34 Songs You Didn't Know Are Covers

📌3:42 the dodgy cut here is the fault of the estate of Marvin Gaye who (surprise surprise) copyright claimed my section about how "Heard It Through The Grapevine" is a cover! I cut out that section using the YouTube editor tool but that resulted in a janky edit. This is also the reason this list is now 33 songs, rather than 34!

It's easy to not realise that a famous song is actually not the original version. So today we are going to look at 34 songs where the most well-known version isn't actually the original.

This video was edited by Martino Gasparrini.

And, an extra special thanks goes to Chase Heeler, Peter Keller, Douglas Lind, Vidad Flowers, Ivan Pang, Waylon Fairbanks, Jon Dye, Austin Russell, Christopher Ryan, Toot & Paul Peijzel, the channel’s Patreon saints! 😇

[DavidBennettPiano]

📌3:42 the dodgy cut here is the fault of the estate of Marvin Gaye who (surprise surprise) copyright claimed my section about how "Heard It Through The Grapevine" is a cover! I cut out that section using the YouTube editor tool but that resulted in a janky edit. This is also the reason this list is now 33 songs, rather than 34!

[observethemfdynamic]

Jimmi Hendrix’s “Star Spangled Banner” was originally written for an 18th century men’s club

[simonvaughan]

I think you came up with the word "outshadowed" (a cross between "overshadowed" and "outshone"?), which I've never heard before. We'll have to see whether it catches on and anyone covers it.

[sgkfilms]

I just realised that the record sleeve of London Calling by The Clash is a copy of Blue Suede Shoes by Elvis.
That's a cover of a cover.

[andrewnicon]

Shoutout to the fact that this video moves at the speed of light and wastes absolutely no time before moving to the next song.

[A.H-RBHSxcTF]

Fun fact: there is footage out there of George Harrison in 1964 requesting that I Got My Mind Set On You be played on the radio station he was listening to. That was a whole 24 years before he released his cover

[zephsamdperil]

"Istanbul, not Constantinopel" is commonly known for the They Might Be Giants version, but was originally by The Four Lads

[filux]

this whole video is just a big "well ackshually" and i love it

[CraigRodmellMusic]

I once talked to a UB40 fan, who regretted that "the only original song they did was Red Red Wine". I had to let him down, and point out the fact that it was actually written and originally recorded by Neil Diamond.

[thejuhlerofdk]

FINALLY! Someone who actually has done the research and credits Lis Sørensen with OG song "Brændt" THANK YOU!

[patrickallan]

The Tommy James version of "I Think We're Alone Now" was actually well know at the time of Tiffany's re-make and was in fact enjoying a minor resurgence at the time owing to the whole "Big Chill" revival of 60s music in the 80s. I think that's one of the reasons Tiffany did it.

[TheDwarvenDefender]

Every time I start to think it's the original, there's always something there to remind me.

[jbunte]

"Tainted Love" by Soft Cell was originally recorded by Gloria Jones. Gloria was also romantically involved and had a child with Marc Bolen of T. Rex. She was driving the car that crashed and fatally injured Marc in 1977.

[brotherdave]

I didn't even know "I put a spell on you" was covered. the Screamin' Jay Hawkins original is so iconic!

[gillsintheclassroom]

The crazy thing that most people don't realize is that Tiffany's "I Think We're Alone Now" took the No.1 spot from Billy Idol and his Tommy Jame's cover Mony."

, ,,,And now, back to the countdown.

[TheCleric]

And George Harrison 6:50 was actually covering Weird Al’s “This Song is Just Six Words Long”

[dwc]

It's crazy how often I see "All Along the Watchtower" referred to as a Jimi Hendrix song, by people apparently unaware of Bob Dylan

[joeldcanfield_spinhead]

The instrumental half of "Black Magic Woman" is "Gypsy Queen", originally by Hungarian jazz guitarist Gabor Szabo. His work is well worth checking into.

[StupidEdits]

When I learned that 'It Must Be Love' and 'Something Inside So Strong' were made by the same person I was floored. Labbi Siffre is one of the greatest musicians of his time and really isn't talked about enough

[RoyADane]

"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", made famous by Cyndi Lauper in 1983, was originally recorded in 1979. Ironically, the only original song on "She's So Unusual" (Lauper's first album), is "Time After Time". "Time After Time" is the most covered song from the 1980's.