Greatest Cover Songs and Remakes of the 1950s
Criteria: These cover songs/remakes of the 1950s are ranked according to their initial and lasting popularity, influence and acclaim, as well as their cultural impact. The greatness of an original record is not taken into consideration. To qualify as a cover version, the song has to be neither the first recorded nor the first released version of particular song.
Legend: Song - Original Artist with first recording (year) | Great Cover Version/Remake (year)
Legend: Song - Original Artist with first recording (year) | Great Cover Version/Remake (year)
Cover Songs 1950s
1. Rock Around the Clock
Sonny Dae and His Knights (1954) | Bill Haley & His Comets (1954)
2. Hound Dog
Big Mama Thornton (1953) | Elvis Presley (1956)
3. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Big Maybelle (1955) | Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)
4. I Only Have Eyes for You
Dick Powell & Ruby Keeler (1934) | The Flamingos (1959)
5. Blueberry Hill
Sammy Kaye with Tommy Ryan (1940) | Fats Domino (1956)
6. All Shook Up
David Hill (1956, "I'm All Shook Up") | Elvis Presley (1957)
7. That's All Right
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (1947) | Elvis Presley (1954)
8. The Train Kept-A-Rollin
Tiny Bradshaw (1951) | The Johnny Burnette Trio (1956)
9. Mystery Train
Little Junior's Blue Flames (1953) | Elvis Presley (1955)
10. La Bamba
Traditional | Ritchie Valens (1958)
Sonny Dae and His Knights (1954) | Bill Haley & His Comets (1954)
2. Hound Dog
Big Mama Thornton (1953) | Elvis Presley (1956)
3. Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On
Big Maybelle (1955) | Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)
4. I Only Have Eyes for You
Dick Powell & Ruby Keeler (1934) | The Flamingos (1959)
5. Blueberry Hill
Sammy Kaye with Tommy Ryan (1940) | Fats Domino (1956)
6. All Shook Up
David Hill (1956, "I'm All Shook Up") | Elvis Presley (1957)
7. That's All Right
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (1947) | Elvis Presley (1954)
8. The Train Kept-A-Rollin
Tiny Bradshaw (1951) | The Johnny Burnette Trio (1956)
9. Mystery Train
Little Junior's Blue Flames (1953) | Elvis Presley (1955)
10. La Bamba
Traditional | Ritchie Valens (1958)
11. Kansas City
Little Willie Littlefield (1952, "K.C. Lovin") | Wilbert Harrison (1959)
12. Crying in the Chapel
Darrell Glenn (1953) | The Orioles (1953)
13. White Christmas
Bing Crosby (1942) | The Drifters (1954)
14. Keep a Knockin'
Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies (1936) | Little Richard (1957)
15. Shake Rattle & Roll
Big Joe Tuner (1954) | Bill Haley & the Comets (1954)
16. C.C. Rider
Ma Rainey (1925, "See See Rider Blues") | Chuck Willis (1957)
17. Little Darlin'
The Gladiolas (1957) | The Diamonds (1957)
18. Blue Monday
Smiley Lewis (1954) | Fats Domino (1956)
19. Stack-O-Lee / Stagger Lee
Traditional | Lloyd Price (1958)
20. Baby Let's Play House
Arthur Gunter (1954) | Elvis Presley (1955)
21. My Prayer
Georges Boulanger (1924, "Avant de mourir") | The Platters (1956)
22. Blue Suede Shoes
Carl Perkins (1956) | Elvis Presley (1956)
23. Drown In My Own Tears
Sonny Thompson with Lula Reed (1952, "I'll Drown In My Tears") | Ray Charles (1956)
24. See You Later, Alligator
Bobby Charles (1955, "Later Alligator") | Bill Haley & His Comets (1955)
25. One Night
Smiley Lewis (1956) | Elvis Presley (1958)
26. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Gertrude Niesen (1933) | The Platters (1958)
27. Night Time (Is The Right Time)
Nappy Brown (1957, "The Right Time" ) | Ray Charles (1958)
28. Good Rocking Tonight
Roy Brown (1947) | Elvis Presley (1954)
29. Stranded In The Jungle
The Jayhawks (1956) | The Cadets (1956)
30. Hearts of Stone
The Jewels (1954) | The Charms (1954)
31. Dedicated To The One I Love
The "5" Royales (1957) | The Shirelles (1959)
32. Rock Island Line
Traditional | Lonnie Donegan (1955)
33. Cry
Ruth Casey (1951) | Johnnie Ray (1951)
34. Crescent City Blues / Folsom Prison Blues
Gordon Jenkins & Beverly Mahr (1953) | Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two (1955)
35. Mack The Knife
Harald Paulsen (1928) | Bobby Darin (1959)
36. Rave On
Sonny West (1958) | Buddy Holly (1958)
37. Matchbox Blues / Matchbox
Blind Lemon Jefferson (1928) | Carl Perkins (1957)
38. All My Love/Oh Boy!
Sonny West (1957) | The Crickets (1957)
39. Little Bitty Pretty One
Bobby Day (1957) | Thurston Harris (1957)
40. Singing The Blues
Marty Robbins (1956) | Guy Mitchell (1956)
41. Fever
Little Willie John (1956) | Peggy Lee (1958)
42. Unchained Melody
Todd Duncan (1955) | Al Hibbler (1955)
43. La Mer / Beyond The Sea
Roland Gerbeau & Pierre Guillemin Orch. (1945) | Bobby Darin (1959)
44. Walking After Midnight
Lynn Howard & Accents (1956) | Patsy Cline (1957)
45. Got My Mojo Working
Ann Cole (1957) | Muddy Waters (1957)
46. Too Much
Bernard Hardison (1955) | Elvis Presley (1957)
47. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom
Robert Johnson (1937) | Elmore James (1951)
48. Harlem Nocturne
Ray Noble (1940) |The Viscounts (1959)
49. Blue Moon of Kentucky
Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys (1947) | Elvis Presley (1954)
50. The Glory of Love
Willie Bryant & His Orchestra (1936) | The Five Keys (1951)
51. Rock the Joint
Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians (1949) | Bill Haley & the Saddlemen (1952)
52. My Blue Heaven
Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra (1927) | Fats Domino (1956)
53. A Sunday Kind of Love
Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra (1947) | The Harptones (1953)
54. Gloria
Buddy Baker Sextet with Bob Hayward (1946) | The Cadillacs (1954)
55. You'll Never Walk Alone
Christine Johnson (1945) | Roy Hamilton (1954)
56. Kansas City
Little Willie Littlefield (1952 "K.C. Lovin'") | Little Richard (1959)
57. Let The Good Times Roll
Louis Jordan (1946) | Ray Charles (1959)
58. Three O'Clock Blues
Lowell Fulson (1948) | B.B. King (1951)
59. I'm A Man / Manish Boy
Bo Diddley (1955) | Muddy Waters (1955)
60. Red Hot
Billy Emerson (1955) | Billy Riley (1957)
61. I'm Wise / Slippin' And Slidin'
Eddie Bo (1956) | Little Richard (1956)
62. Everyday I Have The Blues
Lowell Fulson (1950) | B.B. King (1954)
63. I Promise To Remember
Jimmy Castor & the Juniors (1956) - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers (1956)
64. My Baby Left Me
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (1951) | Elvis Presley (1956)
65. It Hurts Me Too
Tampa Red (1940) | Elmore James (1957)
66. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
Rex Griffin (1936) | Carl Perkins (1958)
67. Twilight Time
The Three Suns (1944) | The Platters (1958)
68. Dat's Why / That's Why (I Love You So)
Al Kent (1957) | Jackie Wilson (1959)
69. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I
Hank Snow (1952) | Elvis Presley (1959)
70. All By Myself
Big Bill Broonzy (1941) | Fats Domino (1955)
71. Blue Velvet
Tony Bennett (1951) | The Clovers (1955)
72. Why Don't You Write Me
The Feathers | The Jacks (1955)
73. Honey Hush
Joe Turner (1953) | Johnny Burnette Trio (1956)
74. Honeycomb
Georgie Shaw (1953) | Jimmie Rodgers (1957)
75. Mary Lou
Young Jessie (1955) | Ronnie Hawkins (1959)
76. What A Difference A Day Makes
Jimmy Ague (1934) | Dinah Washington (1959)
77. The Battle Of New Orleans
Jimmie Driftwood (1957) | Johnny Horton (1959)
78. Let It Be Me
Jill Corey (1957) | Everly Brothers (1959)
79. All Around The World
Titus Turner (1955) | Little Willie John (1955)
80. I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday
Bobby Mitchell (1957) | Fats Domino (1959)
81. Party / Let's Have A Party
Elvis Presley (1957) | Wanda Jackson (1958)
82. Adorable
The Colts (1955) | The Drifters (1955)
83. Come Back My Love
The Wrens (1955) | The Cardinals (1955)
84. Woman Love
Jimmy Johnson (1956) Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps (1956)
85. Corrine, Corrina
Charlie McCoy & Bo Chatman (1929) | Joe Turner (1956)
86. The Aisle / To The Aisle
Roy Hamilton (1957) | The Five Satins (1957)
87. Stardust
Hoagy Carmichael (1927) | Billy Ward & the Dominoes (1957)
88. Blue Christmas
Doye O'Dell (1948) | Elvis Presley (1957)
89. You Cheated
The Slades (1958) | The Shields (1958)
90. So Fine
The Sheiks (1955) | The Fiestas (1958)
91. Where Or When
Ruby Newman w/ Ray Heatherton (1937) | Dion & the Belmonts (1959)
92. Rags To Riches
Tony Bennett (1953) | Billy Ward & the Dominoes (1953)
93. Crazy Arms
Kenny Brown & Marilyn Kaye (1955) | Jerry Lee Lewis (1956)
94. Trying To Get To You
The Eagles (1954) | Elvis Presley (1956)
95. Candy
Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Jo Stafford (1944) |Big Maybelle (1956)
96. Love Me
Willie & Ruth (1955) | Elvis Presley (1956)
97. Young Love
Ric Cartey (1956) | Sonny James (1956)
98. Just Walking In The Rain
The Prisonaires (1953) | Johnnie Ray (1956)
99. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
Guy Lombard (1936) | Fats Domino (1956)
100. The Way You Look Tonight
Fred Astaire (1936) | The Jaguars (1956)
Little Willie Littlefield (1952, "K.C. Lovin") | Wilbert Harrison (1959)
12. Crying in the Chapel
Darrell Glenn (1953) | The Orioles (1953)
13. White Christmas
Bing Crosby (1942) | The Drifters (1954)
14. Keep a Knockin'
Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies (1936) | Little Richard (1957)
15. Shake Rattle & Roll
Big Joe Tuner (1954) | Bill Haley & the Comets (1954)
16. C.C. Rider
Ma Rainey (1925, "See See Rider Blues") | Chuck Willis (1957)
17. Little Darlin'
The Gladiolas (1957) | The Diamonds (1957)
18. Blue Monday
Smiley Lewis (1954) | Fats Domino (1956)
19. Stack-O-Lee / Stagger Lee
Traditional | Lloyd Price (1958)
20. Baby Let's Play House
Arthur Gunter (1954) | Elvis Presley (1955)
21. My Prayer
Georges Boulanger (1924, "Avant de mourir") | The Platters (1956)
22. Blue Suede Shoes
Carl Perkins (1956) | Elvis Presley (1956)
23. Drown In My Own Tears
Sonny Thompson with Lula Reed (1952, "I'll Drown In My Tears") | Ray Charles (1956)
24. See You Later, Alligator
Bobby Charles (1955, "Later Alligator") | Bill Haley & His Comets (1955)
25. One Night
Smiley Lewis (1956) | Elvis Presley (1958)
26. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
Gertrude Niesen (1933) | The Platters (1958)
27. Night Time (Is The Right Time)
Nappy Brown (1957, "The Right Time" ) | Ray Charles (1958)
28. Good Rocking Tonight
Roy Brown (1947) | Elvis Presley (1954)
29. Stranded In The Jungle
The Jayhawks (1956) | The Cadets (1956)
30. Hearts of Stone
The Jewels (1954) | The Charms (1954)
31. Dedicated To The One I Love
The "5" Royales (1957) | The Shirelles (1959)
32. Rock Island Line
Traditional | Lonnie Donegan (1955)
33. Cry
Ruth Casey (1951) | Johnnie Ray (1951)
34. Crescent City Blues / Folsom Prison Blues
Gordon Jenkins & Beverly Mahr (1953) | Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two (1955)
35. Mack The Knife
Harald Paulsen (1928) | Bobby Darin (1959)
36. Rave On
Sonny West (1958) | Buddy Holly (1958)
37. Matchbox Blues / Matchbox
Blind Lemon Jefferson (1928) | Carl Perkins (1957)
38. All My Love/Oh Boy!
Sonny West (1957) | The Crickets (1957)
39. Little Bitty Pretty One
Bobby Day (1957) | Thurston Harris (1957)
40. Singing The Blues
Marty Robbins (1956) | Guy Mitchell (1956)
41. Fever
Little Willie John (1956) | Peggy Lee (1958)
42. Unchained Melody
Todd Duncan (1955) | Al Hibbler (1955)
43. La Mer / Beyond The Sea
Roland Gerbeau & Pierre Guillemin Orch. (1945) | Bobby Darin (1959)
44. Walking After Midnight
Lynn Howard & Accents (1956) | Patsy Cline (1957)
45. Got My Mojo Working
Ann Cole (1957) | Muddy Waters (1957)
46. Too Much
Bernard Hardison (1955) | Elvis Presley (1957)
47. I Believe I'll Dust My Broom
Robert Johnson (1937) | Elmore James (1951)
48. Harlem Nocturne
Ray Noble (1940) |The Viscounts (1959)
49. Blue Moon of Kentucky
Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys (1947) | Elvis Presley (1954)
50. The Glory of Love
Willie Bryant & His Orchestra (1936) | The Five Keys (1951)
51. Rock the Joint
Jimmy Preston & His Prestonians (1949) | Bill Haley & the Saddlemen (1952)
52. My Blue Heaven
Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra (1927) | Fats Domino (1956)
53. A Sunday Kind of Love
Claude Thornhill & His Orchestra (1947) | The Harptones (1953)
54. Gloria
Buddy Baker Sextet with Bob Hayward (1946) | The Cadillacs (1954)
55. You'll Never Walk Alone
Christine Johnson (1945) | Roy Hamilton (1954)
56. Kansas City
Little Willie Littlefield (1952 "K.C. Lovin'") | Little Richard (1959)
57. Let The Good Times Roll
Louis Jordan (1946) | Ray Charles (1959)
58. Three O'Clock Blues
Lowell Fulson (1948) | B.B. King (1951)
59. I'm A Man / Manish Boy
Bo Diddley (1955) | Muddy Waters (1955)
60. Red Hot
Billy Emerson (1955) | Billy Riley (1957)
61. I'm Wise / Slippin' And Slidin'
Eddie Bo (1956) | Little Richard (1956)
62. Everyday I Have The Blues
Lowell Fulson (1950) | B.B. King (1954)
63. I Promise To Remember
Jimmy Castor & the Juniors (1956) - Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers (1956)
64. My Baby Left Me
Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (1951) | Elvis Presley (1956)
65. It Hurts Me Too
Tampa Red (1940) | Elmore James (1957)
66. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
Rex Griffin (1936) | Carl Perkins (1958)
67. Twilight Time
The Three Suns (1944) | The Platters (1958)
68. Dat's Why / That's Why (I Love You So)
Al Kent (1957) | Jackie Wilson (1959)
69. (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I
Hank Snow (1952) | Elvis Presley (1959)
70. All By Myself
Big Bill Broonzy (1941) | Fats Domino (1955)
71. Blue Velvet
Tony Bennett (1951) | The Clovers (1955)
72. Why Don't You Write Me
The Feathers | The Jacks (1955)
73. Honey Hush
Joe Turner (1953) | Johnny Burnette Trio (1956)
74. Honeycomb
Georgie Shaw (1953) | Jimmie Rodgers (1957)
75. Mary Lou
Young Jessie (1955) | Ronnie Hawkins (1959)
76. What A Difference A Day Makes
Jimmy Ague (1934) | Dinah Washington (1959)
77. The Battle Of New Orleans
Jimmie Driftwood (1957) | Johnny Horton (1959)
78. Let It Be Me
Jill Corey (1957) | Everly Brothers (1959)
79. All Around The World
Titus Turner (1955) | Little Willie John (1955)
80. I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday
Bobby Mitchell (1957) | Fats Domino (1959)
81. Party / Let's Have A Party
Elvis Presley (1957) | Wanda Jackson (1958)
82. Adorable
The Colts (1955) | The Drifters (1955)
83. Come Back My Love
The Wrens (1955) | The Cardinals (1955)
84. Woman Love
Jimmy Johnson (1956) Gene Vincent & the Blue Caps (1956)
85. Corrine, Corrina
Charlie McCoy & Bo Chatman (1929) | Joe Turner (1956)
86. The Aisle / To The Aisle
Roy Hamilton (1957) | The Five Satins (1957)
87. Stardust
Hoagy Carmichael (1927) | Billy Ward & the Dominoes (1957)
88. Blue Christmas
Doye O'Dell (1948) | Elvis Presley (1957)
89. You Cheated
The Slades (1958) | The Shields (1958)
90. So Fine
The Sheiks (1955) | The Fiestas (1958)
91. Where Or When
Ruby Newman w/ Ray Heatherton (1937) | Dion & the Belmonts (1959)
92. Rags To Riches
Tony Bennett (1953) | Billy Ward & the Dominoes (1953)
93. Crazy Arms
Kenny Brown & Marilyn Kaye (1955) | Jerry Lee Lewis (1956)
94. Trying To Get To You
The Eagles (1954) | Elvis Presley (1956)
95. Candy
Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers with Jo Stafford (1944) |Big Maybelle (1956)
96. Love Me
Willie & Ruth (1955) | Elvis Presley (1956)
97. Young Love
Ric Cartey (1956) | Sonny James (1956)
98. Just Walking In The Rain
The Prisonaires (1953) | Johnnie Ray (1956)
99. When My Dreamboat Comes Home
Guy Lombard (1936) | Fats Domino (1956)
100. The Way You Look Tonight
Fred Astaire (1936) | The Jaguars (1956)
Edited By: Bruce
Last Updated: 2019-02-06
Definition: The term "cover version" originally referred to a rival version of a tune recorded to compete with the recently released version of a song. Eventually it went on to have a more general meaning including any performance or recording by someone other than the original artist or composer of a previously recorded, commercially released song. For sake of this list, versions of songs which fit the newer definition of cover version but not the original one are referred to as remakes.
Definition: The term "cover version" originally referred to a rival version of a tune recorded to compete with the recently released version of a song. Eventually it went on to have a more general meaning including any performance or recording by someone other than the original artist or composer of a previously recorded, commercially released song. For sake of this list, versions of songs which fit the newer definition of cover version but not the original one are referred to as remakes.