SecondHandSongs is building the most comprehensive source of cover song information, by means of a database of originals, cover songs, sampled songs and sampling songs.
This advanced database stores the data in a reusable and maintainable way, and which is interconnected to many other online databases.
What is a performance?
A performance is a version of a work performed by one or more performing artists. A performance can be an original or a cover or sampling version.
How is an original performance defined?
SHS defines three types of originals for a work.
- The first (public) performance of a work
- The first recording of a work
- The first release of a work
Example: the work Apache has two originals. Bert Weedon recorded it first in May 1960 and The Shadows released it first in July 1960.
Note: a work should always have at least one original performance associated with it, unless the work is a traditional.
How is a cover version defined?
A cover is a performance of a work that is not an original, performed by an artist different from the artist performing the original performance.
Example: the 1973 version of Apache by Incredible Bongo Band is a cover version because it is neither the original performance, recording or release of the work.
What is an adaptation?
An adaptation is a new version of a work, for instance a translation. An adaptation usually has new credits, and can have original and cover performances as well.
Example: the French work Comme d'habitude was adapted into English by Paul Anka as My Way.
An adaptation can be based on multiple works as well.
Example: the work Scarborough Fair/Canticle was adapted from the works Scarborough Fair and The Side of a Hill.
What is a sample?
A sample is a piece of a performance reused in another performance.
Example: Black Eyed Peas used a sample of Misirlou by Dick Dale and His Del-Tones in their song Pump It.
Are remixes considered as samples?
A remix is an alternate mix of a recorded performance different from the original version, made using the techniques of audio editing. Note that we also classify mash-ups as remixes. Remixes are not included in our database, except when the remix itself is sampled or covered by another artist.
Example: The 1986 remix of Give it Up or Turnit a Loose by James Brown was sampled by many hip hop artists, including Public Enemy.