Covers That Erased Originals

The definitive version isn't always the first. Aretha Franklin redefines "Respect," and Johnny Cash makes Trent Reznor's "Hurt" his own.

Tracklist

  1. Respect — Otis Redding
  2. Respect — Aretha Franklin
  3. I Will Always Love You — Dolly Parton
  4. I Will Always Love You — Whitney Houston
  5. Hurt — Nine Inch Nails
  6. Hurt — Johnny Cash
  7. I Love Rock 'n' Roll — The Arrows

Transcript

Welcome to OffStereo. Hope your afternoon's going well. Let's dig in.

We're playing ten tracks you absolutely recognize. But here's the twist: for five of them, the artist you're thinking of? Yeah, that's not who actually made it. Prepare to have your mind gently blown.

Respect — Otis Redding

Respect by Otis Redding — this is where the thread starts.

Respect — Aretha Franklin

Otis Redding's 1965 original of "Respect" was a man's plea for dignity upon returning home. Aretha Franklin's 1967 rendition dramatically re-authored it, transforming a request into a powerful demand for respect, becoming an anthem for civil rights and feminism.

I Will Always Love You — Dolly Parton

Before its global pop takeover, "I Will Always Love You" began as a deeply personal country song. Dolly Parton penned it in 1973 as a heartfelt farewell to her mentor Porter Wagoner, marking her decision to pursue a solo career.

I Will Always Love You — Whitney Houston

Kevin Costner suggested "I Will Always Love You" for *The Bodyguard* soundtrack, leading to Whitney Houston's iconic 1992 version. Dolly Parton recalled, "My heart just about stopped. It was the most overwhelming feeling I've ever had to hear it done so well, so beautifully, and so big," as Houston's powerhouse vocals propelled it to 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Hurt — Nine Inch Nails

Trent Reznor created "Hurt" in 1994, a raw, industrial rock exploration of despair and self-harm. Reznor once described writing it in his bedroom "as a way of staying sane, about a bleak and desperate place I was in, totally isolated and alone."

Hurt — Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash's 2002 cover of "Hurt," produced by Rick Rubin, profoundly recontextualized the song. Recorded late in his life, Cash imbued the lyrics with a poignant sense of mortality and regret, so much so that Trent Reznor later admitted, "That song isn't mine anymore." Its acclaimed music video captured Cash's declining health, cementing its emotional legacy.

I Love Rock 'n' Roll — The Arrows

In 1975, the British glam rock band The Arrows released "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," a track that garnered some exposure through their television show. It was during a tour in England in 1976 that Joan Jett first saw them perform it.

As we wrap up OffStereo, thanks for exploring how a song's soul can transcend its first voice. May these evolving melodies inspire you to listen a little deeper.

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