Cover Up: 10 Songs We Thought Were Originals Trivia Game | Music

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The Beatles were best known for songs they wrote themselves, which in turn, were covered by other artists. However, especially in their early career they recorded many other artists' songs. "Twist and Shout" (1963) was written by another artist. Which group made it a hit first?

Answer: The Isley Brothers

"Twist and Shout" (1961), sometimes known as "Shake It Up Good" was written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns (later cited as Bert Russell) and covered by many artists. It was recorded by The Top Notes in 1961 but this version was not a hit as the energy of delivery that was apparent in the group's live versions did not appear in the recorded version.
Songwriter Russell did not like how record producer Phil Spector had treated his song with The Top Notes, so he actually produced the song himself for The Isley Brothers. The result was the group's first hit since "Shout"(1959) and "Twist and Shout" reached number 17 on the Billboard Top 100.
The Beatles' version was one of six cover songs recorded on the "Please, Please Me" album. Ten songs were recorded for the album in ten hours in a single day with "Twist and Shout" left for last as producer George Martin knew it would affect John Lennon's voice (as he had a cold at the time). The result was a raw vocal sound which befitted the song. A second take was attempted but abandoned as Lennon's voice was "gone". The song hit number two in the US (The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love" [1963]) was number one). It was their only cover song that made the top ten of any national chart. Because of its high energy, it was often used to close out their shows.

2. "Nothing Compares 2 U" was a huge hit for Sinead O'Conorr in 1990. Not many people knew it was a cover of The Family's 1985 funk song from their self-titled album, (which was the only album they recorded). The Family was a side project of which prodigious song writer?

Answer: Prince

The Family served as an extra outlet for Prince's music, particularly funk music written by Prince. The project lasted for one album and one concert. "Nothing Compares 2 U" was not released as a single by this group.
The song became a number one song around the world when Ms O'Connor recorded it. The song made her a star. A video clip which concentrated on her face revealing the pain of a breakup was iconic and featured on high rotation on MTV. Prince disagreed with how O'Connor presented the song, and, according to O'Connor, they came to blows over it.

3. "I Shot The Sheriff" was a number one hit for Eric Clapton in 1974. However it was a cover of a song written by an artist who, musically, worked in another genre from the rock music of Clapton. Who wrote the song?

Answer: Bob Marley

Bob Marley wrote the song and recorded it with his group The Wailers. The song appeared on the album "Burnin'"in 1973. Typical of Marley's music, it was a distinctive reggae song. Clapton was nervous about recording the song but managed to turn it into a rock song but retain its reggae roots. The track was used on "461 Ocean Boulevard". The song went to number one on the Billboard Top 100 and around the world. It was Clapton's only number one hit in the 20th century in the US. ("Tears In Heaven" [1992] made it to number two on the Billboard Top 100).
Ironically, Clapton's mainstream version gave Marley a wider audience and subsequently, the popularity of reggae music in general increased around the world.
The song has been recorded by many artists since 1974 but none have been as popular as Clapton's version.

4. In 1971, Led Zeppelin recorded their fourth album, "Led Zeppelin IV". The final track, "When the Levee Breaks" is one of their most recognizable songs. It describes the aftermath of the Great Mississippi flood of 1927. Fans were shocked to discover this was a cover. Who sang the original?

Answer: Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie

Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie recorded "When the Levee Breaks" in 1929 in response to the Great Mississippi flood in 1927. Apparently Robert Plant had the record in his collection. The writing credits of the Led Zeppelin version are credited to Memphis Minnie and the band members (as the song is now over 75 years old anybody can record it without paying royalties).

The Led Zeppelin production makes it difficult to play live (the band only played this song at a few concerts but when Led Zeppelin were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995, it was played as part of the induction ceremony).

The drums, for example, were recorded in a hallway with a single stereo microphone recording the sound three stories above. Since the Led Zeppelin version, the song has been covered by many bands; perhaps the most faithful rendition of the 1971 version is by tribute band Zepparella.

5. In 2004 my daughter came home with Australia's Spiderbait's new album "Tonight Alright". She asked me to listen to a great new song they had written called "Black Betty". I told her the original was by Ram Jam in 1977. My mother then told us we were both wrong as Tom Jones sang the original. Which song IS the original?

Answer: Unknown but recordings exist that can be traced back to the 1930s

The song is sometimes credited to Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter) who recorded the song in 1939. There is debate whether Lead Belly adapted earlier folk material to make the song. However there are recorded versions by other artists back to 1933. There is also debate as to whether Black Betty refers to a musket or a bottle of liquor. Either is possible but each possibility suggests the origins of the song are earlier than the 20th century. There are many folk and a cappella versions known.
The Ram Jam version released in 1977 made the song an instant hit in the US and reached the top 20 in other counties. Tom Jones released a dance version in 2002. The Spiderbait version in 2004 reached number one in Australia and was a hit elsewhere, including the US.
The song has featured in many movies, television shows, video game shows and advertising.

6. Harry Nilsson, known mostly for his hit "Everybody's Talking" (1966 but recorded by Nilsson in 1969) had a monster number one hit for several weeks in many countries with "Without You" but it was a cover. Which British rock band, known for "No Matter What" (1970) and signed to the Beatles' Apple label, recorded the original?

Answer: Badfinger

The song was written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of Badfinger. The group had four hits between 1970 and 1972. (The group was previously known as The Iveys). When Nilsson heard the record, he mistakenly thought it was a Beatles' song and so he wanted to record it for his upcoming album "Nilsson Schmilsson" (1971). The song featured big name musicians like Garry Wright (then with Spooky Tooth) on piano, and Ringo Starr's mates Jim Keltner on drums and Klaus Voorman on bass. Nilsson won a Grammy for his efforts.
Mariah Carey did a technically good job of covering Nilsson's version, but in my opinion this version is not as good as Nilsson's song.
Incidentally, the other answer options are all bands that Badfinger opened for in concert.

7. Laura Branigan's 1983 version of "Gloria" was a re-interpretation of U2's version of "Gloria", which in turn was a cover of the original version of "Gloria" recorded by Van Morrison's Them in 1964.

Answer: False

They are all separate songs.
Van Morrison wrote "Gloria" in 1964 when he was the lead singer of Irish group Them. It was actually the B-side to "Baby, Please Don't Go", (itself covered successfully as a hit single in Australia for AC/DC). "Gloria" was re-released by Morrison as a single in 1973. The song has been covered many times but not by U2 or Laura Branigan.
"Gloria" (1981) by U2, was the second single from the album "October". It was only a minor hit and is one of U2 poorest performing singles yet remains popular when U2 play live.
Laura Branigan's 1982 song was a two million single seller that was an upbeat cover of Umberto Tozzi and Giancarlo Bigazzi's 1979 Italian-language original that was a minor hit in Europe at the time.

8. "Last Kiss" was recorded by Pearl Jam in 1999 with proceeds diverted to Kosovo Refugees' charities. The song is simple in structure and is a teen tragedy song where the singer laments over killing his girlfriend in a motor vehicle accident. Given these pertinent facts, who is likely to have recorded the original song?

Answer: Wayne Cochran (1961)

This was Pearl Jam's greatest hit, reaching number two in the US and number 1 in Australia. Given its 60s ambiance, it was assumed to be a cover though not many knew who Wayne Cochran was. He was a rock and roll singer who was best known for extravagant clothes and an outrageous hairstyle. His only hit was "Last Kiss" recorded in 1961 (and even then it was only a minor hit).
J. Frank Wilson & The Cavaliers released a more successful cover version in 1964. This version went to number two in the US.
Eddie Vedder found a copy of Cochran's version in a Seattle antique shop, fell in love with it, and convinced his band to record it.

9. "All Along the Watchtower" was one of the most recognisable songs associated with the Jimi Hendrix Experience, as much today as when it was released in 1968. Which well known artist wrote the song?

Answer: Bob Dylan

"All Along The Watchtower" was written by Bob Dylan in 1967 and released on his "John Wesley Harding" album, released in the same year. The song was the second single from the album but it did not reach a charting position.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience recorded the song a few months after Dylan. It was Hendrix's only top 20 US hit and it hit number five in the UK.
When it was released it took Dylan by surprise: he started to play the song more like Hendrix's interpretation when he played it live.
Hendrix's version is in the "Rolling Stone's" Greatest Songs of All Time (2011) where it came in at number 47.
"Total Guitar" (2000) rated the Hendrix version as the greatest cover of all time.

10. In 2003, Johnny Cash recorded "Hurt" seven months before his death. It is regarded as his epitaph and the song, and its accompanying video, were received with overwhelming critical acclaim. However it was previously recorded by a hard rock band in 1994. What was the name of this unlikely band?

Answer: Nine Inch Nails

"Hurt" was written by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails for their 1994 album "The Downward Spiral" and released as a single a year later. The group were nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Song but that was the year Alanis Morissette won for "You Oughta Know"(1995). Johnny Cash changed the lyrics slightly to reflect his devout spirituality.

The accompanying video, showing montages of Cash's life, was voted by New Musical Express as Best Music Video of all time. Trent Reznor, in Alternative Press (2004) said "I wrote some words and music in my bedroom as a way of staying sane...totally isolated and alone...(and the song)... winds up reinterpreted by a music legend from a radically different era/genre and still retains sincerity and meaning ... different, but every bit as pure".

In other words Johnny Cash made this song his own. It was a fitting epitaph and arguably one of the best covers of all time.

Source: Author 1nn1

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
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Cover Up: 10 Songs We Thought Were Originals Quiz

How many times have we thought "that was a great song that I haven't heard before"? Here are ten songs thought to be original but then we subsequently found out they were covers.

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