Hit songs that were originally meant for someone else...

funky

funky

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Here’s another topic that fascinates me - it’s quite common for songs to be written and then shopped around before someone takes it on and ends up making it a massive hit and you the only associate the song with that artist. Or a song was written with someone in mind, they reject it, and someone else releases it.

been reading a lot about Madonna’s early hits recently, not sure how much of this is true or speculation, @Suedey to confirm -


Holiday - was originally intended for Phyllis Hyman (“Move Closer”) but she turned it down.

Into The Groove - Madonna co-wrote this for another artist but then in true Sia style was so happy with results she kept it for herself as she needed a track for an upcoming movie soundtrack

Live To Tell - was written as an instrumental for a film that was ultimately rejected, but when offered to Madonna she wrote lyrics over it, sung the demo, everyone loved it, and she recorded and gave it to Sean Penn for his upcoming movie.

Open Your Heart - originally written for Cyndi Lauper as a rock song, Madonna got hold of it, rewrote and repackaged it into a dance song with Patrick Leonard

La Isla Bonita - this is my favourite: originally composed as a contribution to Michael Jackson’s Bad album (!) which he rejected, Madonna repackaged it and added it to True Blue instead...

Reading about Madonna’s work on even her early albums makes you appreciate more how talented she is as a songwriter. It’s not just about lyrics.

I’m sure everyone knows tonnes more from other artists...
 
Son Of A Preacher Man was intended for Aretha Franklin (she recorded it soon after Dusty's version became a hit)

Umbrella was famously written with Britney in mind, then offered to Mary J. Blige
 
'Toxic' was written for and, as far as I know, rejected by Kylie before it made its way to BritBrit.
 
The famous pop one I recall was Baby One More Time was offered to TLC.

Apparently Toxic was meant for Janet Jackson NOT Kylie or Britney.
 
MJ’s She’s Out of my Life was originally meant for Frank Sinatra.

There are lots of instances of a Prince writing songs for other people but then keeping them for himself later, most notably Kiss.
 
Am I right in thinking Paula Abdul turned down Spinning Around?
 
My Heart Will Go On was originally going to be recorded by Sissel (who did some other Enya-esque vocals for the Titanic score)

Was Dannii meant to be the vocalist on Lola's Theme or was that just some gay fanfic?
 
Isn’t this about the fourteenth time we’ve had this topic?

NOT THAT I MIND :D
 
I had heard that Hot Chip’s Ready For The Floor was meant for Kylie but Wikipedia tells me that is a MYTH so I’ll go away now
 
Waiting for a star to fall was offered to, and turned down by, Whitney Houston first.
 
Ag said:
The famous pop one I recall was Baby One More Time was offered to TLC.

Apparently Toxic was meant for Janet Jackson NOT Kylie or Britney.
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I thought it was I’m A Slave 4 U that was meant for Janet.
 
Our resident Janft fanatic @Rita is right. There's a recent interview with Pharrell where he says that Slave was meant for Janette.
 
Stock Aitken & Waterman always operated a bit differently in terms of passing songs about and recycling them but Kylie’s ‘Got To Be Certain’ was originally intended as a Mandy Smith single but the Mandy version never saw the light of day until her reissued album came out a few years back.
 
Britney was meant to be on Tilt Ya Head Back with Nelly as well, but the label wouldn’t let her so Aguilera swept it up.
 
Devil said:
Britney was meant to be on Tilt Ya Head Back with Nelly as well, but the label wouldn’t let her so Aguilera swept it up.
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poor lifelong Britney substitute Christina :(

(and also Pink substitute for being Madonna’s bitch)
 
BoysForSeles said:
Stock Aitken & Waterman always operated a bit differently in terms of passing songs about and recycling them but Kylie’s ‘Got To Be Certain’ was originally intended as a Mandy Smith single but the Mandy version never saw the light of day until her reissued album came out a few years back.
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WHO?
 
funky said:
WHO?
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Famous mainly for being Bill Wyman’s girlfriend which allegedly started when she was 13 and he 47.
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Another famous one: Titanium - offered to Katy Perry, then Mary J Blige recorded it but David Guetta preferred Sia's guide vocal and kept it.

 
A considerably less famous one, but Adam Rickitt's Everything My Heart Desires was offered to - and rejected by - J.Lo and recorded around the same time by Mandy Moore.


 
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