Music History · Covers & Originals
The Songs You Thought You Knew
Some of history's most iconic recordings are actually covers — and the originals tell a fascinating story of how music evolves, transforms, and gets claimed.
When Jimi Hendrix played 'All Along the Watchtower' at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, the audience assumed it was his own composition. It wasn't. Bob Dylan had recorded it just months earlier as a relatively understated folk-rock track. Hendrix's explosive reimagination was so definitive that Dylan himself later said it was the correct version — and began performing it in Hendrix's style. This is the cover song at its most transformative: a new artist doesn't just record a song, they redefine it permanently.
53
Cover songs in this quiz
6
Decades of music covered
🎵 Artists Featured in This Quiz
Famous Cover VersionCategory
Jimi HendrixRock
Aretha FranklinSoul
Whitney HoustonSoul
Johnny CashRock
Elvis PresleyClassic
Soft CellRock
Cyndi LauperSurprising
BlondieClassic
Frequently Asked Questions
Who originally sang 'Respect' before Aretha Franklin?
A soul legend wrote it in 1965 — but from a very different point of view. Aretha completely flipped the meaning. He reportedly said she "stole" it from him. You'll find it in the Soul & Pop category — can you nail it? 🎤
Who originally sang 'Hurt' before Johnny Cash?
The original came from a very dark corner of 90s alternative rock. When Cash's version dropped, the original artist said those four words no longer felt like his own. It's one of the most surprising genre flips in the quiz. 🖤
Who wrote 'I Will Always Love You' before Whitney Houston?
A country icon wrote it as a goodbye — and it hit #1 twice before Whitney ever touched it. When you hear the original, you'll hardly recognise it. One of the biggest "wait, really?" moments in the whole quiz. 🤠
Who originally recorded 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'?
Here's a twist: the original was written and recorded by a man, from a very different perspective. Cyndi Lauper turned it inside out and made it her own. You'd never guess from listening to her version. 💅
Who originally recorded 'Black Magic Woman' before Santana?
A British band you definitely know — but in a very different era of their existence. The original has a completely different vibe to Santana's Latin-rock masterpiece. One of the trickier ones in the Rock category. 🎸