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.
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.
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.
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
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"I had no idea it was a Bob Dylan song for a good few years because Hendrix owned it."
2. "Twist and Shout" by the Beatles
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"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."
3. "1985" by Bowling for Soup
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"I was very surprised when I found out that SR-71 were the original artists."
4. "Hurt" by Johnny Cash
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"Nine Inch Nails' original version was good, but the version that he did is a cold punch to the soul."
5. "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell
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"Gloria Jones did the original version back in 1964."
6. "Respect" by Aretha Franklin
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"It was originally by Otis Redding, and there's actually a cool little backstory to it."
7. "Hallelujah" by Rufus Wainwright
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"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."
8. "The Sound of Silence" by Disturbed
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"The original Simon and Garfunkel version is incredible, but I heard the Disturbed version first and it gives me chills."
9. "Black Magic Woman" by Santana
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"The original version was Fleetwood Mac."
10. "Nothing Compares to You" by Sinéad O'Connor
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"The song was originally by Prince!"
11. "Smooth Criminal" by Alien Ant Farm
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"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."
12. "When the Levee Breaks" by Led Zeppelin
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"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."
13. "The Boys of Summer" by the Ataris
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"I heard the Ataris’ cover first without knowing it was actually by Don Henley."
14. "Renegades of Funk" by Rage Against the Machine
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"It's originally by Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force!"
15. "It's My Life" by No Doubt
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"For sooo many years, I had no idea this was a cover until I heard the Talk Talk original on the radio."
16. "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany
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"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!"
17. "With a Little Help from My Friends" by Joe Cocker
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"It's originally by the Beatles."
18. "Hazy Shade of Winter" by the Bangles
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"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."
19. And finally, "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston
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"Probably the most famous example, but it was originally written and sung by Dolly Parton."
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!