Top 20 Songs People Think Are By Someone Else
#20: “No Matter What” - Badfinger (1970)
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NOT The Beatles
In one review of Badfinger’s 1970 track “No Matter What,” Record World predicted the song would be a hit, saying that “The boys have a certain vocal sound that sets them apart.” That might’ve been true for most of the band’s contemporaries, but their “sound” certainly didn’t set them apart from The Beatles. In fact Cash Box magazine went so far as to say that the song sounded “as though it might have come from a '65 Beatles LP.” And many listeners agreed, with some even thinking that maybe the fab four had resolved their recent differences and released a new song.
#19: “Stitches” - Shawn Mendes (2015)
NOT Charlie Puth
Shawn Mendes and Charlie Puth both hit it big roughly around the same time, after initially gaining a following via their posting of song covers on social media (Mendes on Vine and Puth on YouTube). And while they don’t exactly look alike, they do have a somewhat similar pop music sound and vocal ranges that match up pretty well also. So while most of us know that it is Shawn Mendes who sings “Stitches,” if anyone was going to think it was someone else singing - we get why Charlie Puth would be that someone else.
#18: “Music Sounds Better with You” - Stardust (1998)
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NOT Daft Punk
“Music Sounds Better with You” might feel like a Daft Punk song, and it might sound like a Daft Punk song, but it isn’t a Daft Punk song. It’s actually the only song ever released by the dance-music trio, Stardust. Although, there’s probably a good reason that the track does bring to mind the French electro-music duo Daft Punk. Because one member of that duo, Thomas Bangalter, was also a member of the Stardust trio and they even recorded the song at Bangalter’s home studio. But, as much as some people want it to be, “Music Sounds Better with You” is not a Daft Punk song.
#17: “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” - The Hollies (1972)
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NOT Creedence Clearwater Revival
Yes, we know what you’re saying… everything about “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress” screams Creedence Clearwater Revival - from the swamp rock sound to the John Fogerty-esque vocal stylings. And you know who else felt that way? Pretty much everybody - including John Fogerty himself, who allegedly sued The Hollies over it. Although it’s not like The Hollies were trying to hide it. Unlike most of the band’s songs, which feature beautiful 3-part harmonies, “Long Cool Woman” is all on lead singer Allan Clarke. And his vocals are unabashedly mimicking those of Fogerty - particularly with the CCR track “Green River” in mind.
#16: “Headstrong” - Trapt (2002)
NOT Papa Roach
In 1998, before the members of the band had even graduated from high school, Trapt was already opening for bands like Papa Roach. The guys have also cited Papa Roach as one of their main musical influences. And that “influence” might not be any more obvious than with their biggest hit track, “Headstrong.” Released in 2002, the song reached as high as 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the fact that the band never really had another mainstream hit could also be one of the reasons some casual music fans associate the song with the much more well-known Papa Roach.
#15: “Uncover” - Zara Larsson (2013)
NOT Rihanna
There are over 5000 miles between Sweden and Barbados, yet when it comes to the singing stylings of Swedish singer Zara Larsson and Barbados-born Rihanna the distance between them is negligible. Just listen to Larsson’s 2013 hit track “Uncover” and try and tell us it doesn’t bring to mind Rihanna in the way she sounds and even her phrasing and her breath work while singing. Obviously, watching the videos you immediately know who is who. But just hearing the song, we can’t hold it against anyone who thought “Uncover” was a Rihanna track.
#14: “I Will Survive” - Gloria Gaynor (1978)
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NOT Donna Summer
When it comes to disco there are few names bigger than Donna Summer. Known as the “Queen of Disco,” Summer made a name for herself with hit after hit, and her name is still synonymous with the genre. So much so that some of the most iconic disco tracks of the 70s have become associated with her - even if she had nothing to do with them. Case in point, “I Will Survive.” While hardcore disco fans know this to be the work of the great Gloria Gaynor, many casual music fans often give the credit for this song to the late, great Donna Summer.
#13: “Cum On Feel the Noize” - Quiet Riot (1983)
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NOT Twisted Sister
First things first. While the Quiet Riot version is the most often quoted version of “Cum On Feel the Noize,” their 1983 track is actually a remake of the original 1973 song by Slade. With that being said, while most people probably don’t know the great Slade version of the song, there are also those who want to give credit for the remake to Twisted Sister. Sure, just like the Twisted Sister hit, “We're Not Gonna Take It,” both music videos begin in a teen boy's bedroom. Both songs also appeared on the charts within about a year of each other. But, as most heavy metal fans will tell you, “Cum On Feel the Noize” is NOT Twisted Sister.
#12: “On the Dark Side” - John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band (1983)
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NOT Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
Okay, so stick with us here. “Eddie and the Cruisers” was a 1983 musical drama about a fictional band. In the film, the music that Eddie and the Cruisers play was actually recorded by John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band. One of the songs on the film’s soundtrack eventually reached as high as number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. That song was “On the Dark Side” a song the band purposely performed in the style of Bruce Springsteen. It’s a style John Cafferty imitated so well, there are many who hear it and swear it’s the Boss singing.
#11: “Walking in Memphis” - Marc Cohn (1991)
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NOT Michael Bolton
Michael Bolton was born in Connecticut and he may have been to Tennessee at some point in his life, visited Memphis and taken a stroll down the iconic Beale Street - the home of the blues. But not only is the song “Walking in Memphis” not about Bolton’s experiences in said city - it has nothing at all to do with him. Because as slightly similar as their voices may be, “Walking in Memphis” is the signature song of Marc Cohn. The song was released in 1991 right at the height of Michael Bolton’s popularity, so the confusion might not be without its merits… but it’s still wrong.
#10: “Cat's in the Cradle” - Harry Chapin (1974)
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NOT Cat Stevens
We’re going to chalk this one up to cats. Not the actual feline pets like the one you may have purring by your side right now. But the name itself. Yes, both Harry Chapin and Cat Stevens are singer-songwriters who came to prominence in the 1970s. And yes, they both do have a somewhat similar sound. But we’re pretty sure the mixup comes primarily due to the fact that his name is Cat Stevens and the song is called “Cat's in the Cradle.” And for those of you who are still confused and convinced that Stevens wrote a song about a father and a son - you’re right. Except his was called “Father & Son.”
#9: “Black Betty” - Ram Jam (1977)
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NOT ZZ Top
The false knowledge concerning who sings “Black Betty” might come down to your age and how influential 1990s P2P downloading was to your musical collection. You see, back in the days before Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music, there was Napster. With Napster, instead of legally streaming any song you wanted, you illegally downloaded it to your computer. Well, it wasn’t uncommon back then for song files to be mislabeled - and one such example is “Black Betty” by Ram Jam - which was, in some instances, labeled as a ZZ Top track. A mistake that ingrained itself into many a music-downloader’s head from that point on.
#8: “Don't Leave Me This Way” – Thelma Houston (1976)
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NOT Donna Summer
This disco hit is actually a cover of the 1975 song by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, but Thelma Houston's version became much more popular. Unfortunately, because of the similar vocal style, people believed this song was actually performed by Donna Summer. While both artists were disco icons, and both peaked in popularity in the late 1970s, Donna Summer was much more recognizable. So it was natural for people to assume a Motown hit with vocals like this had been sung and released by her. Leading to further confusion was the fact that Summer's music was popular in the homosexual community, and Houston's “Don't Leave Me This Way” became an unofficial anthem for the AIDS epidemic in gay communities in America.
#7: “Bitch” – Meredith Brooks (1997)
NOT Alanis Morissette
If you weren't around at this time, we can give you a pass for this one. The similarities are stark, and they were meant to be. Record producer Geza X intentionally wanted to emulate Alanis Morissette with its alt rock sound and provocative lyrics. This backfired though, as Morissette's popularity caused this similar sounding hit to be associated with her and not Meredith Brooks. The relatively unknown star could not get through interviews without having to be asked about her more well known counterpart. What further added to the mix-ups was the fact that Morissette would later release a song entitled “It’s a Bitch (To Grow Up)” in 2008. Thankfully, Brooks learned to take the misattribution in stride by getting over it and even finding humor in the situation.
#6: “I Swear” - All-4-One (1994)
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NOT Boyz II Men
We get it: R&B groups can sound pretty similar, especially those that were big in the ‘90s. All-4-One's version of what was originally a country track became an R&B hit as well, winning a Grammy in 1995, and topping the Billboard Hot 100 for eleven weeks. Because of the group's recognition and song's popularity at the time, people in the ‘90s - for the most part - knew who sang the song. Nowadays, with All-4-One not being as recognized anymore, when people think of early ‘90s R&B, they more often than not think of Boyz II Men, as well as this song and naturally link them together. But we shouldn't feel too bad for the smooth quartet: All-4-One are still making music on tour, we swear!
#5: “I Melt with You” - Modern English (1982)
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NOT The Cure
To fans of the post-punk, new wave music scene of the 80s, confusing Modern English with The Cure is laughable and probably anger-inducing as well. But to casual fans of the genres you can see how one might confuse the two - or should we say “hear” how it could happen - with “I Melt with You.” After all, Modern English lead singer Robbie Grey sounds like Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Robert Smith. And since The Cure are a much more popular and well-known entity, defaulting to them rather than the lesser-known Modern English seems at least somewhat reasonable.
#4: “A Horse with No Name” - America (1972)
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NOT Neil Young
This soft rock tune is still being attributed to Neil Young over 50 years after its initial release! And yet, it was the first single by a band called America and dropped slightly ahead of Young's popular Harvest album. The mix up came from how strikingly similar the vocals were to that of Young’s. This fact wasn't lost on America singer and songwriter Dewey Bunnell, who stated: “I know that virtually everyone, on first hearing, assumed it was Neil. I never fully shied away from the fact that I was inspired by him.” While the band faced criticism from Young fans, America got the last laugh, as “A Horse with No Name” replaced Young's “Heart of Gold” for the top spot on the American pop charts in the early ‘70s.
#3: “The Warrior” - Scandal (1984)
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NOT Pat Benatar
The ‘80s led to tons of confusion when trying to differentiate between burgeoning new wave and synthpop bands, with female rockers of the period often grouped together as well. The most famous example of this is “The Warrior,” which was recorded by pop rock group Scandal, a band fronted by Patty Smyth. However, the tune keeps persistently being attributed to a more popular female rocker of the time, known as Pat Benatar. The track’s vocals have been said to be reminiscent of Benatar's “Love Is A Battlefield,” as is the song's theme. But these similarities are probably because both “The Warrior” and Pat's hit were co-written by songwriter Holly Knight. Considering the ‘80s hairstyles sported by both singers in their respective music videos though, maybe those who got (and still get) these two mixed up could get a pass.
#2: “Stuck in the Middle with You” - Stealers Wheel (1973)
NOT Bob Dylan
This folk rock song has Bob Dylan written all over it. In actuality though, the influential singer-songwriter had no active role in making this song. Stealers Wheel singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty stated that the song was a “parody of Bob Dylan’s paranoia,” so this is probably why it sounds so much like him. Without video accompaniment, even the keenest Dylan fan might mistake the Stealers Wheel audio for the famous folkster. But what really caused mix-ups was the disbanding of the group in 1975, after only being active for only three years. Dylan's timelessness has made him much more popular throughout the decades, so we ironically think of him even when we hear a song parodying him. Stealers Wheel reunited in 2008, but without original members Rafferty and Joe Egan.
#1: “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)” - Rupert Holmes (1979)
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NOT Jimmy Buffett
This is a song that can stay in your head for hours, and many people have thought and still think its light-hearted lyrics were sung by Jimmy Buffett. Interestingly enough, the vocals actually don't sound that much like Buffett. But the “island escapist” nature of his music, and the release of another soft rock song called “Margaritaville” just a couple of years prior to Rupert Holmes' “Pina Colada Song,” caused confusion between the song titles – and the artists. Since Buffett was the more popular of the two, his name recognition continues to overpower Holmes', so even nowadays Google suggestions and result pages are filled with wrong information about the artist behind this tune.
Did we blow your mind with any of these? Let us know in the comments below
