What's the best cover version of a Motown hit? - Music

bobbyb5

Gender: Male

Location: New York

I like these the best.

Creedence Clearwater Revival. Heard It Thru the Grapevine
Red Hot Chili Peppers. Higher Groumd
Rare Earth. Get Ready
Vanilla Fudge. You Keep Me Hanging On
Laura Nyro. You Really Got a Hold On Me, Jimmie Mack
Rod Stewart & the Faces. I Know I'm Losing You
Afghan Whigs. Come See About Me
Soft Cell. Where Did Our Love Go
Bruce Springsteen. War
Cyndi Lauper. Whats Going On
Stevie Ray Vaughan. Superstition
Bonnie Pointer. Cant Help Myself ( Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)
Rare Earth. I Know I'm Losing You
Barbra Streisand. All in Love Is Fair

RoundTheBend

I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

I probably fail at actual motown, but dancing in the street by Bowie and Jagger is fun to see, but actually is kind of mediocre compared to the original.

I especially like the CCR and RHCP suggestions you made.

jackbrown8786

I'm tempted to post a bunch of motown covers by other motown artists b/c it's all I can think of but I won't be a smart ass like that. It wasn't uncommon for a song to be performed by more than 1 of those groups. The originals are way better than rockier covers though, I wish there were collections of those songs on 13" LPs so ppl wouldn't have to keep switching between singles.

bobbyb5

Gender: Male

Location: New York

jackbrown8786 wrote:

I'm tempted to post a bunch of motown covers by other motown artists b/c it's all I can think of but I won't be a smart ass like that. It wasn't uncommon for a song to be performed by more than 1 of those groups. The originals are way better than rockier covers though, I wish there were collections of those songs on 13" LPs so ppl wouldn't have to keep switching between singles.

Some Motown covers of Motown songs are pretty good. Sometimes you can't decide what you like better. The one that comes to mind is Heard it Through the Grapevine, first by Gladys Knight & the Pips and then Marvin Gaye. They're not very similar so maybe that's why I like both of them. Motown albums were filled with covers that were previously hits by other Motown acts. This was taken to extremes when Bonnie Pointer, who was then on motown, made an album of nothing but Motown covers. it was pretty good anyways.

Jimmy Dread

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bobbyb5

Gender: Male

Location: New York

sethmadsen wrote:

I probably fail at actual motown, but dancing in the street by Bowie and Jagger is fun to see, but actually is kind of mediocre compared to the original.

I especially like the CCR and RHCP suggestions you made.

The video of the bowie and jagger is like part of my childhood. Its so MTV.

RoundTheBend

I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

bobbyb5 wrote:

sethmadsen wrote:

I probably fail at actual motown, but dancing in the street by Bowie and Jagger is fun to see, but actually is kind of mediocre compared to the original.

I especially like the CCR and RHCP suggestions you made.

The video of the bowie and jagger is like part of my childhood. Its so MTV.

Hehe - yup.

Was this actually Motown?

bobbyb5

Gender: Male

Location: New York

sethmadsen wrote:

bobbyb5 wrote:

sethmadsen wrote:

I probably fail at actual motown, but dancing in the street by Bowie and Jagger is fun to see, but actually is kind of mediocre compared to the original.

I especially like the CCR and RHCP suggestions you made.

The video of the bowie and jagger is like part of my childhood. Its so MTV.

Hehe - yup.

Was this actually Motown?

Nah, it was just 80s style dance crap. But, there WAS some good faux-Motown in the 80s. Songs that were intentional Motown imitations. Like a couple Culture Club hits, and Human League's "Mirror Man". Theres more good ones but i can't think of them right now. There was a lot. ABC had a couple decent ones.

RoundTheBend

I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

bobbyb5 wrote:

sethmadsen wrote:

bobbyb5 wrote:

sethmadsen wrote:

I probably fail at actual motown, but dancing in the street by Bowie and Jagger is fun to see, but actually is kind of mediocre compared to the original.

I especially like the CCR and RHCP suggestions you made.

The video of the bowie and jagger is like part of my childhood. Its so MTV.

Hehe - yup.

Was this actually Motown?

Nah, it was just 80s style dance crap. But, there WAS some good faux-Motown in the 80s. Songs that were intentional Motown imitations. Like a couple Culture Club hits, and Human League's "Mirror Man". Theres more good ones but i can't think of them right now. There was a lot. ABC had a couple decent ones.

Oh sorry, not the cover, but the original.

I was lazy and wanted discussion - I guess Martha and the Vandella's were indeed a motown label group.

RoundTheBend

I miss the comfort in being sad

Location: Ground Control

And I'd agree the 80s were an interesting retrospective time- trying to get that 50s/60s sounds back or something.

I was born in the 80s. Parents music was from that time period, so naturally the combination of the two helped me really like music from that time period. I wonder what caused that retrospective (feel like more so than any other period).

It was like the golden age of america or something.