• From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Topic: Songs who are very huge hits but tricky concerning who wrote that song

What I want to tell is that there are songs, big hits performed by a band, and who are considered to be written and performed by that band IN OUR COLLECTIVE MEMORY.
SOME EXAMPLES = Q & A here.

1) WILD THING who wrote that song? THE TROGGS? no CHIP TAYLOR (the brother of Jon Voight, and the uncle of Angelina Jolie)
2) WITHOUT YOU by HARRY NILSSON and later by MARIAH CAREY but written by BADFINGER.
3) ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER by JIMI HENDRIX but written by BOB DYLAN.

So these are some examples, can you find more songs where our collective memories are convinced that a song is written by X but in reality written by mr Y

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gitaardocphil's Website

  • From: Stockton Ca
  • Registered: 2007-10-19
  • Posts: 192

Re: Songs who are very huge hits but tricky concerning who wrote that song

RESPECT by Aretha Franklin is a cover.  It was written and first recorded by Otis Redding.
HEY JOE by Jimi Hendrix is also a cover of a one hit wonder called The Leaves.

  • Registered: 2007-04-25
  • Posts: 551

Re: Songs who are very huge hits but tricky concerning who wrote that song

Classical Gas wasn't written by Clapton, but Mason Williams
Leaving on a Jet Plane wasn't by John Denver, I'm not sure who wrote it

"A steering wheel don't mean you can drive, a warm body don't mean I'm alive"
Switchfoot

06sc500's Website

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: Songs who are very huge hits but tricky concerning who wrote that song

You may be wrong with 'Leaving On A Jet Plane'. This is the first paragraph from Wikipedia:

"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written by John Denver in 1967 during a layover at an airport in Washington and recorded by the Mitchell Trio that year. The original title of the song was "Oh Babe I Hate To Go" but Denver's then producer, Milt Okun, convinced him to change the title. Denver wrote the song after his flight was delayed. This song would later have a large significance in his life as a plane crash would take his life in the 1990's. Others covered the song in 1967, including Spanky & Our Gang and Peter, Paul and Mary on Album 1700. It did not become a hit until Peter, Paul and Mary released it as a single in 1969. It turned out to be their biggest (and final) hit, becoming their only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

Of course this article could be wrong and I would be pleased if you have more info.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • From: Madeira Beach, Florida
  • Registered: 2007-12-05
  • Posts: 3,312

Re: Songs who are very huge hits but tricky concerning who wrote that song

These songs seem to often be confused as originals by the covering artist:

Quinn the Eskimo - Manfred Mann (#1 song in UK, 1968) - written by Bob Dylan
Mr. Bojangles - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (#9 US 1971) - written by Jerry Jeff Walker
Cocaine - Eric Clapton - written by JJ Cale (Clapton has covered several Cale tunes)

Rule No. 1 - If it sounds good - it is good!
  • Registered: 2007-04-25
  • Posts: 551

Re: Songs who are very huge hits but tricky concerning who wrote that song

Roger Guppy wrote:

You may be wrong with 'Leaving On A Jet Plane'. This is the first paragraph from Wikipedia:

"Leaving on a Jet Plane" is a song written by John Denver in 1967 during a layover at an airport in Washington and recorded by the Mitchell Trio that year. The original title of the song was "Oh Babe I Hate To Go" but Denver's then producer, Milt Okun, convinced him to change the title. Denver wrote the song after his flight was delayed. This song would later have a large significance in his life as a plane crash would take his life in the 1990's. Others covered the song in 1967, including Spanky & Our Gang and Peter, Paul and Mary on Album 1700. It did not become a hit until Peter, Paul and Mary released it as a single in 1969. It turned out to be their biggest (and final) hit, becoming their only #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States.

Of course this article could be wrong and I would be pleased if you have more info.

Roger

I wasn't sure about that one, I'll have to find more info.

"A steering wheel don't mean you can drive, a warm body don't mean I'm alive"
Switchfoot

06sc500's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Songs who are very huge hits but tricky concerning who wrote that song

"Hard To Handle" was written by Otis Redding(Black Crowes popularized it)

"Red, Red Wine" was written by Neil Diamond(UB 40 popularized it)

"I'm A Believer" was written by Neil Diamond (poularized by The Monkees)

"Rocky Top" and "Love Hurts" were written by Felice and Bouleaux Bryant

just a few for the plate.............

Give everything but up.