Top Five Songs You Didn’t Realise Were Covers Until Years Later
- jamiecrow2
- 12 minutes ago
- 2 min read
There’s a very specific kind of pop culture shock that hits in adulthood:
You’re casually listening to a beloved classic…
when someone smugly announces:
“Actually, that’s a cover.”
Suddenly your entire musical reality collapses.
Here are five songs that fooled an entire generation into thinking they were the original — until the truth emerged.
5. “Tainted Love” — Soft Cell (Originally Gloria Jones)
For years, this felt like peak ’80s synth-pop perfection.
That iconic bassline.
That dramatic energy.
That unmistakable mood.
But long before Soft Cell turned it into a global hit, Gloria Jones recorded the original back in 1964.
Mind. Blown.
Why this revelation hurt:
Because it feels so aggressively ’80s.
The original:
The cover:
4. “Valerie” — Amy Winehouse & Mark Ronson (Originally The Zutons)
Many people genuinely believe this is an Amy Winehouse original.
It’s understandable — her version is everywhere. Weddings, parties, playlists, late-night singalongs.
But the song belongs to The Zutons, who released it in 2006.
Why it fooled everyone:
Because Amy’s version completely took over reality.
The original:
The cover:
3. “Torn” — Natalie Imbruglia (Originally Ednaswap in its first English version)
One of the most shocking cover discoveries of all time.
For an entire generation, Natalie Imbruglia was “Torn”.
Yet the song first appeared in the English language via Ednaswap.
Once you hear the difference, it’s deeply unsettling — like discovering an alternate timeline.
Why it’s so surprising:
Because Natalie’s version feels culturally definitive.
The original:
The cover:
2. “Mad World” — Gary Jules (Originally Tears for Fears)
Many younger listeners assume this haunting piano ballad is the original.
But Gary Jules’ melancholic version was actually covering Tears for Fears’ 1982 synth-heavy track.
Two wildly different emotional experiences.
Why this twist is wild:
Same lyrics. Completely different existential crisis.
The original:
The cover:
1. “I Will Always Love You” — Whitney Houston (Originally Dolly Parton)
Yes.
That song.
Whitney’s towering vocal performance feels so legendary that it barely seems possible it wasn’t written for her.
But the original came from Dolly Parton — and it’s a completely different emotional beast.
Why this is the ultimate shock:
Because Whitney’s version feels like it descended from the heavens fully formed.
The original:
The cover:
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