Songs You May Not Know Were Covers Vol. 6: New York Groove (#10)

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While getting together a list of songs about the Mississippi River for an upcoming countdown I found something that's a cover, which got me to thinking about other songs that were hits without many knowing the song was a cover. This is the sixth, count 'em sixth volume of hits that were covers that I've unleashed on you. I'm sorry. Here's the first song. #10: New York Groove Let me tell you, I put a lot of dimes in the jukebox at the USO club on the base in Orlando playing this song in 1979. This song, by Ace Frehley, was the only hit to result from the four solo albums by members of Kiss released in late 1978. I wasn't much of a Kiss fan, save for their big hit ballad "Beth" and mid-tempo "Hard Luck Woman," both sung by Peter Criss. But I did enjoy Frehley's driving, rocking song. Oh, my, but it was a cover. A British "glam band" by the name of Hello first recorded the song in 1975. Now, here's the kicker: the song was written by Russ Ballard, who was the lead singer of Argent (of "Hold Your Head Up" fame). After that band went by the wayside Ballard became a pretty successful songwriter, with his compositions ranging from the soft rock "You Can Do Magic" by America to hard rockers Rainbow's "Since You've Been Gone" to Three Dog Night's hit "Liar" to the pop of Frida (from Abba) and her hit "I Know There's Something Going On." The guy can write some songs. This was one of them. Back when I was shoving coins into the jukebox to play this I had no idea it was a cover. Now I know. So do you. New York Groove Written by Russ Ballard Originally recorded by Hello, 1975 Famously covered by Ace Frehley, 1978 Hello's original (Frehley didn't do much to the original arrangement):