Posted on Jun 22, 2020

19 Famous Songs That People Fell In Love With Without Realizing They Were Actually Covers

I was today years old when I found out "1985" was not originally by Bowling for Soup.

Allie Hayes

BuzzFeed Staff

It's happened to all of us at least once: You're boppin' along to (what you believe is) a brand-new song and you're like, "Wow, I love this and must know everything about it," only to find out through a little research that IT'S ACTUALLY A COVER OF A SONG BY ANOTHER ARTIST.

Nickelodeon

Well this week, Reddit user confuciusly asked, "What song did you fall in love with not because of the original, but because of a cover?" and, y'all, I'm not ashamed to say I learned some things.

Netflix

Here are just a few of the tunes that people fell in love with without realizing they'd actually been around beforehand:

1. "All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix

"I had no idea it was a Bob Dylan song for a good few years because Hendrix owned it."—Modest_Gaslight — Reprise/Track

"I had no idea it was a Bob Dylan song for a good few years because Hendrix owned it."
—Modest_Gaslight

Reprise/Track

"I had no idea it was a Bob Dylan song for a good few years because Hendrix owned it."
—Modest_Gaslight

2. "Twist and Shout" by the Beatles

"It was written and performed originally by the Isley Brothers and released in 1962, but was popularized when the Beatles covered it a year later."—Chefdontjudge11 — Parlophone

"It was written and performed originally by the Isley Brothers and released in 1962, but was popularized when the Beatles covered it a year later."
—Chefdontjudge11

Parlophone

"It was written and performed originally by the Isley Brothers and released in 1962, but was popularized when the Beatles covered it a year later."
—Chefdontjudge11

3. "1985" by Bowling for Soup

"I was very surprised when I found out that SR-71 were the original artists."—Bluedystopia — FFROE/Jive/Zomba

"I was very surprised when I found out that SR-71 were the original artists."
—Bluedystopia

FFROE/Jive/Zomba

"I was very surprised when I found out that SR-71 were the original artists."
—Bluedystopia

4. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash

"Nine Inch Nails' original version was good, but the version that he did is a cold punch to the soul."—MlejnasIsMyHome — American/Lost Highway

"Nine Inch Nails' original version was good, but the version that he did is a cold punch to the soul."
—MlejnasIsMyHome

American/Lost Highway

"Nine Inch Nails' original version was good, but the version that he did is a cold punch to the soul."
—MlejnasIsMyHome

5. "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell

"Gloria Jones did the original version back in 1964."—Joe_Huxley — Some Bizzare

"Gloria Jones did the original version back in 1964."
—Joe_Huxley

Some Bizzare

"Gloria Jones did the original version back in 1964."
—Joe_Huxley

6. "Respect" by Aretha Franklin

"It was originally by Otis Redding, and there's actually a cool little backstory to it."—MiceIsNice — Atlantic

"It was originally by Otis Redding, and there's actually a cool little backstory to it."
—MiceIsNice

Atlantic

"It was originally by Otis Redding, and there's actually a cool little backstory to it."
—MiceIsNice

7. "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright

"The original is by Leonard Cohen, but I first fell in love with the cover from Shrek. There are a lot of really nice covers of this one out there. The song always makes me tear up."—OnceInAPurpleMoon — Geffen Records/UMG

"The original is by Leonard Cohen, but I first fell in love with the cover from Shrek. There are a lot of really nice covers of this one out there. The song always makes me tear up."
—OnceInAPurpleMoon

Geffen Records/UMG

"The original is by Leonard Cohen, but I first fell in love with the cover from Shrek. There are a lot of really nice covers of this one out there. The song always makes me tear up."
—OnceInAPurpleMoon

8. "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed

"The original Simon and Garfunkel version is incredible, but I heard the Disturbed version first and it gives me chills."—ImDrunkSoFuckIt — Reprise/Warner Bros.

"The original Simon and Garfunkel version is incredible, but I heard the Disturbed version first and it gives me chills."
—ImDrunkSoFuckIt

Reprise/Warner Bros.

"The original Simon and Garfunkel version is incredible, but I heard the Disturbed version first and it gives me chills."
—ImDrunkSoFuckIt

9. "Black Magic Woman" by Santana

"The original version was Fleetwood Mac."—nautme — Columbia

"The original version was Fleetwood Mac."
—nautme

Columbia

"The original version was Fleetwood Mac."
—nautme

10. "Nothing Compares to You" by Sinéad O'Connor

"The song was originally by Prince!"—zombiepantz — Chrysalis

"The song was originally by Prince!"
—zombiepantz

Chrysalis

"The song was originally by Prince!"
—zombiepantz

11. "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm

"I'd never actually heard the Michael Jackson original before I stumbled on the cover by this band, which was and is still my favorite."—landho54 — DreamWorks

"I'd never actually heard the Michael Jackson original before I stumbled on the cover by this band, which was and is still my favorite."
—landho54

DreamWorks

"I'd never actually heard the Michael Jackson original before I stumbled on the cover by this band, which was and is still my favorite."
—landho54

12. "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin

"I didn't know it was a cover for the longest time. It's originally by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie from way back in 1929."—mild_snakz — Atlantic

"I didn't know it was a cover for the longest time. It's originally by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie from way back in 1929."
—mild_snakz

Atlantic

"I didn't know it was a cover for the longest time. It's originally by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie from way back in 1929."
—mild_snakz

13. "The Boys of Summer" by the Ataris

"I heard the Ataris’ cover first without knowing it was actually by Don Henley."—EatLard — Columbia

"I heard the Ataris’ cover first without knowing it was actually by Don Henley."
—EatLard

Columbia

"I heard the Ataris’ cover first without knowing it was actually by Don Henley."
—EatLard

14. "Renegades of Funk" by Rage Against the Machine

"It's originally by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force!"—7FingerLouie — Epic

"It's originally by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force!"
—7FingerLouie

Epic

"It's originally by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force!"
—7FingerLouie

15. "It's My Life" by No Doubt

"For sooo many years, I had no idea this was a cover until I heard the Talk Talk original on the radio."—seeseanyawn — Interscope

"For sooo many years, I had no idea this was a cover until I heard the Talk Talk original on the radio."
—seeseanyawn

Interscope

"For sooo many years, I had no idea this was a cover until I heard the Talk Talk original on the radio."
—seeseanyawn

16. "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany

"It's originally by Tommy James and the Shondells, but I heard the Tiffany version first back in the '80s and loved it. Then found out it was a cover and I liked the original even more!"—jDubbaYo — MCA Records

"It's originally by Tommy James and the Shondells, but I heard the Tiffany version first back in the '80s and loved it. Then found out it was a cover and I liked the original even more!"
—jDubbaYo

MCA Records

"It's originally by Tommy James and the Shondells, but I heard the Tiffany version first back in the '80s and loved it. Then found out it was a cover and I liked the original even more!"
—jDubbaYo

17. "With a Little Help from My Friends" by Joe Cocker

"It's originally by the Beatles."—MAXIMILIAN-MV — EMI

"It's originally by the Beatles."
—MAXIMILIAN-MV

EMI

"It's originally by the Beatles."
—MAXIMILIAN-MV

18. "Hazy Shade of Winter" by the Bangles

"I watched Less Than Zero in the '90s when I was a teen and that song was just, WOW. I had no clue it was originally a Simon and Garfunkel song until my mom told me."—the_assembled_sway — Columbia/Liberation

"I watched Less Than Zero in the '90s when I was a teen and that song was just, WOW. I had no clue it was originally a Simon and Garfunkel song until my mom told me."
—the_assembled_sway

Columbia/Liberation

"I watched Less Than Zero in the '90s when I was a teen and that song was just, WOW. I had no clue it was originally a Simon and Garfunkel song until my mom told me."
—the_assembled_sway

19. And finally, "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston

"Probably the most famous example, but it was originally written and sung by Dolly Parton."—scaryfawn8332 — Arista/BMG Entertainment

"Probably the most famous example, but it was originally written and sung by Dolly Parton."
—scaryfawn8332

Arista/BMG Entertainment

"Probably the most famous example, but it was originally written and sung by Dolly Parton."
—scaryfawn8332

Now it's your turn! Share a song that you loved without realizing it was actually a cover and a little bit about why you love it in the comments below for a chance to be featured in an upcoming BuzzFeed Community post and/or video!

Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity. H/T Reddit!

Share This Article