Same song different artist. Which ones do you love? LP


I just love hearing songs by different artist, that I already love and the different renditions that they offer. To get this started here are a few of mine. Baby Blue by, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Badfinger(love the fact that the Breaking Bad series ended with this one). I Put A Spell On You by, Screaming Jay Hawkins, CCR, Annie Lennox, Van Morrison and Marilyn Manson. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood by, The Animals, Elvis Costello Ronnie Spector. OK your turn.

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For me, the song is IT. IMO, a lot of Pop music is made by musicians who just use the song as a platform from which to show their stuff. The song to me is the same as the script is to a movie---without it, you got nothin’. I could go on for pages, but here are some songs having multiple great versions that spring to mind, the writer(s) in parenthesis, followed by performers:

- What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted (William Weatherspoon/Paul Riser/James Dean): Jimmy Ruffin, Joan Osborne.

- Shake, Rattle, & Roll (Jesse Stone): Big Joe Turner, Bill Haley & His Comets, NRBQ.

- No Time To Cry (Iris DeMent): Iris DeMent, Merle Haggard.

- That’s How I Got To Memphis (Tom T. Hall): Tom T. Hall, Buddy Miller.

- Love Hurts (Boudleaux Bryant): The Everly Brothers, Gram Parsons.

- A Song For You (Gram Parsons): Gram Parsons, The Continental Drifters.

- Shake Your Hips (Slim Harpo): Slim Harpo, Lou Ann Barton, Joan Osborne. Yeah, The Stones did it too, but as usual not particularly well.

- Get Rhythm (Johnny Cash): Johnny Cash, NRBQ.

- (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care (Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller): Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Dwight Twilley, Phil Seymour.

- Let Her Dance (Bobby Fuller): Bobby Fuller Four, Phil Seymour, Marshall Crenshaw.

- Cadillac Walk (Moon Martin): Moon Martin, Mink DeVille.

- Let It Be Me (Becaud/Curtis/Delanoe): The Everly Brothers, Bob Dylan, Dave Edmunds.

- Singin’ The Blues (Melvin Ensley): Marty Robbins, Guy Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Dave Edmunds.

- Rock ’n’ Roll Music (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry, Dave Edmunds, The Beach Boys.


And now, a separate section just for the best cover artist Rock ’n’ Roll has produced, Dave Edmunds. All the following have been done by Dave, the writer and original recording artist listed here:

- I Hear You Knocking (Dave Bartholomew): Smiley Lewis.

- The Promised Land (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry.

- Sweet Little Rock ’n’ Roller (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry.

- Let It Rock (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry.

- No Money Down (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry.

- Dear Dad (Chuck Berry): Chuck Berry.

- Maybe (Richard Barrett): The Chantels.

- I Ain’t Never (Mel Tillis/Webb Pierce): Webb Pierce.

- Born To Be With You (Don Robertson): The Chordettes.

- Get Out Of Denver (Bob Seger): Bob Seger.

- Back To School Days (Graham Parker): Graham Parker & The Rumour.

- Crawling From The Wreckage (Graham Parker): Graham Parker & The Rumour.

- Almost Saturday Night (John Fogerty): John Fogerty.

- I Want You Bad (Terry Adams/Phil Crandon): NRBQ.

- Where Or When (Richard Rogers/Lorenz Hart): Dion & The Belmonts.

You have not lived until you here Dave’s version of this incredible song!


Here are two songs written by Bob Dylan, recorded by both he and The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man, and My Back Pages. The Byrds’ versions are almost unbelievably great. Marshall Crenshaw’s My Back Pages is also absolutely fantastic.


And finally, the partnership to beat all partnerships, Bob Dylan and The Band. All songs below recorded by both he and they, and, as above, songwriting credit in parenthesis:

- When I Paint My Masterpiece (Bob Dylan).

- I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan).

- This Wheels On Fire (Bob Dylan/Rick Danko).

- Tears Of Rage (Bob Dylan/Richard Manuel).



Two songs written  by Patti Griffins: "What you are" redone by Joan Osborne and "Goodbye" redone by Martina McBride. Both originals songs are well done, but the remakes IMHO are much better.
I probably should have mentioned "You Got What it Takes (to Take What I Got)" by Joe Tex, later covered as a duet by Marti Jones and her husband, Don Dixon. My wife and I used the latter version as our first dance.

The Feelies used to end their live shows with great cover songs - Everybody's Got Something to Hide but Me and My Monkey (Beatles), King's Lead Hat (Brian Eno), All Tomorrow's Parties (Velvet Underground). Etc.

A few stealth covers from Cyndi Lauper - "Money Changes Everything", covering The Brains, and "All Through the Night" her cover of Jules Shear.

Strange variation 1:  "World Turning", Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie's re-work of Peter Green's "World Keep on Turnin".  almost unrecognizable and uncredited to Green.

Strange Variation 2 -  "Battleship Chains" Georgia Satellites (Terry Anderson) covering The Woods (Terry Anderson's first band) and later covered by Hindu Love Gods (basically, REM plus Warren Zevon.)

Special Mention: Kid Creole's irresistibly danceable yet hilarious cover version of Harry Belafonte's "If You Wanna Be Happy For the Rest of Your Life (Never Make a Pretty Woman Your Wife).