Ten Hits You May Not Know Were Cover Versions

[No Pride]

Whitney Houston's Greatest Love of All is a George Benson cover.

Yeah, I heard it on Benson's "Weekend in L.A." album before Whitney did it. But he didn't write it; it was written by Michael Massen and Linda Creed, whoever they are.

[Rune Blackwings]

There's one recent song that uses the same vocal tempo as "Afternoon Delight".

[JJ88]

Linda Creed

Co-wrote most all of The Stylistics (before they worked with Van McCoy), The Delfonics and The Spinners hits with Thom Bell.

[TheLoony]

There may be one or two people left who aren't from Australia...

There also may be a few PEers who are as clueless about pop as I am. I recognize 12 of the tunes listed.

I'm more clueless, as most of those I don't recognize. Here's one with those same chords(I believe but no, I'm wrong as I just watched it) but from a American slant. A little easier to spot the tunes in this one from what I remember.

[saatuk]

Whitney Houston's Greatest Love of All is a George Benson cover.

And 'I Will Always Love You' is a Dolly Parton cover.

[GuitarGeek]

And 'I Will Always Love You' is a Dolly Parton cover.

Yep, Dolly was one of those singers I heard constantly, for various reasons, when I was little, so I heard her version of the song quite a bit back before that one Material record (ya know, the one that Whitney apparently made her professional debut on).

Dolly's done some interesting covers too, I remember seeing her on TV one time doing a bluegrass version of Shine by Collective Soul, and she also did a version of Stairway To Heaven.

And I'm tired of hearing people kvetch about how terrible Pachabel's Canon is. I've always thought it was a beautiful piece of music, and I enjoy hearing it when I do (except when it's used in every single wedding ceremony in Port Charles, dammit!). I dunno, maybe I'd feel differently if I had to play it at a million and one weddings or whatever. (shrug)

[Dave (in MA)]

And I'm tired of hearing people kvetch about how terrible Pachabel's Canon is. I've always thought it was a beautiful piece of music, and I enjoy hearing it when I do

http://mikedickson.org.uk/mellotronworks/canon.html

[Adrian]

...which, allegedly, ripped off part of the melody of Gordon Lightfoot's "If You Could Read My Mind."

Lightfoot said he sued, not so much for moey, as to make sure people knew he wasn't the one doing the ripping off.

I had to stop and mentally run both of those songs through my head -- and I think it's a stretch for Lightfoot to say he was ripped off. Yeah, there's one passage in "Greatest Love" that sounds practically identical to a passage in "Read My Mind," but nothing else in the former bears even a passing resemblance to anything else in the latter. I love Lightfoot, but I can't see that as being anything other than a coincidence.

[Rune Blackwings]

Pacobell is too tame for me. Plus, I get sick on his Tacos Locos.

I prefer "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana, even if it is overplayed for every epic movie battle, major sporting event and footage of a guy unhinging his jaw to eat the Colossal Artery Clogger Burger from a burger chain.

[Progbear]

Yeah, I heard it on Benson's "Weekend in L.A." album before Whitney did it. But he didn't write it; it was written by Michael Massen and Linda Creed, whoever they are.

Whitney wasn’t even the first to do a cover version of it:

[ThomasKDye]

Yeah, there's one passage in "Greatest Love" that sounds practically identical to a passage in "Read My Mind,"

But that passage is OBVIOUS, and note-for-note the same. I remember when both my brother and I heard it for the first time, we said, "Hey, isn't that 'If You Could Read My Mind'?" Somehow, to me, it made it worse hearing Lightfoot's subtle delivery on that bit turned into the bombastic piece of cheese Houston delivered.

[Rune Blackwings]

which part??

I do know Dave Brock played parts of it in one of his pieces (I forget the name offhand)

[bob_32_116]

which part??

The part where Lightfoot sings

"I never thought I could act this way
and I've got to say that I just don't get it"

has exactly the same tune as

"I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadow".

[Rune Blackwings]

The part where Lightfoot sings

"I never thought I could act this way
and I've got to say that I just don't get it"

has exactly the same tune as

"I decided long ago
Never to walk in anyone's shadow".

Thanks! I know it has the same melody, but that is not exactly an obscure song. Is it possible the songwriter accidentally, either through latent memories or just by pure coincidence, wrote a chorus that sounds the same?

[bob_32_116]

Thanks! I know it has the same melody, but that is not exactly an obscure song. Is it possible the songwriter accidentally, either through latent memories or just by pure coincidence, wrote a chorus that sounds the same?

Of course it's possible. I'd say "latent memories" is more likely than coincidence. George Harrison could have told you all about that.

[Progbear]

Jenny Darren did the original version of “Heartbreaker,” turned into a hit a bit later (with revised lyrics) by Pat Benatar (apologies for the cheesy video):

[Dave (in MA)]

The term "moonraker" was changed because it would have likely confused American listeners.
I looked up what it means, and I didn't know that. Boy, I feel like a moonraker.

[Progbear]

The term "moonraker" was changed because it would have likely confused American listeners.
I looked up what it means, and I didn't know that. Boy, I feel like a moonraker.

“Eiderdown” was also changed.

[loshammeros]

Many moons ago I acquired an album " The Famous Charisma Label's Fifth Anniversary Album" and I really liked the song Symphony by Rare Bird--- and then. Marillion did it as well---- don't know about the charts but it was a hit for me!!!

[Yaman Aksu]

I really liked the song Symphony by Rare Bird--- and then. Marillion did it as well

You've got a typo here I guess, the song is called Sympathy.
P.S. Hey Jed [JKL2000] this is a Marillion tidbit you didn't spot and I did, this must be a first :-)

[Rarebird]

You've got a typo here I guess, the song is called Sympathy.
P.S. Hey Jed [JKL2000] this is a Marillion tidbit you didn't spot and I did, this must be a first :-)

In The Netherlands it was a hit for Steve Rowland and the Family Dogg

[loshammeros]

You've got a typo here I guess, the song is called Sympathy.
P.S. Hey Jed [JKL2000] this is a Marillion tidbit you didn't spot and I did, this must be a first :-)

Typo it was......sorry

[Halmyre]

The term "moonraker" was changed because it would have likely confused American listeners.
I looked up what it means, and I didn't know that. Boy, I feel like a moonraker.

I'm from the UK and for a long time only associated Moonraker with the James Bond film. Only found its original meaning a few years ago.

Had a good search but can't find the original lyrics anywhere. All the lyrics sites have lazily copied over the Benatar version.

[3LockBox]

What About Love by Heart was a song that had been recorded just a year before by a Canadian rock group from Toronto, called Toronto which also featured two female singers. It was written by two of the band's members, Sheron Alton and Brian Allen, plus additional lyrics by famed Canadian producer/song writer Jim Vallance (who played drums on the recording). It was never released by the band however because the other band members vetoed it citing it was for pussies. The band did release it years later on a 'best of' compilation called. Songs You've Never Heard (and One We Were Too Stupid To Release)

[Mister Triscuits]

I always thought the emblematic example of this was "Piece of My Heart," original by Erma Franklin.

Related to that, I was today years old when I learned that, although he wrote the song, Kris Kristofferson did not record the original of "Me and Bobby McGee," instead he gave it to Roger Miller. Kenny Rogers and Gordon Lightfoot also released versions before Kristofferson recorded it himself. But that was still before Janis Joplin made the definitive version.