Pre-dating "Darlin'" by three years, listen to Sharon Marie's b-side, "Thinkin' 'Bout You Baby," written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and produced by Brian.
We also have The Beatles Esher Demo, "Child Of Nature," which later became Lennon's "Jealous Guy."
Today's brain teaser---Can you think of more songs that were later tweaked to become bigger and arguably better?
14 comments:
"Ruler of My Heart' --> 'Pain in My Heart' (Irma : Otis)
In Reverse.
When I first heard Chasing Wild Horses on Western Stars, the first line reminded me of another Bruce song off of Magic: Your Own Worse Enemy. The songs move in different directions, but the beginning was startling similar. joe
Joe,
I find that happens often with Bruce. Check out "My Lucky Day" and "American Beauty." It's basically the same, only the former is faster with different lyrics. I bet he has five more like it, still in the vault.
I love Otis, and his version of the heart song is fine, but Irma's 'Ruler' of said organ is one of the finest songs of its period and a thing unsurpassed by even the great Otis.
C in California
"Hang on to your Ego"?
Rael part 1 from Who Sell Out got worked over for Tommy.
Well, I can think of a lot of "demos" that the released version is better (such are the hazards of "deluxe versions" where you get to hear original demos these days) . Examples: "Baker Street" -- the demo doesn't have the sax riff, for example. The demo version of "Drive" by the Cars has a bossa nova beat under the music that just *does not fit*.
"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" by the Monkees jumps to mind. The original version was sung by Mike and (as such) it's in a much lower key and feels more energetic in the key change/Micky vocal.
And there are a lot of early versions of KISS songs where the chorus/lyrics changed for the release version to a better/stronger version (and, yes, I'm serious here...). :-)
The two "early versions" of songs that would be on "This Year's Model" by EC ("No Action" and "Living In Paradise" on one of the many deluxe versions of My Aim Is True) were definitely rocked up by the Attractions -- especially the latter.
But my mind is blanking on something that would be such a significant rewrite from start to finish, though...I'm sure something will come to me...
Hmm. There's an early live version of "Thunder Road" floating around called "Wings to Wheels," but I don't remember it being much different from the song we know. Abetter example might be Elvis Costello's "The Comedians," a good song lost in muddy production on the 'Goodby Cruel World' album, which he tweaked lyrically and turned into a big Roy Orbison-style song. The Orbison version is much bettter. It's on Roy's last album, 'Mystery Girl.'
Shriner,
Demos wouldn't work. They are (almost) always the same song. My two examples have different lyrics, titles and even slight changes of melody. Elements of "Rael" by The Who turned up on "Tommy," as Kirke said.
Another one that just came to mind---"Sour Milk Sea" and "Savoy Truffle."
Hey It's Mike,
You just made me think of another-- Tracie, British new wave singer, produced by paul Weller had a single written by Costello- "I Love You When You Sleep" which became "Joe Porterhouse" on "Goodbye Crue World."
Street Fighting Man was Pay Your Dues originally
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0utCLmbZSA
Tumbling Dice was also heavily changed.
Sand on My Shoes > Tin Soldier Man - The Kinks.
Captain Al
Now that I thought about it:
What about "Stewball" turning into "Happy X-Mas (War is Over)"
Aren't there a lot of folk songs that were just coopted into other songs? "O Solo Mio" -- "It's Now or Never"?
Same artists, though, I think meet your criteria:
"Candle In the Wind" -- "Goodbye England's Rose" -- or whatever the remake was called?
REM's "Voices of Harold" and "7 Chinese Brothers" (can't remember which came first...)
Alice Cooper -- "Reflected" became "Elected" (and the latter is obviously superior, though I'd say this is more "elements" maybe)
Barnes & Barnes (of "Fishheads" fame!): I Had Sex on TV, I Had Sex with ET and i Had sex with Santa -- same three songs, completely different lyrics even though the song titles are not completely different.
Neil Young did it on the same album with Western Hero and Train of Love.
Post a Comment