Are there any Motown Covers of Stax songs?

[Optimal Saint]

I know that Stax covered Motown songs [[so did everyone and their brother)

https://www.amazon.com/Soulsville-Sings-Hitsville-Various-Artists/dp/B000ULQVHU/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1541619864&sr=1-4&keywords=stax+motown

But did Motown artists ever return the favor?

If so I can't think of any off hand

And if not, what Stax songs would you have loved to hear a Motown version of? and by who?

Marvin singing "I've been loving you too long"?

The Funk Brothers doing Green Onions or Time is Tight?

The Four Tops singing Who's Making Love?

The Supremes version of B-A-B-Y?

[snakepit]

David Ruffin " I could never be president"

Bobby Taylor did a few..

[snakepit]

Marvelettes " So I can love you"

[drewschultz88]

Although he's leaning more towards Aretha's version, this one might count:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yR9p35h3ig

[reese]

Bobby Taylor recorded a live version of WHO'S MAKING LOVE.

Edwin Starr and Blinky recorded I'LL UNDERSTAND.

The Supremes and the Tempts recorded RESPECT.

Gladys Knight and the Pips recorded HEAVY MAKES YOU HAPPY.

[WaitingWatchingLookingForAChance]

While not recorded by artists directly on the Stax label, H-D-H produced The Elgins singing Wilson Pickett's "634-5789", which was written by Stax artist Eddie Floyd and Stax musician Steve Cropper, and "In The Midnight Hour" written in part by Steve Cropper. And Martha Reeves recorded a non-released cover of Sam and Dave's "Hold On, I'm Coming"

[BritishTony]

And Blinky recorded Can't Turn You Loose live on stage

[BritishTony]

And Dennis recorded Try A Little Tenderness [[though admittedly after Motown :-) )

[marv2]

Mary Wilson performed "Hold On I'm Coming" for years in her live shows.

[mysterysinger]

Dennis Edwards had a Gordy release on "Try a Little Tenderness" and it was also recorded by Bobby Taylor as well as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

[mysterysinger]

"Soul Man" was recorded by Bobby Taylor. "Green Onions" appears on the Tommy Good CD.

[rovereab]

Off the top of my head, these might have worked well:

Private Number by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay by Marvin Gaye
B-A-B-Y by Florence Ballard

[Optimal Saint]

Off the top of my head, these might have worked well:

Private Number by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay by Marvin Gaye
B-A-B-Y by Florence Ballard

good choices

i could hear all these in my mind

[jboy88]

Can we really count Try a Little Tenderness” as a Stax song though? Sure Stax produced the definitive version, but it’s still a Tin Pan Alley era standard.

[reese]

Can we really count Try a Little Tenderness” as a Stax song though? Sure Stax produced the definitive version, but it’s still a Tin Pan Alley era standard.

Probably not. Everyone from Bing Crosby to Aretha Franklin recorded that song before Otis Redding put his stamp on it.

[Boogiedown]

Probably not. Everyone from Bing Crosby to Aretha Franklin recorded that song before Otis Redding put his stamp on it.

really!?
I have to look this up!!

[Boogiedown]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcC9LLD6Y_M

Bing Crosby

[RanRan79]

what Stax songs would you have loved to hear a Motown version of? and by who?


Otis Redding "Ole Man Trouble" by David Ruffin
William Bell "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" by Marvin Gaye
Soul Children "The Sweeter He Is" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
Eddie Floyd "Knock On Wood" by the Tempts w/Paul Williams on lead
Temprees "If I Could Say What's On My Mind" by the 4 Tops
Staple Singers "I'll Take You There" by Stevie Wonder
Emotions "Stealin Love" by the Supremes w/Mary Wilson on lead
Emotions "Show Me How" by Diana Ross

Not that she would've been with Motown at this point, but I always thought Flo Ballard would've done a terrific "Mr. Big Stuff".

[MIKEW-UK]

I always thought a key business principle of Berry Gordy was to make money off song publishing through his jobete catalogue rather than releasing material where the company did not own the publishing rights. It was a very sound business decision, but it also maintained the integrity of the Motown Sound. There were very few Stax covers as you all have mentioned. My sole contribution is Respect Yourself by Bruce Willis.
Cheers. Mike

[rovereab]

good choices

i could hear all these in my mind

Optimal Saint, I can evan see Flo singing B-A-B-Y with her rather lovely body language. She would have nailed this song IMO.

[lockhartgary]

My picks on what would have been good covers:

Had he lived, Shorty Long could have covered Rufus Thomas's "Funky Chicken".
"Cheaper to Keep Her" by Johnny Taylor - David Ruffin
"Gee Whiz" by Carla Thomas - Mary Wells
"Your Good Thing [[Is About To End)" by Mabel John - Mary Wells

[marv2]

The Supremes performed the Staple Singers "I'll Take You There" on their "Live In Japan" album.

[woodward]

You learn something new every day. I looked up on Amazon the CD that was shown in the initial thread. I was surprised to learn that Billy Eckstine was a Stax artist at one time.
Interesting.

[sansradio]

You learn something new every day. I looked up on Amazon the CD that was shown in the initial thread. I was surprised to learn that Billy Eckstine was a Stax artist at one time.
Interesting.

He can briefly be seen in the Wattstax documentary [[not singing, but being interviewed).

[Optimal Saint]

I would have loved to hear the funk brothers do their take on booker t and the MGs, and the Shaft theme

[StuBass1]

I would have loved to hear the funk brothers do their take on booker t and the MGs, and the Shaft theme
Funk Brothers rhythm guys [[Robert, Joe, Benny, Jamerson, Joe H, Johnny, and Earl)were more jazz oriented while The MG's [[ Booker, Cropper, Dunn, and Big Al) were more southern and blues geared stylistically... A closer comparison for The Funks are the MFSB guys, who were more influenced by 60's R&B, Motown, and The Funk Brothers themselves... That said...really good musicians generally appreciate other really good musicians, regardless of style and genre... Entire Shaft soundtrack was awesome... Isaac stepped way outside the Stax sound...

[kpitt1204]

When I think of the song, I think of Otis.

[robb_k]

You learn something new every day. I looked up on Amazon the CD that was shown in the initial thread. I was surprised to learn that Billy Eckstine was a Stax artist at one time.
Interesting.
17044
He moved directly from leaving Motown to go to Stax. I was shocked when that crooner signed with Motown. When he then multiplied that by 1000, going ridiculously far from his career-built genre, I almost had a heart attack. That was more shocking than if Nat Cole had signed with Stax, or James Brown Productions.

[soulwally]

Eckstine’s Stormy album, for Stax’s Enterprise label, is excellent. Produced by Isaac Hayes And arranged by ex Motowner Johnny Allen, it’s got the same instrumental sound as Hayes’s classic Stax albums

[jbpintus]

The Elgins did record “In the Midnight Hour”, “6345789” as well as “when a man loves a woman” and “it’s a man’s man’s world” which of course are not Stax records, but are other classic soul cuts that were rarely covered by MOTOWN acts.

And let’s not forget Wilson Pickett did record an album for Motown in 1987 on which he covered his own aforementioned “In the midnight hour”, and Mable John who signed with both Motown and Stax.

JB

[jbpintus]

As a side note, I’ve always liked the Bar-Kay’s b-side of “Soul Finger”. It’s a thing called “Knucklehead” and it is really a rip-off “Uptight”

[lockhartgary]

As a side note, I’ve always liked the Bar-Kay’s b-side of “Soul Finger”. It’s a thing called “Knucklehead” and it is really a rip-off “Uptight”

When you called "Knucklehead" a ripoff of "Uptight" you weren't kidding!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGmsSeQcwdA

[Optimal Saint]

Otis Redding "Ole Man Trouble" by David Ruffin
William Bell "I Forgot to Be Your Lover" by Marvin Gaye
Soul Children "The Sweeter He Is" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
Eddie Floyd "Knock On Wood" by the Tempts w/Paul Williams on lead
Temprees "If I Could Say What's On My Mind" by the 4 Tops
Staple Singers "I'll Take You There" by Stevie Wonder
Emotions "Stealin Love" by the Supremes w/Mary Wilson on lead
Emotions "Show Me How" by Diana Ross

Not that she would've been with Motown at this point, but I always thought Flo Ballard would've done a terrific "Mr. Big Stuff".

These all would have been great

[grapevine]

...some more Stax ...on Motown...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St6pFCtUyaU
...originally by The Soul Children


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ijk9UIqVv6A
...originally by Otis Redding


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-ltSUj16mU
...originally by Isaac Hayes

Grape :)

[jboy88]

Who else would have loved to hear Tammi Terrell give Marvin the business on a cover version of Otis & Carla’s “Tramp”?

[Optimal Saint]

When I think of the song, I think of Otis.


So does everyone

[Boogiedown]

this song to me sounds like Motown toying with the Stax sound , sort of a I HEARD IT THRU THE GRAPEVINE meets The Staples hybrid:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuaLcsJIoc4