3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1960s That Are Actually Cover Songs

Isn’t it strange when the cover version of a song sounds better than the original? But that’s the magic of music. Sometimes another person’s perspective can flip a track on its head in just the right way. Sometimes another person just knows how to squeeze the song and get that much more juice from it.

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But that’s what we wanted to highlight here below. We wanted to showcase three songs where the cover version surprisingly leapt up into the Billboard Hot 100. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1960s that are actually cover songs.

“Funny How Time Slips Away” by Jimmy Elledge (Single, 1961)

This poetic song was actually a hit for two one-hit wonders in the 1960s. Along with being one of Willie Nelson’s most memorable country tracks, lesser-known artists like Jimmy Elledge and Joe Hinton both earned spots on the Billboard Hot 100 for their renditions of the track in 1961 and 1964, respectively. Art, above all else, has to speak to us in order to sustain. And this song about the silly little detail of life that says all things must come to an end is one that gets to the core of our humanity.

“Swingin’ On A Star” by Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva (Single, 1963)

This song by Big Dee Irwin and Little Eva hit No. 38 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. But the track was first cut by multi-media star Bing Crosby nearly 20 years before in 1944. With his buttery voice, Crosby made it a hit. But then Irwin and Little Eva put their own livelier spin on the track. Their offering makes you want to dance around the glittery balls of light in the universe above.

“Concrete And Clay” by Unit 4 + 2 (Single, 1965)

This early rock song was a hit for Unit 4 + 2 in the middle of the 1960s. But just before the band could release their version, artist Eddie Rambeau got his hands on the composition and released his own version. Rambeau’s rendition also made the charts, making “Concrete And Clay” a lot like “Funny How Time Slips Away”—a memorable milestone for multiple acts in the decade.

Photo: Donaldson Collection