DISQUS

Tom Marquette · 1 year ago

spent better part of last night listening to different ver of Leaving on a Jet Plane but never found the sound bit. Which recording?

66.66% bad guess. Glad I don't gamble. If the last one #14 is an original I got a negative hat trick

harrymonster · 1 year ago

i thought i could identify the clip on the John Denver recording about 2 min 20 secs into the song.
but i could be wrong.

Jerry · 1 year ago

6. Never Can Say Goodbye - Communards
9. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - They Might Be Giants
18. Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters

drcastrato · 1 year ago

Tough list. I'll take the easy ones:
4. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
12. Nothing Compares 2 U - SInead OConner
13. All Along the Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix

Brian Ibbott · 1 year ago

So far all guesses are correct: Tainted Love, Never Can Say Goodbye, Istanbul (Not Constantinople), Nothing Compares 2 U, All Along The Watchtower and Comfortably Numb.

pasquinade · 1 year ago

4. Softcell "Tainted Love"
8. James "Laid"
9. They Might Be Giants "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)"
13. Jimi Hendrix "All Along The Watchtower"

Scraps · 1 year ago

Please, no more than three guesses between updates of the list, as it says in boldface twice in the post.

coverville · 1 year ago

Laid is incorrect. All other guesses were confirmed previously.

MatthewBolin · 1 year ago

2. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
21. A Whiter Shade of Pale - Annie Lennox
22. Raspberry Beret - Hindu Love Gods

coverville · 1 year ago

Suspicious Minds and Raspberry Beret are correct! A Whiter Shade of Pale is incorrect.

Eric · 1 year ago

I think 7 is "One" by Three Dog Night, and 3 sound like Chet Atkins, but I'm blanking on the tune!

Chris · 1 year ago

1. is "I just don't know what to do with myself" but I'm not sure if it is the Dusty Springfield or Dionne Warwick version - I'll go for Dusty

coverville · 1 year ago

"One" and "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself" are correct.

PW_18 · 1 year ago

Brian - To answer your question: it is (they are?) the latter!

Keep up the good work,
PW

coverville · 1 year ago

Not all of them, PW!

PW_18 · 1 year ago

Ah, now I get it. Guess I've got more work to do.

RLB · 1 year ago

20 Is "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles.

RLB · 1 year ago

(which is the former!)

DavidMedsker · 1 year ago

I was going to guess that, but then I thought, "Wait, they didn't cover it. They wrote it." Ah, but it wasn't the first version recorded, as it turns out. Sneaky bastards.

RLB · 1 year ago

I was getting the impression that it was a mix of originals and covers, from Brian's comment 22 minutes (before this comment). It was PW's comment that caused me to work out the 'puzzle question,' which led me to 22 needing to start with a 'V.' That gave me the Buggles. But it's not the first recording??? Must go google...

DavidMedsker · 1 year ago

Taking a stab here...

5. The Hollies, "The Air That I Breathe"

Dude, this list is hardcore tough. Nice work.

ken (Gaper's Blog) · 1 year ago

15. Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Ian Hunter

coverville · 1 year ago

"Once Bitten Twice Shy", "(The) Air That I Breathe" and "Video Killed The Radio Star" are all correct. Update coming.

coverville · 1 year ago

Update to the list (yes, this means you may now guess again):

1. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - Dusty Springfield
2. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
3.
4. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
5. (The) Air That I Breathe - The Hollies
6. Never Can Say Goodbye - The Communards
7. One - Three Dog Night
8.
9. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - They Might Be Giants
10.
11.
12. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
13. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
14.
15. Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Ian Hunter
16.
17.
18. Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters
19.
20. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
21.
22. Raspberry Beret - Hindu Love Gods

Good job so far!

Big Daddy V · 1 year ago

8 Respect - Otis Redding

coverville · 1 year ago

"Respect" is correct.

Jerry · 1 year ago

16. Romeo & Juliet - Indigo Girls

RLB · 1 year ago

Ah! I thought it sounded like them but couldn't get the song - of course it's their greatest cover! DUH!

Marko · 1 year ago

10. Georgia on My Mind - Ray Charles

Big Daddy V · 1 year ago

19. O.P.P - Naughty by Nature

coverville · 1 year ago

"Romeo & Juliet" and "Georgia On My Mind" are both correct!
"O.P.P." is incorrect.

6 left!

Walter · 1 year ago

3. It must be love - originally from Madness

Chris · 1 year ago

If it is 'It must be love' - and I'm not sure it is - then it is probably the Labi Siffre version. Madness did a cover of that, not the other way round.

Walter · 1 year ago

Bonus question: Is it an original or a cover.
I'm sure that Once Bitten Twice Shy is an original from Ian Hunter.
But so is Video Killed the Radio Star from Buggles.

coverville · 1 year ago

"It Must Be Love" by Labi Siffre is correct (nice job Chris).

Matt from NY · 1 year ago

It took me a while, but i finally got one that hadn't already been picked.

#14 - Let Her Cry by Hootie and the Blowfish.

And i want to say that #16 is Romeo and Juliet by the Killers, but i don't think it is....

coverville · 1 year ago

"Let Her Cry" is incorrect, and #16 has already been confirmed as "Romeo and Juliet", but the Indigo Girls version.

sfenn · 1 year ago

19 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart' - Saint Etienne

alicia · 1 year ago

I'll guess at one I don't see yet...

11. Got My Mind Set on You

Sounds suspiciously like the James Ray original.

alicia · 1 year ago

Whoops. I suppose that would be (I've) Got My Mind Set on You.

coverville · 1 year ago

"Only Love Can Break Your Heart" and "I've Got My Mind Set On You" are both correct!

Just 14, 17 and 21 remaining. And a list update:

1. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - Dusty Springfield
2. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
3. It Must Be Love - Labi Siffre
4. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
5. (The) Air That I Breathe - The Hollies
6. Never Can Say Goodbye - The Communards
7. One - Three Dog Night
8. Respect - Otis Redding
9. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - They Might Be Giants
10. Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles
11. I've Got My Mind Set On You - James Ray
12. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
13. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
14.
15. Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Ian Hunter
16. Romeo & Juliet - Indigo Girls
17.
18. Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters
19. Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Saint Etienne
20. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
21.
22. Raspberry Beret - Hindu Love Gods

marm · 1 year ago

17. Wig Wam Bam by Sweet?

magkfingrs · 1 year ago

Is 14 Taxi by Harry Chapin?

Tom Marquette · 1 year ago

Bonus question: Is it an original or a cover.

Originals:
It Must Be Love Labi Siffre
Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Ian Hunter
Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
Got My Mind Set on You - James Ray
Respect - Otis Redding

the others covers

coverville · 1 year ago

"Wig Wam Bam" and "Taxi" are incorrect. And Tom's got the right idea for the bonus, but his answers are incomplete.

Some hints:
14 is a well-known song by a '70s singer/songwriter who died in a plane crash.
17 comes from an album of songs performed by the stars of a '70s television show.
21 is a longing ballad performed by a wildly popular '80s blue-eyed soul duo.

I'll post longer clips tomorrow night for the three remaining songs if they haven't been guessed correctly.

Tom Marquette · 1 year ago

either I had a 33.3% change
or I totally missed the point

figured I had to try a guess
before the last three songs
got revealed

either way it was fun

Tom Marquette · 1 year ago

14 Everytime You Go Away - Hall & Oates

missed it by that close

Tom Marquette · 1 year ago

Ok its after midnight and I'm brain dead

not # 14 ..... #21

e before L as in neighbor and lame.

21 Everytime You Go Away - Hall & Oates

harrymonster · 1 year ago

14. Leaving On A Jet Plane - John Denver

thanks for the clues. couldn't get it otherwise

coverville · 1 year ago

"Every Time You Go Away" and "Leaving On A Jet Plane" are correct!

One left, and I'll be in the mountains for most of the day, but hopefully able to check in if I get a signal on the cell phone.

If 17 is still unguessed, I'll post a longer sound clip.

Walter · 1 year ago

Stars of a '70s television show? Wouldn't that be The Carpenters?

Jerry · 1 year ago

17 is American Pie by the Brady Bunch.

Either the best or worst cover ever, depending on your sense of humor.

Thanks for the clue.

arkitect75 · 1 year ago

Bonus: "Is it an original or a cover"

Originals:
3
8
11
15
21

14- Leaving on a Jet plane was written by John Denver, BUT his solo version (played) was released after he released it with the Mitchel Trio
20-As stated before, the Buggles re-recorded the song.

coverville · 1 year ago

"American Pie" by the Brady Bunch is correct.

And arkitect75 is correct in surmising the bonus question, although his list of originals is incomplete.

Here's the recap:
1. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - Dusty Springfield
2. Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley
3. It Must Be Love - Labi Siffre
4. Tainted Love - Soft Cell
5. (The) Air That I Breathe - The Hollies
6. Never Can Say Goodbye - The Communards
7. One - Three Dog Night
8. Respect - Otis Redding
9. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - They Might Be Giants
10. Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles
11. I've Got My Mind Set On You - James Ray
12. Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor
13. All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix
14. Leaving On A Jet Plane - John Denver
15. Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Ian Hunter
16. Romeo & Juliet - Indigo Girls
17. American Pie - The Brady Bunch
18. Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters
19. Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Saint Etienne
20. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles
21. Every Time You Go Away - Hall & Oates
22. Raspberry Beret - Hindu Love Gods

And as you've correctly surmised, I'm looking for which are originals and which are covers.

arkitect75 · 1 year ago

I can only guess that you're either:
a- counting Ray Charles' as the original, as it's the only one that I can't find someone who previously recorded it, it was written in 1930, and Charles didn't record it until 1960,
b- maybe Im' off on the John Denver release, or
c-The Buggles version is from the original recording.

I found original artists for all but the ones that I listed.

coverville · 1 year ago

I'm going to go ahead and award it to arkitect75. My records show that Dusty Springfield was the original performer of "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", but as it was written by Burt Bacharach, it's certainly likely that Burt recorded a version himself prior to the version on "Dusty".

Send me your address info (at coverville at gmail dot com), and I'll get a prize pack out to you!

Here's the final list, showing originals and covers:
1. (cover) I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself - Dusty Springfield (orig. Burt Bacharach)
2. (cover) Suspicious Minds - Elvis Presley (orig. Mark James)
3. (original) It Must Be Love - Labi Siffre (covered by Madness)
4. (cover) Tainted Love - Soft Cell (orig. Gloria Jones)
5. (cover) (The) Air That I Breathe - The Hollies (orig. Albert Hammond)
6. (cover) Never Can Say Goodbye - The Communards (orig. Jackson 5)
7. (cover) One - Three Dog Night (orig. Harry Nilsson)
8. (original) Respect - Otis Redding (covered by Aretha Franklin)
9. (cover) Istanbul (Not Constantinople) - They Might Be Giants (orig. The Four Lads)
10. (cover) Georgia On My Mind - Ray Charles (orig. Hoagy Carmichael)
11. (original) I've Got My Mind Set On You - James Ray (covered by George Harrison)
12. (cover) Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinead O'Connor (written by Prince, but originally released by The Family)
13. (cover) All Along The Watchtower - Jimi Hendrix (orig. Bob Dylan)
14. (cover) Leaving On A Jet Plane - John Denver (orig. Mitchell Trio - I would have accepted either orig. or cover for this one because I couldn't find a recording by the Mitchell Trio prior to this contest)
15. (original) Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Ian Hunter (covered by Great White)
16. (cover) Romeo & Juliet - Indigo Girls (orig. Dire Straits)
17. (cover) American Pie - The Brady Bunch (orig. Don McLean, but does anyone know about The Chozen Ones' recording of "Marshmallow Cake"?)
18. (cover) Comfortably Numb - Scissor Sisters (orig. Pink Floyd)
19. (cover) Only Love Can Break Your Heart - Saint Etienne (orig. Neil Young)
20. (cover) Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles (orig. Bruce Woolley & The Camera Club)
21. (original) Every Time You Go Away - Hall & Oates (covered by Paul Young)
22. (cover) Raspberry Beret - Hindu Love Gods (orig. Prince)

Thanks for playing! And don't forget to check out coverville.com for all your cover song needs.