Covers of Non-Motown Songs as Singles

The Four Tops, starting around 1968, released several covers of pretty popular songs of time time as singles including, "Walk Away Renee," "If I Were a Carpenter," "I'm a Believer", "Do What You Gotta Do", "River Deep/Mountain High [[with the Supremes), and more.

I was contemplating if there were other Motown acts whose number of A-side singles of covers of popular non-Motown songs equalled or surpassed the output of the Four Tops. Again, I am not necessarily referring to releasing just any non-Motown song; however, songs that were already identified with non-Motown artist or group.

Some of these are international singles, but a look on discogs shows these A Sides for the Supremes as well:

- Bring It On Home To Me
- Tumbling Tumbleweeds
- Only Sixteen
- The Weight [[w/ the Temptations)
- Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In
- The Rhythm Of Life [[w/ the Temptations)

When looked at in conjunction with all the duets you mentioned with the Tops/Supremes, it seems like the Tops and the Supremes both could have been acts that the label were pushing to cross over through popular covers and show tunes in addition to all their great Motown in-house hits!

I don't know any any artists that had more remakes of non-Motown that had been released as singles than The Four Tops. I don't think it would've happened if Holland-Dozier-Holland had stayed at the company [and I agree with drewschultz88's saying that The Tops & The Supremes were attempting to maintain their mainstream success via remakes of pop songs].

Man this is why I love this forum - Motown Eddie all this time I didn't know that was a cover song [[and man I've played it live, spun the record, practiced along with it, and shame on me I never looked at the writer's / publisher credits). The arrangement is even pretty similar, but I'll always love the Funk Brothers on the Temptations/Supremes version with that crazy bassline and the sometimes-slightly-swung 16ths on the groove.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUmFpbcm4_8

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Of course, we all know "That's How Heartaches Are Made", and "When You're Young and in Love". But those were the only two. But, during the time I was listening to the radio, The Four Tops only had 2 while with Motown - "Walk Away Renee" and "If I Were a Carpenter".

Jr Walker & the All Stars had "These Eyes" [Guess Who] and "Holly Holy" [Neil Diamond] as singles.

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Originally Posted by robb_k

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Of course, we all know "That's How Heartaches Are Made", and "When You're Young and in Love". But those were the only two. But, during the time I was listening to the radio, The Four Tops only had 2 while with Motown - "Walk Away Renee" and "If I Were a Carpenter".

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Four Tops also had hits with 'It's All In The Game' and 'Simple Game', even though the latter barely touched the US charts while we Brits made it a Top 3 hit.

Another Four Tops example "MacArthur Park".

The Miracles - "Where Are You Going To My Love"

Michael Jackson "Ain't No Sunshine", "Rockin' Robin", "You've Got A Friend" [[Turkey),
Jackson 5 "Doctor My Eyes", "Little Bitty Pretty One"
Jermaine Jackson "Daddy's Home"

Thelma Houston "Don't Leave Me This Way"

Gladys Knight & The Pips "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", "The Look Of Love", "Help Me Make It Through The Night", "The Nitty Gritty"

Marvin Gaye "Abraham Martin & John"

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Originally Posted by mysterysinger

Another Four Tops example "MacArthur Park".

The Miracles - "Where Are You Going To My Love"

Michael Jackson "Ain't No Sunshine", "Rockin' Robin", "You've Got A Friend" [[Turkey),
Jackson 5 "Doctor My Eyes", "Little Bitty Pretty One"
Jermaine Jackson "Daddy's Home"

Thelma Houston "Don't Leave Me This Way"

Gladys Knight & The Pips "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", "The Look Of Love", "Help Me Make It Through The Night", "The Nitty Gritty"

Marvin Gaye "Abraham Martin & John"

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Smokey and The Miracles sang "Abraham Martin & John", too.

I just remembered these two;
Shorty Long's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" & Stevie Wonder's "Alfie" [released under the name 'Eivets Rednow'].

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Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

I don't know any any artists that had more remakes of non-Motown that had been released as singles than The Four Tops. I don't think it would've happened if Holland-Dozier-Holland had stayed at the company [and I agree with drewschultz88's saying that The Tops & The Supremes were attempting to maintain their mainstream success via remakes of pop songs].

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And I would think, although I don't have my information in front of me right now, that HDH actually produced those non-Motown songs for the Tops?

I remember reading that A Taste Of Honey by the Supremes and Four Tops was released as a single in some countries.

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Originally Posted by jobucats

And I would think, although I don't have my information in front of me right now, that HDH actually produced those non-Motown songs for the Tops?

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H-D-H did produce the non-Motown covers that the Four Tops did of "If I Were A Carpenter" & "Walk Away Renee" [originally for the Reach Out! LP and came out as A-sides in 1968]. The other non-Motown remakes the group did & were released as A-sides ["Mac Arthur Park", "It's In The Game", "River Deep Mountain High" & "A Simple Game"] came out after H-D-H's departure from Motown.

Gotta throw one more on the pile: Stevie Wonder's remake of The Beatles' "We Can Work It Out" released as a A-side in 1971.

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Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

I just remembered these two;
Shorty Long's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" & Stevie Wonder's "Alfie" [released under the name 'Eivets Rednow'].

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Shorty Long also had a cover of the Big Bopper's "Chantilly Lace" as a single.

The Originals had a revival of "Goodnight Irene" and the Spinners a revival of "For All We Know".