DJ360 6,733 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Many of the hits for 60s UK 'Beat' and 'Merseybeat' groups were covers of American originals. Some more obvious than others. This is not necessarily a bad thing and in many cases IMHO the UK bands added a new 'slant', or 'sparkle' to the original. It's a subject of endless fascination for me as I sometimes am only finding out now that these songs were covers. The latest I've become aware of, is Marie Knight's 1961 original of Manfred Mann's 1965 hit 'Come Tomorrow'. and here is the Manfred's version. I'll put a few more of these up in due course. Please add your own. Col 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Evenin' Col! Don Covays version of Mercy Mercy is very nice. Brian and Keith did quite a credible rendition at 2120 South Michigan. Chucks tongue in cheek( awful!!) My Ding a Ling.This was cut way back in '52 by Dave Bartholomew.. and is a cracker!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Original Cover And another versionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y99tXNxV5s&list=RDklIcu7r46Ig&index=11 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,690 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Never realised that Adele's "Make You Feel My Love" was a Dylan song . https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gmXbyrlBCI8 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Another covered "Dylan" song 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,109 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 One reason I insist on buying CD's rather than downloading is that I like the liner notes informing me of who played what, and who wrote the songs. This was important in the 60's as I got into the blues courtesy of The Animals, Stones, Pretty Things, Led Zeppelin, Allmans etc. Thereby enabling me to search out the originals. Years ago, my ex got interested in line dancing believe it or not. The songs seemed reasonable, so I checked out the originals and got into some very good 'Country ' style music. Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and many more. Are the originals better or worse ? A bit of both I've found. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Chulla 4,946 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 I've mentioned this before; here are some original recordings, all by the Weavers in the late 1940s/early 1950s that were covered, if that is the right word, by others. Wimoweh Sixteen Tons Guantanamera Wreck of the John B House of the Rising Sun Old Riley If I Had a Hammer Midnight Special The Roving Kind Rock Island Line 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Only recently I found this version of The lion sleeps tonight . A bit before my time, but I have always loved this song by the Tokens. On long journeys with a car full of budding singers we have had many a laugh, blasting it out. The Evening Birds 1939 and The Tokens 1961. http://performingsongwriter.com/lion-sleeps-tonight/ 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Always liked this version 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
carni 10,094 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Me too BW. That is the version that we usually belt out in the car, but we look more like this? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,690 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Then there's Big Mama Thornton and Hound Dog or Springsteens , Blinded By the Light before Manfred Manns Earthband The Nerves original of Hanging On The Telephone 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,109 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Just four immediately spring to mind of great songs heavily covered. Morning Dew, and Proud Mary, Always on my Mind and If I Were a Carpenter. Brilliant. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 And before the Rolling Stones 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Before the Rolling Stones again 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 #7 Midnight Special 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DAVIDW 1,690 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Cyndi Laupers ,Girls Just Wanna Have Fun weirdly written by a bloke Robert Hazard The Kingsmen's Louie Louie written by Richard Berry 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,481 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 How many people thought this was an original Blondie song ? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
siddha 825 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxjQ3M_v7xc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA-EcqOCRkI 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
siddha 825 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5KU34DrrPI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_awAH-JJx1k 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
siddha 825 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=425GpjTSlS4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amRXYuAO-Do 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 I knew that you were way out with 'Midnight Special' as it was a song that was originally sung by the convicts in the US prisons so I checked it out on Wiki. Lyrics appearing in the song were first recorded in print by Howard Odum in 1905: Get up in the mornin' when ding dong rings, Look at table — see the same damn thing.The first printed reference to the song itself was in a 1923 issue of Adventure magazine, a three-times-a-month pulp magazine published by the Ridgway Company. In 1927 Carl Sandburg published two different versions of "Midnight Special" in his The American Songbag, the first published versions. The song was first commercially recorded on the OKeh label in 1926 as "Pistol Pete's Midnight Special" by Dave "Pistol Pete" Cutrell (a member of McGinty's Oklahoma Cow Boy Band). Cutrell follows the traditional song except for semi-comedic stanzas about McGinty and Gray and "a cowboy band" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,733 Posted March 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Some excellent additions here! I shall add a few more later. Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crankypig 457 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 Twist and Shout Recorded by the Top Notes,...then The Isley Brothers.....then The Beatles 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TBI 2,351 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 This 1953 Muddy Waters song was a cover of a much earlier one. Done later by many, including Lightning Hopkins, the Rolling Stones, The Animals, Them.... 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubblewrap 3,815 Posted March 2, 2016 Report Share Posted March 2, 2016 I always though this was the original version 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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