10 Famous Pop Songs You Didn't Realise Were Covers

9. Feeling Good - Nina Simone/Muse

Feeling Good was originally written for the 1964 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd and composed by acclaimed musical lyricists Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse, whose work includes the score for the 1971 film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

After receiving a lukewarm reception during its UK tour, it failed to become a success until, after being seen in Liverpool by American theatre producer David Merrick, it went to Broadway.

The following year American singer-songwriter Nina Simone covered it for her 1965 album I Put A Spell on You. However, it wasn’t until UK rock band Muse recorded a cover for their 2001 critically acclaimed sophomore album Origin of Symmetry that it really became widely popular.

The song’s increased popularity led to both Simone and Muse’s versions being used in a variety of films and TV series in addition to its inclusion in numerous commercials, most notably a global Virgin Atlantic campaign.

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Student, part-time freelance writer, holder of many questionable opinions and impassioned hater of Lord Of The Rings (disagree? Find me on Twitter, @JoshSandy)