Favorite James Brown Cover of Someone Else's Song?

SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
edited December 2006 in Strut Central
I'll start with "Think" which was originally a 5 Royales tune,and I also love "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye" on the "Say It Loud"LP...and "A Cottage for Sale" on "Thinking About Little Willie John"I could add more, but why don't y'all throw down?

  Comments


  • I like the talking version of "Love & Happiness" on the Damn Right I Am Somebody promo LP.

  • also there is a killer version of "You Sure Love To Ball" on there.

  • "Your Cheating Heart" from the Louis Bellson collabo SOUL ON TOP is a jam.

  • NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE

  • i really enjoy his version of "When The Saints Go Marching In" offa Hell

    sidenote: was he mocking Kool and the Gang with the gongs on that album? you know how they start Jungle Boogie with a gong was Mr. Brown like, "fuck it i'm gonna start EVERY song with a gong"

  • asstroasstro 1,754 Posts
    NEVER CAN SAY GOODBYE

  • boast1boast1 142 Posts
    ive always really liked his cover of georgia on my mind

  • I love the funky part in "Any Day Now"

    but SPINNING WHEEL...

  • I like the talking version of "Love & Happiness" on the Damn Right I Am Somebody promo LP.


  • drewnicedrewnice 5,465 Posts
    Sunny ft. Marva Whitney

  • GuzzoGuzzo 8,611 Posts
    Sunny ft. Marva Whitney

    yup

  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts
    Hey,

    Some of my favorite covers are:

    -"Tighten Up (Live)" (Archie Bell & the Drells).
    -"JB Monourail" (B.T. Express; though not admitted).
    -"Spinning Wheel" (Blood, Sweat, & Tears).
    -"Watermelon Man" (Herbie Hancock).
    on "Think" and "Sunny" (Bobby Bryant Sextet has a funky version too, as does Earl Grant).

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    "Your Cheating Heart" from the Louis Bellson collabo SOUL ON TOP is a jam.

    Cosign. "September Song" off that same album is niiiiice too.

    But sheeyit, I like all the covers on "Gettin' Down To It" as well. His "Willow Weep For Me" is outta sight.

  • Big_StacksBig_Stacks "I don't worry about hittin' power, cause I don't give 'em nuttin' to hit." 4,670 Posts

    But sheeyit, I like all the covers on "Gettin' Down To It" as well. His "Willow Weep For Me" is outta sight.

    Good one. Forgot all about it.

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

  • TruthTruth 50 Posts
    Hey,

    Some of my favorite covers are:

    -"Tighten Up (Live)" (Archie Bell & the Drells).
    -"JB Monourail" (B.T. Express; though not admitted).
    -"Spinning Wheel" (Blood, Sweat, & Tears).
    -"Watermelon Man" (Herbie Hancock).
    on "Think" and "Sunny" (Bobby Bryant Sextet has a funky version too, as does Earl Grant).

    Peace,

    Big Stacks from Kakalak

    I'll back "Spinning Wheel"
    Sweet.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I just remembered he did an lp (1/2 an lp?) of Little Willie John songs. Fever.

  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    I love hearing him covering songs. Tennessee Waltz. I think I'll Go Crazy was might have been a pop song. I like the Louis Jordan things he does on that phony live lp Showtime? I can't think of any covers where the JB version is the definative version. Unless like I was thinking I'll Go Crazy is cover.

  • -"JB Monourail" (B.T. Express; though not admitted).

    That wasn't a cover, more like an answer record (also see: "Pick Up The Pieces One By One" by AABB [Above Average Black Band], which was his response to "Pick Up The Pieces" by AWB [Average White Band]). If you'll remember, one song on the Sex Machine Today album started with him talking - not singing, but TALKING about the fact that a lot of the hitmakers of the time (1975) were ripping him off. "Monaurail" and the AABB was his way of stealin' it back.

    My fave JB covers:
    - "Bewildered" (Amos Milburn)
    - "I Wanna Be Around" (Tony Bennett)
    - "Kansas City" (Little Willie Littlefield - although its' Wilbert Harrison's version that everybody knows)
    - "Jimmy Mack" (Martha & the Vandellas)
    - "For Your Precious Love" (Jerry Butler & the Impressions)

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts


    My fave JB covers:
    "Bewildered"

    Who did the OG of this? Jesse Belvin?



  • My fave JB covers:
    "Bewildered"

    Who did the OG of this? Jesse Belvin?

    See my revised, re-edited post.

    And to the person who wondered about the origins of "I'll Go Crazy" - I believe JB was the first to record that one.

  • luckluck 4,077 Posts
    I just remembered he did an lp (1/2 an lp?) of Little Willie John songs. Fever.

    This is easily one of my favorite JB LPs. I've been listening to JB's "Ballads" Polydor compilation recently and I remembered "Cottage For Sale" all over again. Ballads is a great comp, especially for its unreleased and promo-only strings versions of these old JB chestnuts. Well worth a pickup for completists and all-around lovemakers. Considering the circumstances, it's very hard to listen to some of these songs back-to-back without getting a tad misty. Lost Someone was powerful before, but damn.

  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    Speaking of ballads, a couple people on here mentioned
    "Never Can Say Goodbye" - did JB cut a cover of the
    Clifton Davis/Jackson 5 tune? Cause the only "Never Can
    Say Goodbye" I know by James is on "There It Is" and I'm
    pretty sure it has nothing to do with the J5 song, and
    was credited to JB...it's an amazing track, he seems to take
    the approach he was bringing to funk songs at the time to
    doing a ballad - works the band up, getting them into a
    groove, although melancholy, still a groove, and just raps
    over the horns with some freestyle impressions on the
    sad pleasures of love, throwing in a couple refrains of
    "What's goin' on?" for good measure.

    A beautiful song, best thing on that album, but not a cover, I'm pretty sure.

  • ElectrodeElectrode Los Angeles 3,127 Posts
    "Don't Fence Me In" off of Reality

  • Damn, this thread is making me realize I still don't know shit about James Brown.
    but SPINNING WHEEL...

  • NateBizzoNateBizzo 2,328 Posts
    I am really feeling his Organ instrumental cover of "Song for my Father".


    James Brown on the Organ =
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