Imagine that you put out a song. You enjoy a bit of success, people dig it. But it doesn’t really catch fire. And then someone else comes along, covers it, and does it so well that people start associating that artist with your song. Owned (so to speak). Here are a couple of examples of that:

Did you know that it was Gloria Jones that first Tainted Love?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UrRxta8doM[/youtube]

And Soft Cell just took it from her:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEh5pWjcWCg[/youtube]

Now, that’s one that, as much as I think of the covering artist as the original, I can appreciate both versions.  But this next?  The stature of the first is a testament to the talent of the second, in that he was able to so completely possess this song (and defend it from the endless challengers that followed:

The first (a bit of inspired fan video with this)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_ncQgjIlFM&feature=related[/youtube]

The second (the incredible)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD7s4i_X-p0[/youtube]