20 Songs Originally Written for Other Artists

Spinner.com has put together a list of 20 songs that artists originally wrote for someone else, but ended up keeping for THEMSELVES, for one reason or another.  In many cases, the song became a big hit with its initial writer.

Here's a few from their the list:

--"The Long and Winding Road",  The Beatles . . . Paul McCartney wrote it for Tom Jones, who essentially turned it down.

--"Born in the U.S.A.",  Bruce Springsteen . . . He originally wrote it for a movie called "Light of Day", starring Michael J. Fox and Joan Jett.  He ended up keeping it and submitting something else.

--"Superstition",  Stevie Wonder . . . He wrote it for Jeff Beck, but Motown talked him into recording it himself.  Jeff later released a version of it.

--"Cover Me",  Bruce Springsteen . . . He wrote it for Donna Summer, but decided to keep it.

--"Dim All the Lights", Donna Summer . . . She wrote it for Rod Stewart, but decided to keep it.

--"Run to You",  Bryan Adams . . . He wrote it for Blue Oyster Cult, but they didn't like it.  The song was also rejected by .38 Special before Bryan took it for himself.

--"All Those Years Ago",  George Harrison . . . He wrote it for Ringo Starr, but it didn't work with Ringo's vocals.  When George took it back, he rewrote the lyrics to turn it into a tribute to John Lennon, who had just been murdered. Ringo and Paul McCartney joined him on the track.

--"Hungry Heart",  Bruce Springsteen . . . He wrote it for The Ramones, but his manager advised him to keep it.

--"Hurdy Gurdy Man",  Donovan . . . He wrote it for a folk group called "Hurdy Gurdy," but it didn't work out, so he recorded it.

--"The First Time",  U2 . . . They initially planned to give it to Al Green.

--"Golden Years",  Davie Bowie . . . He wrote it for Elvis, but he turned it down.

--"Fire",  Bruce Springsteen . . . He originally wrote it for Elvis, who died before he recorded it.  Bruce then gave it to The Pointer Sisters, and their version did become a hit.  He also recorded it himself.

--"Massachusetts",  The Bee Gees . . . They wrote it for an Australian band called The Seekers, who didn't take it.  Well after the Bee Gees made it a hit, the Seekers recorded it as a tribute to Maurice Gibb after he passed away in 2003.

"I Can Dream About You",  Dan Hartman . . . He wrote it for Hall & Oates.

For more info, go to Spinner.com.  The first 10 entries are on the same page, with the rest on a second page.  There's also audio of each song.