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The most covered song in the world

Limbabwe

Editor
Posts: 15925

Limbabwe @ 2012-08-18 11:26:49 UTC

Hi!


Just to start off a new intriguing discussion; what is your favorite for the title The Most Covered Song In The World?


Here's mine: New Britain aka Amazing Grace must be one of the most covered songs of the world. The Chasanoff / Elozua 'Amazing Grace' Collection contains more than 3000 published recorded performances of the hymn by different individual musicians or musical ensembles.


A strong contender, I would say Smile


What's your favorite? Looking forward to your input!


Limbabwe

Denis

Retired Editor
Posts: 9966

Denis @ 2012-08-18 12:07:01 UTC

If I'm not mistaken, Guinness lists "Happy Birthday" as most covered song, but that's a matter of interpretation.

Limbabwe

Editor
Posts: 15925

Limbabwe @ 2012-08-18 12:31:24 UTC

Check out the Independent's selection:


1. Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)

A surprising choice for the top spot. But the enigmatic tale has been reworked 131 times, by Joan Baez and Aretha Franklin among others.


2. Yesterday (The Beatles)

According to 'Guinness World Records' this song was covered seven million times in the 20th century. Official versions range from the sublime (Frank Sinatra) to the ridiculous (Wet Wet Wet and Boyz II Men).


3. Cry Me a River (Julie London)

Not the Justin Timberlake one. This bluesy jazz number has been covered by other luminaries of the genre, including Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles, and even Aerosmith.


4. And I Love Her (The Beatles)

From 'A Hard Day's Night', Smokey Robinson, Bob Marley and Barry Manilow have all recorded it.


5. (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction (The Rolling Stones)

With 98 covers recorded, the Stones make the top 10. A surprising range of artists have lapped this one up, including Aretha Franklin, Jimi Hendrix, Cat Power and Vanilla Ice.


6. Imagine(John Lennon)

Elton John, David Bowie, Diana Ross, Avril Lavigne and Jack Johnson... the list is endless.


7. Summertime (Abbie Mitchell)

Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong provide the best known adaptation, so no one remembers the original. Sonny and Cher, Nina Simone and REM have recorded their take.


8. Blackbird(The Beatles)

Another album track from the Fab Four, which has been covered by Carly Simon and Dave Grohl.


9. Over the Rainbow (Judy Garland)

Dorothy was blissfully unaware of how popular the tune would be. Special mentions to Eva Cassidy and the brilliant partial cover by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole.


10. The Look of Love (Dusty Springfield)

After husky Dusty, the CV is impressive, with Nina Simone, Diana Krall and Neil Diamond all doing it.

Limbabwe

Editor
Posts: 15925

Limbabwe @ 2012-08-18 13:55:53 UTC


That's actually completely based on our statistics at that time. Wink

And they didn't even bother to thank us by adding the source they used.....

Mop66

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Posts: 776

Mop66 @ 2012-08-19 12:11:21 UTC

Just heard on our local radio station this week, that "Girl from Ipanema" has more than 500 covers and is considered one of the most covered songs in the world...they claimed it would be THE most covered song, but I guess you cannot really identify the real #1.

Bastien

Manager
Posts: 35925

Bastien @ 2012-08-19 16:26:52 UTC

Jens > Ipanema doesn't even make it in our Top100 Surprised


How many editors would it take to have something representative?

Denis

Retired Editor
Posts: 9966

Denis @ 2012-08-19 16:37:36 UTC

I think we may be already representative, it's probably a song from our top 100, unless there are thousands of Chinese covers of a particular song we don't know about yet Smile

I doubt whether it's really Summertime though. In jazz, probably, but in general, no.


And don't forget our database doesn't include many classical works, which may have strong candidates as well.

tsk

Retired Editor
Posts: 6484

tsk @ 2012-08-19 16:40:12 UTC

One thing is for sure, you would need more non-European/North American editors. I am very skeptical in any event that "Girl form Ipanema" - particularly under that title - is even close to the most covered song. There is a "Summertime" website with over 25,000 covers shown, albeit this includes multiple covers by a single artist and amateur YouTube covers.

Bastien

Manager
Posts: 35925

Bastien @ 2012-08-20 19:15:31 UTC

Aren't they saying Yesterday is n°1?


Von keinem anderen Song außer dem Beatles-Hit "Yesterday" gibt es so viele Versionen.

Quentin

Retired Editor
Posts: 3427

Quentin @ 2012-08-21 10:55:26 UTC

There were a lot of Elevator Music albums in the '60/'70, I guess "Garota de Ipanema" was in everyone of them. "Alles wird Musak" (Blixa Bargeld).


As for Italy, I heard that "Volare" (Nel blu dipinto di blu) is the most famous Italian song in the world.


I'm pretty sure the most covered is "O sole mio", either in its original, Italian, "classical crossover" version or in its English, poppy, Elvis adaptation (It's Now or Never).


Do you think our stats are reliable at least for most recent songs? (From the last 20 years, for instance).

______
坐低飲啖茶,食個包

Mop66

Retired Editor
Posts: 776

Mop66 @ 2012-08-22 13:59:53 UTC

Aren't they saying Yesterday is n°1?

Von keinem anderen Song außer dem Beatles-Hit "Yesterday" gibt es so viele Versionen.

Actually, they do. I was referring to what I have heard on my local radio station, they said something different than what the TV station mentions here on this website link. But does it matter? Nobody will know for sure. I guess Yesterday is a better bet but it seems at least the "Girl" is probably underrepresented on SHS for the moment ;-)

Raps1970

Member
Posts: 3

Raps1970 @ 2012-11-01 12:46:24 UTC

'Summertime' is unquestionably the most 'covered' - i.e. officially recorded - track in history. As a previous contributor has said, there are over 25,000 known versions of it, including amateur online postings etc. The song was recently the subject of an absorbing BBC tv documentary in the UK, featuring many of the better-known versions. The one obvious omission from the 'Independent' top ten list, above, is 'Fever'. There are significantly more covers of 'Fever' than some of the songs included on the list.

Limbabwe

Editor
Posts: 15925

Limbabwe @ 2012-11-01 14:01:49 UTC

The song was recently the subject of an absorbing BBC tv documentary in the UK, featuring many of the better-known versions.

Thanks for this info, Raps1970!


The BBC 4 documentary's title: Gershwin's Summertime: The Song That Conquered the World


Links:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b017nf05 (available on BBC iPlayer: UK only Unhappy or PM me Smile)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/worldfolkandjazz/8896872/Searching-for-…


Limbabwe