The great thing about cover songs is that any artist can take something old and make it new again. Sometimes, the cover version is better than the original, while in other instances, you end up with an abomination. And, of course, there are musicians who take an excellent original tune and create something entirely different, but of equal quality — Elliott Smith commonly covered The Beatles, and Joe Cocker made his name by completely transforming the Fab Four’s “With a Little Help From My Friends.”
Some cover songs become so ingrained in our culture that they eclipse the original version entirely — sometimes to the point that listeners may not even realize that they are covers at all. Here are 10 hit songs that you may be surprised to learn are not originals.
Blondie Cover “Hanging On the Telephone” by The Nerves
This song was the first track off Blondie‘s third studio album, Parallel Lines. Released in 1978, it would prove to be the band’s major breakthrough record.
“Hanging On the Telephone” was written and originally released only two years earlier by The Nerves on their self-titled, four-song EP — the only record the band would ever release.
Click here to listen to the original version by The Nerves
Natalie Imbruglia Covers “Torn” by Ednaswap
While Blondie’s cover of “Hanging On the Telephone” came a mere two years after the original was released, Natalie Imbruglia’s cover of “Torn” was released the same year as the original version, which was written and released by the Los Angeles-based band Ednaswap. Since 1997, Imbruglia’s version has been played millions and millions of times, while Ednaswap has long since been forgotten.
Click here to listen to the original version by Ednaswap
UB40 Cover “Red Red Wine” by Neil Diamond
In 1983, UB40 recorded a reggae-tinged version of Neil Diamond’s 1969 soft rock ballad, and in August of that year it reached number one on the UK charts. Five years later, in 1988, the song was re-released in the United States and rocketed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Interestingly, Tony Tribe was the first artist to do a reggae cover of “Red Red Wine.”
Click here to listen to the original version by Neil Diamond
Quiet Riot Cover “Cum On Feel the Noize” by Slade
In 1983, hair metal was all the rage, and Quiet Riot peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 with this shout-along ditty. The song is practically a straight copy of Slade’s version, released 10 years earlier in 1973. Yes, when it came to creating horrible radio-friendly pop-metal, Slade was truly ahead of their time .
Click here to listen to the original version by Slade
Soft Cell Cover “Tainted Love” by Gloria Jones
Soft Cell made this song famous in 1981, but it was originally recorded in 1965 by then-20-year-old soul singer Gloria Jones. However, Jones was not the songwriter either — that distinction goes to Ed Cobb of The Four Preps.
Click here to listen to the original version by Gloria Jones