3 Artists Who Unofficially Took Ownership of Songs After Covering Them

Would you say that Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes” belongs to Elvis or him? Or would you say that Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” belongs to him or Hendrix? Concerning the fine print, the ownership of a song goes to the person who wrote it. However, culturally, the ownership of the song goes to whoever performed it best. That is just the way it is, always has been, and always will be.

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As a result of this, here are three artists who unofficially claimed the ownership of classic songs after covering them.

“Tumbling Dice” by Linda Ronstadt

Keith Richards and The Rolling Stones originally wrote and released “Tumbling Dice” in 1972. It was and still is a quintessential hit for the generational talent. However, to many people, it no longer belongs to The Rolling Stones, as the pink slip was transferred to Linda Ronstadt after she released a cover of the song in 1977.

This isn’t a one-sided opinion. As a matter of fact, the original writer, Keith Richards, agrees, as he once stated, “I wrote ‘Tumbling Dice,’ but Linda Ronstadt owns it.” So, go ahead and disagree with us all you want, but can you disagree with Keith Richards?

“Hurt” by Johnny Cash

A large majority of folks seemingly don’t even know who wrote Johnny Cash‘s infamous single “Hurt”. Needless to say, it wasn’t Johnny Cash. Rather, it was Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. Although the minute Johnny Cash and Rick Rubin decided to feature this on American IV: The Man Comes Around, Nine Inch Nails’ original rendition went to No. 2.

Again, this is not a one-sided perspective. After Reznor heard Johnny Cash’s rendition of the tune for the first time, he divulged, “Wow. I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn’t mine anymore,” per NINHOTLINE.

“Hallelujah” by Jeff Buckley

Originally written and released by Leonard Cohen in 1984, “Hallelujah” came to be known under a different artist. That artist was Jeff Buckley, who covered the song 10 years after its initial release in 1994. To this day, it is without a doubt the most famous rendition of the single and the most famous single in Buckley’s catalog.

Seemingly, Cohen has never strictly divulged that the unofficial ownership of this song belongs to the late, great Jeff Buckley. Though he’s a smart guy who is in tune with the public pulse. So, maybe he just doesn’t feel the need to state the obvious. Both singles are great, but Buckley’s rendition is surely the public’s favorite.

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