Original Versions of Famous Tracks
A funny thing happens sometimes in music, where the original version of a song as recorded by the artist(s) who wrote it, is not the most popular or well-known version. In fact, if a cover or remake of a song is successful enough, the original version is supplanted in popular imagination.
In this episode, we give a listen to eight terrific songs, each in two versions: the famous one and the original one, and the contrasts within each pair are sometimes striking. We also discuss some recent musical finds you’ll enjoy, from all over the world.
Playlist for this episode:
- LP - Lost On You [Live Session]
- Rei - Cocoa
- Jeanine De Bique - “Rejoice Greatly” from Messiah
- Toni Basil - Hey Mickey
- Racey - Kitty
- Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
- Robert Hazard - Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
- Soft Cell - Tainted Love
- Gloria Jones - Tainted Love
- Joan Jett & the Blackhearts - I Love Rock ’n’ Roll
- The Arrows - I Love Rock ’n’ Roll
- Bananarama - Venus
- Shocking Blue - Venus
- Quiet Riot - Cum on Feel the Noize
- Slade - Cum on Feel the Noize
- Beyonce - If I Were A Boy
- BC Jean - If I Were A Boy
- Santana - Black Magic Woman
- Fleetwood Mac - Black Magic Woman