3 Classic Rock Covers Hated by the Original Artist

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So, when it comes to the world of music, that would mean that cover songs are the sincerest form of flattery. Often, when an artist or group writes a great song, that means several others will perform their own rendition of the tune. Think Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” and Jimi Hendrix’s version. Covers can be great. Other times, however, the artist who wrote the song originally may not love the covers he or she hears. They may even hate the cover, as is the case with the three classic rock covers we’ll be covering.

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Sometimes a cover can be so off or so grating that the original artist might even talk about their disdain for it in public, as is the case with our list below.

“Blinded By The Light” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band from ‘The Roaring Silence’ (1976)

Originally released by Bruce Springsteen from his 1972 LP, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., this song was covered by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band four years later on their 1976 album, The Roaring Silence. It was a cover that The Boss didn’t like, particularly because Manfred Mann changed the lyrics to the song. On his version, Bruce sang “revved up like a deuce” by Manfred Mann sang “wrapped up like a douche.” Ironically, this change may have helped the 1976 version climb the charts. “Everyone was talking about whether it was deuce or douche,” said Mann in a 2006 interview.

“You Really Got Me Now” by X from ‘X’ (X)

This song was originally released by the British-born band the Kinks on their self-titled 1964 LP. But about a decade later, rockers Van Halen put their own spin on the track on their self-titled 1978 album. But the Kinks’ lead singer, Dave Davies, said the two versions were so different, noting there was a “chasm between the two versions.” He did say it was flattering to be covered by the stadium rockers, but he noted most of all that the Van Halen version did not have the vibe of the original.

“Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)” by Pet Shop Boys (Single, 1991)

In 1991, Pet Shop Boys released a medley of two songs, “Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2 and “I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” by Frankie Valli. But it wasn’t exactly well received by U2’s lead singe,r Bono, who said, “What have we done to deserve this?” Apparently, he didn’t like the new rendition. Later, though, Bono and Pet Shop Boys made amends, and today the song is a fun fan favorite amongst music listeners who grew up in the 1990s.

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