4 Cover Songs That Blitzed the Charts in 1979

Most artists try to cover songs at some point in their careers. But very few possess the knack for doing something special and different with a song that has already made a dent in the public consciousness. We’re focusing on 1979 with this list. And we’ve compiled four songs that did big business on the charts even though folks might have heard them somewhere before.

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“MacArthur Park” by Donna Summer

In terms of a complete transformation of a song, few have been as brazen or as successful as what Donna Summer did with “MacArthur Park”. The first version was done, in highfalutin style, by the British actor Richard Harris in 1967. Jimmy Webb wrote it, reflecting on the end of an important relationship and signifying it with the mention of an ill-fated dessert (“Someone left the cake out in the rain”). Summer took it in a disco direction, as you would expect her to do. But she also left in enough of the tortured ballad that was to make the transition into the four-on-the-floor that much more impactful. Summer’s take went to No. 1 in 1978, one spot higher than Harris.

“Fire” by The Pointer Sisters

Bruce Springsteen had plenty of time to write songs in 1977. That’s when a court case pitting him against his former manager prevented him from recording new music. It’s around that time that he composed “Fire”. Springsteen never included the song on one of his studio albums, but he did turn it into a live showcase. Robert Gordon did the first version of the song in 1978, with The Boss chipping in on piano. Ace producer Richard Perry introduced it to The Pointer Sisters, who recorded it on their album Energy. It turned into a smash for them at a time when they hadn’t quite reached their commercial peak. That pinnacle came in the 80s, when they earned regular success with R&B crossover singles.

“I’ll Never Love This Way Again” by Dionne Warwick

The 70s had been a somewhat fallow period for Dionne Warwick from a commercial standpoint. She scored a No. 1 hit in 1974 with “Then Came You” when she duetted with The Spinners, who were red-hot at the time. But her solo material had mostly failed to make an impact. As such, “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” proved to be an important song for her. The sweeping ballad, which played right into her wheelhouse, gave her momentum heading into the 80s. That turned out to be a better commercial decade for her. As for the song, it was first done by Richard Kerr, who co-wrote it with Will Jennings. Before Warwick got to it, Cheryl Ladd, of Charlie’s Angels fame, also did a take.

“What A Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers

We know what you’re thinking. How is this one a cover, considering that Michael McDonald, one of The Doobie Brothers, co-wrote the song? Hear us out here. The other co-writer was Kenny Loggins. And Loggins got the chance to record the song first, doing so on his 1978 album Nightwatch. Loggins’ version is a bit ethereal, not exactly suited for mass consumption. Moreover, he didn’t even release it as a single. When The Doobie Brothers took their crack at it, they and producer Ted Templeman fixated on the rhythmic punch. It also didn’t hurt that McDonald lent an impassioned vocal to the track. It turned into one of the biggest songs of the decade and helped McDonald and Loggins snag a Song Of The Year Grammy.

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