Donny Hathaway's Jealous Guy is great, never heard it before, thanks. I think Frankie Miller has an even better version Jealous Guy. I have about a hundred covers I like but I think I'll just post some more great beatles covers. It almost seem obligatory for every soul artist to cover a beatles song, here's a few of the better ones. Wilson Pickett Hey Jude. I don't really like wilson much, but I think this is a pretty good cover. Aretha Franklin - Eleanor Rigby. I think the studio version is even better, but the video is more entertaining to watch then an album cover. Al Green I Wanna Hold Your Hand. Short and sweet. I got a bunch of reggae covers of the beatles but I don't really feel like weeding em out right now, lots are good. Trojan Records put out a two or three reggae beatles albums that have some gems, and plenty of non-Trojan reggae covers. In the reggae vibe but from a rasta punk band I always like the Bad Brains Day Tripper, it's mashed up with the Stones She Comes in Rainbows. I like to play covers of songs daughter loves on the theory that it will help her distinguish the similarities and differences between things. She loves the beatles and Blackbird has always been a song she enjoys. It was fun to see her light up with delight and sing along to both these versions. Roslyn Sweet & The Paragons Billy Preston I haven't even dipped my toe into rock or country beatles covers, but I think I've done enough.
These are great cgod. I have effectively brainwashed my daughter in to loving the Beatles. The other day, "I'm Only Sleeping" came on my iPod while on shuffle and she said, "it's the Beatles." I was pretty proud. She can also name them by sight and often by sound.. at least Paul. She LOVES Ringo. What kid doesn't? As for Beatles covers, the first that always spring to mind are all the Joe Cocker covers. I'm not saying they're the best, just the first ones that I think of. I will say that his version of "A Little Help From My Friends" was always a favorite of mine, so long as I'm able to separate it from the Wonder Years intro. But his version of "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window" always jumps to mind too. I dig the Preston version of Blackbird, I've never heard that before. Hopefully, Preston has free reign to cover any Beatles song. In fact, it shouldn't be called a "cover." Maybe just a sheet. Ever hear the Pixies version of Honey Pie?
I've got the original Aretha at the Fillmore LP. If I ever get a chance to pick this up on the cheap I will. I am no fan of Ray Charles but the track with him on the record is ok. Jerry Jemmott is a fine bass player but James Jamerson (my favorite bass player of all time) was a long time Aretha side man, I wish he had been on this date.
Nostalgia 77 absolutly killed the White Stripes Seven Nation Army I really like listening to different versions of the same song, like more than one cover and think about what makes each one special. Sam Cook's A Change Is Gonna Come is probably one of my top ten songs of all time but I couldn't tell you if I like his or Otis Redding's version better. I definitely like the Redding arrangement more, but think Sam Cooke is pretty much one of the most amazing vocalist of all time. I guess Otis wins because his version can bring tears to my eyes. Forget the those two GIANTS and dig Baby Huey's take this glorious aspirational song to a new place with a crazy psycadelic, break down laden with personalization and wild carzy soul screams. Another of my top ten songs of all time is well represented by Les McCann What's Going On. I guess since I've got some kind of civil rights theme going for the last two songs I'll toss in Barbara Dane with the Cambers Brothers doing It Isn't Nice. I'll bet no one here is familiar with the song, which kinda takes the it being a cover kick out of it, but it's a lovely cover, way better than the original. The Barbra Dan and the Cambers Brothers album is mostly covers, all incredibly well wrought. Seu Jorge and Almaz's version of Everybody Loves the Sunshine is great. Portland Oregon's own Sexton Blake put out an amazing album of thirteen covers, all so good it's hard to choose a best one.
Evil Woman
Woke up this morning with great covers on my mink, already forgot at least one of em. Harry Nilsson won a best male vocal performance Grammy from his cover of Badfingers Without You. It's a sappy song and the wolves video version is a bit silly but Harry really had some pipes. Detroit Cobras can really tear the ass out of rock cover. Cover of the Shrangri-La's Eaiser to Cry. The Dirtbombs from Detroit grind out some mean covers as well. They did an admirable job of transforming Marvin Gays Got to Give it Up, don't see it on youtube but check it out on a music service of your choice. Quixotic does some great covers. Here is a good version of [Billy Stewarts],(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g14VdGTDt64) Sitting in a Park. It's a nice transformation. I would have never heard Billy Stewart if it wasn't for Quixotic. Some one else posted Xiu Xiu's Fast Car a while back, I think it's a great version of a great song. I love this think of great covers game, don't think I've shuffled through my memory this hard in months.