7 Amazing Songs You May Not Know Were Covers

It's easy to hear your favorite song and think, "I can't imagine anyone else singing this." However, there are countless songs out there that surprisingly aren't the original versions— shocking, we know.

From a decades-long hit that's become a well-known anthem of empowerment to a heartbreaking ballad that got famous after its cover appeared in a movie even though it was initially penned and recorded by a country singer (you may know which one we’re talking about here), scroll ahead for eight amazing songs you may not know were covers. Be sure to listen to the original recording when you have a chance if you really want to blow your mind.

Chances are, when you think of the song "Unchained Melody," it's the Righteous Brothers’ voices you hear in your head. However, the famous duo wasn't the first to sing this heartwarming ballad—it was a singer named Todd Duncan. As the story goes, "Unchained Melody" was written by Alex North and Hy Zaret and performed by Duncan for a prison film titled, Unchained in 1955. The Righteous Brothers didn't record their version until a decade later. Today, the tune remains one of the most covered songs—over 600 musical artists have recorded their version of this song in countless languages.

It's hard to imagine anyone else as the original singer of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," as Cyndi Lauper has become synonymous with the energetic bop. However, this tune was originally recorded by a male musician named Robert Hazard, an American singer/songwriter who wrote and recorded the song in 1979. Since Hazard's unreleased version had a very different meaning, Lauper and her team tweaked the lyrics slightly and changed around the music a bit to give it a more carefree feel.

Otis Redding may have originally released the song "Respect," but Aretha Franklin undoubtedly made the song what it is today. The Queen of Soul, who covered the song in the late 1960s, catapulted to stardom after its release. However, Redding's and Franklin's versions sound pretty different—for starters, Redding's recording doesn't include the famous "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" part and doesn't have backup singers.

Whitney Houston's take on "I Will Always Love You," which appeared in the hit ‘90s movie The Bodyguard, is instantly recognizable. However, Dolly Parton wrote and recorded this incredible hit first. Parton penned this ballad in 1974 after experiencing not a romantic breakup but a professional one with her then-duet partner and mentor, Porter Wagoner. "It's saying, 'Just because I'm going don't mean I won't love you," Parton told CMT in 2011. "I appreciate you, and I hope you do great, and I appreciate everything you've done, but I'm out of here."

Sinead O’Connor's "Nothing Compares To U" is one of those songs you hear once and then have stuck in your head for days. The Irish singer, who released her cover of this song in 1990, is most associated with the ballad even though it was initially written and recorded by Prince.

Natalie Imbruglia's "Torn" was a massive hit, but she didn't come up with it. The mid-90s ballad was originally written and recorded by an alternative rock band named Ednaswap with help from producer Phil Thornalley, a former member of The Cure.

Although it may have been The Fugees’ version of "Killing Me Softly With His Song" that you heard most often throughout the 90s, it was Lori Lieberman, Charles Fox, and Norman Gimbel who originally wrote and composed it and Roberta Flack who performed it over 50 years ago. The Fugees’ cover, which came out in 1996, was so well-loved that it won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.

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