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Slyvs.James: Whos catalog produced better covers?

lambertlambert 1,166 Posts
edited May 2006 in Strut Central
I would go ahead and vote for Mr. Brown.While Sly and the family might have prooved more accesible to the general public's taste it seems to me that artists would at least try to incorporate some funk when trying to cover a James Brown tune.Of course how many awful versions of Cold Sweat are out there? Damn, I just can't tell!!

  Comments

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I would go ahead and vote for Mr. Brown.

    While Sly and the family might have prooved more accesible to the general public's taste it seems to me that artists would at least try to incorporate some funk when trying to cover a James Brown tune.

    Of course how many awful versions of Cold Sweat are out there? Damn, I just can't tell!!

    At first I thought you meant who did better cover versions and I couldn't think of hardly any songs Sly covered. Then I thought you meant lp covers, obviously JB's are better.

    I'm not sure if I can think of a truely great cover version of either a Sly or a JB song, though I am sure there must be some out there.

    I remember liking a bootleg version of Sex Machine by Prince, I wonder if that is as good as I remember, from a Paris after party I beleive.

    Dan
  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts

    I'm not sure if I can think of a truely great cover version of either a Sly or a JB song, though I am sure there must be some out there.


    There are a bunch of versions of 'There Was A Time' (Gene Chandler, Jerry-O etc), Otis Redding did a great version of 'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag', and as someone mentioned before, there are a grip of 'Cold Sweat' covers (Truman Thomas, Gene Dozier etc.)
  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    Sly's worldview and vocal delivery were more eccentric, personal, and fragile, so his material doesn't lend itself to covers as well. James, on the other hand, was the proverbial hedgehog who knows one great thing--he was and is a pretty straightforward gospel/r&b shouter, and as such relies on raw power and sheer force of will. For the same reason that it's easier to fake lust than it is to fake love, JB covers tend to be more convincing.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Gladys Knight & the Pips' version of Sly's "Thank You"
    is definitely of the highest quality.
  • RAW_HAMBURGERRAW_HAMBURGER 1,438 Posts
    there was a cover of slys "if you want me to stay" that bob gibson had....i wish i remembered the name of the artist. anybody know?
  • jamesjames chicago 1,863 Posts
    there was a cover of slys "if you want me to stay" that bob gibson had....i wish i remembered the name of the artist. anybody know?

    Probably Johnny Houston. Short little break on that one.
  • Chuck_HussChuck_Huss 145 Posts
    The Meters' "Sing a Simple Song" and Maceo's "Thank You For Letting...." are both incredible.

    There's definately a greater number of JB covers, hence making it difficult for the memorable ones to really stand out.
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