This thread is predicated on the problem that ALL of us have had now-and-again … that the song we were hearing on the radio for weeks on end WASN'T sung by the person/group we thought it was because the DJ was too prudish/assholish/idiotic/etc to tell us the name of who sung it!

These songs were wrongly thought by me to be sung by these people/groups because I either:
A) was NOT told who sung them by the blinkin' DJ, OR
B) I was too pre-occupied to listen to them tell me.

either way, until I knew better, I ALWAYS thought that:

1. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN sang the tune WALK OF LIFE (performed by Dire Straits) because the song sorta-kinda sounded like it mighta come from the album that PINK CADDILAC was on. In addition, the singer kinda sounded like Bruce.

2. The tune GET BACK was sung by Gilbert O'Sullivan (instead of The Beatles) because the singer absolutely DOESN'T sound like a Beatle (musta had a cold/flu/infection/etc that day) but DOES kinda-sorta sound like the song ALONE AGAIN, NATURALLY.

3. CROSBY, STILLS and NASH sang LONELY PEOPLE (performed by America) just because they friggin' sounded like CSN!!

4. Someone else! (maybe the group LOBO) sang ROCKET MAN because the tune doesn't have ANY of Elton John's later vocal qualities!

I'm sure you folk have had other "eye-opening" experiences in the past … please share them!

I know I wasted a lot of time looking for that album with "Teenage Wasteland" on it by The Who.

It was years before I realized the lead singer of Shocking Blue (big hit Venus) was a woman.

When I first heard "Mr. Blue Sky", I was sure it was one of the few Beatles songs I didn't have. Learned later it was actually ELO.

Funny, I always thought Paul McCartney's "Another Day" was a Beatles tune. To this day, I still think it is his most Beatlesque solo song.

If I remember correctly, and I could be wrong (yeah, like that'd ever happen!), but Pink Cadillac never appeared on an album, although it's on Bruce's 4-CD set, "Tracks". I checked here, which seems to verify it.

It was originally the b-side of "Dancing In the Dark". I have it on a CD single ("Secret Garden"). But "Pink Cadillac" was never on a Springsteen album until the box set. And IIRC, the version on the box set is an alternate version at that. I may be wrong on that score.

To expand the topic slightly, I've seen some outrageously incorrect labelings in the file sharing world. "Summer in the City" is by Three Dog Night, etc. Anyone see any other really off-the-wall ones?

When I was younger, I thought Sweet's "Love Is Like Oxygen" was an ELO tune. Oops!

I've run into some folks who think that the long instrumental bit at the end of "Layla" by Derek and the Dominoes is a separate song.

If you listen to the Moody Blues' "In The Beginning" (I think; I think I am; therefore I am; I think), the second guy (There you go, man, keep as cool as you can) speaking sounds a lot like actor John Hurt. For many years I thought it was.

For a good while, I was SURE Alice Cooper's "Under My Wheels" was by The Who

To Glass Onion-The instrumentals at the end of "Layla" DO sound like a separate song, don't they? I heard through some friends that "Layla" co-writer Jim Gordon is either in prison or a mental institution for killing his mother. I can't listen to that song without thinking of the movie "Goodfellas". (The closing credits oddly contained a Sid Vicious cover of "My Way" paired with the "Layla" instrumentals.)
There is a song called "Lies" that for years I thought was a Beatles song. However, I forgot who actually did the song.

I believe "Lies" was performed by The Knickerbockers.

Todd Rundgren and his Utopia band did a whole album called "Deface The Music" of original songs done in the style of the early Beatles.

To this day, I ofted mistake "Alone Again Naturally" for a 60s era Bee Gee's track.

Also, Benn's right about "Lies". The Beatles resemblance in that track is just about the only reason anyone still remembers The Nickerbockers. (Kind of like Steeler's Wheel, who sound just like Dylan on "Stuck in the Middle with You")

"(Kind of like Steeler's Wheel, who sound just like Dylan on 'Stuck in the Middle with You')" - Blitz

Naw, I think it's now remembered for the police torture scene in Reservoir Dogs.

Yeah, I wonder how the creators of "Stuck in the Middle With You" like their song being forever associated with that scene!

By the way, do the guitars in Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do" sound vaguely like "Stuck in the Middle with You" to anyone else, or am I reaching? (And no, i never confused the two songs...sorry for going a little off topic!)

In talking with Derf today, I'm reminded of a couple of songs I thought were recorded by other artists. The first is "Magic" by Pilot. That has always sounded like it was done by the Bay City Rollers. The other is "Beach Baby" by First Class, which could have been a Beach Boys songs. Hmm. Well, there's also "Almost Summer" by Celebration. But that sounds like the Beach Boys because Mike Love was the leader of Celebration, and I think Brian Wilson wrote the song.

Benn, see the misunderstood lyrics board for a funny comment about "Magic".

That's what prompted me to make my post Scott. Derf and I were talking about the Misheard Lyrics board and in particular the mondegreen for "Magic", when I commented that I thought it sounded like it had been recorded by the Bay City Rollers. Derf said that was one for "Mis-interpreted musical identities." (And btw, the "Misheard Lyrics" post was funny.)

By the way, Derf thanks for the lunch & everything!

n.p. - Emancipation - Prince

Thou art cordially welcome ... please take every advantage of our meeting today! (you NEED it! ... nyuk-nyuk-nyuk! ... [slap!] OW!)

There are a lot of songs by Bad Company or Goldfinger that sound like Paul McCartney was singing the lead vocals.

Sparrow, I think you mean Badfinger.

"Come and Get It" by Badfinger has always sounded like the Partridge Family to me. But it was Paul McCartney who wrote it. "Day After Day", on the other hand, is reminiscent of the sounds of Eric Clapton.

Nice to know I'm not the only one who confuses Badfinger and Bad Company. I do know the difference, but if I don't pause and think about it first, the wrong one will probably come out.

The anecdote I heard about the bit at the end of "Layla" is that the band had the studio locked out, which meant they could leave their stuff there 24/7, and Jim Gordon was sneaking in at night recording his own solo record...when they discovered this, one of the tunes was the back end of "Layla" and Clapton et al. decided to use it on the "Layla" record.

Then you get something like the Canadian group Klaatu, who when they appeared were thought by many to be the Beatles reunited under an alias.

Which, for awhile, Klaatu did nothing to contradict. Of course, once they did reveal they weren't the Fab Four, their career (such as it was) nose-dived.

There was a time when I thought REM's 'Shiny Happy People' was by Phil Collins.

If you hear a strange fizzing sound, that's just my credibility evaporating...

Phil Collins!? The B52s I could understand. But Phil Collins?!?

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Guess the style of music should've given it away, but I definitely thought it was Phil Collins singing. D'oh.

(And I don't think the B52s sound anything like either artist, BTW).

No, but Kate Pierson of the B52s contributes some backing vocals. So...

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Some people still think Mungo Jerry sang The Pushbike Song, which was The Mixtures. I need a bit of a think to come up with another.

At school I knew a boy who fell in love with Smokey Robinson after hearing her on the radio. He told everyone how he was looking forward to seeing her on Top of the Pops.

I took it on myself to explain that Smokey Robinson is a bloke.

Am I the only one who thinks that Tracy Chapman is a man? I remember when the song "Baby Can I Hold You" (later a hit for Boyzone) was first out and I thought "this bloke's got a good voice". A friend of mine last year played some Tracy Chapman songs on a tape of hers, and reminded me that "he" was in fact a "she".

Similarly, does anyone else think that David McAlmont sounds a lot like Gladys Knight?

>> Phil Collins!? The B52s I could understand. But Phil Collins?!? <<

I might add that's not the first time I've mixed Phil up with REM. But to the untrained ear, he and Michael Stipe sound practically identical.

I don't know that I'd call my ears trained, Paul, but I don't think I'd ever confuse Phil Collins with Michael Stipe. Stipe's voice is more nasal and a bit whiny at times. (I like R.E.M., but I'm not gonna deny that aspect of Stipe's voice.) Plus, you can generally understand what Phil Collins sings. Michael, on many R.E.M. recordings, mumbled the lyrics. This was especially true of the early R.E.M. songs.

np - All Eyez On Me - 2Pac

{"It's all one song." - Neil Young

I've always confused Phil Collins with Peter Gabriel.

>Which, for awhile, Klaatu did nothing to >contradict. Of course, once they did reveal they >weren't the Fab Four, their career (such as it >was) nose-dived.

Actually, Klaatu DID attempt to deny, in repeated statements through their record company, that they were the Beatles as soon as the rumors (started by an American music journalist's speculative article) started. However, they held on to their anonimity for a while.

It's a shame that Klaatu will only be remembered popularly for the whole faux-Beatles thing, since they carved out quite an interesting (if relatively brief) career of their own. Some of their albums and songs are quite accomplished efforts. While there was certainly a Beatles influence, the group mostly really sounded like a hybrid between Electric Light Orchestra and Queen, with perhaps a dose of Gentle Giant and their eclectic experimentalism thrown in.

Klaatu's five original studio albums are currently being released in handsome new CD remaster editions, along with a well-selected best-of package called "Peaks".

Here's a list I've compiled of songs that sound like they were done by other artist. There may be a little bit of overlap to what's been discussed before.

First, a short list of songs that sound exactly like they were done by THE BEATLES:

“Lies”, THE KNICKERBOCKERS
“We’re Off You Know”, KLAATU
“Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears”, THE MONKEES
“Exit Stage Right”, RONNIE BURNS
“Farthing Man”, THE GODS
“Trust”, THE PRETTY THINGS

And now, on to the main list:

“This Life of Mine”, THE LOST SOULS – sounds just like THE ROLLING STONES
“Stuck in the Middle with You”, STEALERS WHEEL – sounds just like BOB DYLAN
“Horse with No Name”, AMERICA – sounds just like NEIL YOUNG
“Don’t Fear the Reaper”, BLUE OYSTER CULT – sounds just like THE BYRDS
“Making Time”, THE CREATION – sounds just like THE WHO
“Take the Long Way Home”, SUPERTRAMP – sounds just like FLEETWOOD MAC
“Achilles’ Last Stand”, LED ZEPPELIN – sounds just like YES
“Out and In”, THE MOODY BLUES – sounds just like PINK FLOYD
“Cosmic Dancer”, T. REX – sounds just like DAVID BOWIE
“Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”, THE HOLLIES – sounds just like CREDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
“Over and Over”, THE MC5 – sounds just like GRAND FUNK
“Mister Wind”, STRAY – sounds just like LYNRYD SNYNYRD
“Spaceman”, JOURNEY – sounds just like ELTON JOHN
“Beautiful Dream”, URIAH HEEP – sounds just like RUSH
“Reflections of Charles Brown”, RUPERT’S PEOPLE – sounds just like PROCOL HARUM
“Kingdom Come”, SIR LORD BALTIMORE – sounds just like SPINAL TAP
“Man in the Moon”, NEKTAR – sounds just like BLUE OYSTER CULT
“Melodies of St. Kilda”, THE MASTERS APPRENTICES – sounds just like BLACK SABBATH
“Baby Faced Killer”, DAVID BYRON – sounds just like ALICE COOPER
“Human Being”, THE COLOURED BALLS – sounds just like KURT COBAIN’S NIRVANA

"Peacekeeper", FLEETWOOD MAC - sounds just like PAUL SIMON

The first verse of the Kiss song "Ladies In Waiting" (from the abysmal "Dressed To Kill" album) sounds like it sung by Ace Frehley impersonating Gene Simmons! Given how quickly they took to make it, I could actualy believe it- Gene was away doing something else and they needed the vocals so Ace started laying down first verse when Gene walked in and he finished it... yeah, I know, a pretty slim thread but still....

My most embarrassing musical faux-pas was when Nike ran an ad for their latest sneakers. They had this song playing through it and I turned to my friend and said "Man, this guy sounds like Julian Lennon". The song? "Instant Karma" by John Lennon.. (in my defence, I had never heard any Lennon Sr.'s solo material at the time and was completely hooked on Julian's "Help Yourself" album)

"About To Die", PROCUL HARUM - sounds just like THE BAND

I've heard people listening to Iron Butterfly's "Inna Gadda Da Vida" on the radio and asking "Which Doors song is this?"

"Rosayln", THE PRETTY THINGS - sounds just like the ROLLING STONES

The Monkees' "Love Is Only Sleeping" obviously takes its musical inspiration from the Beatles "She Said She Said".

Electric Light Orchestra's "Confusion" sounds just like an Alan Parson's Project song. Of course the two bands did have somewhat similar styles.

On the other hand, Alan Parsons Project's "Don't Answer Me" always sounded like an ELO song to me.

Well, I guess it's six of one, half dozen of the other. Actually, "Don't Answer Me" is the APP song that most reminds me of "Confusion", mostly because of the vocals.

On this subject as relates to ELO: I just bought up the entire Stray back cataloge from the seventies, which has just been released on CD remastered, making many of these classic albums availible (other than expensive collectors items) for the first time in decades. Among this brilliant body of work is the song "Smile", from 1975's Stand Up and BE Counted. This song is so much an ELO pastiche that I feel it had to have been intentional.