“Hotel California” is the title track from the Eagles’ album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder (music), Don Henley, and Glenn Frey (lyrics). Joe Walsh came up with the dual-guitar descending arpeggio part that ends the song: he […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (17)
“Let’s Stick Together” (17) is a rhythm and blues song written by Wilbert Harrison. In 1962, Fury Records released it as a single. Harrison further developed the song and in 1969, Sue Records issued it as a two-part single titled “Let’s Work Together“. The two songs use the same melody line and structure, but the […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (18)
“Cross Road Blues” (also known as “Crossroads“) is a blues song written and recorded by American blues artist Robert Johnson in 1936. Johnson performed it as a solo piece with his vocal and acoustic slide guitar in the Delta Blues-style. The song has become part of the Robert Johnson mythology as referring to the place […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (19)
“I Fought the Law” (19) was written in 1958 by Sonny Curtis, and recorded in 1959 when he joined the Crickets, taking the place of the late Buddy Holly on guitar. Joe B. Maudlin and Jerry Allison continued their positions on the stand-up bass and drums, respectively, while Earl Sinks filled the role for vocals. […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (20)
“Stand by Me” (20) is a song originally performed in 1961 by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King and written by him, along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who together used the pseudonym Elmo Glick. According to King, the title is derived from, and was inspired by, a spiritual written by Sam Cooke and J. […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (21)
“Summertime” (21) is an aria composed in 1934 by George Gershwin for the 1935 opera. The lyrics are by DuBose Heyward, the author of the novel Porgy on which the opera was based, although the song is also co-credited to Ira Gershwin. Gershwin began composing the song in December 1933, attempting to create his own […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (22)
“Season of the Witch” (22) is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan released in August 1966 on his third studio album, Sunshine Superman. The song is credited to Donovan, although sometime collaborator Shawn Phillips has also claimed authorship. Because of a dispute with Donovan’s record company, a UK edition with the song was not released […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (23)
“The ‘In’ Crowd” (23) is a 1964 song written by Billy Page and arranged by his brother Gene that was originally performed by Dobie Gray on his album Dobie Gray Sings for “In” Crowders That Go “Go-Go”. It appeared on an episode of Dick Clark’s Rock, Roll and Remember featuring the last week of November […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (24)
“Woodstock” (24) is a song written by Joni Mitchell. She composed the song based on what she had heard from her then-boyfriend Graham Nash about the Woodstock Music & Art Festival 1969. She had not been there herself, since a manager had told her that it would, instead, be more advantageous for her to appear […]
The Top 40 Cover Songs (25)
“Common People“ (25) is a song by English band Pulp, released in May 1995 as the lead single off their fifth studio album Different Class. It reached No. 2 in the Uk, becoming a defining track of the Britpop movement as well as Pulp’s signature song. In 2014, BBC Radio 6 Song listeners voted it […]