the late Dan Hartman wrote "I Can Dream About You" for Hall and Oates.He submitted it to them but at that time,they were only recording their own songs.In 2004,they finally recorded their own version of "I Can Dream About You" for a covers album.

Natalie Cole's debut 1975 smash hit "This Will Be" was originally intended for Aretha Franklin,but she turned it down (along with several other songs that made it onto Natalie Cole's debut album).

ChickenMcNuggets said:

Donna Summer's "Dim All The Nights" from Bad Girls was initially written for Rod Stewart, and Bruce Springsteen's "Cover Me" was initially written for Donna in 1982, but was replaced with "Protection".

Also...when Donna played the song "Hot Stuff" for her record company,they wanted her to give the song to Cher She was like "No way...this song is mine!".

pzlyprk said:

Haven't seen one of my favorites mentioned here... Ain't Nobody (Rufus feat. Chaka). Quincy Jones was going to use Ain't Nobody on Thriller, but Hawk Wolinski (the writer and member of Rufus) kept it for Rufus/Chaka. Not sure if it was written for Michael initially.

I still can't imagine Michael singing that song Chaka does such a great job with it

speaking of Thriller....I heard that the song "Mystery" (written by Rod Temperton) was offered to Michael for the Thriller album.He passed on it,so Rod gave it to the Manhattan Transfer and it was later recorded by Anita Baker on her Rapture album.

Prince offered Michael Jackson the song "Wouldn't You Love To Love Me" for possible inclusion on Bad but he turned it down.It was later given to Taja Sevelle.

It's already been mentioned that "Open Your Heart" was intended for Cyndi Lauper,but when she passed on it,was offered to the Temptaations (!!) They passed on it too,before Madonna finally recorded it (with slightly different lyrics)

aardvark15 said:

SoulAlive said:

"Rocket 2 U" was originally offered to Earth Wind and Fire for their 1987 Touch The World album.They turned it down and it was given to The Jets instead.

I never would have thought that. They couldn't have picked a better group to give it to

I love the song,but I think EW&F were wise to reject it.The lyrics were a little too "bubblegum" for EW&F.

Santana's 1999 smash hit "Smooth" was supposed to feature George Michael on lead vocals,but Rob Thomas (who wrote it) was asked to sing it instead.

Michael Nesmith wrote Mary Mary, first recorded by Paul Butterfield Blues Band. Later, The Monkees recorded it, and theirs became popular, although not a single in the US. The Monkees version has been sampled several times, the most well known are by Run DMC (Mary Mary) and JJ Fad (Way Out).

Barbara Acklin released Am I The Same Girl in 1968. Young Holt Unlimited took the exact same track from Barbara's song, took off the vocal and overdubbed a piano in its place, and called it Soulful Strut. Soulful Strut became the hit.

Many of Toni Braxton's early songs were supposed to have been for Anita Baker - she turned them down.

"Inseperable" by Natalie Cole was submitted to Aretha first.

Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards switched things that Ross ended up doing form what would have been an Aretha project.

Angela Winbush tried unsuccessfully to take "In The Morning" form Aretha form the A ROSE IS STILL A ROSE album.

Michael Jackson rejected several Babyface penned tunes that ended up hitting on other acts.

David Bowie was suposed to have been the duet partner on "Push" by Aretha from WHO'S ZOOMIN' WHO? (Peter Wolf from The J. Geils Band replaced him on it).

Barbra Streisand & Whitney Houston turned down the duet with Michael Jackson on I Just Can't Stop Loving You, which Siedah Garrett sang on.

Roger Troutman participated on the original version of Smooth Criminal, but Mike released a different version. Mike did thank Roger in the Bad album credits though. I don't know if the version with Roger was completed or not though.

Prince declined singing on Mike's Bad (the song) although he was in the studio with Mike.

Kiss was given to Mazarati, but Prince liked what they and David Z did with it and took it back.

Bootsy had "Flashlight" & "Auqa Boogie", for Bootsy's Rubber Band, but he didn't want them, and gave them to George for Parliament

RnBAmbassador said:

Many of Toni Braxton's early songs were supposed to have been for Anita Baker - she turned them down.

Toni demoed Love Should Have Brought You Home & Give You My Heart for Anita Baker for the Boomerang soundtrack and Anita said that Toni didnt leave her any room to make it her own, so Anita choose to pass on them.

Also Mario's Just A Friend was done first by Usher, but it was dropped from Ushers project and given to Mario

MickyDolenz said:

Prince declined singing on Mike's Bad (the song) although he was in the studio with Mike.

He offered Michael the song "Wouldn't You Love To Love Me" but Michael rejected it.Prince later gave the song to Taja Sevelle.