Hit songs often credited to the wrong artist

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bowieboy, Mar 5, 2017.

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  1. dbone828

    dbone828 Only Visiting This Planet

    I know some of these have already been mentioned, but here are the ones that irritate me the most (possibly because I have gotten into disagreements with people over the years who couldn't be bothered to look it up):
    • Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" mis-credited to Cat Stevens
    • Queen's "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" mis-credited to Elvis Presley
    • War's "Why Can't We Be Friends," Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy," and pretty much any reggae song that isn't Bob Marley, mis-credited to Bob Marley
    • Madness' "Our House" mis-credited to Talking Heads
    • The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie" mis-credited to The Kinks
    • Songs by The Who mis-credited to The Guess Who, and vice versa
    • Fontella Bass' "Rescue Me" mis-credited to Aretha Franklin
    • Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive" mis-credited to Donna Summer
    • The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" mis-credited to Oasis
    • The Foundations' "Build Me Up Buttercup" mis-credited to The Temptations
    • Randy Newman's "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story mis-credited to James Taylor (likely confused with his song "You've Got a Friend")
    • Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" mis-credited to Simon & Garfunkel (this misconception is a bit easier to dismiss because a) Paul is 1/2 of S&G, and b) Simon & Garfunkel did play it live together for the Central Park concert in 1981)
     
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  2. Thwacko

    Thwacko Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peacham, Vermont
    I remember one time my wife really cracked me up when we were listening to Nuggets and this song was on. She said, "I would be embarrassed to turn this in as an original work.", because it's just a blatant copy cat song.
     
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  3. Dream #9

    Dream #9 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Think I got this thread all wrong :help:
     
  4. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    Given that Charlie Calello (who arranged many a Seasons' record) worked on this one, and some of the same instrumentalists (such as drummer Buddy Saltzman) were used here, I suppose the confusion is understandable . . .
     
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  5. W.B.

    W.B. The Collector's Collector

    Location:
    New York, NY, USA
    I have another few:
    - Foghat's "Slow Ride" misattributed to The Edgar Winter Group (does sound a bit like "Free Ride" at times, dunnit?)
    - Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell" misattributed to Deniece Williams (I did hear at least one sorry soul so miscredit it)
    - I don't know if I brought it here in a prior post, but I certainly mentioned it elsewhere in the past: one Liberty, NY radio station, in summer 1980, once played The Tokens' original 1961 "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and miscredited it to Robert John (whose 1971-72 cover was co-produced by members of that group)!

    As for the miscrediting of Stevens on Chapin's "Cat's In The Cradle": Over the years, if having something especially sugary (including Milky Way candy bars or candy canes), the texture of my voice temporarily changed, and that's the kind of quality that Stevens' voice, to my ears, sounded like. No way Chapin sounded like that. The only thing either person had in common was that they worked with producers whose first name was Paul.
     
  6. vivatones

    vivatones Forum Resident

    "I'm a Fool to Care" by Joe Barry - but many believe it's by Fats Domino.
     
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  7. dbone828

    dbone828 Only Visiting This Planet

    The strangest thing about the common misconception about Cat Stevens singing "Cat's in the Cradle" is that, you are correct, he didn't sound like Chapin. It seems that the main source of the mix-up is that the song has "Cat" in the title, which is a ridiculous reason for assuming the singer would then be Cat Stevens. That's like assuming Jet sings the song "Jet," or the Sex Pistols' "God Save the Queen" is actually sung by Queen.
     
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  8. Rocker

    Rocker Senior Member

    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    I really love the awesome guitar instrumental that Eric Clapton did, called "Classical Gas". :D
     
  9. JediJoker

    JediJoker Audio Engineer/Enthusiast

    Location:
    Portland, OR, USA
    You're just listing covers. Are you suggesting people hear the originals and think it's these well-known covers?
     
  10. Dream #9

    Dream #9 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    Picked up the thead wrong. I thought it was songs that people thought the artist had wrote. For example I didn't realise Denis by Blondie was a cover. I always credited the song to them. Do you see where I'm going with this?
     
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  11. Harvest Your Thoughts

    Harvest Your Thoughts Forum Resident

    Location:
    On your screen
    Pete Ham writes music with an edge, yet it's also intimate; distinguishing his work.
     
  12. Tim S

    Tim S Senior Member

    Location:
    East Tennessee
    Maybe not out of his wheelhouse, but as recorded, they are way way out of the top of his vocal range.
     
  13. seed_drill

    seed_drill Senior Member

    Location:
    Tryon, NC, USA
    Some people think Leader of the Pack and He's a Rebel were by the Crystals...
     
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  14. deredordica

    deredordica Music Freak

    Location:
    Sonoma County, CA
    I always chuckle whenever I hear that some people thought "Working Man" was by Led Zeppelin when it first came out. When I was a kid, I used to think "Come and Get It" was by the Beatles, and later assumed "Hold Your Head Up" was by Styx.
     
  15. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    Really?
     
  16. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    I once thought as a teen that Elvis sang Don't Pull Your Love Out On Me by Hamilton, Joe, Frank and Reynolds.
     
  17. Drifter

    Drifter AAD survivor

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, CA
    Never made the connection before but I can totally hear it!
     
  18. kaztor

    kaztor Music is the Best

    Having been unfamiliar with the original for a long time, for years I really thought it was Bob Marley singing I Shot The Sheriff on what's actually Clapton's cover version. Eric does a flawless Marley impression!
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2018
  19. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    It's definitely the best Elvis song Elvis never recorded.
    Would have loved for him to have covered it or done it live.
    The brass instruments, the arrangement and vocal delivery, especially the long notes is so 69-71 Vegas Elvis.
     
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  20. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    Harry Nilsson's hit Everybody's Talkin' actually written and first recorded by Fred Neil.


     
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  21. Price.pittsburgh

    Price.pittsburgh Forum Resident

    Location:
    Florida
    As far as a writing credit goes, many today still believe Willie Nelson wrote Always On My Mind just because he recorded it in 82 and was known as great songwriter and that back in the 60s and early 70s he used to write and record songs that he would sell to others who had hits with then.
    Willie covered in 82 what he knew as a pre Elvis Brenda Lee song.
    He never knew Elvis had a version.
    Makes sense since Elvis' version was a B side.
     
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  22. tdcrjeff

    tdcrjeff Senior Member

    Location:
    Hermosa Beach, CA
    I've seen "Green-Eyed Lady" (Sugarloaf) attributed to The Guess Who.
     
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  23. lemonade kid

    lemonade kid Forever Changing

    Sorry Harry (you wrote an amazing number of originals and covered songs beautifully)....
    "Without You"was Badfinger's own on their LP No Dice.

     
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  24. davebush

    davebush New Test Leper

    Location:
    Fonthill, ON
    Many people think the Beatles song "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" is by Klaatu.
     
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  25. Drifter

    Drifter AAD survivor

    Location:
    Vancouver, BC, CA
    :D
     
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