Being a bit of a soul snob and purist in my youth, I usually dismissed soul artists covering other artists songs, especially hits as "not soul"

Oh dear what a fool.

anyway things have changed a bit now and many of these tracks find their way onto my ipod playlist or my late night record playing.

Recently though I was blown away by rediscovering Bobby Blands version of Aint no Sunshine on Malaco.

Boy this has grabbed me like no other track I've heard this century.

I cannot understand it as before, the original of this song grated something awful with me. But Bobby just makes this track his own and the production is superb. It reminds me of the job his mate B B King did on the old song the thrill is gone, raising the song to another level.

What covers have caught you unawares and headed up your favourites list?

dave banks

Don't like the hit version of "California Dreaming" but love 2/3 of the soul covers of the song (Womack & Marlena Shaw in particular).

The Mamas and the Papas' version is beyond reproach - but I really, really dislike Womack's cut of 'California Dreaming'. It is by far the worst recording that he made at American Studios, and I would go as far as to say it's the only bad one.

His revivals of 'Fly Me To The Moon', 'Moonlight In Vermont' and 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco' are fabulous, though, and his take on 'Everyone's Gone To The Moon' might well be my favourite ever soul version of a pop song.

From a little later on I also really like his take on 'Everything Is Beautiful', a fairly awful song made great by a terrific performance from Womack. There's also a nice unreleased version by Carla Thomas that will hopefully see the light on a Kent CD soon...

It was recorded in Memphis, produced and arranged by Booker T Jones (for his own production company). It was engineered by Terry Manning who worked for Stax and Ardent. Duck Dunn was on Base and Al Jackson was on drums. There's a lot of Stax in there for a non-Stax record.

John, I'm pretty sure that Booker produced 'Just As I Am' in its entirety in Los Angeles.

You are right that Al Jackson Jr was the drummer on most of the tracks, but I don't think that Duck Dunn played any part in the sessions and I know for sure Cropper wasn't present at all

So perhaps not so much Stax in there after all...

Edited July 18, 201212 yr by TONY ROUNCE

Is Mr Rounce too humble to use this thread to blatently plug this, shame there's some cracking covers on this.

Yes - yes, I AM humble.

It's only my opinion that is not!

John, I'm pretty sure that Booker produced 'Just As I Am' in its entirety in Los Angeles.

You are right that Al Jackson Jr was the drummer on most of the tracks, but I don't think that Duck Dunn played any part in the sessions and I know for sure Cropper wasn't present at all

So perhaps not so much Stax in there after all...

I'll concede on the LA session, for some reason I always though it was a Memphis recording. But Ducks name is on the back cover as playing bass.

I'll concede on the LA session, for some reason I always though it was a Memphis recording. But Ducks name is on the back cover as playing bass.

The late Mr. Dunn may have done some overdubs at some point, but the main bass player on the record was the (also sadly recently deceased) former Flying Burrito Brother, Chris Etheridge.

Booker himself played bass and drums on several of the the original demos for the album. Tapes for many of them still exist in a vault just outside of Los Angeles...

Edited July 18, 201212 yr by TONY ROUNCE

Marvin Gayes version of "Yesterday"( which i believe i the most recorded song ever!) is outstanding.

I agree about Marvins version of Yesterday, it is stunning and still sounds great today despite the fact you have heard the song a million times.

Surprised no one has mentioned Eddie and Ernies take on Lay Lady Lay a pretty good soulful version there I think.

Dave Banks

The Mamas and the Papas' version is beyond reproach - but I really, really dislike Womack's cut of 'California Dreaming'. It is by far the worst recording that he made at American Studios, and I would go as far as to say it's the only bad one.

His revivals of 'Fly Me To The Moon', 'Moonlight In Vermont' and 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco' are fabulous, though, and his take on 'Everyone's Gone To The Moon' might well be my favourite ever soul version of a pop song.

From a little later on I also really like his take on 'Everything Is Beautiful', a fairly awful song made great by a terrific performance from Womack. There's also a nice unreleased version by Carla Thomas that will hopefully see the light on a Kent CD soon...

American Studios productions from that time may just be my favourite recorded music ever. They blurred the traditional lines between 'soul', 'pop' and 'country' to produce something which was often truly magical. Dionne Warwick's "I'm Your Puppet" and Ronnie Milsap's "Do What You Gotta Do" are a couple of versions from that studio at the time which are priceless. Agree on Womack's "Everyone's Gone To The Moon": something which should be mawkish is somehow realised with true sincerity. Roy Hamilton's take on Conway Twitty's "It's Only Make Believe" is similarly spellbinding.

Interesting to note the mentions of covers of "Suspicious Minds" above. The American Studios recorded original by Mark James on Scepter is still probably my favourite version of the song. Not Soul with a capital S by any means but still very soulful all the same. I was really pleased to hear an alternative version or mix on an Ace compilation which seemed to draw on elements of the arrangement used in the Elvis version: extra strings, horns and backing vocals as opposed to the more stripped-down 45. Had Scepter gone with that mix they may well have had a hit with the James version in its own right.

Always loved Ralfi Pagan's versions of 'Baby I'm a want you' and 'I didn't want to have to do it' both superb songs anyway but i love his take on them.

Hi Binsey, if you like Ralfi Pagan, go onto Youtube and play "Darling, you and I", thats if you don't already have it, superb !!

Kev

To add to the above ramblings about American I should mention a couple of things from "Dusty In Memphis" which are pertinent to this topic but kind of going the other way: "I Don't Want To Hear It Any More" (originally recorded by Jerry Butler) and "So Much Love" (Steve Alaimo / Ben E. King) are so perfectly played, sung and arranged on that album as to be pretty definitive.

John Edwards rendition of "Danny Boy", looking at it, you just can't imagine it, but boy does it grab you, not only covers it, John makes it his own, truly fantastic emotional song.

Kev

A few very good soul covers of "Crystal Blue Persuasion" as mentioned above. A pretty bulletproof song which leant itself well to such treatments. "Ain't No Sunshine" is similarly hard to mess up: the version I really love is Betty Wright's.

Don't know how it fits into the topic but this knocked me sideways when I first saw it: Roland Kirk's "I Say A Little Prayer":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uRnvMwD6jM

Edited July 18, 201212 yr by garethx

A few very good soul covers of "Crystal Blue Persuasion" as mentioned above. A pretty bulletproof song which leant itself well to such treatments. "Ain't No Sunshine" is similarly hard to mess up: the version I really love is Betty Wright's.

Don't know how it fits into the topic but this knocked me sideways when I first saw it: Rolan Kirk's "I Say A Little Prayer":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uRnvMwD6jM

Hi Gareth, Joe Bataan my fave on "Crystal Blue Persuasion" like you suggest hard to make a mess of that song really. "Aint No Sunshine", best for me by a mile is Isaac Hayes 17 minute performance, live at the WattStax concert in 1972, done only the way "Ike" can, great vocals, fantastic rythmn backing from the Bar-kays while Ike delivers one of the greatest saxaphone solo,s you will ever hear, and while the whole 17mins absolutely flies over, it dawns on you this wasn't meant for whitey, its soul at its blackest and most defiant, incredible!!

Kev

Marvin Gaye's version of Its Not Unusual on the 4 CD pack

Denise LaSalles definitive (Yes it is Mr R) version of Its Too Late

Confused with the soul covers of soul songs but hey, whenever is straightforward on here!

A cover where the more obscure version knocks the more celebrated one into a cocked hat is Johnny Wonder's version of Stanley Winston's "No More Ghettoes In America". Same producer but Mr. Wonder's vocal takes the thing to the next level.

Let's do a few more great soul covers of pop songs, then:

Charles Jackson - Tonight's The Night (Rod Stewart)

Bill Brandon - One Minute Woman (The Bee Gees)

Mickey Whighams - How Long (Ace)

The Fifth Dimension - Poor Side Of Town (Johnny Rivers)

The Staple Singers - The Weight (The Band)

Aretha Franklin - Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)

The Isley Brothers - Nothin' To Do But Today (Stephen Stills)

Bill Withers - Let It Be (The Beatles)

Otis Redding - I Got to Go Back (a.k.a. Look At that Girl) (The McCoys)

...that'll do for now.

I'm not necessarily saying that these versions are better than the originals. just that they are great soul versions of great pop songs...

...although the 5th's version of 'Poor Side Of Town' is very definitley the best - and far and away the most moving - of a bunch of wonderful renditions of that song.

Tony, i didn't realise 'Look at the girl' was a cover. I really love that song.

A cover where the more obscure version knocks the more celebrated one into a cocked hat is Johnny Wonder's version of Stanley Winston's "No More Ghettoes In America". Same producer but Mr. Wonder's vocal takes the thing to the next level.

I'm not having that, Gareth. I like both versions, but you seem to be inferring that Stanley Winston's is not very good when in fact it's quite wonderful in its own right. The production is better and it has a quiet and subtle intensity that the more primitive Johnny Wonder version lacks...

There are no bad versions here, but my hat obviously doesn't cock the same way that yours does...

Tony, i didn't realise 'Look at the girl' was a cover. I really love that song.

Hello mate -

The writer credits on Otis' 45 are actually for the 1950s Guy Mitchell song 'Look At That Girl'"! So it;s not only reggae records that get that sort of thing wrong at times...

The McCoys version is very good in its own right although Otis definitely slays the opposition on this one.

I'll respond to your e-mail off site in a minute...

Stanley Winston is indeed a great record in its own right. And primitive is indeed a good description of Johnny Wonder's 45.

Two versions of a song where the different approach of each produces a masterpiece in its own way: The Spinners and Otis Clay on "Love Don't Love Nobody".

Nina Simone did her share of pop cover's including the previously mentioned 'Everyone's gone To The moon' from her sublime 'And Piano'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mjQCKeGbHA

I have some recollection of this being dissed on here in the past but the Four Tops version of Tim Hardins " If were a carpenter" is one of the best versions of a much covered classic, in my opinion.

from the same album - Randy Newman's 'I Think It's going to Rain Today'.....

This is fantastic ..Howard Tate doing Dylan.....

Mr Rounce mentioned The Weight by The Staples.........here they are singing it with the originals The Band....a match made in heaven!

Nice cover of a standard - he also does a good cover of Ain't That Peculiar on the same album but couldn't find a clip of that.

If you like that just have a listen to George duetting with Jill Scott live with the same song.

Dare I post this cover of a U2 song?

Aparently Bono thought the Chimes version the best cover of this song and is quoted as saying "at last someone has come along to sing it properly"

I agree

Dave Banks

Edited July 18, 201212 yr by woody no1

https://youtu.be/m4H4GJxXokI

I like Ujima's cover of "She's gone" although it does sound pretty close to the original. And the hall and oates song probably got played on R&B radio.

I like Ujima's cover of "She's gone" although it does sound pretty close to the original. And the hall and oates song probably got played on R&B radio.

Tavare's version a firm favourite of mine too. Mike

Wilson Pickett's Hey Jude.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6944F32lOc

The best version IMHO

And this I like

Edited July 18, 201212 yr by Glynn Jones

Mr Rounce mentioned The Weight by The Staples.........here they are singing it with the originals The Band....a match made in heaven!

That's a truly terrible song no matter who sings it. In my opinion. Heard it on the radio yesterday, take a load off Fanny? Anny?

Edited July 19, 201212 yr by Pete S

Denise LaSalles definitive (Yes it is Mr R) version of Its Too Late

Carole King's is the definitive version of It's Too Late, no one else need bother.

Marvin Gaye's version of Its Not Unusual on the 4 CD pack

Even better I think is the version by the Dells, one of my favourites.

Alan

Edited July 19, 201212 yr by AlanB

That's a truly terrible song no matter who sings it. In my opinion. Heard it on the radio yesterday, take a load off Fanny? Anny?

I would be worried if you liked it Pete :o)

Mike

I would be worried if you liked it Pete :o)

Mike

I like the Staple Singers Mike I just think that this is a terrible song though to be fair I first heard it when it was released when I was a kid and I hated it then as well...

Carole King's is the definitive version of It's Too Late, no one else need bother.

...I think Jock might have meant to say that Denise's was 'the derivative version' rather than the definitive one, mate.

I agree with you 100%, although I'm aslo quite partial to Dennis Brown's version...

Even better I think is the version by the Dells, one of my favourites.

Alan

The Impressions' version is great, too

And on a reggae tip, so is Big Youth's...

I don't know if any of the soul versions of 'rock classics' work to be honest and wonder what the intent behind them was: a muddle-headed idea to cover all bases or garner radio play to as wide an audience as possible. A lot of it was just plain and simple filler. Whatever it was it rarely created great art. There are possible exceptions: Merry Clayton's "Gimme Shelter" definitely works, but does it top The Stones? I don't know.

I can see why gospel-trained singers might want to have a go at "The Weight" as a gospel feel was at the heart of the original intention of the record, but without The Band's actual performance it just doesn't work.

I don't know if any of the soul versions of 'rock classics' work to be honest and wonder what the intent behind them was: a muddle-headed idea to cover all bases or garner radio play to as wide an audience as possible. A lot of it was just plain and simple filler. Whatever it was it rarely created great art. There are possible exceptions: Merry Clayton's "Gimme Shelter" definitely works, but does it top The Stones? I don't know.

I can see why gospel-trained singers might want to have a go at "The Weight" as a gospel feel was at the heart of the original intention of the record, but without The Band's actual performance it just doesn't work.

I hear what you're saying, Gareth, but I would have to cite the numerous rock covers that the Isley Brothers did on T-Neck between 1971 and 1974 as the perfect audio rebuttal of your statement.

Their version of 'Summer Breeze' significantly improves on Seals and Crofts' original and their takes on things like 'Lay Lady Lay' and the aforementioned 'It's Too Late' really do push those songs into new dimensions that at least equal the performances of the original writers.

I would concur that most people who recorded 'The Weight' after the Band didn't 'get' it - Aretha's version, for example, misses the point entirely, like so many of the endless covers and revivals that Wexler had her cut at every session she did in the late 60s.

But I think that the Staples really hit the song square on and I feel that Pops, who always had a great eye for material, would have felt it a perfect fit for their catalogue.

I'm also a big fan of Jackie DeShannon's version, which I actually think I might have heard before I heard the Band's. I particularly like Barry White's unmistakable backing vocals on Jackie's choruses.

I also think 'I Pulled Into Nazareth, I Was Feeling 'Bout Half Past Dead' is one of the greatest opening lines of any song written in the past 50 years....

I don't know if any of the soul versions of 'rock classics' work to be honest and wonder what the intent behind them was: a muddle-headed idea to cover all bases or garner radio play to as wide an audience as possible. A lot of it was just plain and simple filler. Whatever it was it rarely created great art. There are possible exceptions: Merry Clayton's "Gimme Shelter" definitely works, but does it top The Stones? I don't know.

I can see why gospel-trained singers might want to have a go at "The Weight" as a gospel feel was at the heart of the original intention of the record, but without The Band's actual performance it just doesn't work.

Quite agree with you. I don't think the lyrics of Rock records sit comfortably with Soul singers. It was reported when Dylan offered Otis 'Just Like A Woman' Otis commented that 'there are too many words man'. And it always sounds that way to me. I think Wexler was one of the biggest culprits in attempting to crossover his artists this way. Some of the material Aretha recorded for instance left a lot to be desired - Eleanor Rigby, Let it Be, Long & Winding Road, The Border Song and even the Weight.

Mike

Quite agree with you. I don't think the lyrics of Rock records sit comfortably with Soul singers. It was reported when Dylan offered Otis 'Just Like A Woman' Otis commented that 'there are too many words man'. And it always sounds that way to me. I think Wexler was one of the biggest culprits in attempting to crossover his artists this way. Some of the material Aretha recorded for instance left a lot to be desired - Eleanor Rigby, Let it Be, Long & Winding Road, The Border Song and even the Weight.

Mike

As I said earlier, I really like Aretha's 'Eleanor Rigby' - I particularly like the way that she sings it in the first person singular (i.e 'I'm Eleanor Rigby') and she just goes her own way with the song, rather than merely churning out yet another pointless Atlantic remake along the lines of those you mention and one you don't - and possibly the worst of all of them - 'Bridge Over Troubled Water

I'm also very keen on Ray Charles' intense version of 'Eleanor Rigby' - but then, who in their right mind isn't?

I hear what you're saying, Gareth, but I would have to cite the numerous rock covers that the Isley Brothers did on T-Neck between 1971 and 1974 as the perfect audio rebuttal of your statement.

Their version of 'Summer Breeze' significantly improves on Seals and Crofts' original and their takes on things like 'Lay Lady Lay' and the aforementioned 'It's Too Late' really do push those songs into new dimensions that at least equal the performances of the original writers.

I would concur that most people who recorded 'The Weight' after the Band didn't 'get' it - Aretha's version, for example, misses the point entirely, like so many of the endless covers and revivals that Wexler had her cut at every session she did in the late 60s.

But I think that the Staples really hit the song square on and I feel that Pops, who always had a great eye for material, would have felt it a perfect fit for their catalogue.

I'm also a big fan of Jackie DeShannon's version, which I actually think I might have heard before I heard the Band's. I particularly like Barry White's unmistakable backing vocals on Jackie's choruses.

I also think 'I Pulled Into Nazareth, I Was Feeling 'Bout Half Past Dead' is one of the greatest opening lines of any song written in the past 50 years....

That's a very good post Tony and your example of The Isleys is a really good one. But for every Isleys, who clearly had a feel for this type of material and where they themselves could take it, there are dozens of examples where the reverse seems true. Artists and arrangers had zero feel for the songs and often appeared just plain puzzled by the material. I think Pickett's rock covers largely fall into this trap and that's despite my respect for his masterful voice and the skills of the musicians at Fame or American or wherever these were cut.

A soul version of a rock hit I actually enjoy is Charles Mann's "Do It Again", where it's turned into a Philly dance romp. Not one thousandth as good as Steely Dan's original though.

As I said earlier, I really like Aretha's 'Eleanor Rigby' - I particularly like the way that she sings it in the first person singular (i.e 'I'm Eleanor Rigby') and she just goes her own way with the song, rather than merely churning out yet another pointless Atlantic remake along the lines of those you mention and one you don't - and possibly the worst of all of them - 'Bridge Over Troubled Water

I'm also very keen on Ray Charles' intense version of 'Eleanor Rigby' - but then, who in their right mind isn't?

Ray Charles' reading of ER is undoubtedly soulful but Aretha's leaves me cold unfortunately. I think Paul McCartney, like Laura Nyro, falls into the 'un-coverable' category. Such skilled songwriters that it was natural for others to want to attempt their songs, but no-one could really take their material to the places they themselves could.

Ray Charles' reading of ER is undoubtedly soulful but Aretha's leaves me cold unfortunately. I think Paul McCartney, like Laura Nyro, falls into the 'un-coverable' category. Such skilled songwriters that it was natural for others to want to attempt their songs, but no-one could really take their material to the places they themselves could.

The Drifters version of McCartney's 'Every Night' from his first solo LP - and their first Bell single - is sublime. I'm willing to bet that very few people on SS have ever heard it, or even heard OF it...

Don't necessarily agree with you all the way about Laura N, as I think the 5th Dimension intepreted her songs beautifully - particularly 'Wedding Bell Blues'. Marilyn McCoo really sings her heart out on the 5th's version and (almost) makes the song her own.

But generally her versions of her songs are better than those of others, on that we CAN agree!

I also adore the Staple Singers' version of 'Stoned Soul Picnic', an originally unissued Stax track that my colleague and boss Roger Armstrong unearthed and put on one of the 'Volts Of Stax' CD compilations in the 90s.

It is always hard covering a well known tune and adding your mark on it.

always thought Al Green and the Hi team were very brave tackling the Beatles "I want to hold your hand", if anything is straight pop that is it. But Al turns in a very gritty performance, that is unmystakably an Hi production.

It is always hard covering a well known tune and adding your mark on it.

always thought Al Green and the Hi team were very brave tackling the Beatles "I want to hold your hand", if anything is straight pop that is it. But Al turns in a very gritty performance, that is unmystakably an Hi production.

One of the best records ever to come out of Memphis. Al sings it like a man who's just won the lottery...