originals that are less famous than their covers

Just thought I'd chime in again and ask if someone can generate a ranked list of artists with the most covers (and maybe also most originals).  E.g., the Elvis Presley entry has 36 Elvis originals and 128 Elvis covers. 

{+Artist+}                    {+Originals+}   {+Covers+}

Elvis Presley                    36  128

The Beatles                   181  28

Barbra Streisand              9  72

Rod Stewart                    8 131

(How do you use "insert table" to format this stuff?  I couldn't get it to work.) 

Until such a list is generated from the dbase, maybe people want to make some guesses?

Most covered (an original that is covered twice is counted twice):

http://www.secondhandsongs.com/stats/artist_covered.html

Most covers:

http://www.secondhandsongs.com/stats/artist_covering.html

I'll repeat the disclaimer on those pages:

These statistics are based on the data currently entered in database. Therefore the statistics are biased by the editors of the site. Do not use these numbers as reference.

"Sing Sing Sing" - the swing tune made famous by Benny Goodman.

"Just a Gigolo"/"I Ain't Got Nobody" - done by David Lee Roth in the 80's

"Jump, Jive and Wail" - done by neo-swing revivalists Brian Setzer, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

"I Wan'na Be Like You" - latey done by Los Lobos and Smash Mouth

All of 'em done originally by Louis Prima. I can't complain, it got me acquainted with his music, and I've been loving it.

I've read through the entire thread, and I didn't see Aretha Franklin's cover of Respect, by Otis Redding. It's become her signature song, so that most people have no idea it's a cover.

A lot of the songs on this thread so far were nowhere near as popular as the original, but they're still notable as cover songs that hit the top 10 or top 40, as opposed to the hard-to-find B sides and performed-only-in-concert bootlegs at the other extreme.

In order to make any kind of definitive list, someone needs to sit down with a copy of statistics from Billboard and compare numbers.

-Selv

The world is bigger than "Billboard",you need to check all countries and not only the VSA!!

Greetings.

Patrick

In the army now, covered by Status Quo, originally by Bolland and Bolland, I prefer the cover.

Rockin' all over the world, covered by Status Quo, originally by John Fogerty, here I prefer the original!

Quote by miachelsea at 1111719620:

hey i am trying to find out informaion on why artist do covers i need some facts and figures bout how many people agree with covering songs and what is the purpose of these songs , is it because artists arnt able to write their own songs any more or are they trying to bring back memories in which givin a different effect to the song for the audience ..... please reply

I think there are two types of cover, the one released at the same time as the original and the cover that is recycled a few years down the line to a new audience.

The music business has always been just that, business. It's all about making money. Producers exercised control over the material that artists would record and the recycling of tracks over the years is an attempt to cash in, working on the principle that if a song was a hit once, then that could be repeated.

In the 50s and 60s in the UK, there was a massive practice by UK producers of covering successful US tracks, getting UK artists on their roster to record them. In that pre-internet and pre-MTV world, it was a way of getting a hit by a UK artist.

If you go through the UK and US charts and compare, there are countless examples of this, just picking a few at random:

"Bobby's Girl" - Marcie Blaine (US), Susan Vaughan (UK)

"Pretty Blue Eyes" - Steve Lawrence (US), Craig Douglas (UK)

When My Little Girl is smiling" - Drifters (US), Jimmy Justice (UK)

"Up On the Roof" - Drifters (US), Kenny Lynch (UK)

"Rubber Ball" - Bobby Vee (US), Marty Wilde (UK)

The "British Invasion" (of America) by the Beat Groups in the mid 60s was fuelled largely on covers of American R&B records, e.g. Beatles covering early Motown tracks, such as "Money" and "You Really Got a Hold On Me" on their early albums. The same was true of the Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five, Searchers, et al. Ironically, it helped America focus on its own "black" talent a bit more and enabled R&B/soul to become mainstream as a result.

Then there was the practice of picking a good continental song and writing English lyrics, eg Dusty's "You don't have to say you love me".

Alan

Jesus! How about

"Nothing Compares 2 you"

by Prince!

Not Sinead...

@ Salvation: A great list of examples of songs better known as a coverversion.

But Bootylicious was not inspired by Survivor, but Edge Of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks.

Another example of a coverversion:

Freak Like Me : Sugababes (Originals: Freak Like Me: Adina Howard and Gary Numan: Are Friends Electric )

Another songs that is no official coversong is Dani California by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, wich sounds very much like Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty.

What about Louie Louie, famous version from The Kingsmen, original version from Richard Berry & The Pharaohs...

Mr Tambourine Man, I guess the Byrds version is better known than the Dylan original and Hey! Baby is from Bruce Channel and NOT Dj Ötzi

and of course House of the rising sun from The Animals a traditional song

Last edit: 2008-03-06 14:36:41 UTC by Kalif Storch

Quote by enslavedbynature at 1129664733:

"how does it feel" blue monday covered by Orgy.

I'm just 3 years late to answer to that, but it made me laugh. Blue Monday by New Order is one of the biggest selling singles of all time, if not the biggest selling.

In the 50's/60's you see a lot of White Acts/groups and singers doing Black songs. Like Pat Boone singing Fats Domino.

Because the wouldn't play the original, the white version was the hit version and pressented as the "Original". I don't think that's right!

Quote from atichon

Quote by enslavedbynature at 1129664733:

"how does it feel" blue monday covered by Orgy.

I'm just 3 years late to answer to that, but it made me laugh. Blue Monday by New Order is one of the biggest selling singles of all time, if not the biggest selling.

The biggest selling 12" of all times, to be more specific. Funny thing is, Factory Rec. lost money with every copy they sold, as the sleeve was too expensive.

In finland we have lot of famous coversongs because young kids don´t know that song is coversong. i think that in many country are same situation.

I wonder if I can find info about originals in other langueges anywhere?

There have been a lot of world hits, who are orinalay in Italian or Spanish...

And I want to find out all about the original.

What about Louie Louie, famous version from The Kingsmen, "original version from Richard Berry & The Pharaohs..."

For the latter it is not quite correct. I'm looking for the work hierarchy...Done !

Last edit: 2009-11-12 14:03:50 UTC by Stephan Koenig

Work hierarchy of Louie, Louie :

http://surfinbirdradio.blogspot.com/2008/02/richard-berry-louie-louie-1957.html

El loco cha cha or El loco by René Touzet who rewrited the song from another one of his own.

Louie Louie comes from there and only contains some tempos borrowed (not stolen).

I think I already have talked about it in another topic a long time ago.

S.

In English: http://www.answers.com/topic/richard-berry

Last edit: 2009-11-12 14:15:11 UTC by Stephan Koenig

"And i still remember the endless discussions about the origin of "Mighty Quinn/Quinn the eskimo": Dylan? Manfred Mann? Or is it a traditional after all?"

"The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)" was written and recorded as the o.v. by Bob Dylan, [converted to Christianism in 1979 and in the same time changed "Robert Allan Zimmermann" to keep "Bob Dylan", it's no secret]. Manfred Mann [aka Michael Lubowitz] asked him to record this one [in Belgium the song was entitled "Mighty Quinn" and many others [Just Like A Woman, If You Gotta Go, Go Now, With God On Our Side...with bigger success for a few of them.]

I think everybody (?) knows the o.v. of The Twist by Chubby Checker imitating Ballard's voice (US #1 in 09/1960 & in 01/1962 as well (aka Ernest Evans) was originally cut for the 1st time in [late] 1958 by The Midnighters but unreleased then recorded by Frank Ballard and The Midnighters in [early Jan./Feb.]1958.

Hank Ballard - Chubby Checker: history of THE TWIST:

Jan.1959: After a long spell without hits, they switch

to King label (Federal's parent), with name amended to

H.B. & The Midnighters.

Mar.23, 1959: Teardrops On Your Letter is a(n) R&B chart smash (#4), and makes US pop chart #87. The B-side is Ballard composition The Twist, which Ballard claims is lifted from The Drifters'1953 Whatcha' Gonna Do? and given to him by The Nightingales, with Ballard making some minor changes.

Aug.15: Finger Poppin' Time, a Ballard song about a dance, is the long-awaited pop chart triumph, hitting US #7, one place above Checker's fast-climbing cover of The Twist, and ultimately selling over a million copies.

Sept.19: Checker's The Twist, with massive national TV promo behind it, tops US chart, as Ballard's version, selling well in Checker's wake, reaches US #28.

Feb.62: C.C. tops US chart again with The Twist during the dance's worldwide revival.

July 1959: Dick Clark on "American Bandstand" is bombarded with requests for The Twist, a H.B. & The M.' 18-month-old B-side, because of nationwide teen enthusiasm for the dance. He (Clark) suggests Philly act Danny (Rapp)& The Juniors cover it but they decline, so Clark phones Cameo and suggests the song for Checker, who records it with vocal group The Dreamlovers, in 35-min. session.

Dec.1958: Bobbie Clark notes his resemblance to a teenage Fats Domino (Fats = Chubby; Domino = Checker).

Source: ROCK - Movers & Shakers, US/UK, 1991 by Dafydd

Rees and Luke Crampton.

Nota: "18-month-old" = from July 1959 to Jan./Feb.1958

[]/()= written by myself.

Last edit: 2009-11-12 14:18:18 UTC by Stephan Koenig

"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton made the best selling single of all time thanks to Whitney Houston's version.

@ Patrick: "The world is bigger than "Billboard",you need to check all countries and not only the VSA (USA)!!

At the time, there has been other charts such as Cash Box & Variety...The latter is quasi completely unknown

And how to access the said charts when they are not on line ?

You might have to ask the webmasters if they agree to buy books if they are always on sale.

You also have to know there has been a dozen charts in Italy; 6 in Belgium; what about France: Europe 1; Salut Les Copains; Mademoiselle Âge Tendre; RTL...? All of them at the same time...And generally the #1's were not always the same for each HP.

What about GB ? Top 40, Caroline and others. And finally, what about Germany; the Scandinavian Countries; Japan...Charts beyond The Iron Curtain ???

I think no body is out of the woods yet

However, OZ chart (South Africa is online) as well as the CH charts i.a. including also a Belgian Hit Parade

from 1955 to 1969 (Sixties Hit Parade Belgium by Roger Timmermans-North of this country only...) and the (Télé) Moustique magazine (archives available in Brussels) including Brussels-Capital and the French-speaking region of the south side.

Cover: as far as I am concerned, "Ne me dis pas non" by Les Vautours, Festival, France, 1961 (from Presley's "I want you with me") it's by far the one I prefer.

Last edit: 2009-11-12 14:24:23 UTC by Stephan Koenig