3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1970s That Are Actually Cover Songs

When we think of one-hit wonders, we often think of unique artists who wrote and recorded unique, once-in-a-lifetime songs that raced up the charts. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes the artist who found success at the end of the proverbial rainbow just cut a cover of another popular track.

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And that’s fine—however you can find success, by all means, go for it! But here below, we wanted to highlight three times that happened in the 1970s. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1970s that are actually cover songs.

“The House Of The Rising Sun” by Frijid Pink from ‘Frijid Pink’ (1970)

The traditional song “The House Of The Rising Sun” is perhaps centuries old. In the hands of some, it’s a cautionary tale about staying away from a place where no one really sleeps. But in the hands of rockers like The Animals, the song becomes an entreaty to check out the dark side of life. But in the hands of the Detroit-born group Frijid Pink, the song is a buzzy psychedelic soundscape that can put you in a modern art-like trance.

“Here Comes The Sun” by Richie Havens from ‘Alarm Clock‘ (1971)

The Beatles released the original version of “Here Comes The Sun” in 1969. But it was just a couple of years later when Richie Havens took it. His passionate, fast-paced, solo, acoustic rendition rose up the charts and hit No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. While George Harrison and The Beatles give it an almost mystical quality, Havens brings the song back down to the people, making it an almost rustic celebration tune.

“The Entertainer” by Marvin Hamlisch from ‘The Sting’ (1973)

The 1973 caper film The Sting starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford actually boasted a third star—the ragtime music of Scott Joplin. And it was pianist Marvin Hamlisch who played and helped to lightly arrange that music, earning him praise and attention at the release of the movie. While ragtime music should always be celebrated, it was in 1973 when Hamlisch’s rendition of Joplin’s “The Entertainer” hit No. 3 on the vaunted Billboard Hot 100.

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