Jump to content

Cover Songs That Became Big Hits


Jimmy1104

Recommended Posts

My Way - Sid Vicious, 1979

orig. Frank Sinatra, 1969 (after Paul Anka, 1969)

That is also a cover of "Comme d´habitude", a song by French singer Claude François, mid sixties.

Clapton covered "After Midnight" in the late 80's...does that count? covering yourself?!

"After Midnight", as well as another hit by Eric Clapton, "Cocaine", are songs written and performed first by J J Cale.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My Way - Sid Vicious, 1979

orig. Frank Sinatra, 1969 (after Paul Anka, 1969)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That is also a cover of "Comme d´habitude", a song by French singer Claude François, mid sixties.

Edna, I am not sure what "Comme d´habitude" means so I will take your word it is My Way covered by Sinatra. But if indeed it is, then Claude François's version is a cover as well. The original was written and sung by Paul Anka.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Edna, I am not sure what "Comme d´habitude" means so I will take your word it is My Way covered by Sinatra. But if indeed it is, then Claude François's version is a cover as well. The original was written and sung by Paul Anka.

"Comme d´habitude" means "As usual", but the french version is the opposite of the english one: a sad man who´s suffering from loneliness and gets back home and buttons his vest, "as usual".

Paul Anka´s hit is from 1969. Claude Fraçois wrote the music and sang it in 1967. The song is credited Paul Anka/Claude François/Jacques Revaux/Gilles Thibault... the english lyrics are Paul Anka´s.

I swear I´m right, Jimmy... :laughing: Elvis Presley also covered a Claude François song, "My Boy" (guess that´s the name...) and "Seasons in the Sun" is originally written (in french) by Jacques Brel, "Le Moribond" but it became a hit in Terry Jack´s version.

I can tell you that because I´m French and remember the sixties very well... and I´ve been a music journalist for more or less all my life. But I admit I knew "My Way" was a french song when my brother told me so... :doh: :laughing:... then, I did some research and it´s true...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a note on that "My Way" cover. Frank Sinatra did not cover Paul Anka. Paul Anka wrote his version specifically for Sinatra.

That sounds better... I never heard Paul Anka singing "My Way", though seems he did as I checked it and it says "Paul Anka, My Way, 1969". Thanks for the info, UncleJoe. :bow: :bow: :bow:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nobody even tries to cover Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin...for good reason.

Actually, Encomium: Tribute to Led Zeppelin which was released in 1995, has a few decent covers. Among them: Hootie & the Blowfish's "Hey, Hey What Can I Say," STP's "Dancing Days," 4 Non Blondes' "Misty Mountain Hop," and Never the Bride's "Going to California." Several of the songs got lots airplay back when the album was released. That being said, I'm sure you can't count any of the songs as hits.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actually, Encomium: Tribute to Led Zeppelin which was released in 1995, has a few decent covers. Among them: Hootie & the Blowfish's "Hey, Hey What Can I Say," STP's "Dancing Days," 4 Non Blondes' "Misty Mountain Hop," and Never the Bride's "Going to California." Several of the songs got lots airplay back when the album was released. That being said, I'm sure you can't count any of the songs as hits.

"wish you were here" has been covered

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just a note on that "My Way" cover. Frank Sinatra did not cover Paul Anka. Paul Anka wrote his version specifically for Sinatra.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That sounds better... I never heard Paul Anka singing "My Way", though seems he did as I checked it and it says "Paul Anka, My Way, 1969". Thanks for the info, UncleJoe.

What I love most about Songfacts are the things you learn here.

I have always thought Paul Anka to be the original lyricist of My Way but now I have learned it was a rewrite in English of the French song Comme d'habitude as reported by Edna. Secondly, it looks like Sinatra did record the song prior to Anka who did it less than a year after Sinatra in 1969.

I stand corrected!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that's a great top ten, big man, very interesting! i have to disagree with you about the scissor sisters though - i'm listening to it now and love it! but then i've posted about my love of that song before!

the jeff version of hallelujah is beautiful and what he is most famous for. i got the album 'grace' for christmas from my parents when i was seventeen and i insisted on making my whole family listen to that twenty-three second note at the end - gorgeous! hallelu-uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

that's a great top ten, big man, very interesting! i have to disagree with you about the scissor sisters though - i'm listening to it now and love it! but then i've posted about my love of that song before!

the jeff version of hallelujah is beautiful and what he is most famous for. i got the album 'grace' for christmas from my parents when i was seventeen and i insisted on making my whole family listen to that twenty-three second note at the end - gorgeous! hallelu-uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu......

i'll have to listen to that again, haven't heard it in years...

i guess i'm protective of my pink floyd. lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just saw in another thread that "Black Magic Woman" by Santana is a cover of a Fleetwood Mac song. Peter Green wrote it... Guess I knew it some thirty years ago... :: And also that "Oye como va" (another hit by Santana) is a cover of a Tito Puente (percussionist) song,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...