R&B artists covering rock songs

Zwirn commented on the book review thread that the book on famous cover songs didn't cite many black artists covering white artists -- although it had plenty of examples the other way.

Rhino released a compilation called Black on White that includes a pretty decent range, from Aretha covering the Stones and The Band, Otis Redding and EWF covering the Beatles, and the Isley Brothers covering Seals & Crofts, to more modern examples like the Staple Singers covering Talking Heads and Run-DMC covering Aerosmith.

A few other examples that spring to my mind are:

"Doctor My Eyes," "Mama Told Me Not to Come" – Jackson 5
"Eleanor Rigby" – The Four Tops
"Come Together" – The Brothers Johnson
"Let It Be" – Gladys Knight & the Pips
"A Case of You," "One of Us," "I Can't Make You Love Me," "Every Day Is a Winding Road," "Crimson and Clover" – Prince
(Of course, he also covered the Foo Fighters' "The Best of You" during his Super Bowl performance ... not to mention The Cars' "Let's Go," last time I got to see him)
"One" – Mary J. Blige

What else?

These are all more Disco than R&B, but they're what sprang to mind:

Several years ago, the Monk brought it to our attention that Amii Stewart recorded what was probably the first Ultravox cover with "Dangerous Rhythm."

Grace Jones - "She's Lost Control," " Warm Leatherette," "Love Is the Drug," "Walking in the Rain," "Nightclubbing," "Demolition Man"

Natalie Cole - "Pink Cadillac"

Donna Summer - "MacArthur Park"

And speaking of Prince live covers, there was his butchery of "The Whole of the Moon," in which he swapped the pronouns throughout the song to make it a celebration of his own greatness, basically making it " For I'm a Jolly Good Fellow. "



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2021 01:17AM by breno.

The Chimes - "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Mariah Carey - "Without You"

"This Woman's Work"-Maxwell

The late, great Charles Bradley covered Neil Young's "Heart of Gold," Nirvana's "Stay Away" and Black Sabbath's "Changes."

First thing that came to mind: Eddie Hazel of the P-funk mob doing “California dreaming.“

James Brown had a song called “I Need to be loved loved loved” that was basically the music to David Bowie’s “fame” with different lyrics. Apparently Bowie didn’t mind, and why should he? Everybody’s always ripping off James, guess he should be allowed to get in on the action.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/24/2021 08:36AM by MrFab.

Bowie was probably pinching himself knowing that James Brown ripped him off! Three cheers for Carlos Alomar's "Footstompin'" riff, which when slowed down to half the tempo for "Fame," became insanely funky.

Former TP subscriber [81, 82, 83, 84]

[postpunkmonk.com]
For further rumination on the Fresh New Sound of Yesterday®

This one's pretty obscure, but it seems like Ike & Tina Turner might've cut a cover of "Proud Mary."

They also did "Come Together," and I'm sure lots of others I'm not recalling. Tina also did "Whole Lotta Love" solo and "The Acid Queen" on the soundtrack for Tommy.

Hot Chocolate did "Green Shirt."

Does it count that Afrika Bambaataa did a version of "Metal" if he brought along Gary Numan to do the bulk of the vocals?

Candi Staton - "(What's So Funny 'bout) Peace, Love and Understanding"

Bettye LaVette has dozens that qualify.

Natalie Cole - "The Man With the Child In His Eyes"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2021 01:11AM by breno.

"Time After Time," "Perfect Way" - Miles Davis
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" - R.B. Greaves, The Hesitations, Percy Sledge

I had the great good fortune to see Mr. Sledge perform "Whiter Shade" and other classic songs at the 2011 Points of Light conference in New Orleans. He was fantastic!

I know the header here specifically mentions R&B, but reggae singer Alton Ellis also performed a great "Whiter Shade of Pale" cover.

Middle C Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> "Time After Time," "Perfect Way" - Miles Davis
> "A Whiter Shade of Pale" - R.B. Greaves, The
> Hesitations, Percy Sledge
>
> I had the great good fortune to see Mr. Sledge
> perform "Whiter Shade" and other classic songs at
> the 2011 Points of Light conference in New
> Orleans. He was fantastic!

Miles' Time after Time destroys me.

I’m partial to Ray Charles’ cover of ‘it ain’t easy being green’.

Yes, Kermit is not a white artist, or even a rock artist, but today I’m thankful for that song.

Merry Clayton's excellent take on Gimme Shelter comes to mind.

Anyone ever heard the Isley cover of the Cars' "Let's Go"? On the Rubaiyat compilation.

[www.youtube.com]

jazz with soul & funk influences--

Herbie Hancock - All Apologies
[www.youtube.com]

James Carter did an album of Pavement covers named Gold Sounds--the versions of Summer Babe or Cut Your Hair would've been my picks if I could find a link, but here's Platform Blues--
[www.youtube.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/2021 06:19AM by uhwelluh.

Nina Simone- the Beatles “Blackbird,” making the songs’ origins as a civil rights salute more clear.

Screaming Jay Hawkins did a suitably hysterical version of Tom Waits’ “Heart Attack and Vine.”

Living Color “Should I Stay of Should I Go”

And if we’re talking Afrika Bambaata, “Kick Out The Jams.”

I love Ray Charles’ version of “Bein’ Green,” saw him sing it live, and have been looking for a recording of it ever since.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/27/2021 05:42AM by MrFab.

Looks like Brother Ray duetted on “Being Green” with the man (frog) himself.

Here.

Edit: link fixed.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/29/2021 03:13AM by Michael Toland.