I get a little miffed when some singers get credit for singing other people’s songs, especially when the original singers had done a great job in their own right. Here’s my list of five songs that deserve thanks and credit to their originators.
1. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You
Originally done by Laura Branigan, she unfortunately passed away too soon from a brain tumour. Her songs was magic with enough heartfelt emotion to render it a tearjerker. To usurp her glory comes big hair Michael Bolton who does a soppy version to seduce the lonely ladies. Urgh. Here’s Laura live. RIP.
I have her Self Control single on vinyl btw.
2. The Power Of Love
Celine Dion took this partially operatic masterpiece off the charts and many people first appreciated her vocal prowess with this ballad. Kudos madamoiselle D, but it was Jennifer Rush who first took music monster to number 1 in the UK way back in 1985.
Here are the Rush lungs of power, albeit in a strange video.
3. Valerie
Amy Winehouse died too soon. She also drank way too much. In any case, she cleverly redid The Zutons’ quaintly slow rock Valerie into her signature runaway jazzier style. Both songs sound quite different but have the same vocal melody so everyone will recognise the tune regardless. I do feel there’s something apt yet refreshing about Dave McCabe’s vocals.
The girl in the video looks a little like Amy no?
4. Venus
Who didn’t love Bananarama in the 80s? They first found massive fame with a song called Venus. “Oooh she’s got it, yeah baby, she’s got it”. Love it. However, the song is from a Dutch band Shocking Blue and first released, get this, in 1969! Summer Of Love! Free Love and hippie happiness. It even went to number 1 in the US, the first Dutch band to do so, high or otherwise.
5. The Greatest Love Of All
I can’t diss Whitney. She did do a song called The Greatest Love Of All which is a cover of George Benson’s original, which doesn’t get played near enough. Black men can sing too, and not just rap or sound like Stevie Wonder or Louis Armstrong.
Here he is live at Montreaux Jazz Festival in 1986.
Spotify links to the original artistes' versions below:
