In the midst of creating their own career-defining completely changing the original, while others just put a little spin on it.

No matter how these classic rock artists had to get the job done, it worked. These iconic covers helped launch careers, and for some, they were fitting endings to the legacies they would leave behind. Whenever these songs play, the most prominent versions always come to mind, but they should also be ed for the history they had before becoming mainstream. The good news is that when a cover succeeds, it's beneficial for everyone involved, as the tale of them grows that much more.

10 Rod Stewart - Sailing (1975)

Original Version - Sutherland Brothers (1972)

Back in 1972, the Sutherland Brothers wrote the original version of "Sailing" during a recording session. They did gain some traction with the song, but they did not give it the proper release to become an international hit. Instead, the song became worldwide once Rod Stewart got hold of it for his sixth record, Atlantic Crossing.

Stewart had a relationship with the Sutherland Brothers, so there was no issue with him recording the song they had recently written. His version became a number one hit in multiple countries, including his native United Kingdom. In the United States, it ranked as high as number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. Over the years, it has become one of the tunes that Stewart is best known for.

9 Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Woodstock (1970)

Original Version - Joni Mitchell (1969)

After the original Woodstock Music and Arts Festival took place in 1969, the legendary Joni Mitchell decided to write a song based on an she heard about the event. She titled it "Woodstock" and debuted the tune at the Big Sur Folk Festival in 1969. However, after she debuted it, other artists quickly picked it up to cover.

One of them was Matthews Southern Comfort, whose version actually gained a lot of attention. Nonetheless, it was Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young who achieved the most success. The song became part of their 1970 album, Déjà Vu. Their release reached the 11th spot on the Billboard Hot 100. They even placed on their yearly chart, making their cover a major success.

8 Manfred Mann’s Earth Band - Blinded By The Light (1976)

Original Version - Bruce Springsteen (1973)

Throughout his career, Bruce Springsteen has become one of the most well-known artists of all time, but the start of his career did not go as he intended. His third album would become a hit, but the first two didn't reach as high at first. This song "Blinded by the Light" appeared on his debut record and perhaps, if he released it later, it would have become a top hit for him.

However, it did not and, instead, it was the band, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, who made the song a hit. They took the tune three years after it was released by Springsteen for their 1976 record, The Roaring Silence. Their version became a number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. As the year ended, it cracked the Top 40 of the chart, becoming a staple of the time period.

7 Ram Jam - Black Betty (1977)

Original Version - John & Alan Lomax (1933)

While many bands were covering more recent songs during the 1970s, the group Ram Jam decided to go all the way back to the 1930s. The original origins seem to date even further back, but the first noteworthy recording was done by John and Alan Lomax in 1933. After this, the song remained in circulation, before finding its ultimate prominence in 1977.

"Black Betty" would end up being the lead single and the first track on Ram Jam's debut studio album. Their cover would rank as high as number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. Since its release, their version has been used many times in pop culture, with appearances in the television show Family Guy and the video game Rayman Legends.

6 Nazareth - Love Hurts (1974)

Original Version - The Everly Brothers (1960)

After being written by the renowned Boudleaux Bryant, "Love Hurts" first went to the Everly Brothers in 1960. The song was not released as a single and therefore never reached the heights it could have with them. Roy Orbison took a chance on the song, as did Gram Parsons, but it wasn't until Nazareth got a hold of it that the tune reached its full potential.

The band transformed the song into a true power ballad. Their rendition became a sensation, reaching as high as number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. It has been used many times in advertising and was even featured in Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween. Since Nazareth covered it, other artists have attempted it, including Cher, but nothing has garnered as much attention as their version.

5 Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks (1971)

Original - Memphis Minnie & Kansas Joe McCoy (1929)

There is a rich history when it comes to the song "When the Levee Breaks." The tune dates back to 1929, when it was first recorded by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy. It was very relevant to the time period, as it was written about the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, which wreaked havoc on over 27,000 square miles across multiple states in the U.S.

After decades in circulation, Led Zeppelin took on the song. Instead of making it an exact cover, some lyrics were reworked. The finished product ended up as the last track on their untitled fourth album (Led Zeppelin IV). Their version was noted for its instrumentation, specifically John Bonham's drumming. Since the album has gone on to be 24x platinum, it makes this song part of one of the best-selling albums of all time, further enhancing its importance.

4 Aerosmith - Train Kept A-Rollin’

Original Version - Tiny Bradshaw

At first, "Train Kept a Rollin'" was recorded by Tiny Bradshaw in 1951. The jump blues song became well-known, with its significance growing over time. The first cover rendition of the tune was done by Johnny Burnette and the Rock and Roll Trio, who reworked the song to make it more guitar-driven. After that, the Yardbirds helped popularize it even further. Then, after his time in the band, Jimmy Page would continue playing the song and use it as common ground for forming Led Zeppelin.

There was another band that would use this song as a way to bond: Aerosmith. Before becoming the band everyone knew, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry played in a different group, with Tom Hamilton in another. Both would play this song during their tenures, so when they met up to form Aerosmith, it was the perfect way to help them mesh together. They played it at many early shows and eventually included it on their second studio album, honoring the Yardbirds and the illustrious history of this song that bonded so many.

3 The Allman Brothers Band - Statesboro Blues

Original Version - Blind Willie McTell

One of the most well-known Southeastern blues (Piedmont Blues) tunes of all time is "Statesboro Blues." The song was first recorded back in 1928 by Blind Willie McTell, but it found a resurgence 40 years later when musician Taj Mahal made a modernized version of the track in 1968. The cover version didn't stop there, as the Allman Brothers would make a rendition of it for their 1971 live album, At Fillmore East.

The band completely revolutionized the song by adding slide guitar, creating riffs that have ranked among some of the best of all time. Even though this was a cover, it ended up being the song that they performed live the most (via Setlist.fm). It was a great example of how a strong tune could be reworked to fit a specific style, ultimately coming out better for it.

2 Janis Joplin - Me And Bobby McGee (1971)

Original Version - Roger Miller (1969)

From the very start, "Me and Bobby McGee" had a strong history as it was written by the legendary Kris Kristofferson, with credit to Fred Foster. The song was first recorded by Roger Miller. Then, many other artists covered it, including Gordon Lightfoot, Charley Pride, and Jerry Lee Lewis. However, the most famous rendition comes from Janis Joplin.

Her version was included on her final solo studio album, Pearl, which was released a few months after her death. The song became a posthumous number-one hit for Joplin and even finished the year strong, ranking as the 11th song on the year-end Billboard Hot 100 chart. The strong appreciation for this tune has helped Pearl achieve 4x platinum status and rank among some of the greatest records ever.

1 Elvis Presley - Burning Love (1972)

Original Version - Arthur Alexander (1972)

While some songs are covered decades after the original was recorded, others happen much faster than that. When it came to "Burning Love," Elvis made his own version of the track in the same year that Arthur Alexander released the original. The rendition that Elvis released went down in history as what many consider the last big hit for the "King of Rock and Roll."

Although it didn't reach the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100, it did reach number two, which added to his long list of Top 10 hits. His single release of the song became platinum-selling, and it can be heard throughout pop culture over the years. On Spotify, "Can't Help Falling In Love" is his top song, but "Burning Love" still ranks among his best. While other artists have covered this tune, it has never quite reached the heights it did when Elvis performed it.