Subject: 70s Cover Songs in the 70s

Cover songs were a BIG thing in the 70s, but I seem to notice that alot of them were covers of songs that were hits in the 70s.

A good example is the 1973 hit 'Rock and Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)' by Australian singer Kevin Johnson.  It was a BIG hit overseas, but did little damage in North America.  A 1975 cover version by Mac Davis became a Top 40 hit across North America, and that same year, Terry Jacks also took it into the Canadian Top 40




Canada had it's fair share of covers and/or other artists covering Canadian songs.  Here are a few ...

♦ In 1975, Paul Davis had a minor hit single with a song he wrote called Keep Our Love Alive.  That same year, Patricia Dahlquist took her version into the Canadian Top 20.  Paul went on to have many hits across North America.  Patricia only charted in Canada and it was her sole hit.
Paul Davis:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPvA9oG8Q8U
Patricia Dalhquist http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_gBa35bZeY

♦ The song It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference was written and performed by Todd Rundgren as a track on his 1972 album 'Something/Anything'.  In 1973, Tom Middleton took it to #10 in Canada
Todd Rundgren:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bndyxxs2Qgs
Tom Middleton http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GvPemKxgeI

♦ This Flight Tonight was a 1972 song written and performed by Joni Mitchell.  In 1974, Nazareth made it a Top 40 hit in both the UK and Canada.
Joni Mitchell http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRDHuJaCWvE
Nazareth:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vnOzs0vdlA

♦ Devil Woman was a 1976 song written by Terry Britten and Christine Holmes.  Holmes (whom was known in the UK as a member of the 60s group The Family Dogg) originally recorded the song under the name Kristine Sparkle, but credited simply as Kristine.  Her version only reached #75 in Canada.  The song is better known by Cliff Richard, whose cover version hit the Top 40 nearly everywhere that same year.
Kristine http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlldIi5ocs8
Cliff Richard:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px7ilisAGj0

♦ I'm Easy was a popular song written and performed by Keith Carradine for the 1975 movie Nashville.  A cover version by Ron Nigrini made the Top 40 in Canada in September of 1976.
Keith Carradine:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRyhzQc_bS4
Ron Nigrini http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK7RDWhh8N0

♦ In 1977, both Paul Nicholas and Mighty Pope had hits with the song Heaven on the Seventh Floor.  The version by Nicholas was a Top 40 hit across North America, where Mighty Pope's version was only a (Top 40) hit in Canada.  I still have no idea which one is the cover version, and I like both, but I prefer Pope's version more.  It sounds better as an R&B flavoured tune than it does Disco.
Paul Nicholas:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq8c8UsyTuE
Mighty Pope http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvyDTsbL_5s

♦ Bad Side of the Moon was a song written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin and served as the B-Side to Elton's 1970 single Border Song.  In 1972, April Wine took Bad Side of the Moon to #16 in Canada
Elton John:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo65bb6KFkw
April Wine http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut-9Xnnw6kE

♦ Barry Blue had a UK Smash hit in 1973 with the song Dancin' (on A Saturday Night).  In 1975, the group Bond took it into the Canadian Top 20.
Barry Blue:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWBUk9fBkA0
Bond http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bmvasrIJX0

♦ The 1974 single Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance) was written by Leo Sayer and became his debut Top 40 hit in North America.  A 1975 cover version by the group Shooter titled I Can Dance (Long Tall Glasses) also reached the Top 40 in Canada.
Leo Sayer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjsN7RbrsU0
Shooter http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ42zxu94hE

♦ A group called The New Birth just missed the Top 40 in both the US and Canada with their 1974 version of Skylark's 1973 Top 40 hit Wildflower
Skylark http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/canada-1.png:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9bJJNUdXEs
The New Birth:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RTBTXYTDAs