“Dueling Banjos” became famous because it was in the 1972 film Deliverance. The film version was played by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell. The original version was by Arthur Smith who had to sue to get credit when the film was released. Among the covers is “Dueling Tubas” by Martin Mull.
I saw Tony Trischka play it in 2014 at a banjo concert held in conjunction with an exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Mandell was in the audience and Trischka introduced him.
This isn’t really a cover. The B side is the song played backwards. Even the label was printed in reverse. This novelty record was a huge hit in 1966. I was around (and had a copy) but I can’t explain why it was so popular.
There are covers:
“Sail On, Sailor” is a Beach Boys song from their 1973 album Holland.
This message board post discusses the long and complex history of the song’s composition.
Van Dyke Parks, one of the song’s five author’s recently posted a link to a version vy The Beach Boys and Ray Charles.
“Do Ya” was originally recorded by the Move in 1971. The most famous version is by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) from 1976. ELO was formed by members of the Move.
Sleepy John Estes recorded the original version of “Milk Cow Blues”. (There is a better known song with this name by Kokomo Arnold which is very different but may be related.) Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal have covered it using different titles.
“Come Together” was a Beatles song from their 1969 album Abbey Road. It was also a single. It was sung and primarily written by John Lennon. Lennon was accused of taking some music and lyrics from Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me” and lost the suit.
The best-known covers are by Ike and Tina Turner and Aerosmith.
Sleepy John Estes released his original recording in 1938.
