Other People's Songs
 

If an artist writes a song for another artist , and then goes on to record it themselves who do you think of as doing the definitive version of it.

For example David Bowie wrote China Girl for Iggy Pop in 1977 and then had a huge hit with it himself in 1983. Do you think the Iggy version or the Bowie version is definitive. He also wrote All The Young Dudes for Mott The Hoople who took it to No 1 , Bowie played it regually in his live show but his studio version stayed unreleased until 1995.

The same with the Rolling Stones. They wrote Out Of Time for Chris Farlowe in 1966 and recorded the song themselves the same time , Farlowe's version got to No 1 yet the Stones version was just an album track. They also wrote Wild Horses for Gram Parsons in 1968 and had a huge hit with it themselves in 1970

So give some examples of this happening and say which you consider the definitive versions.

Well Elliott Smith wrote I Figured You Out and hated because it "sounded like the fucking eagles" so he gave it to his friend Mary Lou Lord who recorded it. Most people nowadays only listen to Mary Lou Lord because they got into her via Elliott and his version really is superior. So I don't know, I consider the Elliott version better/more definitive because more people have heard it and it really is far superior despite the fact he didn't even record it in the studio.

Danzig wrote "Thirteen" for Johnny Cash and then he did it later which is kinda cool.

"Nothing Compares 2 U", written and performed by Prince, but covered by Sinead O'Connor. I must say, while I think Prince's version is good, I thought Sinead O'Connor did a fantastic job singing it.

Side note: I'm pretty sure Prince wrote this song intending for someone else (not O'Connor) to sing it, but I can't remember who.

Speaking of Prince, I always liked Warren Zevon's version of Raspberry Beret(sp) more than his.

That sounds interesting...I'm gonna have to check that out.

Edit: I liked it! I don't know if I would say it was better than Prince's, but it was definitely different. I thought it was pretty awesome.

Nooooooooooo not covers

Songs especially written for people

Right. I thought "Nothing Compares 2 U" was written for someone else...isn't that right??? If it wasn't O'Connor it was someone...I just can't think of who that might be.

Edit: OK...Wikipedia says that it was written for a group called "The Family", but that the song didn't get much recognition until O'Connor covered it. THEN Prince started singing it at his concerts.

Anywho, the point is that I like O'Connor's version better!

Did the Rolling Stones write "As Tears Go By" for Marianne Faithful?

It was the first song Jagger & Richards ever wrote together. They didn't write it for her ,their manager thought she would be better off doing it.