They write/wrote most of their own material, yet they are more famous for a cover version

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Jeff Buckley (Hallelujah)
James Taylor (You've Got a Friend)
Nilsson (Without You)
Vince Clarke/Erasure (Take a Chance On Me)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:09 (nineteen years ago)

age of chance - kiss

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:15 (nineteen years ago)

status quo 'rockin' all over the world'

― steve 'scratch' perry (listerine), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

Patti Smith (Because The Night, Gloria)
Sinead O'Connor (Nothing Compares 2 U)

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:30 (nineteen years ago)

Alien Ant Farm (suck-ass band)

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:35 (nineteen years ago)

Whitney Houston, arguably

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

Run-DMC
The Fugees

― Rodney is a group! (R. J. Greene), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

Camper Van Beethoven "Pictures of Matchstick Men"

― Radio Free Albemuth (DocMartensBoots), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

Los Lobos "La Bamba"

― got yourself a fish biscuit! (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:58 (nineteen years ago)

(arguably) Jimi Hendrix "All Along The Watchtower"

― got yourself a fish biscuit! (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

I mean "arguably" as in, is probably not his most famous (you wouldn't know this listening to American classic rock radio though).

― got yourself a fish biscuit! (nickalicious), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

Lemonheads - "Mrs. Robinson"

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:01 (nineteen years ago)

There's a distinction to be made here: Whitney Houston may not be famous for "I Will Always Love You" in the same way that Alien Ant Farm is famous for "Smooth Criminal," but "I Will Always Love You" is probably her most famous song.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:06 (nineteen years ago)

Aretha Franklin - maybe. She certainly wrote a lot of her material.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:10 (nineteen years ago)

I thought you were talking about "The Greatest Love of All"

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:14 (nineteen years ago)

Whitney doesn't write her songs, jaymc.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

Bow Wow Wow - "I Want Candy"

― hank (hank s), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:28 (nineteen years ago)

soft cell - "tainted love"

― methanie tanner (methanie tanner), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

If you want to call them famous...

Frente--Bizarre Love Triangle

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:39 (nineteen years ago)

toploader - dancin in the moonlight

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

UB40

― Jordan (Jordan), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 20:59 (nineteen years ago)

Nina Simone, if her most famous is "I Loves You Porgy."

Barry Manilow, if his most famous is "I Write the Songs" or "Mandy."

and it's not his most famous, but I think Cat Stevens's biggest hit was his cover of "Another Saturday Night."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 21:01 (nineteen years ago)

Simple Minds didn't write "Don't You Forget About Me"

― bendy (bendy), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 21:02 (nineteen years ago)

Camper Van Beethoven "Pictures of Matchstick Men"

Surely most famous for Take The Skinheads Bowling?

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 21:05 (nineteen years ago)

Urge Overkill--Girl You'll Be A Woman Soon

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 21:35 (nineteen years ago)

Surely Sinead O'Connor 'Nothing Compares 2U' owns this thread.

― darren (darren), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 21:48 (nineteen years ago)

Already mentioned. I still consider a couple of the ones I mentioned myself rather obvious too though. :)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 21:56 (nineteen years ago)

Was "Because the Night" performed by someone else before Patti? "Cover version" doesn't just mean that the song was written by someone else, does it?

― Sundar (sundar), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 22:05 (nineteen years ago)

It was at least performed live by Springsteen several times before Smith's version, wasn't it?

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 17 October 2006 22:06 (nineteen years ago)

Blue Cheer -- Summertime Blues

― Shoes say, yeah, no hands clap your good bra. (goodbra), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 02:13 (nineteen years ago)

"Because the Night" was a Springsteen/Smith cowrite, wasn't it?

Arguably, They Might Be Giants - "Istanbul, Not Constantinople"

― Hideous Lump (Hideous Lump), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 02:38 (nineteen years ago)

re: "Because The Night", from Wikipedia:

Because the Night is a rock song composed by Bruce Springsteen and Patti Smith, and first released on Smith's 1978 album Easter.

The original song was recorded by Springsteen during sessions for his Darkness on the Edge of Town album. The Patti Smith Group was working on Easter in the studio next door, and the bands were exchanging tapes; Springsteen even composed some songs in the other band's style. With male-centered lyrics and a reported Latin feel, the original version of the song -- a workingman's lament -- wasn't finding a place on the Springsteen album. Smith took the song and recast it from a female perspective, and it was included on Easter, becoming the first single release from that album.

The song was a hit, rising to #13 on the U.S. pop singles chart, and helping propel sales of Easter to mainstream success — even as Smith was deciding to retire from a life of constant touring. The song remains one of the best known of Smith's catalog.

Though it was never released on a Springsteen studio album, in concert beginning with his 1978 tour Springsteen would often perform the song with his original lyrics, borrowing Smith's rock arrangement. The only commercially-released recording of a Springsteen version of the song was included on Live/1975-85.

― sleeve version 2.0 (sleeve testing), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 04:40 (nineteen years ago)

Quiet Riot - "Cum On Feel The Noize" and they embarrassed themselves by trying a repeat with "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" a bit later.

― nickn (nickn), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 06:09 (nineteen years ago)

Nina Simone, if her most famous is "I Loves You Porgy."

I don't think Nina Simone wrote most of her material. Or, at least, most of her famous tunes weren't written by her.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 06:17 (nineteen years ago)

bangles, "walk like an egyptian" and/or "manic monday"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 06:27 (nineteen years ago)

José Gonzalez - "Heartbeats" (by The Knife)

― StanM (StanM), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 06:31 (nineteen years ago)

Joe Cocker - With a Little Help From My Friends
Red Red Wine - UB40
La Bamba - Los Lobos
Heard It Through the Grapevine - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Quinn the Eskimo - Manfred Mann
The Byrds - Turn Turn Turn/Mr Tambourine Man
I Fought the Law - The Clash

― bergholt (bergholt), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 06:51 (nineteen years ago)

Heard It Through the Grapevine - Creedence Clearwater Revival

What??!?!?!?

― Diddumsismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:14 (nineteen years ago)

I Love Rock 'N' Roll - Joan Jett

― John Fredland (jfredland), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:19 (nineteen years ago)

Bert Jansch - Anji

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:34 (nineteen years ago)

UK folk (rock) to thread

― Diddumsismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:42 (nineteen years ago)

Oops ignore that, that's totally wrong, they don't "write/wrote most of their own material"

― Diddumsismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:43 (nineteen years ago)

Badfinger

― Marcello Carlin (nostudium), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:45 (nineteen years ago)

Toploader

― Diddumsismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:46 (nineteen years ago)

the futureheads (or was it kasabian -- whatever, shitty indie band): 'hounds of love'

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 08:47 (nineteen years ago)

bangles, "walk like an egyptian" and/or "manic monday"

Like, "Eternal Flame", which I would say was their biggest hit, those were originally written by outside writers for The Bangles, so they weren't really cover versions.

Another thing, I don't think The Bangles wrote much of their own material at all.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 09:28 (nineteen years ago)

Badfinger

If you count "Come And Get It" as their most famous song maybe, but I would say "No Matter What" is more famous - at least in retrospect.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 09:29 (nineteen years ago)

Speaking of Badfinger; Nilsson?

― Ben Dot (1977), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 09:36 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, but I already mentioned Nilsson in my initital post (his second biggest hit, "Everybody's Talkin'" was a cover too btw)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

Another thing, I don't think The Bangles wrote much of their own material at all.

Only just about every track on their debut and little over half of Different Light.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 10:08 (nineteen years ago)

Someone mentioned Soft Cell upthread. Marc Almond's a great songwriter, but his only top ten hits away from Soft Cell have been with covers: I Feel Love, Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart and The Days Of Pearly Spencer.

― davidsim (davidsim), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

Heard this is a supermarket today: Dubstar 'Not So Manic Now'

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:22 (nineteen years ago)

That was a cover?

― Cressida Breem (neruokruokruokne?), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

Aye, Richey Edwards wrote it.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

no he didn't!

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

;-)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

oic

― benrique (Enrique), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Very good. "He mailed it" right?

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

perhaps that was meant to be St Swithins Day

― Britain's Obtusest Shepherd (Alan), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

capt. beefheart

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

You mean "Willie the Pimp"?

― Diddumsismus (Dada), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

VANILLA FUDGE

― autovac (autovac), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

Saint Etienne - Only Love Can Break Your Heart (possibly, I have no idea where this ranks in the famousness of Saint Etienne songs, but it's up there, yes?)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

Robert Wyatt

xpost: yeah, it's up there...

― hank (hank s), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

Cowboy Junkies -- "Sweet Jane" and "Walking After Midnight"

Mary-Chapin Carpenter -- "Passionate Kisses"

Tricky -- "Cold Steel In The Hour Of Chaos" (first thing I heard; hooked me)

David Johansen -- "Hot Hot Hot" (as Buster Poindexter)

Quicksilver Messenger Service -- "Who Do You Love?"

Cannned Heat -- "Goin' Up The Country" (although arguable how much of its material CH "wrote")

Cream -- "Crossroads"

Alana Davis -- "32 Flavors" and "Carry On"

― Vornado (Vornado), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

oh, sorry, capt. beefheart for diddy wah diddy. which was played on the radio and stuff. don't know how big of a hit it was. but if anyone who doesn't listen to beefheart records has heard ANY song by him it would be that one.

― scott seward (scott seward), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

I remember UB40 doing "Red Red Wine", but didn't they also have yet another big huge hit cover?

Also, there was another 'reggae' band in the late 90s who had a hit with an Elvis cover, I am completely blanking on who/which song, but I clearly remember hearing it at an amusement park in Myrtle Beach, SC.

― got yourself a fish biscuit! (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

As well as everywhere else at the time.

― got yourself a fish biscuit! (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Berlin's biggest hit (wotzitcalledagain?) was certainly a cover, wasnnit?!

― tiit (tiit), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

I remember UB40 doing "Red Red Wine", but didn't they also have yet another big huge hit cover?
Also, there was another 'reggae' band in the late 90s who had a hit with an Elvis cover, I am completely blanking on who/which song, but I clearly remember hearing it at an amusement park in Myrtle Beach, SC.

UB40 did Elvis' Can't Help Falling In Love With You for that shitty Sharon Stone film (yes, yes, I know...) so I think you're maybe confusing the two?

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

"Can't help falling in love" by... UB40
xpost,

also "I got you babe"

They were like Showaddywaddy in that they used to write their own all the time, but once they got into cover versions, they couldn't shift their new stuff...

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

Naked Eyes - "Always Something There To Remind Me."

― mike a (mike a), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 15:12 (nineteen years ago)

UB40 also got airplay with a cover of "The Tide Is High".

― Vornado (Vornado), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 15:26 (nineteen years ago)

Every single one of UB40's hits in the States has been a cover: "I Got You Babe," "Red Red Wine," "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)," "The Way You Do the Things You Do," and "Can't Help Falling in Love."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks Ailsa and Mark!

― got yourself a fish biscuit! (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 16:20 (nineteen years ago)

What about Johnny Cash? He seems to be extremely obvious, having a good mix of originals and covers. Original-I walk the line, man in black, Cover-Ring of fire, boy named sue, lots of his american albums etc.

Ray Charles is probably similar.

― boybittersweet (boybittersweet), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 20:24 (nineteen years ago)

Only just about every track on their debut and little over half of Different Light.

Which means they'd gradually write less and less as soon as their record company found out the stuff by outside writers sold better. See also Cheap Trick (who, if originally written material by outside writers count are also contenders here)

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 21:44 (nineteen years ago)

Geir, they still managed to co-write every song on Everything. I'm not disputing your contention, but the facts are wrong.

― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 22:00 (nineteen years ago)

Natalie Imbruglia - Torn

― Cracks (Crackity), Wednesday, 18 October 2006 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

Geir, they still managed to co-write every song on Everything.

Spice Girls are credited as co-writers on most of their material. Which about as bullshit as Elvis Presley having contributed to "Love Me Tender".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 19 October 2006 00:51 (nineteen years ago)

Quiet Riot - "Cum On Feel The Noize"

What's depressing is the number of people who think this is a Quiet Riot original.

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 19 October 2006 03:02 (nineteen years ago)

Mott the Hoople (Hopple?) - All the Young Dudes

John Cale tends to be associated with his covers, like heart break hotel

Oh, how about Nico These Days and the End

― Adam S S (Zephery), Thursday, 19 October 2006 03:13 (nineteen years ago)

But surely Cale and Nico are famous for being in the Velvet Underground, not primarily for those cover songs.

― Sundar (sundar), Thursday, 19 October 2006 03:17 (nineteen years ago)

Youth Group

― I say we take off and nuke the site from orbit (I say we take off and nuke the), Thursday, 19 October 2006 04:57 (nineteen years ago)

"Video Killed the Radio Star" to thread.

― Myke. (Myke Weiskopf), Thursday, 19 October 2006 06:03 (nineteen years ago)

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