Hi

At our last Motown night Chris Lane played three ska tunes that were Motown covers. After the initial shock I thought they were fantastic. Never been into Ska/Rocksteady (once a soulboy, always........) but would like to have the definitive list of Motown tunes covered by our ever enterprising Jamaican brothers.

Can anyone in the know tell me the tunes to watch out for/prices/availability etc.

Ta

Warren

can't give you a definitive list about JA Motown covers, but here are some I know

Trojan 616 David Isaacs - Place In The Sun (Stevie Wonder)

Rio 116 Peter Tosh & The Wailers - Don't Look Back

Island 3002 The Gaylads - Stop Making Love (Four Tops - It's The Same Old Song)

Unity 504 Slim Smith - Everybody Needs Love (Gladys Knight)

Gas 117 The Uniques - Ain't Too Proud To Beg ( Temptations)

Island 3041 The Clarendonians - You Can't Be Happy (Four Tops - Until You Love Someone)

Island 3050 Delroy Wilson - Get Ready (Temptations)

Duke 1 The Techniques - I Wish It Would Rain

Doctor Bird 1158 Busty Brown - Don't Look Back

Island 3099 Delroy Wilson - This Old Heart Of Mine

Island 3127 Delroy Wilson - Once Upon A Time (Marvin & Mary Wells)

easy to get should be David Isaacs, Slim Smith and The Uniques (all three early Reggae killers, around 10 to 15 GBP I would say)

There are literally thousands of soul covers, we'd be here all day...this list comes from an Israeli site https://www.melingo.com/thesoulnet/reggae.htm

but I do have a list I did about 2 years ago which lists about 200, I'll try and find it

Queen majesty - The Techniques / Minstrel and queen - The Impressions

Born to love you - Derrick Harriott / The Temptations

Voice your choice - The Marvels / The Radiants

Baby I need your loving - Delroy Wilson / The Four Tops

Open the door to your heart - Gregory Isaacs / Darrell Banks

Ain't that loving you - Alton Ellis, U Roy / Johnnie Taylor

The gardener - Judy Mowatt / The Staple Singers

A rainy night in Georgia - Nicky Thomas / Brook Benton

Ain't no sunshine - Ken Boothe / Bill Withers

Here I am - Al Brown / Al Green

Let's get it on - Ken Boothe / Marvin Gaye

Have you seen her - Derrick Harriott / The Chi Lites

No me without you - Marcia Griffiths & Lloyd Charmers / The Manhattens

I made a mistake - The wailers / The Impressions

Prisoner of love - Cornell Campbell / James Brown

Seven letters - Derrick Morgan / Ben E. King

Can I change my mind - Alton Ellis / Tyrone Davis

People get ready - The Minstrells / The Impressions

Stealing stealing - John Holt / Thief in the night - Percy Sledge

I wish it would rain - The Techniques / The Temptations

Reggae in the grass- Sound Dimension / Grazing in the grass - Hugh Masekela

Whole lotta woman - Eugene Paul / Arthur Conley

Turn back the hands of time - Cornell Campbell / Tyrone Davis

You don't care - The Techniques / You'll want me back - The Impressions

These eyes - Alton Ellis / Jr. Walker & the All Stars

Everybody plays the fool - The Chosen Few / The Main Ingredient

Walk away from love - Ken Boothe / David Ruffin

Break up to make up - Leroy & Junior / The Stylistics

What does it take (to win your love) - Alton Ellis / Jr. Walker & the All Stars