First recorded as “Come and Take a Ride in My Boat” by The Rare Breed (1966).
Hit version by Every Mother’s Son (US #6 1967).
From the wiki: “‘Come on Down to My Boat’ was written by Jerry Goldstein and Wes Farrell, and was first recorded in 1966 as ‘Come and Take a Ride in My Boat’ by The Rare Breed (not to be confused with the UK band Rare Breed featuring Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler), who would later perform as The Ohio Express (‘Yummy Yummy Yummy’, 1968). The song was covered by Every Mother’s Son in 1967, peaking in the Billboard Top-10.”
First recorded (as “The Last Time”) by The Rolling Stones (US #9/UK #1/IRE #2 1965).
Based on “This May Be the Last Time” by The Staple Singers (ca. 1954).
Also recorded (instrumentally, as “The Last Time”) by The Andrew Oldham Orchestra (1965).
Hit version by The Verve (US #12/UK #2 1997).
From the wiki: “‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’ is a song by English alternative rock band The Verve, and is the lead track on their third studio album, Urban Hymns (1997). It is based on former Rolling Stones manager Andrew Loog Oldham’s orchestral version of The Rolling Stones’ song ‘The Last Time’ from which the Verve samples the main theme.
“The sampling, and the extent to which it was used, would later involve The Verve in legal controversy. Oldham had produced his hobby-project album, The Rolling Stones Songbook, in 1965 by recording orchestrated instrumental versions of several popular Stones melodies. Oldham’s production of ‘The Last Time’ was the only take on Oldham’s album not immediately recognizable by comparison to the original Rolling Stones recordings.
Written and first recorded by John Hiatt (1987).
Hit version by Bonnie Raitt (US Rock #11/UK #86 1989).
From the wiki: “‘Thing Called Love’ was written and first recorded by John Hiatt in 1987, featuring Ry Cooder on guitar and Nick Lowe (‘Cruel to Be Kind‘) on bass. The album on which it appeared, Bring the Family, was recorded in four days after McCabe’s Guitar Shop booker John Chelew convinced Hiatt that ‘Thing Called Love’, ‘Thank You Girl’, and ‘Have a Little Faith in Me‘ were some of his best songs.
“Hiatt was recently sober but had burned so many bridges in the music industry he did not think he had a chance of continuing his career. He had been dropped by his label and ‘wondered if I was worth a damn.’ Demon Records in England still loved his work and pledged about $30,000 if he wanted to record; A&M Records would picked up the finished disc for distribution in the US.
First recorded by Bonnie Tyler (UK #95/NOR #10/POR #10/SPN #34 1988).
Other hit version by Tina Turner (US #15/UK #5/CAN #4/AUS #2/SPN #2/NOR #5 1989).
From the wiki: “‘The Best’ is a song written by Mike Chapman (‘Mickey‘) and Holly Knight (‘Better Be Good to Me‘), originally recorded by Bonnie Tyler on her 1988 release Hide Your Heart. The single reached #10 in Norway and Portugal, #34 in Spain and #95 in the UK.
Written and first recorded (as a demo) by Pete Townshend (1971).
Hit versions by The Who (US #34 1971), Limp Bizkit (US #71/UK #18/AUS #4/NZ #5/SWE #1/SPN #1 2003).
From the wiki: “‘Behind Blue Eyes’ was originally written by Pete Townshend for his aborted Lifehouse project. According to Townshend, the song’s origin happened after a Who concert in Denver on 9 June 1970. Following the performance, Townshend became tempted by a female groupie, but he instead went back to his room alone, possibly as a result of the teachings of his spiritual leader, Meher Baba. Upon reaching his room, he began writing a prayer, the first words being ‘When my fist clenches, crack it open …’
“The song is sung from the point of view of the main villain of Lifehouse, Jumbo. The lyrics are a first-person lament from Jumbo, who is always angry and full of angst because of all the pressure and temptation that surrounds him, and the song was intended to be his ‘theme song’ had the project been completed.
“The version of ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ on the original Who’s Next album was the second version the band recorded; the first was recorded at the Record Plant in New York on 18 March 1971 and features Al Kooper on Hammond organ. It would not be released until 1995, as a bonus track on the CD reissue of Who’s Next. The released album version of ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ was recorded 8 July 1971 at Olympic Studios in London.
Written and first recorded by Sammy Hagar (1978| UK #36 1980).
US hit version by Rick Springfield (US #8 1981).
From the wiki: “‘I’ve Done Everything for You’ was written by Sammy Hagar, and was a staple of Hagar’s live performances as early as 1977. A live recording of the song appeared on Hagar’s 1978 album All Night Long and was released as a single. It did not chart in the US but was a UK Top 40 hit in 1980.
“A cover version of the song appeared on Rick Springfield’s 1981 international breakout album Working Class Dog. Springfield’s single reached the US Top 10. Following the success of the Springfield version, Hagar recorded a studio version of ‘I’ve Done Everything for You’ for inclusion on his 1982 greatest hits album. Rematch.”
Written and first recorded by The Allman Brothers (1970).
Also recorded by Buddy Miles (1971).
Hit versions by Joe Cocker (US #23 1972), Gregg Allman (US #19 1973), Paul Davidson (UK #10 1976), Willie Nelson (C&W #6 1980).
From the wiki: “‘Midnight Rider’ is a popular and widely covered song by The Allman Brothers Band from their 1970 album Idlewild South, written by Gregg Allman and Robert Kim Payne. Drummer Buddy Miles (Electric Flag, Jimi Hendrix) recorded the first cover of ‘Midnight Rider’, in 1971, for his album titled A Message to the People.
“Recordings by Joe Cocker, Gregg Allman himself (on his solo album Laid Back), U.K. singer Paul Davidson, and Willie Nelson have all reached the US and UK charts as singles but the original arrangement, as recorded by The Allman Brothers Band, was never released as a single.”
First recorded by The Nerves (1976).
Hit version by Blondie (UK #5/IRE #18/AUS #39 1978).
From the wiki: “‘Hanging on the Telephone’ was written by Jack Lee (‘Come Back and Stay’, 1983) and first performed by his short-lived US West Coast Power Pop trio, The Nerves (which included Paul Collins, later of The Beat). The song was the lead-off track on The Nerves’s 1976 EP, the group’s only release (until the 2008 compilation, One Way Ticket, thirty years after the group disbanded).
“New Wave band Blondie later popularized ‘Hanging on the Telephone’ when it released a cover as the second single off Parallel Lines in both the US and UK in 1978. The single failed to chart in the US (except as an album track at album-oriented radio stations) but charted Top-5 in the UK; charting elsewhere, too, in Europe and Australia.”
First recorded by Seafood Mama (1980).
Hit version by Quarterflash (US #3/ROCK #1/UK #49/AUS #6/NZ #12 1982).
From the wiki: “‘Harden My Heart’ was originally released as a single in early 1980 by Seafood Mama, Quarterflash’s predecessor band. That recording featured a more sparse instrumental arrangement but also a more dramatic vocal arrangement than the later hit version. The original single was a regional success on radio stations in the Pacific Northwest.
“After changing the group name, Quarterflash released their self-titled debut album in 1981 on which was the new version of ‘Harden My Heart’. This version, produced by John Boylan, was released as the album’s first single, in September 1981, which peaked in the Billboard Top-5 and topped the Mainstream Rock chart in early 1982.”
First recorded by Ronnie Spector (US #77 1971).
Hit album version by George Harrison (1973).
From the wiki: “George Harrison wrote ‘Try Some, Buy Some’ during sessions for All Things Must Pass, his successful 1970 triple album, also co-produced by Phil Spector. The song’s austere melody was influenced by Harrison composing on a keyboard instrument rather than guitar. Ronnie Spector recorded this and other Harrison compositions, such as ‘You’ and ‘When Every Song Is Sung’, in London for a planned comeback album on the Beatles’ Apple Records. The project was co-produced by her husband at the time (Phil Spector) whose temporary withdrawal from music-making in 1966 had forced Ronnie to reluctantly abandon her own career.
“Sessions for the proposed Spector album took place at London’s Abbey Road Studios, beginning on 2 February 1971. In addition to his own contribution as guitarist, Harrison enlisted some of the musicians with whom he had recorded All Things Must Pass: Gary Wright, on keyboards; Derek and the Dominos drummer Jim Gordon; Voormann and Carl Radle (the latter another member of the Dominos), alternating on bass; and Badfinger’s Pete Ham on second guitar and percussion. Another participant was Leon Russell, familiar to Phil Spector as a regular member of the Wrecking Crew during the mid 1960s. Recording continued at Abbey Road on 3 February, during which Lennon joined the proceedings, allegedly on piano.
First recorded by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (US #13 1978 |UK #49 1979).
Other hit versions by Kenny Rogers & Sheena Easton (US #6/MOR #2/C&W #1/UK #28 1983), Lulu & Ronan Keating (UK #4/AUS #6 2002).
From the wiki: “‘We’ve Got Tonight’ was written by Bob Seger, from his 1978 album Stranger in Town, and became a hit single for Seger and the Silver Bullet Band. In 1983, Country-Pop star Kenny Rogers recorded the song as a duet with Pop star Sheena Easton. Their recording reached #1 on the Billboard Country Singles chart, #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #2 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. The duet also reached the Top 30 in the UK.
First recorded by Spider (1981).
Hit version by Tina Turner (US #5/R&B #6/UK #45/CAN #6/AUS #28/NZ #22/IRE #22 1984).
From the wiki: “‘Better Be Good to Me’ was written by Mike Chapman (‘Mickey‘, ‘Kiss You All Over’), Nicky Chinn and Holly Knight, and enjoyed its greatest commercial success on Tina Turner’s solo album, Private Dancer.
“The song had originally been released in 1981 by Spider, a New York City band that included co-writer Knight as a member. Chapman is an Australian record producer and songwriter who was a major force in the British pop music industry in the 1970s and early 1980s. He created a string of hit singles for artists including Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Smokie, Mud, and Racey, and later produced breakthrough albums for Blondie and The Knack.
First recorded by Shocking Blue (1969):
Single release by Nirvana (1988).
From the wiki: “‘Love Buzz’ was written by Robbie van Leeuwen of the Dutch band Shocking Blue and first released on the group’s 1969 album, At Home. The song was later covered by Nirvana, who released it as their debut single in 1988. A slightly different mix of the song would also appear on the debut album, Bleach. This version is missing a 10-second sound collage introduction put together by Kurt Cobain. ‘Love Buzz’ was later released in the UK on Nirvana’s Blew in the UK in December 1989.”
Co-written and first recorded by The Go-Go’s (US #20/UK #47/CAN #3 1981).
Other hit version by Fun Boy Three (UK #7 1983).
From the wiki: “‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ was written by The Go-Go’s guitarist Jane Wiedlin and Fun Boy Three singer Terry Hall (formerly of The Specials). The Go-Go’s supported The Specials on the latter’s 1980 US tour. According to Wiedlin, she and Hall had had an affair despite him having a girlfriend and this led to correspondence between Wiedlin and Hall about his ‘complicated situation’ from which the two pulled lyrics for the song. ‘Lips’ was first recorded by The Go-Go’s (and produced by Richard Gottehrer, who had co-written and helmed the recording of The Angels’ ‘My Boyfriend’s Back’ 18 years earlier) as the opening track on their 1981 album Beauty and the Beat and served as the group’s debut American single in June 1981. In 1983, Hall’s band, Fun Boy Three, released a more ominous-sounding cover of ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’. Issued as a UK single, the track became Top 10 there, and remains the best-known version of ‘Lips’ in that country and on the Continent. In 2000, Rolling Stone named ‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ one of the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time.
First recorded by The Ever-Green Blues (1967).
Hit version by The Grass Roots (US #5 1968).
From the wiki: “‘Midnight Confessions’ was written by Lou T. Josie and originally recorded by the Ever-Green Blues in 1967 for their album 7 Do Eleven (because The Ever-Green Blues were a 7-piece band doing eleven songs). Their recording caught the attention of producer Steve Barri who was looking for a song for The Grass Roots to record that was a ‘West Coast’ approximation of a Motown-style production.
“Because of the way The Grass Roots was handled by its producers, it is unlikely that any of the members of the band actually played on their recording of ‘Midnight Confessions’ (members of The Wrecking Crew did) except to provide the vocals and to perform it in concert. Regardless, it was the Grass Roots’ first single to feature a horn section and was a departure from the group’s previous singles and thus caused worry for the band members that it might not have become a hit. The Grass Roots, however, did not need to worry as the single became their biggest hit in the United States, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.”
First recorded by Argent (1970).
Hit version by Three Dog Night (US #7/CAN #4/AUS #72 1971).
From the wiki: “‘Liar’ wasg written by Russ Ballard (‘Winning‘, ‘Since You Been Gone‘) of Argent from their 1970 self-titled debut album. It was released as the band’s first single, but did not chart.
“A version by Three Dog Night was released the following year and featured on the band’s album, Naturally.”
First recorded by The Chambers Brothers (1966).
Hit version by The Chambers Brothers (US #11 1968).
From the wiki: “‘Time Has Come Today’ was first recorded by The Chambers Brothers in 1966 and released as a single with no chart impact. The song was re-recorded in 1967 for the album The Time Has Come. This time, ‘Time Has Come Today’ did have a presence in the Top-40 … and also a significant impact in the counterculture of the time. While the single spent five weeks bubbling under the Top-10 at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1968, ‘Time Has Come Today’ is now considered to be one of the landmark Rock songs of the psychedelic era.
First recorded by The Go-Go’s (DANCE #35 1980).
Hit version by The Go-Go’s (US #2 1982).
From the wiki: “Written by the group’s lead guitarist and keyboardist Charlotte Caffey, and considered to be their signature song, ‘We Got the Beat’ was first recorded in 1980 and released in July as a single in the UK on Stiff Records (available in the US, then, only as an UK import). The song’s single release brought the Go-Go’s underground credibility in the UK. The song climbed to #35 on the US Hot Dance Club Play chart due to its popularity in clubs as an import.
“From Songfacts.com, Jane Wiedlin remembers, ‘[B]efore we got our record deal with IRS, we actually put out one single in England so that when we toured we had something to sell, and we had like a one single deal with Stiff Records, who were the record company that had signed The Specials and Madness – we also toured with Madness in England. And then that single was a previous version of ‘We Got The Beat’. So, I guess technically that was our first single.’
Written and first recorded (as “There is a Mountain”) by Donovan (US #11/UK #8 1967).
Also recorded by Dandy Livingstone (1967).
Adapted by The Allman Brothers (1972).
From the wiki: “‘There Is a Mountain’ is a song and single by British singer/songwriter Donovan, released in 1967 and charting in the US and UK. ‘There is a Mountain’ was first covered, in 1967, by Reggae artist Dandy Livingstone (‘A Message to You, Rudy‘).
“‘Mountain Jam’ is the improvised instrumental jam based on the Donovan song. The Allman Brothers were inspired to improvise on it after hearing the Grateful Dead’s jam ‘Alligator’, from the Dead’s Anthem of the Sun album (1968). ‘Mountain Jam’ was recorded at Fillmore East in March 1971 to be included on the mixed live/studio album Eat A Peach, the last Allman Brothers albums to include founding member and lead guitarist Duane Allman before his accidental death in September 1971.
Written and first recorded by John Hiatt (1974).
Hit version by Three Dog Night (US #16/CAN #18 1974).
From the wiki: “John Hiatt was working as a songwriter for Tree International, a record label in Nashville, when his song ‘Sure As I’m Sittin’ Here’ was covered in 1974 by Three Dog Night. The song became a Top 40 hit, earning Hiatt a recording contract with Epic Records. Since then Hiatt has released twenty-one studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album, and his songs have been covered by a variety of artists in multiple genres, including Joe Cocker (‘Have a Little Faith in Me‘), Bonnie Raitt (‘Thing Called Love’), The Jeff Healy Band (‘Angel Eyes’), Bob Dylan, The Searchers, Willy DeVille, Ry Cooder, Linda Ronstadt, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Joe Bonamassa, Willie Nelson, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Buffett, Nick Lowe, Chaka Khan, and many others.
Written (by Tom Gray) and first recorded by The Brains (1978).
Re-recorded by The Brains (1980).
Hit version by Cyndi Lauper (US #27 1984).
From the wiki: “‘Money Changes Everything’ was written by Tom Gray, frontman of The Brains, and was the band’s only underground hit – released in 1978 as a 45 RPM single on Gray Matter Records. The initial underground success of the song led to The Brains being signed by Mercury Records. The group rerecorded the song under the guidance of producer Steve Lillywhite for their 1980 debut album, The Brains.
“Critic Greil Marcus, listing ‘Money Changes Everything’ at #10 of his Real-Life Rock Top Ten 1979, wrote: ‘Singer Tom Gray told his story in a strangled voice, as if he were trying to explain, but instead he laid a curse. This damned single ranks higher than I’ve placed it, but if it were anywhere else I couldn’t end with it, and there’s no other way the decade could end.’ Marcus would later write of the song, ‘It was hard, it hurt, and Cyndi Lauper’s version makes the original sound compromised. She makes you wonder if Brains composer and singer Tom Gray even knew what he was talking about.'”
First recorded by Michael Des Barres & Holly Knight (1983).
Hit version by Animotion (US #6/UK #5/CAN #7/NZ #10 1984).
From the wiki: “‘Obsession’ was originally written and recorded as a duet by songwriter Holly Knight and musician Michael Des Barres in 1983. This version was prominently featured in the 1983 film A Night in Heaven. The song was featured on the film’s soundtrack, but did not receive enough attention to warrant much radio play or a place on any Billboard charts.
“In 1984, the Los Angeles-based Synth-Pop band Animotion covered the song for their self-titled debut album. This version became a massive success – Top-10 in the US, UK and Canada – and it remains Animotion’s biggest hit.”
First recorded by The Zutons (UK #9 2006).
Other hit versions by Amy Winehouse (UK #37 2007), Mark Ronson ft. Amy Winehouse (UK #2 2007), Cast of Glee (US #54 2010).
From the wiki: “‘Valerie’ is a song by the English indie rock band The Zutons from the band’s second studio album, Tired of Hanging Around (2006), and gave The Zutons their joint-biggest single to date as well as their second UK Top 10 single, climbing from #41 (from download sales alone, the day before physical release) to its peak at #9 in the UK Singles Chart. Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse covered ‘Valerie’ for Ronson’s second studio album, Version (2007).
First released by a-ha (NOR #3 1984).
Hit version by a-ha (US #1/UK #2/AUS #1/IRE #2/GER #1/SWE #1/NOR #1 1985).
Also performed by a-ha (2017).
From the wiki: “‘Take On Me’ was written by the Swedish synth-pop group a-ha (Magne Furuholmen, Morten Harket & Pål Waaktaar), and was first recorded as a demo by the group in 1984. The band met with producer Tony Mansfield, an expert in the use of the Fairlight CMI, who mixed their arrangement with electronic instrumentation. The sound was not what a-ha had hoped to achieve, and the album was remixed again. The band then rushed to release ‘Take On Me’ as a single in the United Kingdom but the single flopped. Even so, Warner Brothers’ main office in the United States decided to invest in the band and gave them the opportunity to re-record the song. Alan Tarney, who had previously helmed recording sessions for Cliff Richard and Leo Sayer, produced this new version.
