The Most Recorded Song In History.

[Wildrose-Wally]

Most of you have heard it, you might like it or you might not. It became mainstream in the '70's through an a capella version, and it is available on amazon.com.

Want to know more? First, take a guess what song it is.

[eheiney]

That one Beatles song? I can't think of it's name but I'll bet that's it, whatever it's called.

[ScorLibran]

I'd have to say it's one of these four: White Christmas, Silent Night, St. Louis Blues or The Beatles' Yesterday.

[eheiney]

Yesterday! That's what I was gonna say!

[Mr Jones]

I'd have to say Help by the Beatles or White Christmas

[Wildrose-Wally]

So far all wrong.

I have to go to work now, stay tuned till I get back.

By tomorrow I'll let you know. You'll be surprised.
(the song was written in 1773)

[Schmeet]

I tried to cheat and google the question, but there were a lot of differing answers.

[zootm]

If you're talking about cover versions, it's Yesterday by The Beatles, but I can only assume you're not.

[Thunder Pussy]

Grave In The Pines -- first recording by Clayton McMichen, 1919

"In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines, you'll shiver when the cold wind blows. There's a grave in the pines where the sun never shines."

/edit lyric

[dlinkwit27]

silent knight.
the US national anthem
or
happy birthday

[old and quite mad]

Stardust?

[dlinkwit27]

i was right. It's silent night
http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/music0_rec.html

[Mr Jones]

Well, accordinig to 'Pop Memories 1890-1954' by Joel Whitburn you are right, but who is to say that is correct?, Wally stated it was written in 1773, so that would seem to suggest that you are in fact wrong

[Wildrose-Wally]

Google hits:

Results 1 - 10 of about 9,900,000 for

IMDb notes it was used in 39 movies.

Hits on Amazon.com:
Popular Music (173)
Classical Music (144)

Associated with bag pipes.

[old and quite mad]

Amazing Grace.

[Wildrose-Wally]

Congratulations, that's the one.

[ScorLibran]

That's the first one to come to my mind too, but there are lots of sources with different top spots for "most recorded song", and good cases for them.

I'll bet no one person know for sure, or there are so many criteria that it'd be difficult to define what the "most recorded song" would be.

But I'm sure we've covered the top ten or so in this thread.

[Wildrose-Wally]

Yes, you are right. There are more than one song that claim that title.

Yesterday is probably accepted as the most recorded song by most. Which one it really is I don't know.

Amazing Grace, the most recorded song ever, has an amazing story. Written over 200 years ago by a former slave trader who had converted to Christianity during a transatlantic storm, it has become a song that millions turn to both in times of crisis and moments of celebration. The words that were composed in the attic of an English vicarage have transcended their time and culture. In this book, Steve Turner chronicles the remarkable history of the song from its origins in the dramatic life story of the author, John Newton, through its incarnations over the years as hymn, spiritual, gospel classic, civil rights anthem, pop hit, heavy metal number and bagpipe tune. He also examines the way in which different generations and cultures have interpreted its message, and discusses its use in advertising, cartoons and political speeches. Never before has the tale of one song been told so extensively and so enthrallingly.

John Newton (1725-1807), a former slave trader did compose one of the most moving hymns of our times. But the meat of the claim — that a horrific event spurred a sinner to immediately repent his evil ways, penning 'Amazing Grace' as an expression of his repentence — fails on the facts. Newton's storm-driven adoption to Christianity didn't change him all that much; he continued to make his living from the slave trade for many years afterwards and only left the trade when his wife insisted upon their living a settled life in England. (Indeed, less than a year after his storm-driven conversion, Newton was back in Africa, brokering the purchase of newly-captured blacks and taking yet another "African wife" while there. He was hardly the poster boy for the truly penitent, at least at that point in his life.)

[Mr Jones]

Well, you could also argue that todays thrash death metal could in fact be recordings of some original caveman style grunts from 1000's of years back...... , maybe we should be looking there for the oldest known song...

[Wildrose-Wally]

You could, if they'd only gotten the lyrics right, or even half right. As it turned out, they were not even close.

That's what current language experts say anyway.

They have studied that language for years now, but some say they're not even close to understanding it.

And no, they're not talking about the cavemen, they know that language. It's the thrash death metal they just can't get a grasp on according to close sources.