agree
07:53It was included on the soundtrack of a film called Buster
07:56and gave the singer another certifiable hit.
07:59We gotta go
08:01We gotta go
08:04Number 42
08:05Me and Bobby McGee
08:06Original
08:07Roger Miller
08:08Cover
08:08Janis Joplin
08:10Musician and actor Chris Christopherson was a versatile artist,
08:13but this composition was best known for its covers.
08:16Roger Miller recorded the first at the end of the 1960s.
08:25His version was rooted in a more country sound,
08:27but its modest success was overshadowed by Janis Joplin.
08:31The rock goddess covered the song with her gritty and fiery vocals.
08:35Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose
08:40Released after her death,
08:42Joplin's rendition of Me and Bobby McGee
08:44is likely the one people consider above all the others.
08:47It was a successful rock single
08:49and an essential piece of the performer's album Pearl.
08:55Number 41
08:56Betty Davis Eyes
08:58Original
08:58Jackie DeShannon
08:59Cover
09:00Kim Carnes
09:01You might not have even realized this was a cover.
09:04Her hair is Harlow gold
09:08Her lips are sweet surprise
09:11Many people know Kim Carnes for this ode to a Hollywood starlet,
09:15but Betty Davis Eyes was originally recorded by Jackie DeShannon.
09:18DeShannon and Donna Weiss wrote the song in the 1970s with a lively piano part.
09:23Carnes reinterpreted the track into a new wave classic,
09:26giving it a synthy edge.
09:28She'll let you take her home
09:32With her appetite
09:35It has an atmospheric quality that enhances the nods to actresses like Davis and Jean Harlow.
09:40The 1981 version topped charts across the world,
09:43becoming the most popular rendition of the song by far.
09:46It is a decade-defining work that still sets the mood all these years later.
09:50She's got Betty Davis Eyes
09:53Number 40
09:55Love Hurts
09:56Original
09:56The Everly Brothers
09:58Cover
09:58Nazareth
09:59There are few artists as different as the Everly Brothers and Nazareth.
10:03One sings lovingly about dreams,
10:05while the other wrote Hair of the Dog.
10:07The duo recorded Love Hurts all the way back in 1960.
10:12Love hurts
10:13Love scars
10:17There's a country sound to the original,
10:19but the more successful cover spins it into a rock ballad.
10:22It ended up becoming one of the best-remembered efforts released by the Scottish band.
10:26Love is like a flame
10:29It burns you when it's hot
10:32Proving they could tackle soft and hard rock,
10:35the group works to show off their versatility.
10:38The 1974 cut might be overly sentimental to some,
10:41but it's also a hit that has stood the test of time.
10:49Number 39
10:50Mad World
10:51Original
10:52Tears for Fears
10:53Cover
10:54Michael Andrews featuring Gary Jules
11:03In the 1980s,
11:05Tears for Fears was among the new wave bands mixing rock and pop.
11:08Mad World was a single off of their first album,
11:11The Hurting.
11:11It's a moody synth track with some emotional lyrics,
11:14but it was almost begging for a cover.
11:16Michael Andrews and Gary Jules reinterpreted the track in a sobering piano arrangement.
11:20And I find it kind of funny
11:24I find it kind of sad
11:26The original did well in the UK,
11:28but the second one had a more substantial impact thanks to the film Donnie Darko.
11:33Andrews' cover appeared on the cult movie soundtrack and became a hit in its own right.
11:37Hearing it back,
11:38it is an amazing case of slowing things down in order to emphasize every heartbreaking word.
11:46Number 38
11:47Self-Control
11:48Original
11:49Raph
11:49Cover
11:50Laura Branigan
11:51From Europe to America,
11:52this song made it a long way to the Billboard charts.
12:01The original saw the artist Raph co-write a track described as Italo Disco.
12:06You can imagine it filling a 1980s club,
12:09but it was quickly taken over by an American performer.
12:12Laura Branigan then brought her own spin to it,
12:14introducing self-control to a whole new audience.
12:20The opening riff invites listeners into an engaging piece of music filled with her compelling vocals.
12:26Branigan doesn't disappoint in another exceptional performance.
12:35It wasn't the first time Branigan did a successful cover either,
12:39considering her work on Gloria.
12:46Number 37
12:48Cocaine
12:49Original
12:49J.J.
12:50Cale
12:50Cover
12:51Eric Clapton
12:52This particular composition has a riff that is identifiable to most fans of 1970s rock.
13:02JJ Cale's original work might be underrated,
13:05but that is due to a much more famous rock star.
13:08Cocaine ranks as one of Eric Clapton's defining singles as a solo artist.
13:12The performer covered Cale's songwriting to great success,
13:15likely convincing some people that he wrote it himself.
13:18Slow Hand made it special by adding his own guitar flourishes to the track.
13:26It wasn't the only time Clapton covered the man either.
13:30Even as a B-side,
13:31the song made its way into the British rocker's elite repertoire.
13:41Number 36
13:42Hard to Handle
13:43Original
13:44Otis Redding
13:45Cover
13:45The Black Crows
13:46As rock music became grounded again,
13:49bands like The Black Crows felt like a breath of fresh air.
13:51Their cover of Hard to Handle helped to establish them as a force in early 1990s music.
13:56Baby
14:01It takes Otis Redding's song and gives it a genre makeover,
14:04but without losing any of the R&B charm.
14:07I can give you what you want,
14:08but you got to come home and read.
14:11The Robinson Brothers deliver an earthy rock production that's a fresh take on a vintage package.
14:15With some sharp vocals,
14:17the cover finds a way to hit you with some catchy riffs.
14:20It went to number 26 on the Billboard charts,
14:22and ranked among the highlights of the Shake Your Money Maker album.
14:28Number 35
14:29Take Me to the River
14:30Original
14:30Al Green
14:31Cover
14:32Talking Heads
14:33There is no disputing Al Green's celebrated career as a singer.
14:36He's influenced R&B while also amassing several big singles.
14:40Take Me to the River was one of his great gospel tracks.
14:48It's also an unlikely chance for Talking Heads to break out of their art rock space.
14:52Led by David Byrne's enigmatic voice,
14:54the new wave band transformed Green's song into a laid-back rock production.
14:59Take my money
15:01My cigarettes
15:03The Heads version ended up making a bigger impact on the Billboard Hot 100.
15:07With a punk attitude,
15:08the quartet was able to remix this into a memorable late 1970s jam.
15:12Take Me to the River
15:14Drop me in the water
15:16Drop me in the water
15:18Drop me in the water
15:18Live in the water
15:20Live in the water
15:20Live in the water
15:20Live in the water
15:20Number 34
15:21Walk This Way
15:22Original
15:23Aerosmith
15:24Cover
15:24Run DMC
15:25And Aerosmith
15:26Way back in the 1970s,
15:28Aerosmith released Walk This Way on their album Toys in the Attic.
15:35It was a song that showcased their funky, bluesy, rhythmic mashups.
15:40In the 1980s, hip-hop morphed into a mainstream genre thanks to Run DMC.
15:44The rappers remade the rock song in their own image.
15:52Retaining the lyrics, the emcees gave Steven Tyler's words a run for their money.
15:56Tyler and guitarist Joe Perry joined the cover to lend a hand without completely taking over.
16:01In an early crossover, the second version became a symbol of unity across diverse musical artists.
16:09Number 33
16:11Venus
16:11Original
16:12Shocking Blue
16:13Cover
16:14Bananarama
16:15They might not be a household name today, but Shocking Blue did have a hand in influencing more than a
16:20few popular groups.
16:27Their song Venus started as a psychedelic track before Bananarama got a hold of it.
16:32In the cover, the trio provides a bouncy production for their 1980s upgrade.
16:41It's an even more dance-worthy effort with the help of some enhanced drumbeats.
16:45Built around the brilliant hook, the second one feels like it's honoring the first and then some.
16:50Both versions achieved worldwide success, but the sequel ranks higher for us as the more relevant one, with the added
16:56bonus of a fun video.
17:08This song took shape in the 1960s thanks to Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
17:19The talented songwriting duo created many classics like There's Always Something There to Remind Me.
17:24Lou Johnson brought the single to the charts in 1964, cracking the top 50 on the Hot 100 with his
17:29assured vocals.
17:31The track went through several incarnations before it reached naked eyes.
17:39Focusing more on the pop hook, the 1980s group adapted the music for a much different audience.
17:44Their cover hit the top 10, and features some elaborate production elements.
17:48There's heartbreak in each version, but the New Wave remix takes it to another level.
17:57Number 31.
17:58It's My Life.
17:59Original, Talk Talk.
18:01Cover, No Doubt.
18:02Talk Talk was known for everything from New Wave to Art Rock in the 1980s.
18:14The dynamic act also made the hit It's My Life.
18:17It took no doubt to push the single up the charts, reaching number 10 on the Hot 100 two decades
18:22later.
18:28The ska, punk, and pop rock band updated this classic for a younger audience.
18:39Gwen Stefani and the group helped to introduce millennials to the greatness of another era.
18:43Taking plenty of cues from the first one, Stefani and her bandmates covered the tune with an energetic performance.
18:53Number 30.
18:54The Sound of Silence.
18:55Original, Simon and Garfunkel.
18:57Cover, Disturbed.
18:58Hello darkness, my old friend.
19:03How come you talk with me again?
19:07Before December of 2015, alt-metal band Disturbed and 60s icons Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel are the last musical
19:15outfits you'd have expected to join forces.
19:17That was until Disturbed released their symphonic cover of Simon and Garfunkel's timeless folk rock song.
19:22While the original Sound of Silence is, of course, an unforgettable classic beloved around the world, the Disturbed version was
19:29an unexpected viral hit.
19:30Hello darkness, my old friend.
19:36I've come to talk with you again.
19:41The cover has garnered over 1 billion views on YouTube, and a 2016 performance of it on Conan nearly 160
19:48million.
19:49Even original songwriter Simon is a fan.
19:51Reaching out to Disturbed singer David Draymond after the Conan performance, Simon said simply, quote,
19:56"...really powerful performance on Conan the other day. Nice. Thanks."
20:01Disturbed the sound of silence.
20:07Number 29, Torn.
20:09Original, Edna Swap.
20:11Cover, Natalie Imbruglia.
20:13Nothing but a Torn.
20:15I'm all out of faith.
20:18This is how I feel.
20:20So ubiquitous is Imbruglia's cover of this little-known alt-rock tune that you probably didn't even know it was
20:26a cover to begin with.
20:27Written by Edna Swap band members Scott Cutler and Anne Previn, alongside music producer Phil Thorn Alley,
20:33Torn was originally released as Brent, a Danish-language translation released by Lise Sørensen.
20:45A few years later, Edna Swap released their own version, which the Australian-born Imbruglia covered for her debut album
20:52Left of the Middle.
20:53The rest is history.
20:54Imbruglia's Torn became a global smash sensation, hitting number one on the charts in several countries
20:59and earning her a nomination for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
21:04Nothing's fine, I'm torn.
21:06I'm all out of faith.
21:09This is how I feel.
21:11Number 28.
21:12I Fought the Law.
21:13Original, The Crickets.
21:15Cover, The Clash.
21:16Breaking the rocks in the hot sun.
21:19I fought the law and the law won.
21:22This tune has been through a journey of popularity since its original release.
21:26The rock band The Crickets, formed by Buddy Holly, laid down the track in 1959 after having been written by
21:32Sonny Curtis.
21:33While it didn't exactly take off, later renditions of the song surely did.
21:38It was re-recorded by the Bobby Fuller 4 in 1965, and it was that version that put the song
21:43on the map.
21:44I needed money cause I've been done.
21:47I fought the law and the law won.
21:51It charted on the Billboard Hot 100 and was later entered into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
21:56But even still, when you think of I Fought the Law, we'd wager that it's The Clash's cover that comes
22:01to mind first.
22:07The English punk band dropped their spin in 1979, and it's been the dominant recording ever since.
22:13I Fought the Law and the law won.
22:17I Fought the Law and the...
22:20Number 27.
22:21Red Red Wine.
22:22Original, Neil Diamond.
22:24Cover, UB40.
22:25Red Red Wine.
22:31Stay close to me.
22:34Turns out that there's more to veteran hitmaker Diamond than Sweet Caroline.
22:38The original Red Red Wine was a minor success for Diamond upon its 1967 release, reaching number 62 on the
22:45Billboard Hot 100 before disappearing in a wine-induced haze.
22:49Some years later, in 1983, English reggae band UB40 included it on their cover album, Labor of Love.
22:55Red Red Wine.
23:01Goes to my head.
23:04This was without even realizing it was initially by Neil Diamond.
23:08The band cited their familiarity with a version recorded by Jamaican singer Tony Tribe.
23:12Although it came and went at the time, a 1988 reissue turned it into a sleeper hit.
23:18Even Diamond himself has embraced the UB40 cover, performing their version live in place of the song's original arrangement.
23:25Red, red wine.
23:29Go to my head.
23:31Number 26.
23:32I Think We're Alone Now.
23:34Original, Tommy James and the Shondells.
23:36Cover, Tiffany.
23:4460s pop singer James and his backing band of Shondells are responsible for a number of hits, like Hanky Panky,
23:50Crimson & Clover, and crucially for our list, I Think We're Alone Now.
23:54Exactly 20 years later, it became teen idol Tiffany's signature song, at the suggestion of her manager-slash-music producer,
24:01George Tobin.
24:02I Think We're Alone Now.
24:04It doesn't seem to be anyone else.
24:08Aged just 15 at the time of the cover's release, Tiffany Darwish was unfamiliar with James and the Shondells' original,
24:15and initially rejected the notion of singing what she perceived as an oldie.
24:19Tobin reworked the song to fit Tiffany's 80s sensibilities, and it paid off, with her rendition of I Think We're
24:25Alone Now spending two weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
24:28I Think We're Alone Now.
24:30The beating of our hearts is the only thing.
24:34Number 25.
24:36A Hazy Shade of Winter.
24:37Original, Simon & Garfunkel, cover The Bangles.
24:41The leaves are brown, and the sky is a hazy shade of winter.
24:47We guess there's just something about this iconic folk duo that lends their catalog to reinterpretation.
24:52Case in point, their uncharacteristically lively and up-tempo deep-cut A Hazy Shade of Winter, which was reimagined by
24:58power-pop group The Bangles.
25:00Their version, produced by hip-hop legend Rick Rubin, takes several liberties with the original, turning it into a distorted
25:06headbanger.
25:07The ground needs a brown, and the sky is a hazy shade of winter.
25:15Recorded for the Less Than Zero soundtrack, The Bangles' Hazy Shade of Winter exists out of sheer happenstance.
25:21Said lead singer Susanna Hoffs, quote,
25:23I thought I was a Simon & Garfunkel aficionado, but I somehow had missed that badass folk rock song of
25:28theirs.
25:29I ran to our band rehearsal that night and was like, we have to cover this song.
25:39Number 24. Black Magic Woman
25:41Original, Fleetwood Mac, cover, Santana
25:47Wait, what?
25:51Yep, that's right.
25:53One of Carlos Santana's signature songs isn't only a cover, but a cover of one of the most famous and
25:58beloved rock bands of all time.
25:59That said, it might not be the Fleetwood Mac you know and love.
26:03No, Black Magic Woman belongs to Peter Green, the band's founder, as well as its original lead singer and guitarist.
26:09I'm a Black Magic Woman
26:10She's got me so right
26:13Just two years later, Santana released a significantly reworked version of Black Magic Woman,
26:18which also integrates elements of Gabor Sabo's Gypsy Queen.
26:22Released as the first single from Santana's second album, Abraxas,
26:25Black Magic Woman reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 13 total
26:31weeks.
26:32Got a Black Magic Woman
26:35Got a Black Magic Woman
26:38Number 23. With a little help from my friends
26:41Original, The Beatles, cover, Joe Cocker
26:44Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends
26:47If you thought Black Magic Woman was a significant departure from its source material,
26:52just wait until you hear Cocker's searing rendition of The Beatles' Ode to Camaraderie.
26:56Originally recorded for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club band,
26:59with a little help was given a complete facelift for Cocker's 1968 debut album,
27:04which takes its title from this song.
27:06What would you do
27:08If I sang out of truth
27:11Would you stand up
27:13And walk out of me
27:15Going from a breezy jaunt to a sweat-drenched soul-bearing blues number,
27:19Cocker reportedly took his inspiration from American musicians Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.
27:25Even Paul McCartney, who co-wrote the original alongside John Lennon, was blown away.
27:30Said Sir Paul, Cocker, quote,
27:32Totally turned the song into a soul anthem,
27:34and I was forever grateful for him for doing that.
27:36I wanna get power in the same way
27:39Come on back
27:41I just keep trying
27:44Number 22, Fast Car
27:47Original, Tracy Chapman
27:48Cover, Luke Combs
27:59Let us be totally clear in saying that Chapman's original Fast Car recording
28:03remains one of the best, most affecting pop songs ever written.
28:07With that in mind,
28:08country star Combs' version makes no attempt to outdo or reinvent Fast Car,
28:12but also manages to rise above being simple karaoke.
28:15You gotta find this car
28:17And I wanna take it to anywhere
28:20Maybe we make a deal
28:22Maybe together we can get somewhere
28:25An instant hit,
28:26Combs' cover even managed to surpass Chapman's position on the Billboard Hot 100,
28:30with his version reaching number two.
28:32Chapman later endorsed Combs' Fast Car,
28:35even making a rare televised appearance to perform it alongside him at the 66th Grammy Awards.
28:40I had a feeling I could be someone
28:45Be someone
28:46Be someone
28:47Number 21, Killing Me Softly with his song
28:50Original, Lori Lieberman
28:52Covers, Roberta Flack and the Fugees
29:02Poor Lori Lieberman just couldn't seem to catch a break.
29:06Lieberman wrote Killing Me Softly in the early 70s,
29:08assisted by music industry vets Norman Gimbal and Charles Fox.
29:12However, Gimbal and Fox didn't allow her a songwriting credit,
29:15denying her millions in royalties.
29:18Insult was added to injury when Flack's cover became a massive hit, winning two Grammys.
29:22Killing me softly with this song
29:25Killing me softly with this song
29:29Of course, as we all know, this is not the end of the story.
29:33Over two decades later, Lauren Hill and the Fugees won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance
29:38by a duo or group with vocals for their rearrangement.
29:41Killing me softly with this song
29:45Killing me softly
29:48With this song
29:50Lieberman has since given up the fight for a songwriting credit,
29:54instead seeking to educate the public on the song's origins.
29:57Number 20, Knocking on Heaven's Door
29:59Original, Bob Dylan
30:01Cover, Guns N' Roses
30:02Older generations may know this song from Bob Dylan's album
30:05Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
30:07from the film of the same name.
30:12For younger audiences,
30:14they might know it better as sung by Axl Rose.
30:16The Guns N' Roses cover of Knocking on Heaven's Door
30:18brought the track to the modern era with style.
30:21The hard rockers gave the softer tune a pointed edge.
30:28During one of the band's peaks,
30:29they were able to bring covers like this and Paul McCartney's Live and Let Die to their fans.
30:34They successfully combined Dylan's moving lyrics with an electric production.
30:37With some great guitar work from Slash,
30:40Rose's iconic vocals make it all worthwhile.
30:48Number 19, Tainted Love
30:50Original, Gloria Jones
30:52Cover, Soft Cell
30:53Decades after Gloria Jones recorded this tune,
30:56Soft Cell energized it with an 80s flair.
31:00Sometimes I feel I've got to
31:03Run away, I've got to
31:06Tainted Love became a new wave hit
31:08with all the pop sounds you could want from the decade.
31:10The newer version features high-powered synths
31:12with Mark Allman's voice bringing all kinds of attitude.
31:15Hey love, we share
31:18Seems to go out of nowhere
31:21It reached number one on the UK singles chart
31:23and broke the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100.
31:26The latter rendition is undeniably catchy,
31:29taking the spark of the first recording and reimagining it.
31:32Now I'm gone
31:34Like my things I'm gone
31:36It just goes to show that even a soul number from 1965
31:39can translate to the wild world of 1981.
31:42Tainted love
31:46Tainted love
31:47Number 18
31:49Heart and Soul
31:50Original
31:51Exile
31:51Cover
31:52Huey Lewis and the News
31:53Did you even know that this was a cover?
31:55Huey Lewis and the News recorded Heart and Soul in 1983,
31:59but they were following the Kentucky band Exile.
32:02Oh, it dropped this morning
32:08The version from Lewis and his band features the singer's strong delivery
32:11and some classic synth sounds.
32:13And if it got hot and heavy
32:17I know she'd feel it too
32:19It's a very catchy rock number that made a splash with audiences,
32:23climbing to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.
32:26Cause she's hot and so
32:30She's hot and cold
32:31The single became one of the band's most recognized hits during their heyday.
32:36While the first version has its own merits,
32:38the second recording had the magic that truly connected with listeners.
32:44Number 17
32:45The Tide is High
32:46Original
32:47The Paragons
32:48Cover
32:48Blondie
32:49Known for their new wave music,
32:51Blondie also tried some different genres.
32:53The tide is high
32:55But I'm holding on
32:58Their take on The Tide is High
33:00And I finds the band trying out a reggae sound.
33:02The original song was first done by Jamaican group The Paragons,
33:06coming from the Rocksteady genre.
33:08I'm not the kind of man who gives up just like that
33:14Many years later,
33:16a much different band got hold of the song and experimented with it.
33:19Debbie Harry and her bandmates adapt well to the dynamic track.
33:23Every gal wants you to be a man
33:27They are both laid back and stylish,
33:29showing listeners that they can be as versatile as any other music act.
33:33The bouncy beat and Harry's performance helped take the cover to number one on several charts.
33:38I'm gonna be your number one
33:43Number 16
33:44It's All Coming Back to Me Now
33:45Original
33:46Pandora's Box
33:47Cover
33:48CĂ©line Zion
33:49While a group named Pandora's Box first recorded this tune,
33:52it was CĂ©line Zion that helped popularize it.
33:54There were nights when the wind was so cold
33:59She turned this song into one of her best performances.
34:02Zion's version was a major hit on the Billboard charts,
34:05reminding everyone of the singer's talents.
34:07There were days when the sun was so crude
34:11The vocalist takes the romantic lyrics and makes them sound even dreamier.
34:15It's yet another example of her hold on the 90s,
34:18showcasing her incredible range.
34:20If I kiss you like this
34:23The vocals reach an amazing peak during the chorus.
34:26Composer Jim Steinman crafted a fantastic track for both artists,
34:30but the cover really raised the bar for pop stars everywhere.
34:34It's all coming back to me now
34:37Number 15
34:39Valerie
34:40Original
34:41The Zootons
34:42Cover
34:42Mark Ronson featuring Amy Winehouse
34:44You might not know the Zootons,
34:46but you should thank them for getting the ball rolling on this song.
34:49Well, sometimes I go out by myself
34:53And I look across the water
34:56Their composition inspired Mark Ronson to record a new version with Amy Winehouse.
35:01Using Winehouse's amazing pipes,
35:03the producer created one of the singer's finest works.
35:06And I think of all the things
35:08What you're doing
35:09And in my head I'll paint a picture
35:12The piece has a throwback sound that's perfect for the rehab star.
35:16From a humble rock tune to a massive production,
35:19Valerie was completely enhanced by Ronson's musical techniques.
35:22And I miss your tender hair
35:24And the way you like to dance
35:26The featured vocalist turns the melody into her own,
35:29giving an awesome performance that ranks highly among her catalog.
35:32Why don't you come on over a ballad of me?
35:37Number 14
35:37Come on, feel the noise
35:39Original
35:40Slade
35:40Cover
35:41Quiet Riot
35:42When Slade put out the single in the 1970s,
35:45the rockers certainly connected with fans of glam.
35:47So you think I've got an evil mind?
35:50Well, I'll tell you why
35:52A decade later,
35:53the band Quiet Riot chose to put their stamp on the track.
35:56I don't know why
36:00I don't know why
36:03Come on, feel the noise became their most notable hit
36:05and one of the better covers of its kind.
36:08Taking the song firmly into a new era,
36:10the heavier rock band gave the track a metal flavor.
36:13Come on, feel the noise
36:16Girls, rock the boys
36:18It's practically a standard within its own sub-genre at this point.
36:22The big production gave it a remix that inspired audiences
36:24while also saluting the brilliance of the original.
36:28Look at this one, one, one
36:30Number 13
36:32Mr. Tambourine Man
36:33Original
36:34Bob Dylan
36:35Cover
36:35The Birds
36:36On their debut album,
36:38The Birds chose to cover one of the most famous
36:40and revered musicians of their era.
36:42Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man
36:45Play a song for me
36:47It might seem like a tall order to interpret Bob Dylan,
36:50but this group was more than up to the task.
36:52I'm not sleeping
36:54There ain't no place I'm going to
36:59Their version of Mr. Tambourine Man
37:01helped to convince people of their groundbreaking folk rock sound.
37:04Taking the song into an electric space,
37:07this version also helped show the evolution of folk music
37:09during a revolutionary decade.
37:11All my senses have been stripped
37:15And my hands can't feel to grip
37:19This cover holds an undeniable place in music history,
37:22likely influencing other artists to take similar chances.
37:25In the jingle jangle morning
37:29I'll come far with you
37:33Number 12
37:34I Heard It Through The Grapevine
37:36Original
37:37Gladys Knight and the Pips
37:38Cover
37:39Marvin Gaye
37:40Sometimes two great stars perform the same song,
37:43But one makes the track legendary
37:52Gladys Knight and the Pips delivered a great version of
37:54I Heard It Through The Grapevine,
37:55but they were clearly outdone by Marvin Gaye
38:06The Motown classic was given its definitive
38:09and most influential rendition by the latter singer.
38:11It came to be one of his defining recordings
38:14in a career full of stellar work.
38:19Not only was he in the right place at the right time,
38:22the vocalist gave audiences a performance
38:24that stayed relevant over a half century later.
38:27It's another reason that Gaye was counted
38:29among the best artists of the 20th century.
38:35Number 11
38:36Hound Dog
38:37Original
38:37Big Mama Thornton
38:39Cover
38:39Elvis Presley
38:40The legendary Big Mama Thornton
38:42deserves much more attention for her work.
38:44You ain't nothing but a hound dog
38:48It's no drama dog
38:50But it's impossible to deny the greater impact
38:53of Elvis Presley's cover.
38:55The rock icon took Hound Dog
38:56to a new level of fame.
39:03Presley also bridges the gap
39:04between Thornton's blues traditions
39:06and a new sound
39:07that would take the world by storm.
39:08His fiery vocals really sell
39:10one of the most iconic records of the 50s.
39:13Oh, well he said you was high class
39:16Well that bridge to mine
39:18He took his version to number one
39:20with the single becoming
39:21one of his signature tracks.
39:22Truly?
39:23There ain't nothing quite like his rendition.
39:25Well, you ain't never caught a rhyme
39:27You ain't never caught a rhyme
39:29Number 10
39:30I Love Rock and Roll
39:32Original
39:32The Arrows
39:33Cover
39:34Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
39:40You'd be forgiven for not remembering
39:42Britain's The Arrows
39:43a glam rock group from the 1970s
39:45that first recorded and released
39:47I Love Rock and Roll
39:48Their version, as cool as it is
39:50just isn't widely remembered today
39:52nor is it considered to be
39:53the definitive edition of the song
40:01Instead, that honor goes to
40:03Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
40:04who heard the Arrows original
40:06and decided to cover it
40:07a few years after its release
40:13This comparatively more hard rocking cover
40:16eventually grew to become
40:17something of a career calling card
40:18for Jett
40:19particularly after departing
40:20her former group The Runaways
40:22It was Joan's one-of-a-kind attitude
40:24and swagger that allowed
40:25I Love Rock and Roll
40:26to hit harder than ever before
40:35Number 9
40:36Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
40:38Original
40:39Robert Hazzard
40:40Cover
40:40Cyndi Lauper
40:46This song was less than
40:485 years old
40:49when Cyndi Lauper
40:49recorded it
40:50for her debut studio album
40:51She's So Unusual
40:53As a result
40:54its new wave stylings
40:55remain relatively intact
40:56within both versions
40:57However
40:58Lauper's decision
40:59to play around
41:00with Robert Hazzard's lyrics
41:01allowed girls
41:02just wanna have fun
41:03to progress
41:03in a powerful
41:04and meaningful manner
41:12She sings
41:13from a switched perspective
41:14of empowerment
41:15whereas Hazzard's original
41:17is a comparatively vapid
41:18and face value
41:19approximation of dating
41:20and intimacy
41:26Lopper's cover
41:27went on to become
41:28something of a feminist
41:29anthem
41:29while Hazzard's demo
41:31has largely been relegated
41:32to trivia questions
41:33and lists like this one
41:52A great song doesn't always
41:55achieve chart success
41:56via multiple artists
41:57but then again
41:58Proud Mary
41:58wasn't just an average
41:59everyday pop hit
42:01This boisterous and rockin' tune
42:03did well with its originators
42:04Creedence Clearwater revival
42:05in 1969
42:12Solomon Burke's cover
42:14that same year
42:15was also a hit
42:22That said
42:23it's the version
42:24laid down by Ike
42:25and Tina Turner
42:26that electrified the song
42:27adding even more energy
42:29and solidifying it
42:30within the public consciousness
42:38Turner's unfettered spark
42:40and charisma
42:40gave life to the band's
42:42upbeat and soulful arrangements
42:43Proud Mary had entered
42:45its final stage
42:46a defining track
42:47for a new music superstar
42:48and a new generation
42:50Number 7
42:56The Man Who Sold the World
42:57Original
42:58David Bowie
42:59Cover
43:00Nirvana
43:07Generations of music fans
43:08were already well aware
43:10of The Man Who Sold the World
43:11prior to Nirvana
43:12covering it for MTV Unplugged
43:13in 1993
43:14These were older generations
43:17however
43:17folks from the 70s
43:19and 80s
43:19who were familiar
43:20with the David Bowie
43:21original
43:21as well as hit covers
43:23from Lulu
43:23and Midge Your
43:31Nirvana's take
43:32as a result
43:33was delivered
43:33with perfect timing
43:34to keep the song
43:35relevant for the
43:36grunge-obsessed audiences
43:37of the 1990s
43:46In fact
43:47some say that
43:48it's Nirvana's version
43:49that helped retain interest
43:50in Bowie's glam rock gem
43:52allowing The Man Who Sold the World
43:53to live on for future generations
43:55If that isn't musical kismet
43:57we don't know what is
43:59You're face
44:00to face
44:02with the
44:04moments of the world
44:07Number 6
44:08Respect
44:09Original
44:10Otis Redding
44:11Cover
44:11Aretha Franklin
44:19There's no denying
44:21that both
44:21Otis Redding
44:22and Aretha Franklin
44:23are legendary
44:24soul singers
44:25That said
44:26Aretha's
44:26stolen cover
44:27is something special
44:28like lightning
44:29in a bottle
44:30that has proven
44:31to be a timeless
44:32masterpiece
44:39Her take
44:40is smoother
44:41and more refined
44:42although the differences
44:43don't necessarily
44:44take away from
44:45the value
44:45of either version
44:46in a major way
44:52Instead
44:52Franklin's
44:53point of view
44:54allows her take
44:54on respect
44:55to speak
44:55from a point
44:56of feminism
44:57and civil rights
44:57in gripping fashion
44:59Thus
44:59the song
45:00became
45:00a career-making
45:01anthem
45:02for soul music's
45:03first lady
45:03and deservedly so
45:11Number 5
45:12Nothing Compares to You
45:14Original
45:15The Family
45:16Cover
45:16Sinead O'Connor
45:21Prince was famous
45:23for his work ethic
45:24a tireless songwriter
45:25who seemed like
45:26he was always working
45:27Nothing Compares to You
45:29was penned by him
45:29and given to a group
45:31he formed
45:31called The Family
45:32Nothing Compares to You
45:36This musical group venture
45:38resulted in a single album
45:40that contained the OG
45:41Nothing Compares to You
45:42Fast forward five years
45:44to Sinead O'Connor's
45:45second studio album
45:46and it's her version
45:47that has captured
45:48the imaginations
45:48of listeners
45:49for years now
45:56The power of the song
45:58striking music video
45:59likely helped things
46:00along in this regard
46:01but O'Connor's version
46:02possesses an intimate
46:03and smolderingly
46:04intense power
46:05all its own
46:06Nothing Compares
46:11Nothing Compares
46:13to You
46:14Number 4
46:15All Along the Watchtower
46:17Original Bob Dylan
46:18Cover
46:19The Jimi Hendrix Experience
46:20All Along the Watchtower
46:24Princes kept the view
46:26Masterclass songwriters
46:28of Bob Dylan's caliber
46:29have always seen
46:31their music covered
46:31by a variety of artists
46:33Adele's take
46:34on Make You Feel My Love
46:35is a great example of this
46:37To make you feel my love
46:41So is the Jimi Hendrix
46:43Experience's
46:43hard-rocking version
46:44of All Along the Watchtower
46:45It'd go on to become
46:47one of the defining
46:47psychedelic rock songs
46:49of the 60s
46:49a precursor to heavy metal
46:51that hinged upon
46:52Hendrix's charismatic vocals
46:53and guitar playing
47:01Meanwhile, the rhythm section
47:03hammers home an urgent groove
47:05that's impossible to resist
47:06Thus, the group updated
47:08All Along the Watchtower
47:09for a very swingin' decade
47:11All Along the Watchtower
47:15Princess kept the view
47:18Number 3
47:19Hallelujah
47:20Original
47:21Leonard Cohen
47:22Covers
47:22John Cale
47:23and Jeff Buckley
47:29There have been quite a few artists
47:31that tried to take a swing
47:32at Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah
47:33It was John Cale's 1991 version
47:36that arguably peaked
47:37mainstream interest
47:38in Cohen's 1984 original
47:40after it was included in Shrek
47:42It's a cold
47:43and it's a broken
47:45Hallelujah
47:48That said
47:49Few Hallelujah covers
47:50have as much palpable
47:52melancholy and sadness
47:53as Jeff Buckley's
47:541994 recording
47:55From your lips
47:57you drew the Hallelujah
48:00The singer-songwriter
48:01unfortunately died
48:02when he was only 30
48:03which lends a fatalistic aura
48:05to his Hallelujah
48:06that's echoed
48:07in his impossibly resonant
48:08and impassioned vocals
48:09Cohen's original
48:11features a metered
48:12insistent cadence
48:13while Buckley's balladry
48:14is smoother
48:15and more stretched out
48:16allowing each word
48:17to drip down
48:18like honey or molasses
48:19It's a cold
48:20and it's a broken
48:22Hallelujah
48:25Number 2
48:27Hurt
48:27original Nine Inch Nails
48:29cover
48:29Johnny Cash
48:31And you could
48:33have me on
48:35Trent Reznor's
48:37original version of Hurt
48:38for his band
48:39Nine Inch Nails
48:40possesses a unique
48:41and impenetrable
48:42darkness
48:42all its own
48:43I will make you
48:45hurt
48:47That said
48:48it's Johnny Cash's
48:49cover from 2002
48:50that has allowed
48:51the song to enter
48:52a transformative state
48:53one that proves
48:54how truly great music
48:55can transcend genres
48:57And you could
48:58have it all
49:03My empire
49:04of dirt
49:05Cash was in
49:06the twilight
49:07of his life
49:07when he recorded
49:08and released Hurt
49:09and this feeling
49:10of mortality
49:10envelops the end result
49:12like a funerary shroud
49:13It's virtually impossible
49:15to retain our composure
49:16as images of Cash
49:17as a young man
49:18flash across the screen
49:19in the accompanying video too
49:21Thus
49:21Cash gave Reznor's
49:23evocative ballad
49:24a new and vulnerable
49:25life all its own
49:26I will let you down
49:31I will make you hurt
49:34Before we continue
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49:50Number 1
49:51I Will Always Love You
49:53Original
49:53Dolly Parton
49:54Cover
49:55Whitney Houston
49:59It's a musical
50:00Sophie's Choice of sorts
50:01Which version of
50:03I Will Always Love You
50:04do you prefer?
50:05Both are sung
50:06by generational talents
50:07The originator
50:09and songwriter
50:09Dolly Parton
50:10and the artist covering
50:11it Whitney Houston
50:12Country purists
50:13or diehard Dolly fans
50:15may swing her way
50:16We'll always love you
50:22However
50:23the public at large
50:24is probably more familiar
50:26with Houston's cover
50:27taken from the soundtrack
50:28to 1992's
50:30The Bodyguard
50:35Houston more than put
50:36her stamp on the song
50:37creating a mesmerizing
50:39listening experience
50:40that's indescribable
50:41Thus
50:42she allowed
50:43I Will Always Love You
50:44to cross over
50:44into the pop world
50:45and charts
50:46from its heartfelt
50:47country roots
50:54Did we forget
50:55another cover
50:56that was better
50:57than the original?
50:57Let us know
50:58in the comments
50:58than the original?
50:58Let us know
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