A couple of things I can hardly get off the record player at the moment, both cover versions of established classics by superstars of soul:

Aretha Franklin "I'm In Love" Atlantic

Not usually keen on Aretha's versions of other people's staples ("I Say A Little Prayer" honourably excepted), but this is brilliant, better than Wilson Pickett and just as good as Bobby Womack. Would sound brilliant out loud, compares favourably with things like Sandra Wright "I'll Come Running Back."

Marvin Gaye "There Goes My Baby" Tamla lp

From "In The Groove" comes this: a simply amazing and really exciting cover of The Drifters classic. Probably recorded much earlier than most of the remainder of the album and presumably included as filler, this really is the business. If you like Marvin's version of "Sunny" (and I know loads do) this is even better.

I'd love to hear other peoples ideas about top notch cover versions.

Here's a couple for you:

THE METROS: I'll Never Forget You (LP track - cover of O'Jays)

DEE DEE SHARP: Comin' Home Baby (LP track - cover of Mel Torme)

STEVIE WONDER: Angel Baby (LP track - cover of Darrell Banks? Who came first?)

More later.

Gene

THE METROS: I'll Never Forget You (LP track - cover of O'Jays)

Quality call Gene,

That's a perm. on my playlist

Jamie

dunno about top grade cover versions as most stumble across are

lets say more of a "interesting" aspect rather than "top notch"

a fair few "interesting" ones recently stummbled across by jaggerz

Love Music

Satisfaction Guaranteed

It's Better To Have and Don't Need

I'll Never Forget You

together

the together is same song done by "disiciples of soul" on pirate label , a flip of better known 45, and had me thinking that there has to be a even more well known version of this as sure heard it well before "disiples of soul" and cause of the gamble connection etc etc .. but can;t think, anyone put me out of misery

DEE DEE SHARP: Comin' Home Baby (LP track - cover of Mel Torme)

Gene

I love both versions of this, I think Dee Dee has the edge for the dance floor IMO

Karen

Laugh if you want ,but two of my favourite cover versions are

Kenny Lynch - My own Two Feet & Susan Maughn -That Other Place

LOL

Yvonne Baker..... You Only Live Twice.

JON FORD-YOU GOT ME WHERE YOU WANT ME-

WAYNE FONTANA-GIVE ME JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME.

DENNIS DELL-BETTER USE YOUR HEAD.

LINDA LEWIS-YOU TURNED MY BITTER INTO SWEET.

LINDA KENDRICK-IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS.

STEVE ALDO-YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

OH NO THERE ALL UK PRODUCTIONS-I MUST TRY COLLECTING US?????

Laura Lee - Your Song - Fantasy

Big Maybelle - 96 Tears - Rojac

Mitty Collier - Dont Let Her (Him) Take My Baby - Chess

Isley Bros - Twist & Shout - Wand

Clara Ward - Dead End Street - Capitol

Slim

sure once read a lengthy list of uk cover versions, not sure where and when how good or if in computer format, anyone see it, have it??

odd decent cover versions stuff

jerry butlers version of brother billy's right track, unreleased but worth a dig and a listen if havent heardl, think it was recorded earlier but sounds like it was later, to me has what call a 100 club feel ,released on a us mecrury jerry butler cd

think someone out of public service should cut loads of dubs of this and have them stored at events, so that when that random urge unexplainly felt by djs to play right track this would be handed to them

open the door to your heart - art earnsley and fabulous echoes

really rate this excellent uptempo version, though someone once had the audacity to vote this is in a worse ever top 5

drifter cover see later post

too hot for serious thinking here's some off top of head random stuff

oddball cover but different versions

james phelps cheap 45 often seen in boxes (names gone? has 5 in title?) has a version of "i do the best i can" on flip

theres a 80s First Choice 45 which has a ballad vesion of "House For sale"

austrilain 60s gargage/beat version of Hopes Dreams and Tombstones

70s version of frank beverly "want to..."rouser 45 on maze lp

eddie floyd Thats All - is a version of Nat king cole hit

one that knocked me off my feet when heard it the first time recently-

was the legendary (in the hughes household) 70s feel good track Laso-Laso Square was redone by Joe Battan as Continental Square Dance!!

didnt know what too expect when played it but certainly didnt expect a reworking of laso square

will upload if anyone ex-barb heads wants a hear

cover version related - every version of color me father has a decent flip?

cover poll

garland green or john edwards version of " aint that good enough" ?

john edwards every time for me!

cover question

when tried to name every version of "aint no big thing" on here think we only got to 20 mark, question is does that make it the most covered "northern connected" track ??

any other possible contendors?

A few more cover versions that are better than the originals:

Roy Hamilton "Reach Out For Me" RCA Victor

The Continental Showstoppers "Never Set Me Free" / "We're Not Too Young" Seventy Seven

The Electrifying Cashmeres "What Does It Take" Seventy Seven

Carl Hall "Teardrops and Heartaches" unissued Mercury

ZZ Hill "Make Me Yours" Kent

Bobby Shannon "I Get My Groove From You" Tomar

The Whispers "My Illusions" Janus

Larry Marks "Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" Pala

The Impalas "Speed Up" Capitol

Uncle 'Doug' Parkinson from Ramsay Street used a well known Spinners track 'I'll Be Around' for the theme-tune to 'Neighbours'

Apparently, he would only film the video if he could roll the sleeves up on his blazer.

Them Aussies, they got Style!

And some bird called Tewwi covered it aswell (I think she used it for the Diff'rent Strokes TV Show)

But on reflection, Uncle Dougs stab at it was easily the best - sorry Spinners!

shame he cant quite hit the notes though.........

Something to do with his tight sleeves I think...

Every other version of "the look on your face" (certain James Phelps was first?) Nate Evans,John Edwards,Satin and the Magnetics,

sorry have heard them all many times and i put Phelps at the bottom...are there anymore versions out there?

Brett, re. The Look On Your Face:

John Edwards always wins this one for me.

But the other side of James Phelps - "You Were Made For Love" has got to be one of the most incredible deep soul records ever, and make it an essential purchase. John Edwards did that too in pretty fine syle, but few things in the whole world of black music can match James Phelps' singing on the YWMFL. It's strange that his vocals on TLOYF are so lacklustre by comparison.

Every other version of "the look on your face" (certain James Phelps was first?) Nate Evans,John Edwards,Satin and the Magnetics,

sorry have heard them all many times and i put Phelps at the bottom...are there anymore versions out there?

I don't know why but i'd always assumed that Nate Evans was the original not entirely sure which one though ;o)) could have been with Boss, Bus or Mean Green. To be honest the one i'd put at the bottom of the pile would be Nate Evans and Mean Green but then again i probably have no taste ;o|)

John

Probably put Satin near the top if not at it ;o)))

Look on your face was written by Floyd Smith(husband of Loleatta Holloway,wonder if she covered it?)not certain wether he wrote it alone, on my Nate Evans copy it credits 2 other names(i am doing this out of memory) certain i read an interview with James Phelps stating his was the orig ?

ps Johnny, thats the beauty of this scene we all like different things.

"Nate Evans and Buss" i believe was just a label mispelling, making it more collectable (still same version though).

Johnny didnt we once have a post on the I.A.P co (cant remember, it'll not make much sense if we didn't!) thing is my copy just says "the i.a.p co."

but i have seen another that has "italian asphalt and pavement company"........god only knows why this interests me , but it does.

Memo to self.....must mix with people outside of soul world.

Johnny didnt we once have a post on the I.A.P co (cant remember, it'll not make much sense if we didn't!) thing is my copy just says "the i.a.p co."

but i have seen another that has "italian asphalt and pavement company"........god only knows why this interests me , but it does.

Memo to self.....must mix with people outside of soul world.

Brett mine is a picture sleeve which i have posted up on here before and on the sleev they are called the Italian Asphalt and Pavement Co. yet on the record are just credited as the IAP Co as i think i said before it was some sort of in joke with possibly Mafia tones. When the single was released in the UK it was credited to their everyday name the Duprees

John