4 No. 1 Songs From 1985 That You Probably Didn’t Know Were Covers

You’d probably be surprised to learn just how many smash songs from the 80s were low-key cover versions. In most cases, the songs didn’t do much the first time around. But then the artists who turned them into hits came along. That’s when the songs reached their full commercial potential.

Videos by American Songwriter

In 1985, four songs that eventually went to the top of the US charts were covers. Let’s see if you remember them and know who did them first.

“Everytime You Go Away” by Paul Young

Hall & Oates were in no way hurting for hit singles in the 80s. The duo generally rode roughshod over the pop competition in the decade, often landing at the top of the charts themselves. That’s why it’s perhaps understandable that one got away from them. Daryl Hall wrote “Everytime You Go Away”, and the duo recorded it on their 1980 album Voices. That album featured big hits “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” (itself a cover), “Kiss On My List”, and “You Make Me Dreams”. That left no room for “Everytime You Go Away” on the release schedule. Paul Young, a British singer who could hang with Daryl Hall in the blue-eyed soul department, rode it to No. 1 when he recorded it.

“Saving My Love For You” by Whitney Houston

Considering she wasn’t really a songwriter, Whitney Houston relied on outside help for her material. In some cases, the songs were penned specifically for her. But occasionally, she reached back to a relatively unheard song as a recording vehicle. That was the case with “Saving All My Love For You”, the torch song that she played to the hilt on her debut album. Michael Masser and Gerry Goffin wrote it. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis recorded it first in 1978. The story might have ended there, but Houston took a shine to “The Greatest Love Of All”, another Masser composition. He suggested “Saving All My Love For You” as well, knowing it would be a great showcase for Houston’s inimitable talents. Now, it’s one of her best songs from 1985.

“Separate Lives” by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin

Stephen Bishop worked the charts every which way in his career. He scored hits with his own songs, such as “On And On”. Then he enjoyed a smash with “It Might Be You”, which was written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and Dave Grusin. A few years later, he penned “Separate Lives” about the difficulties surrounding a breakup and recorded it on one of his solo albums. Phil Collins liked it and took a stab at recording it. But before he could release it, it was suggested that he turn it into a duet. Marilyn Martin, then a little-known backup singer, got the call and added her vocals around what Collins had already laid down. Released on the soundtrack to the film White Nights, it landed as one of the 80s most memorable and successful duets.

“That’s What Friends Are For” by Dionne Warwick

This entry on our list of songs was released in 1985 but didn’t hit the top spot on the pop charts till the beginning of the next year. The story begins with the 1982 film Night Shift. At the time, it was notable for Henry Winkler playing against his Fonz type and a young Michael Keaton stealing every scene. Watch the movie again, and you’ll hear a version of “That’s What Friends Are For” done by Rod Stewart. Since the movie didn’t exactly hit big, the song faded quickly. But considering it was written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, it was on the radar of Dionne Warwick, who’d done pretty well with Bacharach songs in the past. She recorded it with the help of very special guests Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder for a can’t-miss hit.

Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy