With so many great versions of this song, can't decide which is best, opinions?

My fave version is still Justine Baby Washington's by a mile. However I do like Aretha Franklin's version and Sonji Clay does a nice version also

Suz

x

Justine Washington for me - got a lovely white demo off Pete Smith a few years ago

Best : Justine

Worst: Spyder Turner (from his MGM lp)

Edited March 11, 201213 yr by mark w.

Well Spyder Turner is defo down at the bottom, what about Dusty Springfield, hers a lovely version? x

I think there was a topic on this very recently but I searched and couldn't find it. There are a lot of different versions listed in that topic though.

found it:

I'll cast my vote for Baby Washington.

^{Pat Thomas gets my vote}

Pat Thomas gets my vote

Dusty, all other versions pale, that backing is awesome, I'll bare knuckle box anyone who disagrees!

ARETHA

Monticellos of course !!!

Monticellos of course !!!

Of course by a country mile.

Best Dancer Sonji Clay

After the Monticellos ...........................

Edited March 11, 201213 yr by ritchie

Yep Monticellos for me too

Monticellos awful and so is Spyder Turner. This song can only be sung by a girl IMO.

Dusty nice, backing a bit overproduced. Pat Thomas too polished. Baby Washington best version, Sonji Clay close second.

Youtube search brought up Dee Dee Warwick I never heard of that one before. Probably slowest version, check it out.

Monticellos awful and so is Spyder Turner. This song can only be sung by a girl IMO.

I said it in the other thread -- best version is the Dontells. And it's a totally different take on it that fits a male group better.

Well Spyder Turner is defo down at the bottom, what about Dusty Springfield, hers a lovely version? x

sorry mate but the words "Spyder Turner" and "defo down at the bottom" should never appear in the same sentence!

as Bob said this track was talked about very recently, and I kinda agree with Bob the Dontells version has to be up there as one of the best versions of a tune that to be honest would be hard to do a poor version of! all "imho" of course.

steve

sorry mate but the words "Spyder Turner" and "defo down at the bottom" should never appear in the same sentence!

as Bob said this track was talked about very recently, and I kinda agree with Bob the Dontells version has to be up there as one of the best versions of a tune that to be honest would be hard to do a poor version of! all "imho" of course.

steve

yes, part of the reason I think the Dontells is that the best female version by far, in my opinion, is Baby Washington. Some of the versions make it jazzier, etc. but I would rather hear a soulful version with Washington's vocals. The Dontells is a totally different take on the song, turning into a male falsetto harmony track, which is very soulful in another way.

Dontells for me too Bob!

Dontells for me too Bob!

+1

Didn't know it before. Best male version by far.

Any version of this song great to my ears. Love different versions of same songs. Why does there have to be a "best"?

I actually like the Spyder Turner version as I was happy to pick that LP up real cheap, also think Monticellos is great (both have same backing I think).

Pat Thomas sounds great and looks great on Verve I think. Love Aretha, Sonji Clay, Baby Washington + Dusty versions too.

Dontells is new to my ears, so thanks for that.

Justine Washington is the definative version for me. The arragement and production are sublime. Very closely followed by Aretha's version.

Pat Thomas, turn the record over. The other side is wonderful.

Pat Thomas, turn the record over. The other side is wonderful.

Agree..sublime. There's a thought...which version of "I can't wait to see my baby's face" also have great B sides

Agree..sublime. There's a thought...which version of "I can't wait to see my baby's face" also have great B sides

we back to the Dontells then with "Gimmie Some"

steve

they are all good versions 'The Monticellos' is my fave but dont you think its a great song yes its all about the song

The flip side of the Monticellos is good northern.

The flip side of the Monticellos is good northern.

Just had a listen. Agree..."Don't hold back" (which I think was actually the A side). Different sort of good Northern. Had forgotten about that. Cheers

The flip side of the Monticellos is good northern.

I never flipped it over, I will check out it, thanks for the tip.

BTW, this Monticellos is from Buffalo, NY (despite recording in detroit) and are the exact same group as Madeline and the Monticellos on de-vel. They have no connection to the group on Cool, who are from Chicago.

The flip side of the Monticellos is good northern.

So was the side being talked about here last time I listened, although it was before the one dimensional tempo terrorists parachuted in on their mission to save the scene...........

The other side, Don't Hold Back, was played for a fair few years by Gary Rushbrooke when everyone was on their nighter holidays.

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by jocko

I never flipped it over, I will check out it, thanks for the tip.

BTW, this Monticellos is from Buffalo, NY (despite recording in detroit) and are the exact same group as Madeline and the Monticellos on de-vel. They have no connection to the group on Cool, who are from Chicago.

Never would have got that Bob, need to go and dig them both out for a reminder,.

pat thomas for me, and as already stated what a flip side.....

Same/similar backing.

Best Russ

as anyone mentioned Dionne Warwick?

as anyone mentioned Dionne Warwick?

not on the tube, it seems, thought I had a version by her on an lp, I'll dig later!

ahh but then again, the album "Where Am I Going" by Dusty that the track is on is a fab album too :-)

I might be a little bias, but 'Baby' Washington gets my vote. She's the original with the passion coming through. It would have been nice to hear the other versions to compare it to (outside of Aretha) so I could make a real comparison. Lorraine

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by lorchand

I might be a little bias, but 'Baby' Washington gets my vote. She's the original with the passion coming through. It would have been nice to hear the other versions to compare it to (outside of Aretha) so I could make a real comparison. Lorraine

Lorraine, here's Pat Thomas, and The Dontells takes....

steve

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by Soul-Integrity

Lorraine, here's Pat Thomas, and The Dontells takes....

steve

Thanks Steve,

OK. I like Pat's version and I like the twist The Dontells put on the arrangement with theirs. I like Aretha's too. Notice the 'like'? I'm sticking with 'Baby' Washington. I think hers is more passionate and soulful, plus I grew up with her singing that song. (Why did the writer credits change between Pat Thomas and The Dontells on the labels?) Do you or anyone else know?

Lorraine

Thanks Steve,

OK. I like Pat's version and I like the twist The Dontells put on the arrangement with theirs. I like Aretha's too. Notice the 'like'? I'm sticking with 'Baby' Washington. I think hers is more passionate and soulful, plus I grew up with her singing that song. (Why did the writer credits change between Pat Thomas and The Dontells on the labels?) Do you or anyone else know?

Lorraine

Hi Lorraine,

Jerry Ragavoy and Norman Mead(e) are the same person. Not sure why one label

credits Ragavoy and the other one Mead.

Also I agree with you on the Baby Washington version.

Edited March 13, 201213 yr by the yank

Baby Washington is the best version probably, I just am a major fan of falsetto sweet soul and that's what the Dontells do. And it's a totally different arrangement / take on the song.

I looked at licensing the dontells version once, it's in BMI under a bunch of permutations of writers for some reason.

re: monticellos, Clay McMurray confirmed the buffalo thing and gave first name and a buffalo guy who talked to the group gave the full lineup with last names and it matched all of McMurray's first names.

Baby Washington is the best version probably, I just am a major fan of falsetto sweet soul and that's what the Dontells do. And it's a totally different arrangement / take on the song.

I looked at licensing the dontells version once, it's in BMI under a bunch of permutations of writers for some reason.

re: monticellos, Clay McMurray confirmed the buffalo thing and gave first name and a buffalo guy who talked to the group gave the full lineup with last names and it matched all of McMurray's first names.

Hi Boba,

I caught you on the previous thread regarding this and you gave the writer explanation. Thanks for saying it again here.

Lorraine

The flip side of the Monticellos is good northern.

Monticellos must have been huge Spyder Turner fans. "don't hold back" is also the flipside of "I can't make it anymore".

The Monticello`s bro, Even the label looks shit hot...

Edited May 21, 201312 yr by WheelCity45

just a great song and not a bad version...but spyder and the monticello`s get my votes i`m afraid

dave

Dusty!(only because it's the one I have!)