Songs with Earlier Histories Than the Hit Version

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Stranded in the Jungle

First recorded by The Jayhawks (US #18 released May 1956).
Other hit versions by The Cadets (US #15/R&B #4 released June 1956), The Gadabouts (US #39 released July 1956), The Vibrations (US #117 1961), The New York Dolls (1974).
Also recorded by The Nylons (1996).

From the wiki: “‘Stranded in the Jungle’ is a song first recorded by doo-wop group the Jayhawks. It peaked at #18 on the U.S. pop chart. A cover version of the song recorded by another doo-wop group, the Cadets, in 1956 peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #3 on the R&B chart the same week, with yet another cover version, by the Gadabouts, peaking at #34 on the Hot 100 one week later. All three groups would prove to be one-hit wonders, with ‘Stranded in the Jungle’ being the only Top 40 hit for any of them.

“The Cadets version features spoken verses by Will ‘Dub’ Jones (who would go on to sing bass on most of The Coasters’ hits) with a duet refrain by Willie Davis and Aaron Collins. It was during the final refrain of the song that Prentice Moreland delivers the line, ‘Great googly moogly, get me outta here!’

“In an interesting twist of history, the Vibrations (‘The Watusi’, ‘Hang On, Sloopy‘), from Los Angeles, had originally began their career as the aforementioned Jayhawks, and covered their own hit from five years previous, in 1961. But, the Vibrations’ single bubbled this time around under the Billboard Hot 100.

“‘Stranded in the Jungle’ was covered by the New York Dolls on their 1974 album Too Much Too Soon, and released as its lead single with no apparent chart impact. The a capella group, The Nylons, released a version in 1996 from their album Run For Cover.”

The Cadets, “Stranded in the Jungle” (1956):

The Gadabouts, “Stranded in the Jungle” (1956):

The Vibrations, “Stranded in the Jungle” (1961):

The New York Dolls, “Stranded in the Jungle” (1974):

The Nylons, “Stranded in the Jungle” (1996):