Classic Rock’s Greatest “What Ifs…”

Almost Hits: The Songs That Nearly Belonged to Someone Else

Every great rock song has a story… and some of the biggest nearly took a completely different road to your speakers. Here’s where rock history almost zigged instead of zagged:

• Hungry Heart – Bruce Springsteen
  Written for Ramones… but Springsteen kept it. Smart move.
• The Long and Winding Road – The Beatles
  Paul McCartney offered it to Tom Jones before deciding to keep it.
• Call Me – Blondie
  Stevie Nicks passed. Blondie didn’t… and landed a No. 1.
• Total Eclipse of the Heart – Bonnie Tyler
  Started as a vampire musical idea. Ended as one of the biggest power ballads ever.
• Because the Night – Patti Smith
  Springsteen couldn’t finish it… Smith did. Classic.
• Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
  Turned down by Bryan Ferry, Billy Idol, Corey Hart, Cy Curnin, and even Simple Minds themselves at first… before it became the ‘80s anthem.
• I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing – Aerosmith
  Written with Celine Dion in mind. Aerosmith took it to No. 1 instead.
• Manic Monday / Nothing Compares 2 U – Prince
  Two songs he gave away… both became signature hits.
• Alone – Heart
  Passed around before Heart turned it into a monster ballad.

Bottom line? The great songs always seem to find the perfect singers!

Doug O’Brien