Uncovered - the original version

Forums: Music, Covers, Original Versions, Cover Music
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I've often said that cover versions expose great songs to generations that would never of heard them because the original artist is lost in historical obscurity.

This thread is for original versions not commonly known. Obviously that's subjective - I'm sure some of you with longer memories than mine knew this track was from the Young Rascals, but to me 'You Better Run' was a Pat Benatar number (link to the PB version for comparison).

I forgive in advance any young takker who posts Don McLean's 'American Pie' because they've just discovered Madonna's isn't the original.....

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Type: Discussion • Score: 6 • Views: 42,453 • Replies: 329

Funny ... I was just listening to a cover, and saw this thread. Let me post the video of the cover, then I'll post on topic.

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@hingehead,

My kids had no idea the Fugees didn't sing this song originally.

Roberta Flack wasn't the original recording artist, but she sang it a few years after the original recording by Lori Lieberman. It was composed after Lierberman saw a Don McLean concert. I prefer the Roberta Flack version.

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You thought Soft Cell's version was the original?

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@Ticomaya,

Hey Tico, I knew the Lori Leiberman story but that's the first time I've heard her original (that I believe Flack heard on an aeroplane).

I knew the original Bobby McGee too - much prefer Joplin's. Likewise knew Gloria Jones did the original version of Ed Cobb's song - and that she was driving the minicab in the car accident that killed Marc Bolan.

Great posts.

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In a similar vein to Tico's

Here's the original version of Leiber and Stoller's big hit for Elvis

Just how did two Jewish kids from New York pen and record a track for Big Mama in 1954?

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I'm guessing in terms of record sales the version of the Loved One from INXS's 1987 album 'Kick' is the most heard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFzNhImSngQ

But I first heard the sond in 1981 and loved this version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfihk0_zwjc

But this is the original, recorded in 1966

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In think most folks know this wasn't originally sung by UB40 ...

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@Ticomaya,

Controversy at last!

Apparently the Gladys Knight and the Pips version was the third recorded - but the first released - she was 'pipped' first by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (Berry Gordy hated their version) and then the well know Marvin Gaye version was recorded but not released until after the GK&P version.

What a lovely little trivia snippet to wrap the day up on.

The full wikpediea entry

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@Ticomaya,

Someone else did Once Bitten? I've only ever known it as Ian Hunter song.

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@hingehead,

hingehead wrote:

Someone else did Once Bitten? I've only ever known it as Ian Hunter song.

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@hingehead,

hingehead wrote:

Controversy at last!

Apparently the Gladys Knight and the Pips version was the third recorded - but the first released - she was 'pipped' first by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (Berry Gordy hated their version) and then the well know Marvin Gaye version was recorded but not released until after the GK&P version.

Yes, but when a tree falls in the forest, and nobody hears it, does it really make a sound? Cool

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Before the Creedence Clearwater version:

Couldn't resist posting this version, too.
Go Marvin! :

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@Ticomaya,

Of course, Great White covered it. That's what I mean about subjective, in Oz we get a blend of US and UK top 40 stuff whereas you don't always get the UK stuff. The Great White version didn't have much of an impact here. Of course the Ian Hunter version didn't either - I just happened to be in a band that covered it around 1980.

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Uncovered - the original version

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