Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Cool Water

First recorded by The Sons of the Pioneers (US #25 1941).
Other hit versions by Vaughn Monroe & the Sons of the Pioneers (US #9 1948), Frankie Laine & the Mellomen (UK #2 1955).
Also recorded by Bob Dylan & The Band (1967, released 2014), Fleetwood Mac (B-side 1982), The Replacements (B-side 1987).

From the wiki: “‘Cool Water’ was written in 1936 by Bob Nolan, a founding member of the Sons of the Pioneer, and was first recorded by his group in 1941. It briefly charted, peaking at #25 on the Hit Parade. Seven years later, the Sons of the Pioneers would re-record the song with big-band crooner Vaughn Monroe, and it would go on to become the best-selling version charting for 13 weeks on the Billboard chart, peaking at #9.

“In the UK in 1955, Frankie Laine and The Mellomen took ‘Cool Water’ to #2 on the British music charts.

“Bob Dylan and The Band recorded a version of ‘Cool Water’ in 1967, but it would not be released until 2014 on The Bootleg Series Vol. 11: The Basement Tapes Complete.

“Fleetwood Mac recorded ‘Cool Water’ in 1982 on the Warner Bros label, during the sessions for their album Mirage. It was on the flip side of their 45 RPM record of Stevie Nicks’ recording of ‘Gypsy’ but never appeared on any Fleetwood Mac album until 2016, when it was included on the Deluxe re-issue of Mirage, although their label, Warner Bros. Records, included ‘Cool Water’ as part of the Revenge Of The Killer B’s Vol. 2 compilation cassette released in 1985.

“The Replacements recorded a version of Cool Water, originally releasing it in 1987 on the B-side of ‘Can’t Hardly Wait’. It was included in the expanded edition of Pleased to Meet Me (2008).”

Vaughn Monroe & the Sons of the Pioneers, “Cool Water” (1948):

Bob Dylan & the Band, “Cool Water” (1967):

Fleetwood Mac, “Cool Water” (1982):

The Replacements, “Cool Water” (1987):

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