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7 Songs Performed By 3 Different Artists That Hit The Top 40
Which version is your favorite?
Why Cover a Song?
Why does a musical artist, and perhaps a very big one at that, choose to perform covers of other artists’ work?
There’s a story behind every one. Maybe the artist really liked the song and wanted to put their spin on it. They wanted to acknowledge the work of others. It’s a way to bring new life to an old song (and perhaps make a ton of money). Or maybe it’s a pop/rock song that a country artist wants to restyle in their genre.
Cover songs imply a cultural and meaningful link between the original and subsequent performers — and the past and the present. Some people say they represent a standardization and loss of originality.
But, for instance, when you listen to the two versions of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” it’s like listening to two different songs. The song was written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin for Aretha Franklin in 1967. When King recorded it for her blockbuster album Tapestry, it had a completely different texture.
Record companies have other motives. They think it’s an efficient way to promote an artist, particularly a new one. Having a famous cover song would rank more competitively in search engine results. Perhaps it will…
