when is a cover not a cover?

[kgdjpubs]

not sure if this has ever been posted here before...

There usually a debate over songs that get dropped from an album that the fans think should have been included. This would be one of the costlier ones. In 1978, Survivor was hard at work recording their debut album. As usual, some songs didn't make the final cut. This one was given to 38 Special. Their version made #1 on the charts. Survivor's version was finally released on a greatest hits compilation about 2009.

Here is the original version of Rockin Into the Night. Lead vocals by Dave Bickler and a bit of Jim Peterik (who was previously the singer for Ides of March).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLgGq3PLUYI

[Don]

Not dropped from an album but "Everytime You Go Away" wasn't released as a single when it came out on the Hall & Oates, Voices album in 1980.
Paul Young's cover hit gold with it when it went to #1 in 1985.

[Don]

Bad Finger's "Without You." They didn't release it as a single in 1970 but Harry Nillson heard it at a party and covered it the very next year.

It ended up going #1 in half a dozen countries and Nillson won a Grammy for his performance.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Bad Finger's "Without You." They didn't release it as a single in 1970 but Harry Nillson heard it at a party and covered it the very next year.

It ended up going #1 in half a dozen countries and Nillson won a Grammy for his performance.

Yeah, that's been a cover song over and over for many bands from Carey to Air Supply. I do like Nilson's version but my all time favorite is when Heart did it. Arnel back in the AMO Band days did the Heart version of it and was "golden" on it.