Top 10 Cover Songs Hated By the Original Artist
cover songs, musical controversies, rock history, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Van Halen, U2, Radiohead, Tom Waits, Eagles, The Kinks, Type O Negative, Elvis Costello, Linda Ronstadt, Pet Shop Boys, Helen Reddy, The Hollies, Peter Gabriel, Jake Holmes, music rights, copyright disputes,
Top 10 Cover Songs That Received Backlash from the Original Artist
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for musical interpretations that the original performer publicly denounced, or worse.
It's no surprise that versatile folk artist Linda Ronstadt is a fan of Elvis Costello. The surprise that the feeling wasn't mutual came out after she interpreted four of his songs. Ronstadt covered Alison in 1978, then Party Girl, Girls Talk and Talking in the Dark for one 1980 album. She was even faithful to their new wave style. Nonetheless, Costello told Record World that the covers were like sheer torture, and that the whole Mad Love album was a waste of vinyl. He later expressed regret for this harsh reaction to a more mainstream artist paying her respects. Ronstadt's Alison and Mad Love were ultimately successful, though she told Billboard that she understood Costellos frustration with someone else claiming his art.
Bruce Springsteen arguably broke out with the underdog anthem Blinded by the Light. But it's better-known as the signature song of Manfred Manns Earth Band. Unfortunately, the Boss wasn't impressed with the drastic prog-rock rearrangement. On VH1 Storytellers, he expressed his dismay over the cover commercially outpacing the original by mocking an infamous change to the lyric. While the original chorus boasted, Cut loose like a deuce, in reference to a deuce coupe, many thought Chris Thompson sang something besides Revved up like a deuce. In a 2025 interview with Guitar Player, Thompson recalled Springsteen telling him directly that he hated Earth Bands Blinded by the Light. Both versions are still considered classics, even if one visionary doesn't see it that way.
You can't help but sing along to a Billy Joel ballad. Of course, hed rather one particular gifted singer hadnt. Written for Joels wife, the sincere piece You're My Home was given the full orchestral pop treatment by Helen Reddy. The original artist blasted this interpretation at a concert that he didn't realize was being attended by a representative of Reddy's. Joel revealed this in a 1998 interview with Uncut magazine, and that the incident nearly led to legal action. Reddy resolved the issue by promising Joel that she would never again cover his music. He hated to admit that his response was more enthusiastic than his feelings about the initial tribute.
If any band should have thick skin for music covers, its The Beatles. It was a different story in 1965, especially as the world hadnt heard If I Needed Someone when the demo leaked to The Hollies. They released their version as a single on the exact day The Beatles debuted the album Rubber Soul. George Harrison, the songs writer, dismissed The Hollies cover and overall sound in an interview with NME. This sparked a public feud between the two British Invasion favorites. The Hollies Graham Nash later blamed the backlash for the singles commercial disappointment, but admitted in his autobiography that the circumstances of the cover were in bad taste. Thankfully, he and Harrison wound up becoming friends.
It doesn't seem like alt-rock pioneers U2 and synth-pop icons Pet Shop Boys would cross paths. Why not throw in Frankie Valli? The crooner never commented on Pet Shop Boys mash-up between Where the Streets Have No Name and Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. U2s Bono, however, put out a statement asking, What have we done to deserve this? Sure, this was a playful reference to another Pet Shop Boys song, but the sentiment was serious. Twelve years later, Neil Tennant told the tabloid The People that he and Bono had made amends. It took a long time for them to find their way out of this petty genre feud. Now we just need to know what Valli thought of the crossover.
Incidentally, the relationship between Radiohead and Peter Gabriel didn't fade out. It ended abruptly when Gabriel covered one of his fellow art rock legends most beloved songs. Before his more solemn interpretation of Street Spirit was released, he told NME that he sent it to Thom Yorke. The band was set to in turn do Gabriels Wallflower for the Scratch My Back cover project. Well, he never heard back. Gabriel was later informed that Radiohead were not pleased with his interpretation, though they've never given their side of the story. All Gabriel can say is that he can understand their apprehension toward his artistic liberties. The bigger artistic loss is that the world missed out on Radioheads version of Wallflower.
It's one thing for Tom Waits to dismiss the particular way another artist adapts his music. But his response to the Eagles soft rock twist on the jazz-folk ballad Ol 55 was just the beginning of the rant. In a 1975 radio interview, Waits harshly described the cover as a little antiseptic. A year later, he told NME that he just didn't like the Eagles in general. As exciting as watching paint dry were his exact words. Even if the Eagles Ol 55 was technically more upbeat than Waitss, he felt that it lacked creativity. Granted, Glenn Frey once mentioned at a concert that the royalty checks helped him and Waits make peace.
The Kinks was an interesting way to follow the screaming guitar solo Eruption on Van Halens debut album. Youd think that the original artists would appreciate such maverick rock as much as anyone. But in 2010, Dave Davies told Classic Rock magazine that he found this rendition of You Really Got Me to be artlessly technical. He was further disheartened by a concertgoer believing that The Kinks were the ones doing the covering. At least Ray Davies found Van Halens You Really Got Me to be good for a laugh. Considering that this version is as popular as the original, one could say that the Davies brothers just didn't really get it.
The soft rock icons Seals and Crofts are way off-key from Type O Negative. As much as their doom metal cover of Summer Breeze sounds like a parody, it's still pretty toned-down. The song was originally rewritten as an eight-minute-long, lyrically lewd epic under the title Summer Girl. But when the demo reached Seals and Crofts, they were deeply offended. Thus, a shorter, more faithful version of Summer Breeze was recorded for the album Bloody Kisses. The Summer Girl demo was leaked shortly thereafter. This hidden gem is definitely not for soft rock enthusiasts, but its nice to know that Type O Negative had enough respect for the original artists to more-or-less clean up their act.
Innovative songwriter and guitarist Jimmy Page has long faced allegations of plagiarism. Even Led Zeppelins debut album was tainted by a belated writing credit to Anne Bredon for Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. But Dazed and Confused was an unprecedented scandal. In 1967, Jake Holmes performed the folk ballad while opening for Pages band The Yardbirds. They then adapted the song with just enough changes to credit Page as sole songwriter, before Zeppelin made it a signature song. Holmes sued for copyright infringement in 2010, and at last received an Inspired by credit. It was the ultimate statement about what a musician thought of a cover. Of course, we could never confuse what Holmes thought about being excluded from the classic he originated.
Where do you stand on these and other covers, and on where the original artists stand on them? Give your interpretation in the comments.
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today were counting down our picks for musical interpretations that the original performer publicly denounced, or worse.
#10: Elvis Costello (1978-80)
Linda RonstadtIt's no surprise that versatile folk artist Linda Ronstadt is a fan of Elvis Costello. The surprise that the feeling wasn't mutual came out after she interpreted four of his songs. Ronstadt covered Alison in 1978, then Party Girl, Girls Talk and Talking in the Dark for one 1980 album. She was even faithful to their new wave style. Nonetheless, Costello told Record World that the covers were like sheer torture, and that the whole Mad Love album was a waste of vinyl. He later expressed regret for this harsh reaction to a more mainstream artist paying her respects. Ronstadt's Alison and Mad Love were ultimately successful, though she told Billboard that she understood Costellos frustration with someone else claiming his art.
#9: Blinded by the Light (1976)
Manfred Manns Earth BandBruce Springsteen arguably broke out with the underdog anthem Blinded by the Light. But it's better-known as the signature song of Manfred Manns Earth Band. Unfortunately, the Boss wasn't impressed with the drastic prog-rock rearrangement. On VH1 Storytellers, he expressed his dismay over the cover commercially outpacing the original by mocking an infamous change to the lyric. While the original chorus boasted, Cut loose like a deuce, in reference to a deuce coupe, many thought Chris Thompson sang something besides Revved up like a deuce. In a 2025 interview with Guitar Player, Thompson recalled Springsteen telling him directly that he hated Earth Bands Blinded by the Light. Both versions are still considered classics, even if one visionary doesn't see it that way.
#8: Youre My Home
Helen Reddy (1974)You can't help but sing along to a Billy Joel ballad. Of course, hed rather one particular gifted singer hadnt. Written for Joels wife, the sincere piece You're My Home was given the full orchestral pop treatment by Helen Reddy. The original artist blasted this interpretation at a concert that he didn't realize was being attended by a representative of Reddy's. Joel revealed this in a 1998 interview with Uncut magazine, and that the incident nearly led to legal action. Reddy resolved the issue by promising Joel that she would never again cover his music. He hated to admit that his response was more enthusiastic than his feelings about the initial tribute.
#7: If I Needed Someone (1965)
The HolliesIf any band should have thick skin for music covers, its The Beatles. It was a different story in 1965, especially as the world hadnt heard If I Needed Someone when the demo leaked to The Hollies. They released their version as a single on the exact day The Beatles debuted the album Rubber Soul. George Harrison, the songs writer, dismissed The Hollies cover and overall sound in an interview with NME. This sparked a public feud between the two British Invasion favorites. The Hollies Graham Nash later blamed the backlash for the singles commercial disappointment, but admitted in his autobiography that the circumstances of the cover were in bad taste. Thankfully, he and Harrison wound up becoming friends.
#6: Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You) (1990)
Pet Shop BoysIt doesn't seem like alt-rock pioneers U2 and synth-pop icons Pet Shop Boys would cross paths. Why not throw in Frankie Valli? The crooner never commented on Pet Shop Boys mash-up between Where the Streets Have No Name and Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. U2s Bono, however, put out a statement asking, What have we done to deserve this? Sure, this was a playful reference to another Pet Shop Boys song, but the sentiment was serious. Twelve years later, Neil Tennant told the tabloid The People that he and Bono had made amends. It took a long time for them to find their way out of this petty genre feud. Now we just need to know what Valli thought of the crossover.
#5: Street Spirit (Fade Out) (2010)
Peter GabrielIncidentally, the relationship between Radiohead and Peter Gabriel didn't fade out. It ended abruptly when Gabriel covered one of his fellow art rock legends most beloved songs. Before his more solemn interpretation of Street Spirit was released, he told NME that he sent it to Thom Yorke. The band was set to in turn do Gabriels Wallflower for the Scratch My Back cover project. Well, he never heard back. Gabriel was later informed that Radiohead were not pleased with his interpretation, though they've never given their side of the story. All Gabriel can say is that he can understand their apprehension toward his artistic liberties. The bigger artistic loss is that the world missed out on Radioheads version of Wallflower.
#4: Ol 55 (1974)
EaglesIt's one thing for Tom Waits to dismiss the particular way another artist adapts his music. But his response to the Eagles soft rock twist on the jazz-folk ballad Ol 55 was just the beginning of the rant. In a 1975 radio interview, Waits harshly described the cover as a little antiseptic. A year later, he told NME that he just didn't like the Eagles in general. As exciting as watching paint dry were his exact words. Even if the Eagles Ol 55 was technically more upbeat than Waitss, he felt that it lacked creativity. Granted, Glenn Frey once mentioned at a concert that the royalty checks helped him and Waits make peace.
#3: You Really Got Me (1978)
Van HalenThe Kinks was an interesting way to follow the screaming guitar solo Eruption on Van Halens debut album. Youd think that the original artists would appreciate such maverick rock as much as anyone. But in 2010, Dave Davies told Classic Rock magazine that he found this rendition of You Really Got Me to be artlessly technical. He was further disheartened by a concertgoer believing that The Kinks were the ones doing the covering. At least Ray Davies found Van Halens You Really Got Me to be good for a laugh. Considering that this version is as popular as the original, one could say that the Davies brothers just didn't really get it.
#2: Summer Breeze (1993)
Type O NegativeThe soft rock icons Seals and Crofts are way off-key from Type O Negative. As much as their doom metal cover of Summer Breeze sounds like a parody, it's still pretty toned-down. The song was originally rewritten as an eight-minute-long, lyrically lewd epic under the title Summer Girl. But when the demo reached Seals and Crofts, they were deeply offended. Thus, a shorter, more faithful version of Summer Breeze was recorded for the album Bloody Kisses. The Summer Girl demo was leaked shortly thereafter. This hidden gem is definitely not for soft rock enthusiasts, but its nice to know that Type O Negative had enough respect for the original artists to more-or-less clean up their act.
#1: Dazed and Confused (1967)
The Yardbirds / Led ZeppelinInnovative songwriter and guitarist Jimmy Page has long faced allegations of plagiarism. Even Led Zeppelins debut album was tainted by a belated writing credit to Anne Bredon for Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. But Dazed and Confused was an unprecedented scandal. In 1967, Jake Holmes performed the folk ballad while opening for Pages band The Yardbirds. They then adapted the song with just enough changes to credit Page as sole songwriter, before Zeppelin made it a signature song. Holmes sued for copyright infringement in 2010, and at last received an Inspired by credit. It was the ultimate statement about what a musician thought of a cover. Of course, we could never confuse what Holmes thought about being excluded from the classic he originated.
Where do you stand on these and other covers, and on where the original artists stand on them? Give your interpretation in the comments.
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