What's your favorite "original" of a song made famous by a cover?

I'm sure this has been covered before (many times most likely), but I couldn't find results doing a search. Feel free to merge threads if this was already done recently.

Anyway, what are you favorite original renditions of songs later made famous by a cover version?

This one's purty good:

 

Dolly Parton - I Will Always Love You

Talk Talk - It's My Life

 

Pun intended?

My choice was easy... "Without You" by Badfinger.

 

After Midnight - JJ Cale. ( Clapton)

Walking In Memphis - Marc Cohn (Cher)

 

Thing Called Love - John Hyatt
Passionate Kisses - Lucinda Williams
Poor Poor Pitiful Me - Warren Zevon

 

Delaney and Bonnie and Friends with Eric Clapton--Groupie (Superstar).

 

I love most of the posts so far. In fact, in most cases I prefer them to the more famous version.
That's not a requirement, though. You don't have to like it more than the "famous" version - you just have "like it a lot", as Forrest Gump would say.

Keep 'em comin'.

 

"We're All Alone" - Boz Scaggs

 

"Blinded By the Light" - I never liked Manfred Mann's version.

 

Lets Stick/Work Together by Wilbert Harrision

 

All Along The Watchtower.

 

Elvis...Always On My Mind.

 

Mr. Tambourine Man, which also tops a bunch of related lists, such as "Cover Whose Awesomeness Still Did Not Prepare Me For The Awesomeness Of The Very Different Original, Giving Me A Deeper Love For Both," and for a while there, the "Wait, This Is A Cover?" list that included quite a few other Dylan songs.

A Song For You: there were half a dozen higher-profile, bigger-selling versions in the early 70s alone, but Leon Russell's original is something special.

 

I would say I love The Leaves version of 'Hey Joe'
sounds like proto-punk and the singer may sound deranged but I like the sense of urgency. I also like the rawness, something thats missing from the slowed down yet slickly executed Hendrix Version.

 

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Robert Hazard

 

The Beatles' awesome rendition was based, most likely, on the version by The Isley Brothers, but the original version of "Twist and Shout" is by a lesser known group called The Top Notes.

Even with its odd, "galloping" lead vocal, there is something undeniably catchy about this original. I love the part that starts at :28 that sounds nothing like the Isleys or Beatles versions:


That "well...yeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh" vocal at 1:35 is insane!

 

I Shot the Sheriff.

 

Whoa!! Really cool - I had no idea that Cyndi's version was a cover. Nice one.

 

Hangin' on the Telephone - The Nerves

 

It was featured recently in a Cracked.com article about famous covers whose original versions were...I think the word they used was "creepy"? "Respect" was another one (think about it, from a man's point of view those words come across very differently).

 

Love the Creedence version but Screamin Jay Hawkins original I Put A Spell On You is insane.

 

Go Now - Bessie Banks

 

eleanor rigby by the zoot

 

I realize that we live in an enlightened time now and that back then "Women's Lib" was only in its infancy, but c'mon, I ain't gonna dis Otis for demanding a little appreciation from his woman for the hard work he's putting in. I mean, you do know about the stereotypes about black women, right? Making life difficult is putting it easy.

Now, on the other hand, the way that Aretha turned the (gender role) tables with her version is one of the most ingenious moves in pop culture history.