Recently I have been amusing myself by playing completely different versions of the same song, one being the original. For this to work, the alternative version must differ vastly from the original. This is not a 'What's the best version' thing, but listening to how a song can be really altered by someone else. Good examples are:
Bring it on home to me - Sam Cooke / Eddie Floyd
I just don't know what to do with myself - Tommy Hunt / Cissy Houston
Something you got - Alvin Robinson / Barbara George
He/She ain't gonna do right - Clarence Carter / Barbara Lynn [[Not sure who did the original)
Stand by me - Ben E King / Spyder Turner
Don't play that song - Ben E King / Aretha
I'm gonna make you love me - Dee Dee Warwick / Supremes and Temptations
60 minutes of your love/time - Homer Banks / Johnnie Taylor
Please let me in - JJ Barnes / Johnnie Taylor
Do what you gotta do - Al Wilson / Four Tops
It's all in the game - Tommy Edwards / Four Tops
Who could be loving you - Al Wilson / Jackie Ross
If You can't be true [[find a part time love) - Gene Chandler / Marva Lee
Share your love with me - Bobby Bland / Aretha
Turn on your love light - Bobby Bland / Bill Blacks combo
Lead me on - Bobby Bland / The Internationals
That's how strong my love is - OV Wright / Otis
Take me in your arms [[rock me a little while) - Kim Weston / Isley Brothers
It should have been me - Kim Weston / Yvonne Fair
Get down with it - Bobby Marchan / Little Richard
Baby what you want me to do - Jimmy Reed / Little Richard
Hoochie Coochie man - Muddy / Skip Easterling
Testify - Parliaments / Johnnie Taylor
Tell him/her - Exciters / Dean Parrish
Somebody, somewhere needs you - Darrell Banks / Ike & Tina [[original?)
Don't leave me baby - Maxine Brown / Ray Gant [[original?)
How many more years/You're going to wreck my life - Howlin' Wolf / Guitar Ray
Sick and tired - Fats Domino / Lee Perry
The Bottle - Gil Scott-Heron / Bataan
Fever - L W John / Alvin Robinson
A love like yours [[don't come knocking everyday) - Martha & the Vs / Ike & Tina
Come see about me - Supremes / Junior Walker
Cry to me - Solomon Burke / Betty Harris
Do me right - Detroit emeralds / Denise Lasalle
Dust my broom - Elmore james / Ike & Tina
Funky Broadway - Dyke & the Blazers / Wilson Pickett / Steve Cropper / Gene Dozier [[OK, I know that's just plain GREEDY ! )
I can't get next to you - Temps / Al Green
Get ready - Temps / Syl Johnson
He who picks a rose - Edwin Starr or Temps / Carstairs
I put a spell on you - Screamin Jay / Nina Simone
For your precious love - Jerry Butler / Linda Jones
You've got my mind messed up - James Carr / Quiet Elegance
Please stay - Drifters / Lou Johnson
Little red rooster - Howlin Wolf / Sam Cooke
She blew a good thing - Poets / Donald Height
Soul serenade - King Curtis / Beau Dollar
Spanish Harlem - Ben E King / Aretha
There's gonna be a showdown - Archie Bell / Rance Allen
Let the good times roll - Shirley & Lee / Bunny Sigler
Inner city blues - Marvin Gaye / Grover Washington
Walk on by - Dionne warwicke / Isaac hayes
Lead me on - Bobby Bland / The Internationals
I'm sure there must be many more, anyone got any other suggestions?
Another theme could be How to ruin a song. I'm thinking of Arthur Conleys' version of Shake Rattle and roll.
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