Covers you thought were originals

[Josquius]

Over the past weekend I was at Fuji Rock.
One of the acts I saw there was a fellow named Ray Davis. I didn't know who he was* and just saw him as there was nothing else interesting on at the time and directly after him was a band I did want to see.
As I listened to him play about two songs in a song I recognise begins to be played "I'm not like everybody else" by the Television Personalities.
I think to myself "Holy cow, he wrote that? I didn't know that was a cover!".

Have any of you ever encountered something similar?
Knowing and liking a song for years only to learn at a later date that it is actually a cover?


*As time went on with this guy a few more rock classics were played but this just led me to guessing that he was an old 60s solo artist  who had slipped under my radar. Only with the really obvious stuff did I realise, 'oh shit, he's the guy from the kinks' 

[Admiral Yi]

Unchained Melody by the Righeous Brothers.

[Eddie Teach]

Aretha Franklin - Respect

[Martinus]

Love Hurts and Halleluyah.

[Barrister]

I'm sure I'm not the only one, but I was shocked when I learned All Along the Watchtower was written by Bob Dylan (mind you, I learned that 20+ years ago).

Also, not covers per se, but was surprised that all the great crooners (Sinatra and co.) wrote none of their own songs.

[Malthus]

Most of Led Zepplin. 

[Sheilbh]

Aretha Franklin - Respect

All the more shocking because it was originally written by Otis Redding.  It's a weird song sung by a man, 'These Boots Are Made For Walking' was also meant to be sung by a man, which would've been awful.

Tainted Love surprised me.

[Barrister]

Tainted Love surprised me.

I consider myself a fan of 80s music, and I did not know this until today.  Fascinating.

[Sheilbh]

I consider myself a fan of 80s music, and I did not know this until today.  Fascinating.

Originally performed by Gloria Jones (it's a decent version actually).  She was also Marc Bolan's girlfriend and in the car when he died.

[Barrister]

I consider myself a fan of 80s music, and I did not know this until today.  Fascinating.

Originally performed by Gloria Jones (it's a decent version actually).  She was also Marc Bolan's girlfriend and in the car when he died.

Yeah, I googled it upon seeing your post.

It was a B-side to a failed single, that somehow became an underground dance hit 10 years later in northern England, which is where Soft Cell heard it and released their version.

[Sheilbh]

It's very up-tempo so I imagine it was a Northern Soul hit.  There was a weird soul subculture in towns like Wigan in the 60s and 70s.  They were noticed because they'd buy loads of records everytime one of their football teams were playing a London side.  So the record store owners started getting 'Northern Soul' stock in, basically they didn't like anything slow or 'soulful' or Motown.  They wanted small, unknown artists singing very uptempo songs.

Weird niche

[The Brain]

Glee - We Are The Champions

[Valmy]

Glee - We Are The Champions

[PJL]

Blondie - The Tide Is High
The Clash - I Fought the Law

are two which I originally thought were originals before discovering they were covers.

[garbon]

Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips
Georgia on My Mind - Ray Charles