Introduction

In popular music today, artists encounter a great deal of criticism with regard to whether their songs are original or not. Some claim that in not creating a completely original piece, the artistry of the song and chance for success is compromised. By exploring three case studies of popular cover songs in different musical eras, it can be seen that originality does not have to be a key factor in creating a successful song; what matters more is the race, gender, and status of the re-creating artist.

Case Study One (Gabrielle): “The 50s”

With the rise of rock n’ roll in the 1950s, musical covers, in which artists would record and perform a previously existing song, became a popularized phenomenon in the music industry. The concept of borrowing songs or sounds is not a new occurrence, however. Many genres contain similar sounds and influences from different genres to appeal to a wider audience; the recreation of popular sounds induces a sense of familiarity that audiences love. Rock n’ roll, for example, was not an original sound, being described by many as a combination of jazz and rhythm & blues. Because originality did not always guarantee a big payoff, artists would recreate previously recorded songs as a safety net; if the original was successful, then the recreation would likely also be successful. However, the process of borrowing music becomes a controversial topic when the concepts of financial profit and social inequality are introduced. In covering for profit, “the influence of one tradition, style, or performer on another can also be seen as a kind of musical appropriation, and borrowing can become something more akin to stealing” (Starr & Waterman 245). Many successful songs by Elvis Presley, whom was considered one of the most popular artists in rock n’ roll, were covers or remakes of previously existing tunes. In covering Carl Perkin’s “Blue Suede Shoes” and Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally,” Elvis gained popularity and profit in ways that some believed to be unfair. Because of his success, many ask the question “Did Elvis steal rhythm & blues, or did he simply popularize it?”

Rhythm & blues was a style considered to be created and performed solely by African Americans. Once this style was introduced on Alan Freed’s show, The Moondog House, the genre was renamed “rock n’ roll.” The show utilized white artists such as Elvis Presley to popularize this “new” form of music and appeal to both black and white audiences. In repurposing an African American style of music, there is a belief that, among both blacks and whites, any white artist playing such music is guilty of misappropriation. Despite African American artist Little Richard successfully pioneering the rock n’ roll industry and dominating the charts, Elvis Presley, a white artist, is considered the “King of Rock n’ Roll.” However, Elvis did not give himself this title and recognized that he was not the first to sing this style, stating in an interview that “the colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I'm doing now, man, for more years than I know, I got it from them” (Time Magazine). Despite him publicly crediting much of his success to black musicians, because of the era he lived in, the white man’s music was seen as superior to that of the black man, even if such music was of equal or lesser quality. Elvis's title of “King” obscures the achievements of many others who provided him with inspiration, despite his style being almost completely borrowed.

While Elvis rose to stardom, resentment grew among talented musicians whose similar-sounding records were not getting the same attention. Some black artists in the industry believed Elvis had taken too much from their songs. For example, Little Richard once stated, “Elvis was paid $25,000 for doing three songs in a movie and I only got $5,000, and if it wasn’t for me, Elvis would starve.” In observing the performance of Little Richard’s version of “Long Tall Sally” in comparison to Elvis’s performance, disparities exist in the opportunities presented to the two artists. One can see how Little Richard was subjected to performing his original song in a small, all white club, whereas Elvis performed his cover version at a concert with a very large, screaming audience. Because Little Richard originally performed the song, it would have made sense to see the two artists in opposite situations. However, because Elvis was a white man and was signed to a larger record label, he was bound to make more money off the single than his black counterpart. This is not to say, however, that Little Richard did not gain success in any shape or form. In fact, his original version of “Long Tall Sally” reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart, staying at the top for six weeks. Just like Elvis, Little Richard was also inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame. However, Elvis’s version of the song went platinum, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, was voted #1 most-played song on juke boxes on September 1, 1956, and earned #19 in the list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time (The Rolling Stone). Being that “Long Tall Sally” was covered by hundreds of artists, Little Richard most likely did not receive the credit he rightfully deserved.

It can be seen by looking at Artists such as Elvis Presley and Little Richard that originality is not needed to produce a successful song and to have a successful career. When recreated by a more popular artist, the covered song will almost always make more money than the original. Even to this day, there still exists a conflict over whites stealing “black music” and whether these recreations give proper credit to their original creators.

Case Study Two (Courtney): “Early 80s”

The song “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” was first released in 1975 by Alan Merrill of The Arrows, a band from the United Kingdom. The song itself was originally unpopular in music culture, but six years later (1981) when it was covered by former girl punk band member Joan Jett and two members of the Sex Pistols and subsequently by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, it instantly became a hit that would resonate with music listeners for generations to come. Growing up, I knew this song well as my parents are classic music junkies, appreciating everything from the Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, David Bowie etc. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ version of this song was the only version that I was ever familiar with; in fact, I did not even know that this version was a cover until recently. Perhaps this version is more popular because of the status of those who were singing it; Joan Jett as an already established female rocker and the Sex Pistols as a highly regarded rock band. What is unique, however, is that the more popular version of this song is performed by a band with a female lead singer. Perhaps why Joan Jett achieved such great success covering “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” is because her clear passion for this type of music; music that is easy to listen to and relate to: “Who wants to think for a million years what a song’s about? I can’t enjoy music if I have to sit there and figure it out. I like it to be simple. Nice little songs that people can understand and identify with” (Ultimate Classic Rock). Although a cover, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ rendition of “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” shows originality through nuanced sounds and gender breakthrough.

The rawness and mystique of Joan Jett’s voice makes one want to scream along; it is clear that this song reached a new level of popularity within rock n’ roll culture. Joan Jett & the Blackhearts cover of this song found its way onto the Billboard Top 100 for close to seven weeks and holds a place on the Greatest Guitar Songs of Rolling Stone. There is a nuanced originality that Jett’s version of the song encompasses that far surpasses Merrill’s original version.

These differences become apparent when analyzing Alan Merrill and The Arrows and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts performing the original version and a cover version of the song, respectively.

The Arrows’ original version of this song is interesting to dissect considering my familiarity with Joan Jett’s version. As seen in the video, The Arrows are dressed in uniform somewhat properly and presented in a clean manner. Along with that, they are performing in a controlled setting with no audience members. Their version of this song lacks the spunk that Joan Jett & the Blackhearts employ so well; their version shows audience members interacting and moving along to the music, which shows the grip this song held in the live’s of rock n’ roll music fans. There is also a clear difference in the sound; while Joan Jett & the Blackhearts’ guitar is more electric and noticeable, The Arrows’ use of the guitar seems lackluster considering the potential impact that this song has (and in my opinion, that is fulfilled by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts). The lyrics change meaning when being sung by Alan Merrill versus being sung by Joan Jett. “Jett’s ‘I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll’ changed the gender dynamics of the song, as she made it about a woman picking up a young guy rather than a guy picking up a young girl” and this is significant for several reasons (Garvin). The lyrics “An' I could tell it wouldn't be long / Till he was with me, yeah me” show the audience the dominance that females can have in rock music, too. Not only does the gender dynamic change with Jett’s version of the song, but it also crosses an unsurpassed boundary within a male-dominated music industry and presents females with agency and autonomy, something that was lacking in the rock industry during this time (and arguably still is).

Jett’s mystique in regard to her sexuality, as well, proved to make her iconic in more ways than just being a female rockstar. Inspired by artists like David Bowie, who actively chose to go against gender norms, Jett created a persona that shied away from playing up sexuality. “Although male experiments with gender did not translate into an equal flexibility for women, glam and disco helped to erode the necessary association of popular music with romance and heterosexuality, thereby preparing the way for female performance in punk rock” (Gottlieb and Wald 358).

Joan Jett is the person one thinks of when discussing Joan Jett & the Blackhearts; although there were males in the band, Jett stood as a firm feminist figure at the center of this band’s image. Despite breaking away from gender norms, Jett still believes that rock music is very much a male-dominated industry: “I don't think much has changed, to tell you the truth. The media says that equality for women has arrived, but if you look around, you still don't see girls playing guitars and having success with it. What's different is that there are now girls in every city playing in bands. Girls feel that it's okay to pick up a guitar, which they didn't when I started. But as far as getting accepted by a wider audience, it's still not happening” (NYDailyNews). This concern is still valid today; although female artists are finding their places in rock music, there is still a large cultural assumption that the genre itself is rooted in masculinity: “...first, despite the advances of particular female performers, the ongoing tradition of rock is still deeply masculinist; and second, because of patriarchal restrictions, the youth cultures of girls historically have been defined by very different parameters from those of boys” (Gottlieb and Wald 356).  

As an iconic rock anthem of the early 80s, “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” is still popular today. It is important to analyze the messages behind a song of such value. In the midst of heavy drums and electric guitar riffs that create an unparalleled ambiance of spunk, rage, and fun, there is a great importance of Joan Jett’s position as a female rockstar in relation to her impact on rock music. Jett’s unique style and stage presence allowed her to thrive as a female artist all while stepping aside of predetermined gender norms. This directly opposes themes of gender inequality that have been prevalent in music for decades; Joan Jett’s persona as the “quintessential queen of noise”, bad-ass rock n’ roll chick instantly attracted audiences to her music, specifically the song “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The apparent originality found within this song in regard to gender, lyrical meaning, stage presence, unconventional image, sound, and spunk places the cover version of the song above the original version as performed by Alan Merrill.

Case Study Three (Alyssa): “Modern Day”

The art of covering and remixing has become an even more prominent practice in the past couple of years. Sampling is more common, with artists like Kanye West and Beyoncé taking beats and lyrics of other songs to create their own. Most common of all, as we have seen through the years, has been more well-known artists covering or remixing less prevalent artist’s songs and making them more popular. This leaves us to question the authenticity of the song as it did not originally come from this artist; they changed the sound a little, put a different name to it, and took the credit for it.

One example of this is the newest Remix of Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi’s song “Despacito”.

The original song was released in January of 2017, featuring Daddy Yankee, who is a famous hispanic artist. The newest remix that came out in late April of 2017 includes a feature from pop icon Justin Bieber. Bieber has been number one on the charts various times, and is one of the most popular artists of our time.

The remix has Justin Bieber singing most of the song; it starts with Justin singing a verse, and then cuts to the original bridge of the song, and then has Justin singing the chorus and the remainder of the bridges in the song. The song was popular on its own in the charts, falling in-between the top 50’s and 40’s consistently on the Billboard Top 100 charts since its release in January. In the first week of the release of the remix with Justin Bieber, the song immediately jumped to number 9 on the charts. In the song’s very short lifespan, it has risen to number one in Global Top Hits playlist on Spotify as well as number three on Top Hits USA. It has also remained in the Top 10 songs on the iTunes charts. According to an article by People Magazine, because of the remix pushing the song into the Top 10, this is the first time a Spanish-language song has been in the Top 10 in 20 years, the last time being the release of the Macarena. According to the article, Justin heard the song in a nightclub, saw the crowd’s reaction, and decided that he wanted to remix the song because he knew it would blow up. Sure, the song was doing pretty well on its own, but its authentic Spanish flow and sound has almost seemed to have been drowned out by the pop stylings of Justin making his own English verse on top of the beat and then singing the rest of the song in Spanish. With Justin’s pop influence on the song, it is doing better than ever before. Is the song popular because of its different stylings and hispanic beats, or just because a popular American artist put his name on it?

When it comes to sampling, the tactic is so popular in our time that it is almost impossible to know if a beat is ever original. Most of the popular songs that we know by the most famous of artists have been sampled by previous songs, yet now that they have a newer, more trending name behind them, they are more popular.

As you can see in these videos, some of the most popular artists such as Beyoncé and Ariana Grande have made hit songs off of beats that were not original. So are these songs technically their original song?

One of the biggest examples of this is Kanye West. Kanye is known for his eccentric style and unique music that is different from what others are producing, but is it really unique? 

In this article by Paste Magazine (see Resources below), it shows all of the songs that Kanye had sampled up to that point, and almost all of these songs were top hits. However, some of the samples barely even changed, using the same exact beat/lyrics but just adding raps to them. Even in his newer albums, namely his newest titled The Life of Pablo II, almost all of the songs were sampled from multiple other songs, as you can see in FactMag (see resources below).

Kanye has made his living off of using other people’s music in order to create his own, but is this truly considered authentic, and is it justifiable to say that his style is “unique:? In the documentary Copyright Criminals we watched for class, artists who sampled other artists music were considered lazy for not creating their own original sounds. So if this is almost always looked down on, why are songs so popular when a majority of the work these artists create are not truly their own?

Conclusion

As you can see from the three case studies above, there is a unique trend in which the cover versions, when recreated by popular artists, are often more successful and accepted. These versions gain more attention than their original counterparts; this is as true today as it was 60 years ago.

Resources

http://content.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,661084,00.html

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/joan-jett-i-love-rock-n-roll/?trackback=tsmclip 

https://popcultureexperiment.com/2016/10/17/cover-songs-uncovered-i-love-rock-n-roll/ 

http://www.music-news.com/news/UK/88999/Read 

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/joan-jett-q-thinks-runaways-film-lesbian-scenes-kristen-stewart-article-1.175666 

http://www.guitarworld.com/joan-jett-talks-rock-and-roll-hall-fame-lou-reed-and-i-love-rock-n-roll

https://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/awesome_of_the_day/2011/10/hear-every-kanye-west-sample-he-ever-used.html

https://www.google.com/amp/people.com/chica/the-despacito-remix-was-actually-justin-biebers-idea/amp/

http://www.factmag.com/2016/02/14/kanye-west-samples-the-life-of-pablo/

http://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100