These Massive Hits Weren’t Penned by Who You Think — 8 Songs You Didn’t Know Were Written by Other Artists
Over the years there have been thousands of songs immediately considered hits. Whether it’s the classic lyrics sung by Whitney Houston in “I Will Always Love You” or a crowd pleasing pop tunes like Kelly Clarkson's “Breakaway,” they will always be considered key moments in pop culture history.
But while these songs are best known by those we first heard sing them, it turns out that many were actually written by other artists. And despite the fact that many of these tunes went on to win Grammy Awards or hit No. 1 on the charts, fans don't actually know the writers behind the hits.
Check out these 8 classic tunes that were revamped or rerecorded by major artists and see which of these songs by other artists you knew about.
1. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston: Songs by other artists
The classic power ballad sung by Whitney Houston skyrocketed when it was released in 1992 from the soundtrack of her film, The Bodyguard. It shot up to the number one slot immediately and has become a beloved hit. But what you may not know is that “I Will Always Love You” is one of many songs by other artists, in this case famed country singer Dolly Parton. In 1974. Parton’s version was number one on the Hot Country charts.
Parton shared on The Kelly Clarkson Show that Houston’s co-star in The Bodyguard, Kevin Costner, asked if they could use the song for the film. Parton agreed, but then never heard anything about it again.
“I was just driving along, I had the radio on. When I heard the first ‘If I...’ I just freaked out,” she explained. “I had to pull over to the side because I honestly thought that I was gonna wreck. It was the most overwhelming feeling and you know how great that was.”
2. “My Way” by Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra's “My Way” is one of the biggest hits from the jazz singer, even inspiring later songs like “It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi. But “My Way” was actually written by Paul Anka, who recalled Sinatra always wanting a song from and often teasing him and asking when he would get to it.
It wasn’t until a dinner between the two when Sinatra explained he was ready to quit the business that Anka took his request for a song seriously. That night, Anka played around with lyrics and by 5:00 AM the next morning, he had a song to give to Sinatra.
Two months later, Sinatra called Anka with great news. “He says, ‘Kid, listen to this,’ and puts the phone up to the speaker. I heard ‘My Way’ playing for the first time, and I started to cry.”
3. “Halo” by Beyoncé: Songs by other artists
Beyoncé is responsible for some of the most popular songs, including her 2008 hit, “Halo.” This track from Queen B, however, was written by One Republic’s frontman, Ryan Tedder. Beyoncé reached out to him after hearing his song, “Come Home” to see if he would be interested in writing one for her.
Tedder is responsible for dozens of hits sung by other artists, including the Jonas Brothers' “Sucker” and Adele’s “Rumour Has It.” But when Beyoncé reached out to him, Tedder knew he had to take the chance. He co-wrote with songwriter Evan Bogart, texting him, “’My wife's gone for three hours, will you come over? Let's write one song’ … I had this idea for a patch of this weird choir of angels thing, started playing it and within three hours we had 'Halo.'”
4. “Breakaway” by Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson is best known for winning the first season of American Idol and her massive career afterwards. But one of her biggest songs, the 2004 hit, “Breakaway,” was actually written by Avril Lavigne.
Lavigne initially wrote the tune to be released on her debut album, Let Go, but decided the track didn’t fit the sound of the record. Lavigne said of Clarkson’s version, “Kelly Clarkson f***ing owned it.” Clarkson’s song was only meant to be released as a part of the soundtrack for The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, but because of its popularity, she shared it on her second album, Breakaway.
5. “Islands in the Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers: Songs by other artists
The famed duet between Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers wasn’t written by either artist. Instead, “Islands in the Stream” was penned by the Bee Gees. Rogers was singing the song solo at first, but then told Barry Gibb, “I don’t even like this song anymore.” That’s when he had the idea to bring on Parton, changing the song forever.
6. “Manic Monday” by the Bangles
Easily one of the Bangles' biggest hits, “Manic Monday” was written by Prince. After becoming a fan of the group’s work, specifically “Hero Takes a Fall,” Prince reached out to them. “He contacted us, and said, ‘I’ve got a couple of songs for you. I’d like to know if you’re interested.’” The Bangles, needless to say, were thrilled.
One of the songs presented was “Manic Monday” and the Bangles were in. The group recorded their own version, and the song became their first hit. “Manic Monday” rose to number two on the charts and is one of their best-known tunes.
7. "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles: Songs by other artists
Another rock hit from The Beatles was no surprise, so when "Twist and Shout" was released, nobody questioned whether the foursome wrote the tune. But, as it turns out, "Twist and Shout" was written by Bert Berns and Phil Medley under the original title of "Shake It Up, Baby."
The tune was originally recorded by The Top Notes, but Berns didn't like how the recording turned out, so he gave the song to The Isley Brothers. The group recorded it and soon so did The Beatles. "Twist and Shout" is now instantly recognized as a Beatles classic — prominently featured in 1986's Ferris Bueller's Day Off — and the rest is history.
