By Patrick (67.38.3.116) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 10:36 pm:

I have always liked Van Halen's cover of "You Really Got Me" originally by the Kinks. Van Halen did it better, I thought.

Hendrix did a better rendition of "all along the watchtower" witch Bob Dylan wrote.

The Who did some great covers of Motown songs without the help of an orchestra or super-producer.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 10:44 pm:

Hendrix did NOT do a better version of "Hey Joe". I THINK (but am not sure) that Tim Rose did it as a slow song first, and better.

By Livonia Ken (206.148.224.84) on Thursday, February 20, 2003 - 11:44 pm:

I would put Thelma Houston's "Don't Leave Me This Way" neck and neck with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' original take.

I mentioned James Taylor's "Handy Man" reinvention and Laura Lee's version of the Glass House's "Crumbs off the Table" in the other threads.

Aretha's cover of Otis Reddings "Respect" is usually the first song mentioned in these types of discussions.

I don't know about better than the original, but I always liked the Beatles Motown covers. John Lennon couldn't sing like Smokey, but he definitely got what "You Really Got a Hold on Me", "Money", and "Please Mr. Postman" were all about. I also liked The Band's take on "Baby Don't You Do It".

A recent cover that really smokes is Joan Osborne's take on "Smiling Faces Sometimes" with assistance from Isaac Hayes and Me'Shell NdegéOcello.

Regards,
Ken

By STUBASS (152.163.188.68) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 12:34 am:

"GET READY"...CAUSE HERE I COME!!!...THE TEMPTATIONS VERSION WAS CERTAINLY THE "CLASSIC" VERSION OF THE TUNE...AND THAT PARTICULAR SONG WAS A MAINSTAY OF THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCES...AND LENT ITSELF TO THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE GROUPS PATENTED "ROUTINES"!!!...RARE EARTH GRABBED THE TUNE LATER...AND INJECTED A BIT OF "GRIT" INTO THE COMPOSITION...MORE LIKE A BAND TUNE...THAN A GROUP WITH FULL MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT!!!...TEMPTS...UPTEMPO...RARE EARTH...MORE IN A GROOVE!!!...BOTH SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS...AND PROBABLY AN ACCURATE REPRESENTATION OF WHERE MOTOWN RECORDS WAS AT THE TIME OF THEIR RESPECTIVE RELEASES!!!...STU

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.69) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 12:43 am:

I always liked Undisputed Truths 'Save my Love for a rainy day'.
mel.

By PhilH (203.221.53.92) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 05:25 am:

Gladys & The Pips' "One Less Bell To Answer" and "Help Me Make It Through The Night" (Gladys solo).

Phil

By john dixon (63.101.17.207) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 05:54 am:

I never was a big Doobie Brothers fan but they did a good job with "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)". In fact Jeff Baxter's sizzling guitar solo lifts it a bit above the original in my book, no offense to Kim Weston.

Also, I read in the liner notes of "The Best Of Brenda Holloway that she wasn't that pleased with the arrangement of "You've Made Me So Very Happy" and when she heard Blood, Sweat & Tears' version that was more like what she had imagined in her head. I think their version does have a bit more kick and I'm not a big fan of them either.

By stephanie (206.214.1.194) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 06:14 am:

I think Johhny Rivers version of Baby I need Your Loving is different but as good as the original (dont throw tomatoes!!!!)

Carly Simon and James Taylors version of Mockingbird is BETTER than Charlie and Inez Foxx Im shocked they pulled it off..
Stephanie

By dvdmike (65.208.234.61) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 07:01 am:

I'm sorry, but I liked Jimmy Jones' original version of "Handy Man" much better than James Taylor's sleepy rendition and I liked Inez & Charkie Foxx's "Mockingbird" more than Taylor & Simon's.

By R&B (138.238.41.128) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 08:16 am:

WELL YOU ASKED FOR IT,ONE OF THE FEW THINGS I LIKED BY THE EARLY BEATLES WAS THEIR COVER OF[PLEASE MR.POSTMAN}....DON'T BURN ME AT THE STAKE BUT I LIKED THE DARN THING!!

By Sue (64.12.97.7) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 08:27 am:

Ditto dvdmike,
Mrs. and Mrs. James Taylor couldn't top Inez & Charlie Foxx's "Mockingbird" ...I too liked the Doobies' "Take Me In Your Arms" -- it was a cool Motown cover too because most groups do the huge Motown hits, which is usually a big mistake, they're too familiar.

By Nish (66.119.33.135) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 09:07 am:

The Four Tops and Supremes' duet version of "Hello Stranger" is a great cover.

The Escorts' version of "Let's Make Love At Home Sometimes" is nowhere near competing with Smokey's but I love it.

The Miracles' version of "I'm On The Outside Looking In" compares favorably with the Imperials'

By TonyRussi (68.18.33.32) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 09:34 am:

I loved Mary Wells cover of "Love Makes TheWorld Go Around"by Deon Jackson...sounds like it was written with her in mine.Also thought "Young & In Love" & "Thats How Heartaches Are Made" are better by the Marvelettes.I do like Baby Washingtons voice on the original "Heartaches" but not the production.

By MEL&THEN SOME (195.219.7.31) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 10:11 am:

Not better but a really good version was
Patrice Holloway's cut of Sam Nesbitt's superb 'Black Mother Goose'.

And also not a bad cut was The International Kansas City Playboy's version of the immortal Big Maybelle's 'Quittin'Time.
mel.

By KevGo (64.115.26.80) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 11:16 am:

The Temptations version of "Smiling Faces Sometimes" shows the group, Norman Whitfield and the Funks at their best. The arrangement is amazing (should have been used in a movie)as well. This is from their 1971 album "Sky's The Limit" which also contains great re-do's of "Gonna Keep On Trying Til I Win Your Love" (which they cut in 1968 for the "Cloud Nine" album) and "I'm The Exception To The Rule."

"Sky's The Limit" also contained "Just My Imagination."

BTW - Charlie & Inez Foxx's "Mockingbird" gets my vote. James & Carly shoudn't have bothered trying...

Kevin Goins - KevGo

By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 06:04 pm:

R&B - Yeah Beatles! What people forget about The Beatles was that they started out as a "cover" band and sometimes had to peform 8 hours a night. I think Paul once said in an interview that their goal was to do an entire night in Germany without repeating a song. They built their reputation as performers first, & combined with great songwriting, they became huge.

Nilsson's "Without You" blows away Badfinger's version. The major difference is in the chorus where Nilsson sings "I can't Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive" whereas Badfinger's "Live" was very staccato. It was enough to turn an album track into a smash.

Motown covers Motown - Head to Head Marvin Gaye's "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" crushes The Temptations version. What a majestic recording! It's also one of the least complex bass lines ever recorded at Motown. Sometimes it takes plenty of skill to play something so simple.

By fayette (64.12.97.7) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 06:09 pm:

see stu that's what i like about you. you always
teaching me something.i didn't know there was another version of that song

By STUBASS (206.135.204.2) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 06:14 pm:

FAYETTE: THAN THE QUESTION BECOMES...WHICH VERSION WERE YOU FAMILIAR WITH????????????????...STU

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 06:23 pm:

Steve....
....Nillson was very very good at covers. His version of "You Can't Do That", with its interplay of other Beatles titles is choice, and he did excellent interpertations of Randy Newman songs.

By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 06:50 pm:

Doug - I've heard of his version of "You Can't Do That" but I've never actually heard it. I might just track it down.
-Steve

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 07:03 pm:

Steve...
....It'ill be hard. It was on his first LP, "Pandmonium Shadow Show", which is out of print. It was not used on the combo LP "Aerial Pandomium Ballet", which combined songs from his first two LP's.

By fayette (205.188.209.38) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 07:05 pm:

stu the tempts version of course

By Scratcher (65.132.77.125) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 07:10 pm:

Nish:

Smokey Robinson never cut "Let's Make Love at Home Sometime," written by George Kerr and Raymond Walker.

By DickGamble (216.93.58.230) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 07:24 pm:

My vote would have to go to the Righteous Brothers version of "Unchained Melody"

Originally recorded by Al Hibbler in 1955 and covered by Roy Hamilton in 1955 and in 1963 by Vito and the Salutations the Righteous brothers nailed this one.

Not to take anything away from Al Hibbler or Roy Hamiltons versions Bobby Hatfields voice just fits this song to a tee.

Dick

By Nish (66.119.33.170) on Friday, February 21, 2003 - 09:42 pm:

Scratcher, my gosh, what a blatant mistake, I meant to put the Escorts' "Ooh Baby Baby." Blame it on the victory party I attended a few days ago. WOW!!! I really didn't put ANY thought into that! My bad, guys!

By Mark Speck (65.56.4.85) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 03:07 am:

"You Can't Do That" is one of the bonus tracks on the newly remastered CD of "Aerial Pandemonium Ballet".

Best,

Mark

By 1wicked (64.32.154.94) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 12:58 pm:

"You're As Right As Rain"....Stylistics and Nancy Wilson. Toss up here...both great...just slightly different readings.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 01:04 pm:

Mark Speck.....
.....THANK YOU!!! You'd think they'd put it on a greatest hits package, in as much as they use the Lennon quote on the packaging.

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 04:47 pm:

NRBQ's version of "You're So Beautiful" tops the original Watts 103rd St Band version , IMHO.

SteveK

By Jim Vitti (68.60.97.20) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 06:09 pm:

Here's one for ya'll;

Aretha's version - of Dion Warwicks' "I Say A Little Prayer For You". A knock out!!!

Jim

By LTLFTC (12.210.76.205) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 07:36 pm:

Jim ; I agree - what's strange to me is that I like a lot of Dionne Warwick's records but I don't care for her version of that song at all and yet the Aretha version is one of my all-time favorites.

SteveK

By DramaLJDiva (207.69.94.80) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 10:28 pm:

Although I like both versions, the Tempts' and Supremes' version of "I Second that Emotion" from the "The Temptations Join the Supremes" LP is just as good as the original. I always enjoy Eddie and Diana's duets.

By TD (68.69.127.104) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 11:07 pm:

Rationals
"Respect"- very good
along with The Four Tops version of "If I Were a Carpenter"- a completely original version compared to Tim Hardin and Bobby Darin.

TD

By john c (12.2.233.107) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 11:16 pm:

Mitch Ryder's Devil With A Blue Dress.

Van Halen's You Really Got Me better than the Kinks??????????

By john dixon (152.163.188.68) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 11:21 pm:

yeah,john c, that kinda bothered me too about Van Halen over the Kinks. Maybe it justs depends on which one you grew up with.

By john c (12.2.233.107) on Saturday, February 22, 2003 - 11:27 pm:

John,

It's more than that. That record was the beginning of ROCK music. And David Lee Roth over Ray Davies???

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Sunday, February 23, 2003 - 12:37 pm:

LTLFTC....
....Anything NRBQ covers is good. I especially like "C'mon Everybody" and the version of "Some Day My Prince Will Come" they did with Tanya Tucker.

By john dixon (205.188.209.38) on Sunday, February 23, 2003 - 01:26 pm:

You're right doug, NRBQ, along with their fine original material, do great covers. Their version of Johnny Cash's "Get Rhythm" smokes! Same goes for "It's A Wild Weekend" and "I've Got A Rocket In My Pocket". I sure hated it when Big Al Anderson left the group and went to Nashville. Big Al is king of the gonzo guitar solo; I saw him just the other night on Lettermen playing in Vince Gill's band.

By douglasm (68.113.15.28) on Sunday, February 23, 2003 - 01:37 pm:

Besides, when was the last time you heard a rock band cover Sun Ra?

By Mark Speck (64.159.101.148) on Sunday, February 23, 2003 - 04:03 pm:

Just thought of one: Taj Mahal's version of Homer Banks' "A Lot of Love".

Best,

Mark

By medusa9e (66.73.14.28) on Monday, March 03, 2003 - 08:44 pm:

Yes,
...and as much as i love Stevie Wonder, i prefer the song "You and I" sung by Obryan. It has a better rhythm and it has more feeling to it.

By JSmith (212.39.231.20) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 08:26 am:

For me , the best are both by David Ruffin. His version's of "I Want You Back" and of " Everlasting Love" (a Robert Knight hit originally -- Robert's voice was so different from David's that it almost becomes a new song).
Strangely (!!!!) David's version also really wipes the floor with the UK hit version by Love Affair.

By Soul Sister (65.43.153.219) on Tuesday, April 15, 2003 - 10:46 pm:

The LIVE verson of "Wildflower"by The O'Jays, even tho'the New Birth verson was great!

By Aba21 (208.191.122.205) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 12:53 pm:

I have enjoyed all the versions of I Heard It Through The Grapevine ranking them Marvin, Gladys and the Temps in that order. I think the Temps version had a chance to do something had it been released as a single

By Julian (152.163.188.68) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 01:31 pm:

I really like Smoke's version of "Grapevine."

By Davie Gordon (193.122.21.42) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 01:44 pm:

Martha and the Vandellas' version of "Tracks of
My Tears" is excellent - it's a real shame it's
never been isssued on CD, even as a bonus track
on the recent UK reissue series.

By Steve Litos (209.100.86.4) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 01:46 pm:

I think everyone who saw the movie or the Funk Brothers on this tour would have to concur that Joan Osborne & The Funk Brothers version of "What Becomes of The Brokenhearted" is as good or better than Jimmy Ruffin & the Funk Brothers version over 35 years ago.

By TonyRussi (68.18.33.86) on Friday, April 25, 2003 - 03:01 pm:

Yes Davie, I agree Martha & the Vandellas did a great job with "Tracks" I think I have it on a vinyl lp released in the 80's that was various unissued Motown recordings.