Favorite rock versions of Motown songs

[Chris D]

One thing rock and roll bands were never afraid of: Taking someone else's songs and making another record out of them.

There have been lots of stirring rock versions of Motown tunes. What are some of your favorites?

The Stones had a thing for the Temptations, from their pretty rote "My Girl" to a Billy Preston-fied "Ain't Too Proud to Beg." They also did my favorite re-imagining of a Tempts' classic, taking "Just My Imagination" from a hypnotic hymn to a rave, with guitar layers splaying out in every direction.

You?

[John L]

I think that the Ronald Isley's revival of "This Old Heart of Mine" with Rod Stewart rivals the original. I don't know if that qualifies as rock.

James Taylor did a good job with "How Sweet it is to Be Loved By You."


The worst ever rock cover of a Motown song has to be Michael Bolton's take on "Reach Out, I'll Be There." I couldn't hear that from start to finish without vomiting.

[Root Doctor]

Graham Parker & the Rumour's "You Can't Hurry Love," from "Live at Marble Arch," may be my favorite. They also did a pretty snazzy version of "I Want You Back." Elvis Costello's take on Smokey's "From Head to Toe" is mighty fine, as is Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels' "Too Many Fish in the Sea."

Check out the Dirtbombs' fairly recent "Ultraglide in Black" for some imaginative soul reworkings, including a couple of Motown covers (Smokey, Junior Walker).

[Chris D]

GP and the Rumour also did a killer "I Want You Back." Good choice on "From Head to Toe"! One great reason (among many) to own "Out of Our Idiot."

Nagel will scream, but I always loved Rod's version of "(I Know) I'm Losing You."

[Dr Dave]

Not exactly MoTown, but the J. Geils Band took Dyke & The Blazers' "House Party" and turobcharged it, with good results.

A sentimental favorite is the dumbed down remake of "Can You Do It," originally a hit for The Contours, by Grand Funk Railroad. The original called a series of dance moves--eight, if memory serves. When Mark Farner sang it, he reduced it to:
"First step, you got to move to the left
Second step, you got to go for yourself
Third step, hey, you feelin' all right..."

The truly dedicated (or psychopathically curious) will find it on "Good Singin', Good Playin'" produced by Frank Zappa.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Diamanda Galas singing "My World Is Empty Without You" -- a cover that's clearly better than original, although The Supremes would be the first Motown act I'd look to for that kind of thing.

Vanilla Fudge did a bunch, but I hated those.

[Gentle Giant]

Originally Posted by Squaredancecalling Steve

Diamanda Galas singing "My World Is Empty Without You" -- a cover that's clearly better than original, although The Supremes would be the first Motown act I'd look to for that kind of thing.

Vanilla Fudge did a bunch, but I hated those.

Aw, c'mon! as I was scrolling down, I imagined my post would begin like this:

"Two words: Vanilla fucking Fudge."

My favorite version of You Keep Me Hanging On.

Also Barry White's Standing in the Shadows of Love.

[Root Doctor]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

Not exactly MoTown, but the J. Geils Band took Dyke & The Blazers' "House Party" and turobcharged it, with good results.

A sentimental favorite is the dumbed down remake of "Can You Do It," originally a hit for The Contours, by Grand Funk Railroad. The original called a series of dance moves--eight, if memory serves. When Mark Farner sang it, he reduced it to:
"First step, you got to move to the left
Second step, you got to go for yourself
Third step, hey, you feelin' all right..."

The truly dedicated (or psychopathically curious) will find it on "Good Singin', Good Playin'" produced by Frank Zappa.

Dr. Dave, Geils covered Dyke's "So Sharp." The Showstoppers did the original of "Ain't Nothin' But a House Party."

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by Root Doctor

Dr. Dave, Geils covered Dyke's "So Sharp." The Showstoppers did the original of "Ain't Nothin' But a House Party."

Ahem. That is correct. Insert "Showstoppers" above where I have typed "Dyke And The Blazers."

[Root Doctor]

The Band's version of "Baby, Don't You Do It," but not the Who's.

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

GG: In the late 60s in San Francisco, Vanilla Fudge were considered the epitome of "Los Angeles plastic" and despised as a matter of subcultural faith. I always thought they sounded whiney, and I hated their electric organ, or whatever it was.

[Root Doctor]

The Jam's "Back in My Arms Again."

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by Root Doctor

The Band's version of "Baby, Don't You Do It," but not the Who's.

The Band's version is a lot better than Marvin Gaye's, I think.

[Boris Badenov]

I don't know about the best, but the worst (at least outside of Michael Bolton) must be Rita Coolidge's take on "(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher." Followed by Rita's version of "The Way You Do the Things You Do" (though oin the latter case I don't like the original much either).

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Originally Posted by Boris Badenov

"(Your Love Has Lifted Me) Higher and Higher."

Not Motown, though: Jackie Wilson. The GREAT Jackie Wilson.

[Chris D]

Stevie Ray Vaughan did OK by "Superstition."

[Root Doctor]

Originally Posted by Dr Dave

The Band's version is a lot better than Marvin Gaye's, I think.

I think so, too, Dr. Dave.

[Boris Badenov]

"Not Motown, though: Jackie Wilson. The GREAT Jackie Wilson"

Square - My bad. In my haste to denounce Rita's act of musical desecration, I failed to note that the thread was label-specific.

[Root Doctor]

CCR's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," although I think Gladys Knight does the definitive version.

The Band's "Loving You"

[John B]

I enjoy the Red Hot Chili Pepper's version of "Higher Ground."

[Root Doctor]

The Beach Boys' "I Was Made to Love Her."

[Squaredancecalling Steve]

Boris: There's no pity in the naked city.

[groover]

The Grateful Dead did a couple of variations on "Dancin' in the Streets" that took it well beyond the original, though their studio version was too condensed to do justice to their funky re-arrangement.

They also did a slammin' version of Otis Redding's "Hard to Handle", long before the Black Crowes, though I don't know if that's technically Motown.

[Underhound]

I loved Genya Raven's version of "Back in My Arms Again" and "Stubborn Kinda Girl (Fella)"

Genya Raven kicked ass. Whatever happened to her?

[Deke]

There are plenty of rock versions of soul songs that I could name, but the only rock version of a Motown number that I ever liked was The Fudge's 'You keep me hangin' on' (We used to take it even slower...), unless you count Tower of Power's 'Nowhere to run'.

[steve(thelil)]

Boy, if only some fucking saint was selling a Vanilla Fudge LP over at ebay.

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by Root Doctor

CCR's "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," although I think Gladys Knight does the definitive version.

The Band's "Loving You"

Ooh, Gladys was sooo pissed off! Left Marvin in the dust.

PS: Marvin Gaye was one of the very best Motown singers. If you don't like "Let's Get It On" and "Sexual Healing," you're not human.

[Enforcer]

"Mel Farr, superstar, for a far better deal."

Throwing out a reference that only Al and bostontricky will get,
Larry

[kenny weir]

Best by a mile in my book: Johnny Rivers doing Baby, I Need Your Loving. Man oh man it gives me goose bumps every time, the way it quietens down in the middle and the lifts again with those cheesy LA chick vocals. Absolutely freakin' brilliant.

My copy's on this:



A great 2cd compilation that covers both sides of this underated artist - the Whisky A Go Go/Trini Lopez schtick and the singer/interpreter stuff like Summer Rain and Going Back To Big Sur.

[SEJ]

Hmm, maybe Savoy Brown's Can't Get Next To You...