This is a topic that rather intrigues me. Two similar but related topics actually. Many of your favourite songs that are commonly played on your favourite oldie or classic rock station might not actually be the version that you were most often listening to in the past. In some cases a record was a hit for more than one group at the same time. Did you even know the difference. Other times a record would reappear at a latter date but by a different artist, sounding so close to the other version that we tend to get them confused.
The “House of the Rising Sun” was a number one hit for The Animals in 1964. For the longest time I had the false memory of it being re-released and becoming a hit again in 1968 but It was actually 1970 and this time a different artist. Frijid Pink distinguished by really fuzzed up guitars. It reached number three in Canada.
My second example is one that I mentioned before "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel, actually shared the same chart position with Sweet Henry. I can find nothing online about Sweet Henry but CKRC played both versions alternately. I seem to remember them saying that the group was from (or perhaps they moved from) Sweden. The group must have had a Canadian connection as they also appeared in the “Canada Top Five” hit list, on the same chart.
"Big Yellow Taxi" was a big hit for Joni Mitchell and that is the version usually remembered but it was also a hit for The Neighborhood. The Neighborhood version appeared on the oddly named compilation LP “20 Chartstoppers Vol 1"(there never was a Vol 2).
"Cinnamon Girl" was a big hit for Neil Young (Crazy Horse) and is the version we all seem to remember but was also a hit for "The Gentrys" . The Gentrys version was featured on the pre K-Tel album "20 Explosive Hits By 20 Original Stars".
Both "Cinnamon Girl" and "Cecilia" are listed in this CKRC "Young at Heart Chart" June 19th to June 26th 1970 at #14 & #21 respectively.
Likewise everyone is familiar with “Woodstock” by CSNY but the more commonly heard radio hit was by Matthews' Southern Comfort. My own 45 is in terrible shape and I find that no album was released with that track on it. There is a “Best of” on Apple music with the track but I have absolutely no interest in streaming!
It can however be found on the CD "Super Hits Of The '70s - Have A Nice Day, Vol. 4".
A less known hit was "Neanderthal Man" by Hotlegs but there was also a similar version by The Idle Race both share a chart position on CKRC #12 on this chart from Oct 7th to Oct 9th 1971.
Another real oddity was "Fuddle Duddle" by both Antique Fair and "Do The Fuddle Duddle" by The House Of Commons. They weren't even the same song but shared a chart position on CKRC. Both were a humorous take on an incident in 1971 in the Canadian House of Commons when then PM Trudeau mouthed the words "F*** Off" obviously causing an outrage. In his defence Pierre Trudeau rather lamely claimed that what he actually said was "Fuddle Duddle". The "House of Commons" version contains impersonations of Richard Nixon and Ed Sullivan. Both chart together at #37 on March 19-26 1971.
One other oddity from that chart is that Tom Jones "She's a Lady"is shown as Canadian. I guess that is because it was written by Canadian Paul Anka? Chilliwack who are Canadian got missed as being marked as such.
The “House of the Rising Sun” was a number one hit for The Animals in 1964. For the longest time I had the false memory of it being re-released and becoming a hit again in 1968 but It was actually 1970 and this time a different artist. Frijid Pink distinguished by really fuzzed up guitars. It reached number three in Canada.
My second example is one that I mentioned before "Cecilia" by Simon and Garfunkel, actually shared the same chart position with Sweet Henry. I can find nothing online about Sweet Henry but CKRC played both versions alternately. I seem to remember them saying that the group was from (or perhaps they moved from) Sweden. The group must have had a Canadian connection as they also appeared in the “Canada Top Five” hit list, on the same chart.
"Big Yellow Taxi" was a big hit for Joni Mitchell and that is the version usually remembered but it was also a hit for The Neighborhood. The Neighborhood version appeared on the oddly named compilation LP “20 Chartstoppers Vol 1"(there never was a Vol 2).
"Cinnamon Girl" was a big hit for Neil Young (Crazy Horse) and is the version we all seem to remember but was also a hit for "The Gentrys" . The Gentrys version was featured on the pre K-Tel album "20 Explosive Hits By 20 Original Stars".
Both "Cinnamon Girl" and "Cecilia" are listed in this CKRC "Young at Heart Chart" June 19th to June 26th 1970 at #14 & #21 respectively.
Likewise everyone is familiar with “Woodstock” by CSNY but the more commonly heard radio hit was by Matthews' Southern Comfort. My own 45 is in terrible shape and I find that no album was released with that track on it. There is a “Best of” on Apple music with the track but I have absolutely no interest in streaming!
It can however be found on the CD "Super Hits Of The '70s - Have A Nice Day, Vol. 4".
A less known hit was "Neanderthal Man" by Hotlegs but there was also a similar version by The Idle Race both share a chart position on CKRC #12 on this chart from Oct 7th to Oct 9th 1971.
Another real oddity was "Fuddle Duddle" by both Antique Fair and "Do The Fuddle Duddle" by The House Of Commons. They weren't even the same song but shared a chart position on CKRC. Both were a humorous take on an incident in 1971 in the Canadian House of Commons when then PM Trudeau mouthed the words "F*** Off" obviously causing an outrage. In his defence Pierre Trudeau rather lamely claimed that what he actually said was "Fuddle Duddle". The "House of Commons" version contains impersonations of Richard Nixon and Ed Sullivan. Both chart together at #37 on March 19-26 1971.
One other oddity from that chart is that Tom Jones "She's a Lady"is shown as Canadian. I guess that is because it was written by Canadian Paul Anka? Chilliwack who are Canadian got missed as being marked as such.
