While country music artists often like to write and record their own songs, numerous artists over the years have covered someone else's songs, whether it's country or an entirely different genre. We picked four country covers that definitely sound better than the original.
Videos by Wide Open Country
1. "Fancy" by Reba McEntire
Reba McEntire made "Fancy" so popular, it's easy to forget that someone else recorded the song first. McEntire released "Fancy" in 1991, from her Rumor Has It album. But the song was first recorded by Bobbie Gentry, who wrote the song. Gentry released her version in 1969, taking the song to the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
When McEntire released it more than two decades later, the song became a big hit, thanks in part to the theatrical video. McEntire's video for "Fancy" is more than six minutes long, perfectly telling the story of the song.
2. "Take It Easy" by Travis Tritt
Before Travis Tritt released "Take It Easy" in 1994 as a single, it was a big hit for the Eagles. The song, written by the band's own Glenn Frey along with Jackson Browne, is the Eagles' debut single, also becoming their first Top 15 hit.
To be fair, Tritt recorded the song for the 1993 tribute album, Common Thread: The Songs of the Eagles. But Tritt also had a hit at radio with his spin on the song, often performing it at his live shows.
3. "Travelin' Soldier" by The Chicks (formerly The Dixie Chicks)
Bruce Robison first wrote and recorded "Travelin' Soldier" in 1996. But when The Chicks recorded it in 2002, it was at a pivotal time in the country. On The Chicks' 2002 Home album, the song was released while the United States were still reeling from the tragic September 11 attacks, with political tension felt all over the country.
Any warm feelings country music fans had for The Chicks after the release of "Travelin' Soldier" were short lived, although they couldn't have known it at the time. Less than a year later, lead singer Natalie Maines shocked fans when she said, while in London, soon after then-President George W. Bush declared war.
"We do not want this war, this violence, and we're ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas," Maines said (via Billboard), referring to the state where The Chicks began.
The comments resulted in an almost nation-wide ban of their music, with The Chicks never regaining their soaring popularity following that remark.
Interestingly, The Chicks' Martie Maguire was married to Robison at the time they released "Travelin' Soldier."
4. "Piece of My Heart" by Faith Hill
"Piece of My Heart" is Hill's second single, and second chart-topping hit. But it was first a very non-country single, released by R&B star Erma Franklin in 1967, and becoming a Top 10 hit for her. Janis Joplin also recorded the song, with Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1968. The song became a big hit for them as well.
But it's Hill's version most people remember. Hill included the song on her freshman Take Me As I Am record, out in 1993. She reportedly did not know the song had already been a hit. Hill was directed not to listen to Joplin's version until she had recorded her own.
