We only found four versions, the 1973 Brenda & the Tabulations original, a 1975 album track only by the
UK's Polly Brown, Pure Silk feat. Winsome 12" (mentioned the other day on the
Wendy Walker
post) and finally Gina Foster's Dutch only 7" promo (from a "Massive 5" CD compilation) both from
around 1992 and both reggae tinged versions.
If you know of any others then let is know.
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Having heard at least half a dozen versions of Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" (possibly
the most iconic soulful Christmas song) released this
year alone, it got me to wondering how many versions of it have been
recorded.
SecondHandSongs
lists 300 so there will be many others not listed (including several in
the playlist below).
Here's a playlist of 50 of the best ones I've come across (in loosely
chronological order of release). Three hours worth of background music for
Christmas day or until you get fed up with the song, but there are many
different arrangements and styles.
Nancy Butts was from Sparta, GA, and was the lead singer in
her family gospel group the Butts Sisters before releasing half a dozen
secular singles, initially on Eugene Davis' Detroit label Flaming Arrow and
Crow and then on Jar-Val out of Macon, GA, run by DJ Hamp Swain which was
also responsible for the release of Matt Brown's superb "Thank You Baby".
Her first release on Jar-Val included a cover of Don Covay's "Letter Full Of
Tears" which was picked up nationally by King Records.
Hit And Run Records has just reissued both sides of her first single on
Flaming Arrow "I Want To Hold Your Hand Baby" / "Your Friend Will Take The Man You
Love". In that post I alluded to another song from her that I would post
separately so here it is with another two later cover versions.
It's a deep soul song "I Can't Love But One Man At A Time" which was covered twice by New Love Ltd. as "One Love At A Time" who released it as a single on Arco in 1977 and then on their only album,
"So Much To Talk About" (1978) (where they were billed as New Love Ltd & Interstate 95) which
only appears to have been released in Brazil, although there is a 2015
reissue by Funky Planet. The album version is a different take to the
single. It is thought that it is Nancy Butts on the single but the album
vocalist is definitely Valerie Lipford.
Whilst the original song is credited to only Jackie Avery, on the Arco single Nancy Butts is also on writer's credits which may be why it is thought she is singing? However, on the album version both are replaced by Samuel Wilson who was a member of Today, Tomorrow, Forever's band and is credited with writing all songs. The things that went on! He has other writing and performing credits with Rivage on their rare 1981 album "Sittin' On It" from where their sought after modern soul gem "Strung Out On Your Love" came from, as well as with Philly Cream and The Mighty Ryeders. Incidentally Ronald Broomfield (aka Eugene Wilde, brother of Vince) was also a member of Today, Tomorrow, Forever.
Nancy Butts [1972] - I Can't Love But One Man At A Time [Jar-Val
#14]
New Love Ltd [1977] - One Man At A Time [Arco #100]
New Love Ltd & Interstate 95 [1978] - One Man At A Time [Giant
#201.005]
The song "Lucky Fellow" was written by Charles Boyd and Gerald
Dickerson who were members of The Creations who later became
Contributors of Soul.
The song was originally recorded by Maurice Jackson in 1971. It came
out on two labels, initially on Candle Light (the only listed release
on the label) and then on Lakeside in 1972 (one of only 3 singles on
the label). Jackson's original version was arranged by one Donny
Hathaway.
Jackson then joined The Independents whose members included Chuck
Jackson, Helen Curry, Eric Thomas and Marvin Yancy and the song was included on their second album "Chuck, Helen, Eric, Maurice" in 1973. The Independents version was produced members Chuck
Jackson and Marvin Yancy who went on to write, arrange and produce for
the likes of, most famously, Natalie Cole and Phyllis Hyman.
The next version came in 1975 on Leroy Huston's third solo album
"Hutson". It was only released as a single, at the time, in the
Philippines on Warner Bros., the album was on Curtom which was
originally distributed by Buddah until around 1974 and then switched
to Warner Bros. Leroy Huston replaced Curtis Mayfield in The
Impressions in 1971 and left for a solo career in 1973 and his
material is revered in rare groove and modern soul circles.
There have been several reissues in various vinyl formats over the
years a Curtom UK 12" (2000), an unofficial Curtom 12" (2013), Acid Jazz 7" (2018) and on various albums and compilations over the years.
The final version, that I know of (if you know of others then spill
the beans) is by London percussionist and DJ Mark Cotgrove under the
alias of Snowboy, who rose to fame in the acid jazz era in 1991. The
vocalist on Snowboy's version is the very recently deceased Noel McCoy.
NOTE Strangely when I put the playlist below together a couple of
days ago Maurice Jackson was available, but is no longer. It was
reissued digitally by Mad About Records in Mar 2021. I'll leave it in
the playlist in case it re-emerges but have had to post it from
YouTube.
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
I've just seen a rare version of The Intruder's "Cowboys To Girls"
posted on facebook by Richard Gilbert aka Gilly who's a well known 'face'
on the UK Northern Soul scene. It's a version by The Composers. Although not
listed under the same artist on either Discogs or 45Cat, I wonder if it's
the same group who did "Let's Get To The Point" on Complex 3 Records as it
has that same naive / raw sound. Both recordings are the only recording on
the respective labels i.e. Composer Recordings in 1969 and Complex 3 in
1970, so probably both private pressings. However, digging a bit deeper
probably not as The Composers were known earlier as The Knightriders from
Portland, OR and the other Composers recording was on a NYC label.
Anyway I thought I'd bundle together all the different versions I could find (23 so far) and to be perfectly honest none after 1980 quite cut the mustard!
Links to Discogs on cat. no. and to YouTube on artist.
Nashville group not the group originally known as The Velours who moved to England as The Fantastics. The label released mainly covers of soul hits recorded by relatively unknown artists.
One of the first covers by The Duke Of Earl which is album only.
1968 - The Hollywood Youngsters [Center #17026 ST] Top Hits Aus USA, Folge 2 LP
I've not heard this and can't find a sound file but don't expect much as it looks like one of those 'Top Of The Pops' type recordings but from Germany.
You'd hardly call this a polished performance but as one comment on the YT post puts it, that's the 'essence' of rare soul. These guys probably turned up to a studio and did it in one take and put it on vinyl to sell at their gigs.
A song written by Ivy Jo Hunter with William 'Mickey' Stevenson and
recorded by Hunter in July 1964 but not released until many years later on a
2004 compilation CD.
The first, and definitive, release was by the Four Tops in Jan 1965. The
song has featured here a couple of times in recent weeks, firstly The Fantastics
1970 cover and last week in the Michael Henderson tribute. Other versions
have also featured e.g. John Gary Williams as the flip to "The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy" Ukraine solidarity post several weeks ago and probably
a few more as well.
It got me to thinking just now many different version there were of the
song. Many well known and others not so much.
I'm not stating that this is a definitive list but it is quite exhaustive (25 versions so far).
If you know of any other worthy versions then please leave a comment as I'm
sure there will be some missed.
A poignant addition received from Bill Buckley (SoulAndJazzAndFunk) is a version by the recently departed William 'Poogie' Hart (The Delfonics) on a 2006 compilation where Philly artists sang Motown songs and vice versa.
Links on artist name to YouTube clips and on cat. no. to Discogs
The first released version is a demo version with a count in (which also sounds a little faster), another version was
released on
Motown Unreleased 1969
Not the same group that recorded on Westbound, and did the modern soul gem "What's It All About", but another blue-eyed group from South Carolina (Columbia) aka The Swinging Counts.
A Vegas 'lounge lizard' (real name Anthony Pettine) who recorded quite an MOR version on his first album on which he tries to look (and possibly sound) like Elvis.
Jury's out on date as he started suffixing an 'e' to his first name from
Oct 1966 onwards after "That's Enough" which suggests that it's pre 1967
but does actually sound later, more towards end of 60s / early 70s.
"Move Me No Mountain" is a song written by Jerry Ragovoy and Aaron
Schroeder originally recorded in 1974 by Love Unlimited.Dionne Warwick's version in 1975, released as a single (UK only) from her "Then Came
You" album, used a slightly different melody in the song's chorus which is
the variation that was covered by Chaka Khan in 1980 on
"Naughty".
Hank Crawford recorded a more up-tempo instrumental version
in 1975 on his "I Hear A Symphony" album.
Soul II Soul released multiple different mixes of it as a
single in 1992. More recently there have been a couple of jazz covers
by Rigmor Gustafsson and The Jacky Terrasson Trio in
2004 and Quiana Lynell in 2019.
A producer called 9th Wonder (Patrick Denard Douthit) has
sampled it on a couple of occasions as Median on "Maglife" in 2007 and
then on "AllYouGot" on "Lost Beats Volume 3" in 2009.
Coincidentally, 9th Wonder also produced the track "Real Love" on Anthony
Hamilton's latest album "Love Is The New Black" .. which, as if by synchronicity, also samples Ahmad Jamal's
"Swahililand" which was sampled by Dave Lee for "Far Beyond" just covered
by
Lance Ferguson
and posted earlier today ... you couldn't make it up!
NB This post was inspired by Dionne Warwick's version played today by Gary Van Den Bussche on his lunchtime show on Starpoint radio.
Inspired by the version played by GVB on his show today by Jennifer
Holliday from her 1987 album "Get Close To My Love" who most will know
her from the big ballad "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" which
virtually every talent show wannabe sings.
It's a bit odd as the song writing is credited to Van McCoy on most releases but to Clyde Wilson (aka Steve Mancha) and Herbert Ross (who wrote songs recorded by Darrell Banks , J.J. Barnes ("Snowflakes",
"To An Early Grave"), The Dells and Johnnie Taylor amongst others) on the Jennifer Holliday and Donny Hathaway recordings.
"Givin' Up" was first recorded in 1964 by Gladys Knight & The Pips,
other versions of interest to soulies followed by Julie Grant (1965), The
Ad Libs (1969), Donny Hathaway (1971), Zulema (1973), Child Of Friendship
Train Robbers (1974), The Topics (1974), Shirley Brown (1977), Denise
LaSalle (1980), Jennifer Holliday (1987), Vick Allen (2004), Kenny
Lattimore (2008), David Caceres (2010), Umo Jazz Orchestra meets Magnum
Coltrane Price (2012), Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters (2015) and Dee Dee
Bridgewater (2017).
There are other versions including a psych one by The Hassles (1968) and also a smooth jazz instrumental by Kirk Whalum (2010) and probably more if I dug a bit deeper. If you know of any other worthy versions then drop a comment.
Many were found on Spotify so here's a playlist. Those that aren't are
from YouTube below.
I've just seen a new version of the 1976 L.T.D. classic 'Love Ballad' made famous by George Benson but it got me wondering how many versions of it there are. Heres' a list of ones I could find (20 so far). There's a few reggae covers which I've omitted as it was de rigueur for them to make reggae versions of hits. I've also excluded instrumentals, as again a lot of jazz artists, in particular, do instrumental covers of hits, although I quite like Gary Bartz's version. If you know of any others (which there probably are) then leave a comment and I'll add them.
Click artist name to listen to track or album name to view in Discogs.
I've flagged the better versions with an asterisk.
Love Togetherness & Devotion featuring Jeffrey Osbourne on lead who left the group in 1980 to pursue a solo career.
It's still a 'no brainer' for me - L.T.D. for the most soulful and George Benson for the most dancable. Freddie Jackson and K-Ci & Jo Jo's versions are worthy efforts and I like the Tanya Blount version which I've had on CD since release.
One of the very first soul 45s I bought was Bettye Swann - Make Me Yours. I came a cross a playlist in Blues & Soul today which included Ann Peebles version which she recorded on her debut album that I wasn't aware of, or had completely forgotten about. This got me wondering who else had covered it. The obvious one is Z.Z. Hill's version but there are quite a few others.
I've found 22 (so far). If you know of any others please leave a comment.
Here she is performing it live at 6Ts Northern Soul Weekender at Cleethorpes in 2013 aged 68!
OK ... this one will keep you entertained for a few hours over the weekend! ... I've found links for well over 50 different versions of the classic Smokey Robinson song! Some better than others but I haven't posted any that I don't particularly like. but have left a few from the list either because I can't find a clip or they just aren't good enough to make the cut.
What has been a surprise when doing this is how few Motown artists have covered it. The only ones I have come across are an unreleased 1968 version by Blinky (Williams) and her duet of it with Edwin Starr the following year. The Temptations covered in much later in 2006 and one-time Motown artist Teena Marie did some live versions, but as far as I'm aware never actually recorded it.
To kick it off here's a lovely video of street buskers The Connections in Washington Square Park, NY in 2014 with an impromptu interjection from a lady in the street. Made me smile!
1971 - The Fuzz - a much different arrangement, slightly more upbeat and a crossover almost reggae style. I'm liking this version!
197? - The Moments - this is a 'firme rola'! I don't think it's the Moments that recorded on Stang as can't find it listed anywhere so must be pretty rare?... and pretty darn good!
1971 - The Moments - Here's The (Stang) Moments live version on album Live In New York part of a medley (starts 2 min in)
1993 - Spirit Traveller - can't find this but there is a version of Since I Lost My Baby which is a jazz laden guitar instrumental so assume this to be similar?
1998 - Todd Rundgren - a live radio broadcast on WMMR-FM from Sigma Sound Studios.
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