55+ cover songs revealed·5 categories·Every original artist verified
Some of the most iconic recordings in music history are covers — and most people have no idea. Jimi Hendrix's 'All Along the Watchtower' is a Bob Dylan song. Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' is an Otis Redding song. Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' is a Dolly Parton country ballad from 1973. This guide reveals the original artists behind 50+ famous cover songs — and the remarkable stories of how each one was transformed. Ready to test yourself? Play the full quiz here.
Play the Full 71-Question Covers Quiz
5 categories · Score tracking · All originals revealed
Some of rock's most definitive recordings are covers that completely eclipsed the originals — from Hendrix reinventing Dylan to Cash reimagining Nine Inch Nails.
01Who originally recorded 'All Along the Watchtower' before Jimi Hendrix?+
Answer
Bob Dylan (1967)
Dylan released his version in 1967. Hendrix recorded his cover just months later, and the result was so definitive that Dylan himself began performing it in Hendrix's style — saying Hendrix's version was the correct one.
02Who originally wrote and recorded 'Hurt' before Johnny Cash?+
Answer
Nine Inch Nails (Trent Reznor, 1994)
Cash's 2002 cover, recorded months before his death, moved Reznor so deeply he said 'that song isn't mine anymore.' The music video — directed by Mark Romanek — is widely considered one of the greatest ever made.
03Who originally recorded 'With a Little Help from My Friends' before Joe Cocker?+
Answer
The Beatles (Ringo Starr on vocals, 1967)
Cocker's sprawling psychedelic version at Woodstock in 1969 became one of rock history's most iconic performances — transforming a charming pop song into a transcendent experience.
04Who originally recorded 'The Sound of Silence' before Disturbed?+
Answer
Simon & Garfunkel (1964)
The original flopped, then a remixed version reached #1 in 1966. Disturbed's 2015 metal ballad version clocked over a billion streams and introduced it to a whole new generation.
05Who originally recorded 'Tainted Love' before Soft Cell?+
Answer
Gloria Jones (1964)
Gloria Jones recorded the original as a soul track in 1964. Soft Cell's 1981 synth-pop version became one of the defining songs of the New Wave era. Jones is also known as Marc Bolan's partner.
06Who originally recorded 'Black Magic Woman' before Santana?+
Answer
Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green, 1968)
Peter Green wrote it for the original blues-focused Fleetwood Mac — a very different band from today's. Santana's 1970 Latin-rock version became the definitive recording and launched Carlos Santana to global fame.
07Who originally wrote and recorded 'Blinded by the Light' before Manfred Mann?+
Answer
Bruce Springsteen (1973)
Springsteen wrote it as the opening track of his debut album. Manfred Mann's 1976 cover hit #1 in the US — a chart position Springsteen's own version never reached.
08Who originally recorded 'I Love Rock 'n' Roll' before Joan Jett?+
Answer
The Arrows (1975)
Joan Jett heard The Arrows' version while touring England, fell in love with it, and released her own version with The Blackhearts in 1981. It hit #1 and spent seven weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.
09Who originally recorded 'I Fought the Law' before The Clash?+
Answer
The Crickets (1959), then Bobby Fuller Four (1966)
Written by Sonny Curtis and first recorded by Buddy Holly's former band The Crickets. The Bobby Fuller Four made it a hit in 1966. The Clash made it an enduring punk anthem in 1979.
10Who originally recorded 'Ring of Fire' before Social Distortion?+
Answer
Anita Carter (1963) — written by June Carter Cash and Merle Kilgore
June's sister Anita Carter recorded it first. Johnny Cash — inspired by his feelings for June — recorded the famous mariachi-brass version the same year, making it one of country music's most beloved songs.
Some of soul and pop music's greatest moments are covers that transformed the originals — often changing the gender, genre, or entire meaning of the song.
11Who originally recorded 'Respect' before Aretha Franklin?+
Answer
Otis Redding (1965)
Redding wrote it as a man demanding respect from his woman. Aretha flipped it into a feminist and civil rights anthem in 1967. Redding reportedly said: 'That little girl stole my song.'
12Who originally wrote and recorded 'I Will Always Love You' before Whitney Houston?+
Answer
Dolly Parton (1973)
Parton wrote it as a farewell to her mentor Porter Wagoner. It hit #1 on the country charts twice. Whitney Houston's 1992 version for The Bodyguard became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
13Who originally recorded 'Every Time You Go Away' before Paul Young?+
Answer
Hall & Oates (1980)
Hall & Oates' original barely charted. Paul Young's 1985 blue-eyed soul cover hit #1 in both the US and UK — making it one of the most successful cover versions of the 1980s.
14Who originally wrote and recorded 'Red Red Wine' before UB40?+
Answer
Neil Diamond (1967)
Neil Diamond's original was a pop song. UB40's 1983 ska-pop cover reached #1 in the UK, then remarkably returned to #1 in the US five years later in 1988 — one of the most successful slow-burn chart stories in pop history.
15Who originally recorded 'Proud Mary' before Tina Turner?+
Answer
Creedence Clearwater Revival (John Fogerty, 1969)
CCR's original reached #2 on the Hot 100. Ike & Tina Turner's 1971 version — with Tina's explosive intro about doing it 'nice and easy' before 'rough' — became one of the most iconic live recordings in rock history, winning them a Grammy.
16Who originally recorded 'Valerie' before Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse?+
Answer
The Zutons (2006)
The Zutons were a Liverpool indie band. Mark Ronson's 2007 version featuring Amy Winehouse became a defining song of Winehouse's career. Ronson has described it as the song he's most proud of producing.
17Who originally recorded 'Can't Hurry Love' before Phil Collins?+
Answer
The Supremes (Holland-Dozier-Holland, Motown, 1966)
One of Motown's most beloved Holland-Dozier-Holland songs. Phil Collins' 1982 cover returned it to #1 in the UK and became one of his signature recordings.
Think you know the originals?
71 verified cover song questions across 5 categories.
Rock 'n' roll was built on covers — and many of the genre's foundational recordings were versions of songs by Black artists that received far less recognition.
18Who originally recorded 'Hound Dog' before Elvis Presley?+
Answer
Big Mama Thornton (1952)
Big Mama Thornton's original blues version spent 14 weeks at #1 on the R&B charts. Elvis's 1956 version became one of the best-selling singles in history. Thornton received very little credit or royalties — a sadly common story for Black artists of the era.
19Who originally wrote and recorded 'Blue Suede Shoes' before Elvis?+
Answer
Carl Perkins (1955)
Carl Perkins wrote and recorded it at Sun Records in 1955, making it one of the first rockabilly classics. Elvis's version came shortly after. Perkins later said he held no grudge — Elvis helped bring rock 'n' roll to millions.
20Who originally recorded 'Twist and Shout' before The Beatles?+
Answer
The Isley Brothers (1962), adapted from The Top Notes (1961)
The Beatles recorded their version in a single take at the end of a long session in 1963. John Lennon's ragged, nearly-broken voice gives it that urgent energy — he reportedly had a heavy cold that day.
21Who originally recorded 'The Tide Is High' before Blondie?+
Answer
The Paragons (John Holt, Jamaica, late 1960s)
Blondie's 1980 pop version reached #1 in both the UK and US, introducing reggae themes to a mainstream pop audience and showing how far a Jamaican rocksteady track could travel.
22Who originally recorded 'Blueberry Hill' before Fats Domino?+
Answer
Gene Autry (1940)
The song was written in 1940 by Vincent Rose, Larry Stock, and Al Lewis. Gene Autry recorded one of the first famous versions. Fats Domino's 1956 recording became the definitive version with that rolling New Orleans piano sound.
23Who originally wrote and recorded 'Jersey Girl' before Bruce Springsteen?+
Answer
Tom Waits (1980)
Springsteen became so fond of Waits' song that he began performing it live and released a live version in 1984. It became so associated with Springsteen's New Jersey concerts that many fans assume it's his.
24Who originally recorded 'Wild Thing' before The Troggs?+
Answer
Jordan Christopher & The Wild Ones (1965)
Written by Chip Taylor, the original flopped completely. The Troggs' 1966 version hit #1. Jimi Hendrix famously set his guitar on fire performing it at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
25Who first performed 'Unchained Melody' before the Righteous Brothers made it iconic?+
Answer
Todd Duncan (1955 film Unchained)
Alex North and Hy Zaret wrote it for the prison film Unchained (1955). Al Hibbler's pop recording was the first chart hit. The Righteous Brothers' Phil Spector-produced version became the definitive recording — and their 1990 re-release hit #1 again after Ghost.
26Janis Joplin's 'Me and Bobby McGee' was her only #1 — who wrote it and recorded it first?+
Answer
Kris Kristofferson (Roger Miller had the first released version, 1969)
Joplin recorded her version days before her death in October 1970. Released posthumously, it became her only chart-topper — and most people consider it the definitive version of Kristofferson's song.
27Led Zeppelin's 'When the Levee Breaks' has one of rock's most famous drum sounds — who recorded the original in 1929?+
Answer
Kansas Joe McCoy & Memphis Minnie (1929)
The original was inspired by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. John Bonham's drums were recorded in a stairwell at Headley Grange to get that enormous reverberating sound — one of the most recognizable drum sounds in rock history.
😲
Surprising Origins
These are the covers that will genuinely surprise you — songs so thoroughly claimed by their famous versions that the originals have almost been forgotten entirely.
25Who originally recorded 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun' before Cyndi Lauper?+
Answer
Robert Hazard (1979)
Hazard recorded the original from a male perspective — the singer bragging about women wanting him. Cyndi Lauper completely reframed it as female empowerment in 1983. Hazard reportedly loved what she did with it.
26Who co-wrote and originally recorded 'China Girl' before David Bowie?+
Answer
Iggy Pop (1977, with Bowie as co-writer)
Bowie produced Iggy's 1977 album The Idiot and co-wrote 'China Girl.' Bowie's own version in 1983 became a massive hit. The song is one of the most intimate examples of their legendary creative partnership.
27Who originally recorded 'Easy' before Faith No More?+
Answer
Commodores (Lionel Richie, 1977)
Faith No More's 1992 cover, released as a B-side, became unexpectedly huge. The contrast between their heavy metal reputation and the silky R&B cover made it irresistible — one of the great cover song surprises of the 1990s.
28Who originally wrote and recorded 'Make You Feel My Love' before Adele?+
Answer
Bob Dylan (1997)
Billy Joel released a cover before Dylan's version even officially came out, then Garth Brooks took it to #1 on country charts. Adele's 2008 version on her debut album 19 became the song's global breakthrough.
29Who originally recorded 'Skinny Love' before Birdy?+
Answer
Bon Iver (Justin Vernon, 2008)
Vernon wrote and recorded it alone in a remote Wisconsin cabin during a brutal winter. Birdy's 2011 cover at age 15 became a viral phenomenon, ultimately outselling the original.
30Who originally wrote and recorded 'Nothing Compares 2 U' before Sinéad O'Connor?+
Answer
Prince (recorded by The Family, 1984)
Prince wrote it and it was first recorded by his side project The Family. Sinéad O'Connor's 1990 version — with the iconic close-up music video of a tear rolling down her cheek — became one of the most celebrated music videos ever made.
31Who originally recorded 'Mad World' before Gary Jules?+
Answer
Tears for Fears (1982)
Gary Jules' spare, piano-driven cover appeared in the film Donnie Darko (2001) and reached #1 in the UK in 2003. Tears for Fears frontman Roland Orzabal said he preferred Gary Jules' version to the original.
32Both The Stray Cats and Phil Collins covered the same Motown classic — what song did they both cover?+
Answer
Can't Hurry Love — The Supremes (1966)
Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote the original for The Supremes. The Stray Cats gave it a rockabilly spin, while Phil Collins' 1982 blue-eyed soul cover returned it to #1 in the UK and became one of his signature songs. Two very different artists, one great Motown song.
33George Harrison had a surprise #1 in 1987 with 'Got My Mind Set on You' — who recorded the obscure original?+
Answer
James Ray (1962)
Harrison heard James Ray's minor 1962 hit as a teenager and never forgot it. His 1987 cover hit #1 on both sides of the Atlantic — 25 years after the original.
34Harry Nilsson's 'Everybody's Talkin'' won a Grammy via Midnight Cowboy — who wrote and first recorded it?+
Answer
Fred Neil (1966)
Nilsson's version was only chosen after Bob Dylan's 'Lay Lady Lay' wasn't finished in time for the Midnight Cowboy soundtrack. Fred Neil — a key Greenwich Village folk figure — wrote the melancholy original.
35CCR's 11-minute 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' is a rock epic — who released the first commercial version of the Motown song?+
Answer
Gladys Knight & the Pips (1967) — Smokey Robinson & the Miracles recorded it first but it went unreleased
Marvin Gaye's 1968 version became the Motown landmark. CCR's sprawling psychedelic version ran over 11 minutes and demonstrated how far a Motown song could be stretched.
36Talking Heads turned 'Take Me to the River' into a new wave classic in 1978 — who originally wrote and recorded it?+
Answer
Al Green (1974)
Al Green's original is a classic of his soul-meets-gospel sound. Talking Heads' stripped-down, jerky cover helped introduce his catalog to an entirely new rock audience.
37Tiffany had a #1 with 'I Think We're Alone Now' in 1987 — who originally recorded it?+
Answer
Tommy James and the Shondells (1967)
Tiffany promoted her cover by touring shopping malls across America — one of pop music's most unusual promotional campaigns. It reached #1 and became one of the most commercially successful covers of the 1980s.
How many did you already know?
Play the quiz and find out — 53 questions, 5 categories, free.
Covers don't just happen in the past — some of the biggest songs of the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s are reimaginations of earlier recordings.
32Who originally recorded 'Heartbeats' before José González?+
Answer
The Knife (Sweden, 2002)
José González's stripped-back acoustic version became famous through a Sony Bravia TV commercial in 2005 featuring coloured bouncy balls cascading down a San Francisco hill, introducing millions to both the cover and the original.
33Who originally recorded 'Beggin'' before Måneskin?+
Answer
The Four Seasons (Frankie Valli, 1967)
Italian rock band Måneskin covered it in 2017 on a TV talent show. It exploded globally via TikTok in 2020, eventually reaching over 1 billion streams and reintroducing The Four Seasons to a new generation.
34Who originally recorded 'Fast Car' before Luke Combs?+
Answer
Tracy Chapman (1988)
Luke Combs' 2023 country cover returned the song to the top of the charts, and Chapman — who receives songwriter royalties — earned her first country chart-topper as a Black woman, a historic milestone in music history.
35Who originally recorded 'Personal Jesus' before Johnny Cash?+
Answer
Depeche Mode (1989)
Depeche Mode's industrial-rock original became their best-selling single. Johnny Cash's stripped-back acoustic version in 2002 recontextualized it as a genuine spiritual reflection — one of the most remarkable genre transformations in cover song history.
36Which band's version did Metallica base their 'Whiskey in the Jar' on?+
Answer
Thin Lizzy (1972) — originally a traditional Irish folk song
Metallica's 1998 version — heavier, faster, and louder than Thin Lizzy's — won them a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. The underlying folk song may date back to the 17th century.
38Sublime covered 'Rivers of Babylon' — which reggae group recorded the most famous original version?+
Answer
The Melodians (1970)
The Melodians' original appeared on The Harder They Come soundtrack — one of reggae's most important albums. The lyrics draw from Psalm 137. Sublime's SoCal punk-reggae cover introduced the song to a whole new audience.
39Sublime covered 'We're Only Gonna Die (for Our Arrogance)' — which punk band originally recorded it?+
Answer
Bad Religion (1982)
Bad Religion recorded the original on their debut album How Could Hell Be Any Worse? Sublime's ska-punk cover became one of their most recognizable recordings, with Brad Nowell's delivery giving it a looser California feel.
Ready to play?
53 questions on the most famous cover songs ever recorded.