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3 Classic Rock Songs That I Wish Were Recorded by the Artists Who Wrote Them
American Songwriter argues that three well-known rock and pop-rock songs might have been stronger if their original writers had recorded or retained them. The opinion piece highlights how songs can become more successful through another artist’s interpretation, while suggesting these particular writers had styles especially suited to their own material.
It names Chris Cornell’s “Pushin’ Forward Back”, released by Temple of the Dog in 1991, as a song that might have worked better as a Soundgarden track. It also argues Prince should have released “Manic Monday” himself rather than giving it to the Bangles in 1985, citing his posthumously released 2019 demo; finally, it notes that Sammy Hagar’s 1978 original of “I’ve Done Everything For You” was eclipsed by Rick Springfield’s 1981 version, which reached number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100.
In short
- The article imagines three songs recorded by their original writers.
- Prince’s “Manic Monday” is presented as the clearest missed opportunity.
- Rick Springfield’s hit overshadowed Sammy Hagar’s earlier original.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The writers’ own performances might have brought out qualities that later versions or band settings softened: Cornell’s heavier Soundgarden sound could have suited “Pushin’ Forward Back”, Prince’s demo shows how his voice and arrangement might have shaped “Manic Monday”, and Hagar’s original may have conveyed his own intent more directly. Hearing songs from their authors can also offer a fuller sense of their artistic identity, even when another performer makes them more commercially successful.
The case against
A song is not necessarily best served by the person who wrote it: the Bangles’ bright harmonies helped make “Manic Monday” distinctive, while Springfield’s recording gave “I’ve Done Everything For You” an audience Hagar’s version did not reach. Collaboration and reinterpretation are part of songwriting’s life, and an author’s demo or imagined band arrangement cannot establish that a released version by the writer would have been stronger.
Explained simply
An opinion piece argues that three well-known rock and pop-rock songs might have worked better if their original writers had kept and recorded them instead of giving them to other artists. The piece explores how another artist's recording can sometimes achieve greater commercial success than the writer's own version.
In the music industry, songwriting and recording are often handled by different people. A songwriter may write material specifically for another performer, and if that performer's version becomes commercially successful, the songwriter's original interpretation can be largely overshadowed or forgotten.
The opinion examines three examples of this dynamic, featuring songs written by Chris Cornell, Prince and Sammy Hagar that were recorded by other artists. The piece argues that in each case, the original writer's musical style might have been particularly well-suited to their own compositions.
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