Just listening to the music used on adverts of late, I heard Elton John's version of "Are You Ready For Love". That started me thinking.... the original version by the Spinners is soulful enough but nowhere near as danceable as Elton's which, in it's own right, isn't a bad effort. I've certainly used the Spinners when DJ'ing and tweeked the decks a bit but IMO it still doesn't hit the mark for dance floor reaction like Elton.

Your suggestions for others and your thoughts in general please

Steve

Last time this came up it caused so much argument that the site almost crashed - that was mainly due to me and Mr Chorley having a mega-clash after I said I preferred Go Now by The Moody Blues and Sitting In The Park by Georgie Fame. I still stick to those choices.

Just listening to the music used on adverts of late, I heard Elton John's version of "Are You Ready For Love". That started me thinking.... the original version by the Spinners is soulful enough but nowhere near as danceable as Elton's which, in it's own right, isn't a bad effort. I've certainly used the Spinners when DJ'ing and tweeked the decks a bit but IMO it still doesn't hit the mark for dance floor reaction like Elton.

Your suggestions for others and your thoughts in general please

Steve

NO

I was far from alone...

Bit of a daft question really no offence........if a soul record ain,t quite right for the dance floor.........then don,t play it........don,t play a pop record in it,s place or a cover version.........there are dance soul records and listening soul records......never the twain shall meet at a venue ....

Just listening to the music used on adverts of late, I heard Elton John's version of "Are You Ready For Love". That started me thinking.... the original version by the Spinners is soulful enough but nowhere near as danceable as Elton's which, in it's own right, isn't a bad effort. I've certainly used the Spinners when DJ'ing and tweeked the decks a bit but IMO it still doesn't hit the mark for dance floor reaction like Elton.

Your suggestions for others and your thoughts in general please

Steve

HI STEVE,

Looks like you have given yourself away mate- a closet Elton John dancer!!!!!!!!!!!

ROY

I didn't even know the Elton John record was a cover version!

Elton John's is not a cover version. It's the original recorded version of a song Thom Bell and Linda Creed had not released on anyone else previously.

The Spinners sing backing on the EJ version and subsequently recorded two versions of their own with Bell but without Elton. One featured just lead singer John Edwards, and another the entire group. The John Edwards version was a US and UK single.

The version which became a worldwide hit decades later is an Ashley Beadle remix of Elton John's recording with added elements adding to a dance feel.

I didn't even know the Elton John record was a cover version!

I dont think its is. This is one of the songs from "Bell Session" he did in the late 70's. There was controversy over this mixing of the song, so it was left in the can for a couple of years. Both the Elton John and Spinners version were released in 79. So you could say that the Spinners is the cover version

OK, causing my own controversy here. Firstly, the Spinners vs Elton was purely an example where had the Spinners made the record at the Elton tempo it would have been much more accepted on our scene. Apologies for not explaining that part. Secondly, sorry not a closet Elton fan / dancer. Thirdly, as I understand it the Bell sessions had both in during the same year but Spinners take number was first in the can but shelved... although I'm always open to being put right. Fourthly... maybe I shouldn't have asked the bloody question in the first place, or maybe I shouldn't watch adverts.... I've been brainwashed again

Steve

I like that Frank Pop Ensemble effort of You've Been Gone Too Long, not saying it's better, it's just I haven't heard it a zillion times since I was the age of 12, like Ann Sexton's, so it sounds fresh & poppy, I like it.

Aid.

I will grudgingly allow that the Love Affair version of Everlasting Love is better than Robert Knights.

But, David Ruffins version is better than that..

Tony

I understand it that the songs for the Thom Bell sessions were specificly written for Elton John. The Spinners were there as backing vocalists.

Edited November 30, 201212 yr by John Reed

Money Too Tight To Mention by Simply Red is better than The Valentine Brothers in my opinion .

I will grudgingly allow that the Love Affair version of Everlasting Love is better than Robert Knights.

Tony

It is isn't it, I'm with you on that one.

i think Soft Cells version of........................Nah...........no way man, only joking.

Aid.

HI STEVE,

Looks like you have given yourself away mate- a closet Elton John dancer!!!!!!!!!!!

ROY

Tiny Dancer

I'll get me coat.........

I will grudgingly allow that the Love Affair version of Everlasting Love is better than Robert Knights.

But, David Ruffins version is better than that..

Tony

I personally prefer The Love Affair's version of Rainbow Valley to Robert Knight's original. But that is, of course, IMHO!

It is isn't it, I'm with you on that one.

Totally agree. Now makes me wonder about Sinitta's version of Love On A Mountaion Top !!!!

Tiny Dancer

I'll get me coat.........

I'll get me shoes then... you gonna join me in a dance

Steve

Last time this came up it caused so much argument that the site almost crashed - that was mainly due to me and Mr Chorley having a mega-clash after I said I preferred Go Now by The Moody Blues and Sitting In The Park by Georgie Fame. I still stick to those choices.

I personally prefer The Love Affair's version of Rainbow Valley to Robert Knight's original. But that is, of course, IMHO!

See, thats what I'm talking about. Far more oomph, better production, better danceable pace... just better as a pop record than Robert's supposed more soulful version.

Steve

(Sorry, meant to relate this to "Everlasting Love")

Edited November 30, 201212 yr by soulman

Anyone heard a cover of Wherever You Were on the soundtrack to a Transporter film? Carl

See, thats what I'm talking about. Far more oomph, better production, better danceable pace... just better as a pop record than Robert's supposed more soulful version.

Steve

(Sorry, meant to relate this to "Everlasting Love")

Plus it's also a fond memory of some of the first records I heard that my sister bought when I was only a nipper (both Everlasting Love and Rainbow Valley). She was a Steve Ellis fan, as well as a fan of the Walker Brothers! Unlike my other sister, who wasn't soulful - her idols were Cliff Richard and Tommy Steele!

Edited November 30, 201212 yr by Gene-R

Anyone heard a cover of Wherever You Were on the soundtrack to a Transporter film? Carl

Yup,

Transporter 3 I think..

Holly Golightly, now who the f*ck brought that to her attention ??

T

I will grudgingly allow that the Love Affair version of Everlasting Love is better than Robert Knights.

It is isn't it, I'm with you on that one.

I personally prefer The Love Affair's version of Rainbow Valley to Robert Knight's original. But that is, of course, IMHO!

See, thats what I'm talking about. Far more oomph, better production, better danceable pace... just better as a pop record than Robert's supposed more soulful version.

Two words: Keith. Mansfield.

Three if you include the word genius.

Anyone heard a cover of Wherever You Were on the soundtrack to a Transporter film? Carl

Holly Golightly as Tonyp said, she also cut Ain't No Big Thing the Sam And Dave tune.

They dont get better than this lot. Why did Cliff need to duet with this bunch of old duffers.......

Nobody But Me - Isley Brothers vs Human Beinz?

Money Too Tight To Mention by Simply Red is better than The Valentine Brothers in my opinion .

no it ain't sorry!!!!

no it ain't sorry!!!!

I said in my opinion not YOURS

Nobody But Me - Isley Brothers vs Human Beinz?

Prefer HB's

It's just one of those things - I always preferred Doni Burdick's version of I Have Faith In You to Edwin Starr's and I've been told a thousand time that it's the ultimate in sacrilege - but I think the reason is, I heard the Doni Burdick one first, so that's the one I got to know, then when I heard the Edwin one a year or two later, he sang it in a different way to the one I was used to, so I wasn't that keen on it. Of course Edwin's voice is many times better than Doni's, but that doesn't appear to be the reason why I prefer the one over the other, it's just what you are familiar with.

Stop me if I'm talking b*llocks.

Nobody But Me - Isley Brothers vs Human Beinz?

Prefer HB's

Exactly.

An ok but not outstanding R&B tune turned into a garage-pop classic.

I prefer Soft Cell's version of Tainted Love to Gloria Jones's.

And Kenny Rogers/First Edition's What Condition My Condition Is in to Betty LaVette's.

And I don't care who knows it. Obviously.

Don't like either of the soul versions anyway, but like both as pop sounds.

i dont listen to pop music

I personally prefer The Love Affair's version of Rainbow Valley to Robert Knight's original. But that is, of course, IMHO!

i didnt know that the love affair wasnt the original , even seen it performed live recently by the lead singer on a 60's tour in leicester

just checked out the robert knight version on youtube but still prefer the love affair version

The Actions version of the Temp's Since i Lost My Baby is good. Carl

Couldn't take any other version of SITP over Billy Stewarts or of GN over Bessie Banks effort .........

but I much prefer Georgie Fame's take on "Point of No Return" over Gene McDaniels original.

I didn't even know the Elton John record was a cover version!

Me neither!...Delxxxx

I've always like the Wildweeds's "No Good To Cry" and prefer it (slightly) to Lobi Legend's version and also Jimmy James'. Though I'd call it a soul record and not pop, so not a case of pop better than soul but a white version better than black

Mas

Again, the Wildwoods is the original version of "No Good To Cry" (they wrote it too), so really the opposite of the topic's theme.

The first recorded version of "What Condition My Condition Is In" is by none other than Jerry Lee Lewis on his Smash album, "Soul My Way", although its writer, Mickey Newberry recorded it a couple of months later for RCA. These both predate Kenny Rogers and The First Edition by a year or so.

Yeah, I know Betty Lavette's isn't the original. TBH, didn't pay attention to the 'original soul' aspect of the thread's title due to the thrill of logging in for the first time in months.

Danny Wagners vers. of Thing Called Love over Johnny Wyatts

Paul Anka over Jimmy Breedlove?

Can't really believe I've bothered to read this thread.....Soft Cell...Elton John....thought this was SOUL source....no soul in either of those and I certainly don't wanna hear those tunes out...might as well watch X Factor with my son !!!

Can't really believe I've bothered to read this thread.....Soft Cell...Elton John....thought this was SOUL source....no soul in either of those and I certainly don't wanna hear those tunes out...might as well watch X Factor with my son !!!

Jeez and to think I thought I'd missed the point of the thread...

Many soul songs were covered better by Dusty.

This isn't one of them, but how close did she come, eh?

Just listening to the music used on adverts of late, I heard Elton John's version of "Are You Ready For Love". That started me thinking.... the original version by the Spinners is soulful enough but nowhere near as danceable as Elton's which, in it's own right, isn't a bad effort. I've certainly used the Spinners when DJ'ing and tweeked the decks a bit but IMO it still doesn't hit the mark for dance floor reaction like Elton.

Your suggestions for others and your thoughts in general please

Steve

no no no

Can't really believe I've bothered to read this thread.....Soft Cell...Elton John....thought this was SOUL source....no soul in either of those and I certainly don't wanna hear those tunes out...might as well watch X Factor with my son !!!

who said anything about hearing the records out..... i wouldnt, i`m very particular what i want to listen to at nighters. but there is life outside the northern soul straight jacket ..60% of which sounds `pop` anyway... elton john over the spinners for me on are you ready for love..probably his last good record ..the 79 version i mean