Aretha Franklin Covers “Respect” by Otis Redding
The Queen of Soul’s biggest hit was actually written by the King of Soul, Otis Redding. Redding released the song in late summer of 1965, while Franklin’s version came out less than two years later, in April 1967. Franklin actually altered and added lyrics, including the famous lines “Find out what it means to me,” “Take care, TCB,” and the repetition of “Sock it to me.”
Click here to listen to the original version by Otis Redding
Marvin Gaye Covers “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and Gladys Knight & The Pips (sort of)
Undoubtedly, Marvin Gaye’s version of this much-covered song (by everyone from Creedence Clearwater Revival to raisins) is the most famous. However, the song has a somewhat complicated history.
It was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966, and then recorded that year by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. That version was rejected by Motown’s Berry Gordy, who told Whitfield and Strong to make it stronger.
Gaye actually recorded the song next, in 1967, but that version was rejected too. Whitfield then immediately produced a version with Gladys Knight & the Pips, which was finally released as a single in September 1967 — the first version to be released to the public, despite being the third recorded in the studio.
Knight’s version went to number two on the Billboard charts. Gaye’s version appeared on his 1968 album In the Groove, and Gordy finally agreed to release it as a single in October 1968. The track went to the top of the Billboard Pop Singles chart for seven weeks from December 1968 to January 1969, and became the biggest hit single on Motown Records.
Click here to listen to the version by Smokey Robins & the Miracles, and click here to listen to the version by Gladys Knight & the Pips
Creedence Clearwater Revival Cover “Susie Q” by Dale Hawkins
The aforementioned “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” was not the only hit cover performed by John Fogerty’s CCR. In 1968, the band reached number 11 on the charts with a cover of “Susie Q” (stylized for the CCR single as “Suzie Q”) — in fact, it was the band’s only Top 40 single not written by Fogerty.
The song was originally released in 1957 by songwriter Dale Hawkins, and was also recorded by The Rolling Stones, appearing on their 1964 album The Rolling Stones No. 2.
Click here to listen to the original version by Dale Hawkins
Talking Heads Cover “Take Me to the River” by Al Green
In 2004, Al Green’s original version of “Take Me to the River” was ranked number 117 on Rolling Stone‘s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time — so it’s safe to say that plenty of people still appreciate Green’s rendition. Still, the Talking Heads owned this song in 1978, releasing their cover and charting at number 26 in the U.S. only four years after it was originally released by Green.
Click here to listen to the original version by Al Green
Jimi Hendrix Covers “All Along the Watchtower” by Bob Dylan
Jimi Hendrix recorded his version of Bob Dylan‘s “All Along the Watchtower” a mere six months after Dylan released the song. Not only did the song become one of Hendrix’s biggest hits, but it also would become one of Dylan’s most famous songs — owing largely to Hendrix’s rendition.
“He had such talent,” said Dylan of Hendrix in a 1995 interview. “He could find things inside a song and vigorously develop them. He found things that other people wouldn’t think of finding in there. He probably improved upon it by the spaces he was using.”
“Ever since he died I’ve been doing it that way,” Dylan stated in the liner notes of his 1985 compilation box set, Biograph. “Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it’s a tribute to him in some kind of way.”
Click here to listen to the original version by Bob Dylan
Click here for 10 Cover Songs Better Than the Originals