Most Covered Song

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: eoin o'buadhaigh-inactive
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 10:02 PM

'House of the rising sun' must be up there somewhere as I have at least seventeen or eighteen blues artists and bands who have recorded it. (not just Eric Burdon and the animals)
eoin

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,scotty
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 09:26 PM

I always thought "American Pie" was certainly one of the most requested songs at live gigs.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 05:39 PM

Happy Birthday copyrighted, what has this world come to.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,honeydhont
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 03:36 PM

The birthday-song aside, the Guinness Book Of World Records points out two other big candidates for the title: Auld Lang Syne and For He's A Jolly Good Fellow, but they are not copyrighted, I suppose.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: M.Ted
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 01:57 PM

Yes--it is copyrighted, Le Scaramouche--shame on you for not knowing it;-) The copyright is still in force too, bizarrely, since the song seems to have been written in 1893 or so--here is the story--Happy Birthday, We'll Sue

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 07 Oct 05 - 05:02 AM

Is Happy Birthday copyrighted? As far as I'm concerned it's the perfect folk song, nobody knows the author, and we all know it through osmosis.

Mustang Sally and the Commitments have been mentioned in this thread.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,honeydhont
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 08:26 PM

I read somewhere, there are more than a thousand recordings of the 'St Louis Blues', and that's in the US alone !

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: concertina ceol
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 07:50 PM

Can't believe no one has mentioned "Mustang Sally". You go into any pub in the UK with a "covers" band playing and that is one of the few tracks that will always get played. I blame "The Commitments" for setting the idea in peoples heads...

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: michaelr
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 07:45 PM

Happy Birthday is copyrighted! I seem to remember the Girl Scouts being threatened with legal action over it.

But I think we're talking about recorded cover versions here.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 04:33 PM

Covers of Happy Birthday? I thought it was one of the purest folk songs in existence.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,Sidewinder.
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 01:59 AM

Thought it was about time I chimed in here with a nugget of information culled from an article I read several years ago that stated; "every three minutes a band is performing Chuck Berrys' "Johhny B. Goode" before a live audience somewhere in the world." Now that would be an astronomical number of cover versions wouldn't it? Going back to the previously stated "Yesterday" being the most covered song; according to the Guinness Book Of Records there are over 2000 known cover versions and I believe a significant percentage of these include the lyrics in various languages and dialects.Second is (unfortunately) "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree." and I would profer "White Christmas" as a candidate though it would be disregarded as a seasonal song I guess.

Regards.

Sidewinder.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Malcolm Douglas
Date: 06 Oct 05 - 12:57 AM

A "cover version" always used to mean a recording, more-or-less copied from somebody else's arrangement and intended to pre-empt sales in another country where the copied arrangement had not yet been released. Just occasionally the arrangement was original; but rarely.

It isn't clear from the original question whether we are supposed to be talking just about recordings; but whether that's the case or not, the obvious answer is Happy Birthday.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: lamarca
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 06:51 PM

There's a really fun website called "The Covers Project" here:

http://www.coversproject.com/about

that is attempting to find the longest "chains" of covers; ie.

Artist A covered Blah, Blah, Blah by Artist B
Artist B covered La La La by Artist C
Artist C covered Sis Boom Bah by Artist D
etc, etc, etc

They have a good definition of what a "cover" is, and a link to the Wikipedia page.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: M.Ted
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 10:47 AM

William Shatner wrote "Stardust", didn't he?

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: michaelr
Date: 05 Oct 05 - 02:00 AM

I understand a cover to mean a version of a song that someone else wrote and recorded. Shawn Colvin has a great album cleverly called "Cover Girl" that features the singer/songwriter doing other people's songs. But it gets sticky:

In the sixties, Fairport Convention recorded a Joni Mitchell song that she herself never put on vinyl, "Eastern Rain". I would hesitate to call that a cover.

And Don, surely different rules apply in classical music... Beethoven never recorded his own 5th. Transversely, most great conductors have their own, widely divergent version of the great pieces. If Michael Tilson Thomas decided to do a recreation of a Toscanini performance, I guess you could call that a cover -- but why would he?

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 04 Oct 05 - 03:37 AM

BTW, I must add that there have been Hebrew translations of First Time I Saw Your Face and Knocking on Heaven's Door, but not Hoochie Coochie Man as far as I'm aware.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: alison
Date: 04 Oct 05 - 02:14 AM

In Oz, no matter what band you go to see you could put money on them doing "Brown eyed girl" (van morrison), & "Mustang Sally" (committments version)

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Auggie
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 06:39 PM

What? Willie didn't write Blue Skies?    No way!

Next I 'spose you'll be telling me he din't write Stardust either.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: M.Ted
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 01:33 PM

Went looking about for set lists on the internet--didn't find any cover bands' set lists, per se, but I found a lot of websites dedicated to local live music--lots of mention made of bands playing "the usual covers" , without actually listing them--however, a few tunes are mentioned a lot--"Brown-Eyed Girl", "American Girl", and "In Your Eyes"--Of more or less contemporary stuff, "Kryptonite" seems to be an ubquitous also, one writer noted that every band covers Blink 182 and Limp Biskit, but didn't name any particular tunes-

Here are Song Lists for Alive-n-Kicking, who have been playing since their big hit, "Tighter and Tighter" in 1970--mostly weddings etc--it is an amazing collection of all the most commonly requested and played songs--

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: pdq
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 11:02 AM

Gotta be "La Bamba". Really.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 10:57 AM

'Almoraima' by Paco de Lucia.... oh... sorry .... wrong website.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Bill D
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 10:53 AM

'cover', as a word, is very like 'folk'....it is a short, handy term that people grab onto, no matter what the original usage, and expand the definition of so they don't have to explain themselves with a longer phrase of find a new, more precise term.

When they use it in an article, you can usually figure out in context sorta what they mean, but there is, as in this case, almost always some ambiguity that allows the discussion above. "Does cover mean 'a new version', 'a close approximation of the original', 'only a version with lyrics', 'only a version of a song by a famous singer'...?" etc...etc...

[does 'folk' mean 'old', 'anonymous'...or just something not sung by horses ;>) ]

   People simple make little attempt to use the power of the language, which, with a little effort, can be as precise as is needed.

   There's no way a simple term like 'folk' or 'cover' could survive as a precise usage...it's just too easy to distort and dilute.

Still, I guess that we end up getting a lot of information as responders answer the question with all possible definitions of the word....*wry grin*.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Bee-dubya-ell
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 09:46 AM

I was surprised to learn that "Yesterday" seems to be the most-covered song since I couldn't recall hearing anybody other than The Beatles having sung it. Then it finally dawned upon me that it's been widely recorded as an instrumental, not as a song. Of that 900+ known recorded versions, probably 800+ are instrumentals.

And as far as live performances in public venues goes, the most covered songs have to be "Brown-Eyed Girl" and "Mustang Sally". There's scarcely a bar band in the world that doesn't do both of 'em.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 03 Oct 05 - 02:30 AM

Don, please look at what I wrote in the original post.
As to definition of a cover, I would say it's doing a version well-identified with a certain singer. It doesn't have to be a hit, it could be the most obscure recording ever, if you record someone's version, instead of your own.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 08:57 PM

A "cover" would mean simply a version of any song that was popular before you did it, also known as standards--Look back and you'll see that popular songs, or standards, often had several simultaneous or nearly simultaneous hit recordings--

Do you think that Frank Sinatra had a big hit recording of "MY WAY"? His version of it(actually a cover of a reworked French popular song, Comme d'Habitude) was only on the charts for eight weeks in 1969, and never even made it into the top 20--

Elvis actually had a bigger hit with this song than Frank, in 1977--At any rate, it became Frank's trademark because he he featured the song in his act over the years,but it was Elvis' trademark, and also Paul Anka's, who worked up the English version--

Some people may think it's a Sinatra song, but then, I know people who think Willie Nelson wrote "Blue Skies"--

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: pdq
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 05:01 PM

In North America, the most covered song probably is "La Bamba".

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Don Firth
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 03:20 PM

Pardon me, folks, while I pick a nit.

"Cover?"

I thought the word "cover" referred to recording a song that someone else had a fairly big hit record with. Sufficiently big that the song is identified with a specific singer. For example, Frank Sinatra records My Way. Big hit. It is specifically identified with Sinatra. You hear the song sung by anyone else, and you think, "That's a Sinatra song." Then I come along and I record My Way. Somebody listens to my record and thinks, 'That's a Sinatra song." I know this is going to happen, but I do it anyway. In this case, I've "covered" a Sinatra song.

I thought this term applied mostly to recordings of popular music. Some decades back, Arturo Toscanini had a particularly successful recording of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. If conductor Gerard Schwartz and the Seattle Symphony haul off and record Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, is that a "cover" of Toscanini's recording? Were all other recordings of the Ninth Symphony "covers?" Was Toscanini's recording, perhaps, a "cover" of an even earlier recording?

How can a recording of Danny Boy or Barbara Allen be a "cover?" Who are these songs specifically identified with? I don't recall the first time I heard Danny Boy, but I assume that one of the first recordings of it was probably by John McCormack. I think the first time I heard Barbara Allen, it was on a Burl Ives record. Or was it Richard Dyer-Bennet? If I record Barbara Allen, am I "covering" a Burl Ives song? Or a Richard Dyer-Bennet song?

How can you "cover" a song or ballad that's maybe four or five hundred years old, or possibly even older?

I don't think the term can reasonably apply.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: M.Ted
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 02:54 PM

One thing to keep in mind is that the songs that are recorded and the songs that performers play are different. For instance, maybe Yesterday was the most recorded song, but most of those recordings were not popular--howevever, Proud Mary was definitely a song that just about every working band played every nite for about ten years after it came out, whether they wanted to or not--and Yesterday is neither easy nor fun to play--

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,Slim Eric
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 02:39 PM

The most covered song in the UK is "The water is wide" no question.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Tootler
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 02:28 PM

PoppaGator wrote;

Someone released an album, probably very late in the vinyl era (early 80s, maybe?), consisting of nothing but versions of "LL."

I saw a similar CD a few years ago with nothing but versions of Pachelbell's canon. Not strictly a song, but definitely with a known composer. It must have been covered a fair number of times - aka "done to death" :-)

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From:
Date: 02 Oct 05 - 01:37 PM

i read on the internet that unchained melody has been covered no fewer than 672 times ,,surely this must be the world record

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,katydid
Date: 30 Sep 05 - 04:21 PM

Hey just found this thread... my husband and I were listening to all the different versions of "Tainted Love" out there and I was wondering what else I could find out there. We also enjoyed Susan Vega's release of covers of "Tom's Diner"... I think my favorite was the blend of Tom's Diner and I Love Jeanne.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,Gumbo Stu
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 09:27 AM

Check here for Louie Louie

and check out the Louie Louie FAQ> which links to thradio station which ran the Louie Louie marathon - 63 hours of non stop different versions of the song. There were over 800 versions played then, and apparently there are now over 1600. I didn't count them.

The things people do, eh?

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 09:25 AM

Speaking of Unchained Melody, U2 is performing it as we speak.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 08:46 AM

Reading about John Hartford, the article said 'Gentle On My Mind' was the second most recorded song of all time.

eric

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: JennyO
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 03:26 AM

I'd have thought "Stairway to Heaven" would have been up there somewhere. Can't see it though.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: fat B****rd
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 02:57 AM

I read recently that a marching band had listed Louie Louie on their song list only to have it banned by the organizers on the old "obscene lyrics" charge. The fact that it was an instrumental version didn't seem to make a diference.
Whereyat, Poppa G. I bought the "Best of Louie Louie" on I believe the Rhino label (may be wrong) for a friend. It must still be around somewhere in the vaults.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Matt R
Date: 02 Jul 05 - 02:24 AM

"'Misty' is probably up there high on the list, like it or not."

I love it. Of course, my girlfriend's name is Misty.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: PoppaGator
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 04:26 PM

fB: RE: "Louie Louie":

Someone released an album, probably very late in the vinyl era (early 80s, maybe?), consisting of nothing but versions of "LL." Not a huge number (like the 800-plus for "Yesterday"), but an interesting variety. My brother-in-law bought a copy and made us a cassette-tape copy years ago. It would be difficult to locate right now, but I assume it's in our house somewhere.

The well-known hit recording by the Kingsmen was actually the third recording of the song. The first three versions were all recorded in Seattle and were distributed only more-or-less locally, in the Northwest, until the Kingsmen's record broke as a national hit.

The original, as recorded by (African-American) songwriter Richard Berry, is almost unrecognizable ~ slower tempo, clearly enunciated words, and none of the "Ai-yi-yi-yi" embellishments. The second recording, by another black artist in the Seattle area whose name escapes me at the moment, was a thorough reinterpretation and established the version we all know and (maybe) love.

The Kingsmen were white college boys who heard that second version on local jukeboxes and recorded a fairly close copy of it themselves, despite NOT understanding the lyrics. The longstanding urban legends about "Louie Louie"'s supposedly obscene lyrics are based on the fact that the record features truly unintelligible words ~ the singer didn't know what to "say" and was just imitating the general sounds as he heard them from the previous recording. He's not actually singing English-language words at all at various points in the song.

The all-Louie-Louie LP starts off with those first three recodings from Seattle followed by another dozen or more "covers" and reinterpretations of what had soon become a universally-well-known hit song. Some of the more amusing cuts include a very slow, dreamy, romantic-sounding Spanish-language reading by The Sandpipers and the final cut, a perfomance by the University of Southern California marching band.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Tannywheeler
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:38 PM

(hic) Play Melancholy Baby (hic)?          Tw

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: fat B****rd
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:35 PM

I recall that "Louie Louie" has been covered an amazing number of times in all sorts of styles.
Sorry but I'm not sure where to verify this.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: greg stephens
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:33 PM

When I was a lad the Guiness Book of records quoted Stardust and St Louis Blues as equal top in this category, as far as I can remember. I wonder how they stand in the ratings now? As it's numbers of different recordings we are going, their totals must have continued to rise(though not that fast in the last 50 years), so they should still be up in the lists somewhere.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST,Arkie
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:24 PM

A scan of allmusic.com revealed the following information about recordings of various songs. These numbers include multiple recordings by some artists and is not exact for 'covers'.

164 - Knocking on Heaven's Door
330 - Blowing In the Wind
191 - Forever Young
137 - Like a Rolling Stone
179 - I Shall Be Released
218 - Mr. Tambourine Man
205 - Whiskey In The Jar
847 - Yesterday
917 - Danny Boy (one could probably find another 50 recordings if every name variation and medleys were checked.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:21 PM

*smile*...well, Dixon and MacColl aren't, anyway...

I wasn't arguing that your list of "songs with a well-known author" was not relevant....only that most of the 'published' lists are biased and that we ought to make an effort to be aware of how fame and numbers are related.

And my side issue was that the "well-known author" limitation kinda leaves out a lot of the songs that Mudcat and the DigiTrad database are supposed to favor and preserve. (I've been struggling with this for 9 years here, Le Scaramouche...don't take it personally..*grin*)

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:59 PM

Take a look at the original songs I mentioned.
Dixon, MacColl and Dylan off-topic?

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:55 PM

see this page

I suspect that when online polls like this are compiled, they MEAN only hitparade pop music....I doubt that they even count how many recordings of "Barbry Allen" there are..or of "The Two Sisters" (LOTS!).....and Mudcat is, supposedly, concerned with folk-related stuff.

It may be of passing interest to know how many Beatles songs have been covered, but I'd venture that some 'folk' items would be much higher in that list than many of the ones that ARE listed.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: GUEST
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:43 PM

Is it 'Lay the Blanket On The Ground'?

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: s6k
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:40 PM

officially its Yesterday (beatles) and Unchained Melody - you asked for ones with known artists. i cant remember if unchained melody has now overtaken yesterday.

but of all time... it would be a nursery rhyme - think of the millions of schools! millions and millions of versions of humpty dumpty etc by different teachers.

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Bill D
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:31 PM

I was conservative...I count 95 versions of Scarborough Fair right now, and I know a bunch more were posted earlier...

Subject: RE: Most Covered Song
From: Le Scaramouche
Date: 01 Jul 05 - 02:28 PM

Leave the public domain ones out of this please!
Poppagator, point taken RE KOHD, so what would the most covered Dylan be?
yesterday is very interesting, I didn't know there were so many. In fact, I had heard only one.