Giving Up

**mysterysinger** · 08-20-2016, 01:47 PM

Sharon Jones cover of a Gladys classic. My word, that's good!

**lockhartgary** · 08-20-2016, 02:23 PM

I LOVE the way the band stayed close to Gladys' arrangement too! And those background singers...WOW!!! Thanks for posting!

**marv2** · 08-20-2016, 06:30 PM

As you probably know , "Giving Up" was originally performed by Donny Hathaway and then by Detroit's Lonette McKee for the 1976 film "Sparkle":

**lockhartgary** · 08-20-2016, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

As you probably know , "Giving Up" was originally performed by Donny Hathaway and then by Detroit's Lonette McKee for the 1976 film "Sparkle":

Are you referring to the first version ever recorded? Wasn't Gladys the first in 1964? Apologies if I misunderstood you Marv.

**marv2** · 08-20-2016, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by lockhartgary

Are you referring to the first version ever recorded? Wasn't Gladys the first in 1964? Apologies if I misunderstood you Marv.

I don't know about the 1964 version. I know Van McCoy wrote the song and most know of the Donny Hathaway version.

**stingbeelee** · 08-20-2016, 11:06 PM

That was good, and it mostly reflects Gladys and the Pips arraignment. But to me, NOBODY can beat Gladys and the Pips versions [[both - the first on Maxx records and the re-do on Motown). As always, the Pips were very important to the record, their harmonies were just impeccable, and made Gladys sing with deeper feeling.

**mowest** · 08-20-2016, 11:37 PM

There's no doubt that the original version of "Giving Up" was by Gladys Knight and the Pips and was released in April of 1964. Donny Hathaway's version came out in 1971.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings excellent recorded version is as faithful as a cover can be.

**mysterysinger** · 08-21-2016, 05:15 AM

Gladys Knight's original was in 1964. The Ad Libs had their final r&b hit in 1969 with the same song. Gladys rerecorded it for Motown in 1970. The Sisters Love also recorded it for Mowest. Sharon Jones version was released in 2009.

**mysterysinger** · 11-19-2016, 06:54 AM

Farewell Sharon Jones. Another sad loss in 2016 😢

**sansradio** · 11-19-2016, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by mysterysinger

Farewell Sharon Jones. Another sad loss in 2016 

Yes, yet another tremendous loss. May she also rest in power.

**soulwally** · 11-21-2016, 09:26 AM

Not usually keen on rerecordings but I love Gladys's remake of giving up, produced by Clay McMurray, who did a splendid job with her other remakes too

**reese** · 11-21-2016, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by soulwally

Not usually keen on rerecordings but I love Gladys's remake of giving up, produced by Clay McMurray, who did a splendid job with her other remakes too

I would agree. The 1970 remakes of LETTER FULL OF TEARS and GIVING UP are fantastic. In the case of GIVING UP, it was the first version I ever heard. When I did finally hear the 1964 original, although I liked it, I was still partial to the remake.

Clay used to post here frequently. I think he said these remakes were done in an early morning session after an engagement in Chicago.

**Guy** · 11-21-2016, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

As you probably know , "Giving Up" was originally performed by Donny Hathaway and then by Detroit's Lonette McKee for the 1976 film "Sparkle":

Criminal that the original vocal recordings of the Sparkle cast were DESTROYED. Lonette had several strong tracks on her "Words and Music" LP. She would have benefited enormously if her recordings of "Giving Up" and those Curtis Mayfield songs had seen the light of day.

**sarjeantmelvin** · 11-23-2016, 01:53 PM

I love Gladys version but In my opinion I think that the version by the AdLibs produced by Van Mcoy which was released in the UK on the Deep Soul label is the best version-take a listen on Youtube and let me know what you think.