Songs you heard a cover version of first

Wow, you don't hear a lot about The Living Daylights talked about here. Their version is great. Still looking for that elusive second single which was supposed to come out here but Buddah cancelled it. It came out in the UK though. Wonder if it's also good?

 

I'm assuming you mean where both were hits, as opposed to a hit cover version of an obscure record?

Get Ready - Rare Earth
Practically Linda Ronstadt's entire solo career
Baby I Love You - Andy Kim

 

I heard the Bangles' version of "September Gurl" before the original. That's one of the reasons I started listening to Big Star. I still prefer the Bangles' version.

Also Susanna Hoff's version of "When You're A Boy" before David Bowie's original. I prefer Bowie's version.

 

I had No Dice prior to the Nilsson hit, so I knew the Badfinger version.

I definitely remember "The Twist" by Chubby Checker rather than the Hank Ballard version.

 

"Ziggy Stardust" - Bauhaus (Bowie)
"Twist and Shout" - The Beatles (Isley Brothers)
"2000 Man" - Kiss (Rolling Stones)
"Mr Tambourine Man" - The Byrds (Dylan)
"Police and Thieves" - The Clash (Junior Murvin)
"Banana Splits Theme" - the Dickies (Banana Splits)
"My Way" - Sid Vicious (Frank Sinatra)

...and in all these cases, I prefer the cover!

 

Anyone who listened to The Flying Burrito Brothers - Burrito Deluxe album when it was first released heard the Burritos' cover of "Wild Horses" before they heard the Rolling Stones' original because the original had not yet been released.

 

Rockin Pnemonia and Boggie Woggie Flu. I prefer Huey Smith version now but can't remember who had the big 70's hit with it.

My favorite cover of all time is Alpha Zoe on Hit covering Mary Wells "You Beat Me To The Punch". I love Mary's "uptown" version but Alpha and the Hit band put more nitty and gritty into it.

 

Apache

 

UB40 - "Red, Red Wine" (Neil Diamond)
Joan Jett & The Blackhearts - "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" (The Arrows)
Tina Turner - "Better Be Good To Me" (Spider)
John Waite - "Change" (Spider)
Bow Wow Wow - "I Want Candy" (The Strangeloves)

And somewhat along the same lines: the first version I ever heard of the Diane Warren song "Don't Turn Around" was by Aswad in 1988. However, I didn't realize at the time that Tina Turner had recorded it first; it was the b-side to her 1986 single "Typical Male."

 

Gloria - cover by Patti Smith, original by Them
I Will Always Love You - cover by Whitney Houston, original by Dolly Parton
Top of the World - cover by Shonen Knife, original by Carpenters
Superstar - cover by Carpenters, original by Delaney & Bonnie
Alfie - cover by Dionne Warwick, original by Cilla Black
Blue Bayou - cover by Linda Ronstadt, original by Roy Orbison

 

"(Groupie) Superstar" / "Superstar". Heard Carpenters version first and many years later was stunned by Bonnie Bramletts soul stirring original. Seek it out if you've never heard it!

Lots of others too but this one is worth mentioning.

 

Jealous Guy by Roxy Music

 

I really enjoyed the Bronski Beat's - It Ain't Necessarily So from 1984. Just found out this year that it was by George & Ira Gershwin from 1935.

 

The first version I heard was Stevie Wonder's (on the "Love Songs" compilation). It is still the first version that comes up in my head when I think about the song.

 

13th Floor Elevators - Baby Blue

Forever my go to version

 

All Along the Watchtower (Hendrix) and 2000 Man (Kiss) come to mind.

 

Simple Minds - "Street Hassle" (Lou Reed)
Power Station - "Harvest For The World" (Isley Brothers)
Simply Red - "Money's Too Tight (To Mention)" (Valentine Brothers)
This Mortal Coil - "Song To The Siren" (Tim Buckley)
Daryl Hall John Oates - "Family Man" (Mike Oldfield)
Heart - "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You" ("Mutt" Lange wrote it; Wikipedia states Dobie Gray recorded it first, but I could have sworn I read once that some other band recorded it around 1980 or so. In any case, it's the one Heart song I really don't care for)
Pat Benatar - "I'm Gonna Follow You" (Billy Thermal)
Heart - "Alone" (i-Ten)

 

Derek and the Dominoes - Little Wing. Still my favorite version. Not that the Hendrix version is all that shabby!

 

"California Dreamin" - I heard The Beach Boys Version first. I though it was their song!

 

I first heard The Replacements song 'Can't Hardly Wait' as covered by Justin Townes Earle. I had never heard The Replacements before so I am so glad I tracked down the original. The Townes Earle version is pretty decent.