Sunday, January 30, 2011

I Do — The Mighty Marvelows (1965)

The Mighty Marvelows only recorded a few songs, but "I Do" went to #7 on the Black Singles chart and just cracked the Billboard Top 40 in 1965. The J. Geils Band, with the help of heavy play on MTV, made it one of the big hits of 1982.



The J. Geils Band (1982)

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Ain't Nothing But A House Party —
The Show Stoppers (1968)

Recorded by "The Show Stoppers" in 1967 – it was a local hit in the Philly and NYC markets despite the band being fronted by two of R&B legend Solomon Burke’s older brothers. The J. Geils Band version would become one of their signature tunes. Both their 1973 studio recording and 1976 live version would get regular rotation on classic rock radio – especially in New England.



J Geils Band (1973)

Live on Rockpalast in April 1979

Friday, January 28, 2011

Rubber Biscuit — The Chips (1956)

"Rubber Biscuit" was originally recorded by The Chips in 1956. Famously covered by the Blues Brothers, Elwood mentions the group’s name right at the beginning of their version. The song first resurfaced in the 1973 Martin Scorsese movie “Mean Streets” before Jake and Elwood took the song into the Top 40 in 1979 (bow bow bow) ...



Blues Brothers (1979)

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Twist and Shout — Top Notes (1961)

Originally titled "Shake It Up, Baby", the Top Notes 1961 version of what would become "Twist and Shout" was a flop. A year later the Isley Brothers rearranged version would do well on both the pop and R&B charts. The Beatles have the best known version but would only get as far as #2 on April 4, 1964. However, they had plenty of competition - they owned the top five places that day.



The Isley Brothers (1962)



The Beatles (1963)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Respect — Otis Redding (1965)

"Respect" was written and recorded by Otis Redding in 1965. Two years later Aretha Franklin would make it her signature song and one of the great recordings of all-time. The song has been inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame, added to the National Recording Registry and is listed as one the "Songs of the Century" by the National Endowment for the Arts.



Aretha Franklin (1967)

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood —
Nina Simone (1964)

"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" was written by Bennie Benjamin, Gloria Caldwell and Sol Marcus for jazz singer / pianist Nina Simone – but her 1964 version failed to make the charts. The 1965 version by "The Animals" would become a classic-rock standard.



The Animals (1965)

Mama Weer All Crazee Now — Slade (1973)

Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and originally recorded by their band Slade, "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" was the band's third number-one single in the UK. The single debuted on the charts at #2, then stayed at #1 for the next three weeks in September 1972. Hoping for a repeat, Quiet Riot recorded this in 1984 - a year after "Cum On Feel The Noize". It got plenty of airplay on MTV, but didn't make the Top 40.



Quiet Riot (1984)

Monday, January 24, 2011

Cum On Feel The Noize — Slade (1972)

Written by Jim Lea and Noddy Holder and originally recorded by their band Slade in 1973, "Cum On Feel The Noize" debuted in the UK charts at number one. The song would spend four weeks at the top of the charts. Quiet Riot, with heavy MTV rotation, took it to #5 in the US in 1983.



Quiet Riot (1983)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Blinded By The Light — Bruce Springsteen (1973)

"Blinded by the Light" was the first song on, and first single from Bruce Springsteen's 1973 debut album "Greetings from Asbury Park N.J." It failed to make the music charts. Manfred Mann's Earth Band version from their 1977 album "The Roaring Silence" went to #1 in both the US and Canada.



Manfred Mann's Earth Band (1977)

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Hey Joe — The Leaves (1965)

The earliest known commercial recording of "Hey Joe" is the 1965 single by the LA garage band, "The Leaves". It was written by Billy Roberts, who copyrighted the song in 1962. However, in 1965, folk singer Dino Valenti claimed authorship and received royalties on the original recordings. Roberts would eventually win in court, but all the original 1966 versions have Valenti's name credited.



One more interesting part of the story: Billy Roberts dated folk artist Niela Miller's who wrote and recorded a song in 1955 called "Baby, Please Don’t Go To Town". It has nearly the same chord progression and melody as "Hey Joe".

Baby, Please Don't Go To Town - Niela Miller (1955)





Tim Rose (1966)

The Hendrix version is derived from a 1966 recording by Tim Rose, a New York folkie who changed the lyrics and slowed down the tempo. Rose credited himself as the author and would spend his life contending that "Hey Joe" is a traditional folk song. No documentary evidence has been provided to support Rose's claim. Jimi's version went to #6 on the UK charts in 1966 and is credited to Roberts.



The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1966)



Other notable versions ...

The Standells (1966)



The Byrds (1966)

Friday, January 21, 2011

Tide Is High — The Paragons (1967)

"Tide Is High" was written in 1967 by John Holt, lead singer of the Jamaican rocksteady trio "The Paragons". The song featured the violin of "White Rum" Raymond and was popular in Jamaica. Blondie took it to #1 in both the US and the UK in 1980.



Blondie (1980)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Superman — The Clique (1969)

“Superman” was written and recorded in 1969 by Texas-based producer/songwriter Gary Zekley under the name “The Clique”. It never charted and was largely forgotten until it was covered by R.E.M. in 1986.



REM (1986)

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Take Me To The River — Al Green (1974)

Al Green wrote and recorded "Take Me To The River" for his 1974 album, "Al Green Explores Your Mind". The record company did not release Green's track as a single, but instead gave it Syl Johnson.

Johnson's 1975 version uses most of the same musicians but it failed to make the Top 40. However, it did do well on the R&B charts.

The "Talking Heads" version, recorded for their 1979 album "More Songs About Buildings and Food", charted as high as #26 in 1979.



Syl Johnson (1975)



Talking Heads (1979)

Monday, January 17, 2011

Move It On Over — Hank Williams (1947)

"Move It On Over" was written and recorded by country music legend Hank Williams in 1947. The song was Williams' first major hit, reaching #4 on the Country Singles chart. While it's been recorded many times since, George Thorogood's version from 1978 gets all the radio play.



George Thorogood (1947)

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Piece Of My Heart — Erma Franklin (1967)

Aretha Franklin's older sister Erma took "Piece Of My Heart" into the top 10 hit on the R&B charts in 1967. It barely registered on the US pop charts, though. One year later Janis Joplin would make it one of her signature songs. Faith Hill brought it to #1 on the country charts in 1994.



Janis Joplin (1968)



Faith Hill (1994)

Video Will Run In New Browser Window

Saturday, January 15, 2011

I've Got My Mind Set On You — James Ray (1962)

"Got My Mind Set On You" is a song written by Rudy Clark and originally recorded by James Ray in 1962. It didn't even crack the top 40. Ray would die of a drug overdose two years later at the age of 23. The song would remain obscure until George Harrison took it to #1 in 1987. It was the last US number one hit for Harrison and (as of this writing) the last from any of the other Ex-Beatles.



George Harrison (1987)

Friday, January 14, 2011

In The Street — Big Star (1972)

"In The Street" was written by Alex Chilton and Chris Bell and was originally recorded by their band "Big Star". It is on their influential 1972 debut album, "#1 Record". However, the song is much better known as the theme to "That '70s Show". It was initially sung by Todd Griffin, but beginning with the second season, the song was performed by Cheap Trick, whose version is usually referred to as "That '70s Song (In The Street)".



Cheap Trick (1999)