Motown Covers.......The Songs! LOL!

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 05:53 PM

Ok , ok we've recently discussed the Four Tops cover songs. How many other cover versions by Motown artist of other well known artist songs can you name? I'll start:

Eddie Kendricks with Seals & Crofts' "Diamond Girl"

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 05:55 PM

The Supremes with Janis Joplin's "Mercedes Benz"

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 05:58 PM

Smokey Robinson and the Miracles with Dion's "Abraham, Martin and John"

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 06:02 PM

The Jackson 5 with Bobby Days and later Thurston Harris' "Little Bitty Pretty One"

**144man** · 04-13-2018, 06:52 PM

Jr Walker & All Stars with Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy"

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by 144man

Jr Walker & All Stars with Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy"

I never heard that one. I have to find now!

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 07:34 PM

Diana Ross with Peter Frampton's "Baby Love Your Ways"

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 07:38 PM

Gladys Knight & The Pips with Barbara Mason's "Yes I'm Ready"

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 07:41 PM

Mary Wilson with Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why"

**marv2** · 04-13-2018, 07:45 PM

DAVID RUFFIN with Robert Knight's and later Carl Carlton's "EVERLASTING LOVE"

**Motown Eddie** · 04-14-2018, 07:04 AM

A Partial List:
Stevie Wonder-"Sunny", "God Bless The Child", "Please Please Please", "Teach Me Tonight [[with Four Tops)"
The Supremes-"These Boots Are Made For Walking", "Hang On Sloopy", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me [[with The Temptations)", "River Deep-Mountain High [[with Four Tops)"
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles-"The Twist", "The Wah-Watusi", "Twist And Shout", "On The Street Where You Live", "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
Martha & the Vandellas-"Hello Stranger", "Just One Look", "Wait 'Til My Bobby Gets Home", "Then He Kissed Me", "Tears On My Pillow"
Four Tops-"Michelle", "Mac Arthur Park", "It's All In The Game", "Hey Man/We've Gotta Get You A Woman"
The Marvelettes-"That's How Heartaches Are Made"
The Isley Bros.-"Good Thing", "Whispers [[Getting Louder)"
Marvin Gaye-"Some Kind Of Wonderful", "Yesterday", "Groovin", "Something Stupid [[with Tammi Terrell)"
Jr. Walker & the All Stars-"Moonlight In Vermont"
Gladys Knight & the Pips-"Help Me Make It Through The Night", "Fire And Rain", "The Long And Winding Road"
The Undisputed Truth-"Like A Rolling Stone"

**marv2** · 04-14-2018, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by Motown Eddie

A Partial List:
Stevie Wonder-"Sunny", "God Bless The Child", "Please Please Please", "Teach Me Tonight [[with Four Tops)"
The Supremes-"These Boots Are Made For Walking", "Hang On Sloopy", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me [[with The Temptations)", "River Deep-Mountain High [[with Four Tops)"
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles-"The Twist", "The Wah-Watusi", "Twist And Shout", "On The Street Where You Live", "You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
Martha & the Vandellas-"Hello Stranger", "Just One Look", "Wait 'Til My Bobby Gets Home", "Then He Kissed Me", "Tears On My Pillow"
Four Tops-"Michelle", "Mac Arthur Park", "It's All In The Game", "Hey Man/We've Gotta Get You A Woman"
The Marvelettes-"That's How Heartaches Are Made"
The Isley Bros.-"Good Thing", "Whispers [[Getting Louder)"
Marvin Gaye-"Some Kind Of Wonderful", "Yesterday", "Groovin", "Something Stupid [[with Tammi Terrell)"
Jr. Walker & the All Stars-"Moonlight In Vermont"
Gladys Knight & the Pips-"Help Me Make It Through The Night", "Fire And Rain", "The Long And Winding Road"
The Undisputed Truth-"Like A Rolling Stone"

Oh man! That is a great list Motown Eddie.

**Motown Eddie** · 04-14-2018, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

Oh man! That is a great list Motown Eddie.

Thanks Marv2. And this is a great topic that you've set up [[and there's still more 'cover songs' by Motown artists that haven't been touched yet).

**Boogiedown** · 04-15-2018, 12:26 AM

I like this topic. From it I'd like to make a list of the "outside" songs Motown artists successfully covered to become hits .

**midnightman** · 04-15-2018, 12:46 AM

Marvin also did Sunny:

**marv2** · 04-15-2018, 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by Boogiedown

I like this topic. From it I'd like to make a list of the "outside" songs Motown artists successfully covered to become hits .

Hey Boogiedown....do it! I'd love to see your list.

**marv2** · 04-15-2018, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by midnightman

Marvin also did Sunny:

He did a great job as always. Who covered "Up, Up and Away" at Motown? I know it was done.

**gman** · 04-15-2018, 01:07 AM

There must be over 100 covers in the already released in the 60's catalogue.....quite a few Motown artists covered Yesterday,..... Marvellettes "Barefootin' " & "Message to Michael" from the excellent '67 Pink LP.... Martha/Vandella's entire Heat Wave LP.....several tracks on Marvin & Mary...including Connie Francis 1961 top ten [[1920's orig.) hit Together

**mowest** · 04-15-2018, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

He did a great job as always. Who covered "Up, Up and Away" at Motown? I know it was done.

Diana Ross & The Supremes on the “Reflections” album

**Boogiedown** · 04-17-2018, 12:15 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

Hey Boogiedown....do it! I'd love to see your list.

Okay ! Well here's one:

LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE
Written by Bobby Day

#13 Billboard Top 40 1972:

First a top forty hit for Clyde McPhatter #25 1962.

**phil** · 04-17-2018, 04:10 AM

Here's one of my favorite covers : David Ruffin -Rainy Night In Georgia [[written by Tony Joe White)

A great song by a great singer :

**marv2** · 04-17-2018, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by mowest

Diana Ross & The Supremes on the “Reflections” album

Ok, that's where I heard it. Thank you Mowest.

**marv2** · 04-17-2018, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by phil

Here's one of my favorite covers : David Ruffin -Rainy Night In Georgia [[written by Tony Joe White)

A great song by a great singer :

Oh this could have been his song! Brook Benton edge him out but just a bit. Great recording.

**arr&bee** · 04-17-2018, 02:17 PM

Hey marv,if you really wanna go back,the miracles did an old one[speak low]from the lp[i'll try something new].

**marv2** · 04-17-2018, 06:50 PM

Originally Posted by arr&bee

Hey marv,if you really wanna go back,the miracles did an old one[speak low]from the lp[i'll try something new].

Yeah that's good! Thanks

**phil** · 04-18-2018, 04:36 PM

The Elgins covered wilson Pickett's 634-5789 :

**marv2** · 04-18-2018, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by phil

The Elgins covered wilson Pickett's 634-5789 :

I never knew they did this one! Wow, thanks Phil!

**platters81** · 04-19-2018, 05:07 AM

alway liked this version of Major Lance

https://youtu.be/gR4yHgaeUY0https://youtu.be/gR4yHgaeUY0

**phil** · 04-19-2018, 07:39 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

I never knew they did this one! Wow, thanks Phil!

You're welcome Marv ! It's on their album, along with that other Pickett's song :

**TomatoTom123** · 04-19-2018, 11:25 AM

Great thread marv! And great suggestions so far. I'll throw in one that hasn't been mentioned yet... it's one RanRan got me into...

**TomatoTom123** · 04-19-2018, 11:27 AM

Although we've already had a thread on Four Tops covers, you cannot not mention them again here. I love their version of "Light My Fire", and I know marv likes that one too...

**TomatoTom123** · 04-19-2018, 11:29 AM

Also love The Tops' cover of "Got To Get You Into My Life"!!!

**TomatoTom123** · 04-19-2018, 11:31 AM

"Time And Love" by Diana...

**TomatoTom123** · 04-19-2018, 11:32 AM

...or by The Supremes...?

both are fantastic

**TomatoTom123** · 04-19-2018, 11:35 AM

And a little curveball for ya... outstanding rendition of "Stormy Weather" by Willie Hutch...

**phil** · 04-19-2018, 01:13 PM

Love this one, too :

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by phil

You're welcome Marv ! It's on their album, along with that other Pickett's song :

I've had that album for more than 30 years and did not realize this cut was on it.

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Great thread marv! And great suggestions so far. I'll throw in one that hasn't been mentioned yet... it's one RanRan got me into...

You're welcome. Oh yeah, this was a long time favorite of mine from the Fall of 1969. It got heavy airplay in Detroit at the time. The original by the Guess Who is in my top 100 all time favorite records.

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by phil

Love this one, too :

You're finding ones I promise you I have never heard! Wow

**JohnnyRavenATL** · 04-19-2018, 05:05 PM

One of my favorites...The Supremes covering Bread.

https://youtu.be/xdyCZF6C4Ss

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 08:42 PM

Another great cover of a song by Bread was "If" by the Four Tops and Supremes:

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 08:44 PM

Gladys Knight and the Pips "Help Me Make it Through the night" by Kris Kristofferson:

**Boogiedown** · 04-19-2018, 09:37 PM

lol Marv, I just realized you'd already posted LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE. No wonder it came to mind so easily .

OK another then:

ABRAHAM MARTIN AND JOHN
Written by Dick Holler .
Dion's original 1968 version : #4 Billboard Hot 100

The Miracles 1969 version : #33 Billboard Hot 100

I'm surprised by this charting. Too upbeat and doesn't reflect the devastating sentiment of the song imo .

I'm going to introduce a new thread about these out-of-house written Top 40 hits, of which I don't think there are many.

Added: ha ha this one's been mentioned too already . Good grief.

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by TomatoTom123

Although we've already had a thread on Four Tops covers, you cannot not mention them again here. I love their version of "Light My Fire", and I know marv likes that one too...

Oh they took this one to a different level! So cool, so soulful and so mellow. I saw a brief clip of them performing it on a Showtime special back in the 80s and I was hooked on their version of the song every since.

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by Boogiedown

lol Marv, I just realized you'd already posted LITTLE BITTY PRETTY ONE. No wonder it came to mind so easily .

OK another then:

ABRAHAM MARTIN AND JOHN
Written by Dick Holler .
Dion's original 1968 version : #4 Billboard Hot 100

The Miracles 1969 version : #33 Billboard Hot 100

I'm surprised by this charting. Too upbeat and doesn't reflect the devastating sentiment of the song imo .

I'm going to introduce a new thread about these out-of-house written Top 40 hits, of which I don't think there are many.

Added: ha ha this one's been mentioned too already . Good grief.

No problem, it just shows that you have the CORRECT taste in music! hehehehehehehe!

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 10:29 PM

Scherrie Payne with 10cc's "I'm Not In Love" :

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 10:31 PM

Stevie Wonder tore up the Beatles "We Can Work It Out":

**marv2** · 04-19-2018, 10:34 PM

Thelma Houston with The Rolling Stones "Jumpin' Jack Flash"

**phil** · 04-20-2018, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

You're finding ones I promise you I have never heard! Wow

Marv, I'm an album collector and a lot of tracks on them didn't get exposure, even if they should deserve it.

Here is one of my favorite, an old Jayhawks song :

**marv2** · 04-20-2018, 05:52 AM

Originally Posted by phil

Marv, I'm an album collector and a lot of tracks on them didn't get exposure, even if they should deserve it.

Here is one of my favorite, an old Jayhawks song :

I'm a collector too. I just have not had time to really get into all of the album cuts on some of my albums, but I am glad you guys are hipping me to some really goods here.