But Who Recorded It First?

[markydefad]

Sutnop's (Suntop????) little quiz regarding the original recording of Gamble-Huff's "Now That We Found Love" (The O'Jays on "Ship Ahoy" from 1973 ) reminded me that several other disco classics were really remakes of previously issued LP cuts, some never released as singles, others singles that were never hits, or "forgotten" hits long before the remake.

So, off the top of my head, I'll list:

THELMA HOUSTON:
"Don't Leave Me This Way" (Gamble-Huff) originally done by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (1975).

JACKIE MOORE:
"This Time Baby" (Bell & James, although I've seen it attributed to Gamble & Huff, also) originally done by The O'Jays.

YVONNE FAIR:
It Should Have Been Me" (Norman Whitfield) originally recorded by Kim Weston, charted by Gladys Knight & The Pips (1968).

BONNIE POINTER:
"Heaven Must Have Sent You"
Originally by The Elgins (1966)

OK, any others spring to your minds? Hmmmm...

[california mike]

not a hit, but i still enjoy bette midler's 12 inch single of "strangers in the night". from 1976, it has the sound and obvious elements of, well 1976.

[Jeff H]

And did you know that The Elgins re-recorded "Heaven" in 1989, in an Ian Levine production that sounds A LOT like Bonnie Pointer's version? (They do acknowledge this on the jacket: "The Elgins are back, borrowing upon the Bonnie Pointer arrangement.") A great record!

[DISCODISK]

On 2002-07-04 12:15, Jeff H wrote:
And did you know that The Elgins re-recorded "Heaven" in 1989, in an Ian Levine production that sounds A LOT like Bonnie Pointer's version? (They do acknowledge this on the jacket: "The Elgins are back, borrowing upon the Bonnie Pointer arrangement.") A great record!

hi JEFF H i also have the remake but for me you cant beat the original it was a bigger hit in the u.k (#3 pop) with its belated 71 release, for me it was a part of growing up and reminds me of schooldays,was that remake really 89? i would have given it 92 so thats already 13 years old? help !!! of all oldies on the radio that is one i die for, magic !

anyway ill add a few more.

VALENTINOS i can understand it(71)/
BOBBY WOMACK(73)
THE SHOWSTOPPERS aint nothing but a houseparty(68)/
PHIL FEARON(86)
FELICE TAYLOR it may be winter outside(67)/
LOVE UNLIMITED(75)
CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD give me just a little more time(70)/
ANGELA CLEMMONS(82)
4 TOPS baby i need your loving(64)/
GAYLE ADAMS(81,82?)
DRIFTERS on broadway(63)/
GEORGE BENSON(78)
DIONNE WARWICK/ROY HAMILTON/LOU JOHNSON reach out for me/
UNIVERSAL MIND(on RED COACH new york)(75)
*****(5 STARS)

GOWAAN MARKY "you do BANANARAMA" its your topic !!!!!

[Jeff H]

CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD give me just a little more time(70)/
ANGELA CLEMMONS(82)

And let's not forget our gal Kylie Minogue in 1991.

As for remakes by Bananarama... wow, where to begin?! "Na Na Hey Ney," "Venus," "Long Train Running"--and those are just the ones that come to mind at this moment!

_________________
"...a once in a lifetime feeling that returns every week..."

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Jeff H on 2002-07-04 19:34 ]</font>

[Boodikka]

I always liked Banarama's cover of "Really Sayin' Something".
I used to enjoy spinning Fever's cover of "Standing In The Shadows Of Love" back in the summer of 1979....

[markydefad]

In regards to Bananarama, I first heard them on their cover of The Velveletes "Really Sayin' Something" (1965). I liked that.

BUT, my fave was an original (I think) "Shy Boy (Don't It Make You Feel Good)" with a wonderful remix by John Luongo.

Another cover they did was "Nathan Jones" originally done by the post-Ross Supremes.

[Rick1229]

Roni Griffiths "(The Best Part Of) Breakin'" Up released in 1982 on Vanguard records. Originally done by the Ronettes in 1964 on Philles.

"Have A Cigar" originally on Pink Floyd's 1975 album "Wish You Were Here". Disco version done by Rosebud- I'm not sure of the release date.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Rick1229 on 2002-07-04 21:50 ]</font>

[markydefad]

Ya know, I've sorta got two threads going with the same information in them. And I started them BOTH last night. AND I wasn't drinking either. (Oh, a couple beers, no big whoop!) They seemed different at the time, but today they seem very similar.

We're starting to duplicate info. The other post is titled "Classic Rock & R&B That Was Discofied".

Just FYI. :lol:

[Rick1229]

Here are a few more to add to the list
California Dreamin' as we all know was originally done by the Mama's & Papa's (what a great song).
I have a 1978 version done by what a studio disco group named Grand Tour. The album was "On Such A Winter's Day" released on the Butterfly label. Never heard anything else by them after this album.
A group named High Jinx did a white party version of "Cal Dream" recently.

The Carpenters' Academy Award & Grammy winning top 3, 1971 hit "For Al We Know" was remade in 1995 by Niki French which achieved moderate dance club success.
Take a look at my friend's website by clicking on the little house below my signature.

_________________
Rick1229

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Rick1229 on 2002-07-05 13:54 ]</font>

[BrunoRepublic]

On 2002-07-05 13:49, Rick1229 wrote:
I have a 1978 version done by what a studio disco group named Grand Tour. The album was "On Such A Winter's Day" released on the Butterfly label. Never heard anything else by them after this album.

It was a Three Hats Production; they were the same folks who brought us the Skatt Bros., the Duncan Sisters, Sticky Fingers, and of course, the THP Orchestra.

[california mike]

kind of forgot about the butterfly label. the goal was to find all the butterfly releases(on album) because each one was on a different color vinyl, then listen to the music later. i'll have to go see what i have

[sutnop]

I think one of the reasons
that Disco Died out in the 80's
was the extense of covers of old songs
it made it sound plastic and not real.....


SO I mean this topic is very depressive
Cause every cover converted to Disco
Just Illustrates one more strand of lacking creativity........

[Rick1229]

I don't think there's any lack of creativity in songs like Donna Summer's "Mac Arthur Park" or Santa Esmeralda's "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood". I view covers as just another way to enjoy a favorite song.

[california mike]

sometimes a cover seems the easy way out, but when completely reworked, it can be exciting to hear an arrangers/producers different point of view, something not obvious the first time around. i don't know who the artist is, but a somewhat recent dance version of gordon lightfoot's "if you could read my mind" caught my attention at a club.

[markydefad]

Maybe the remake of "If You Could Read My Mind" by Ultra Nate', Amber & Jocelyn Enriquez from the "54" film soundtrack?

I agree that a great song can often can hold up to a remake. I always feel it's nice to have the song back on the radio. Whitney Houston's remake of "I'm Every Woman" or the "If You Could Read My Mind" remake or even Gloria Estefan's remake of "Turn The Beat Around" worked, IMHO. And, since the original is NOT gonna get played on the radio, why not listen to the remake?

However, sometimes things can go wrong. Case in point, the lousy remake of "Lady Marmalade" from "Moulin Rouge". NOT a pleasant memory. :roll:

[markydefad]

Oh, and one mo thing.

Given the creatively bankrupt ideas that modern songwriters rehash over and over, why not give a fresh take on a classic tune. BUT, better a remake than a "sample" of the elements of a hit song into some new piece of crap.

Oh, and the remake theory rarely applies to movies. There, it's almost always a case of-- if the first one worked, the remake will be a pale imitation. The same with those damn sequels--lame, watered-down excuses to rehash the same movie for dumbed down movie audiences that want a repeat visit to a movie they already saw. And an easy way to bilk money out of the crowd.

[california mike]

i agree with markydefad on the issue of re-makes. there have been some great remakes and covers. to a lot of listeners, if they are young, they are not really familiar with the originals.but the older we get, the more we will hear. forgot about "i'm every woman", still a great song...both versions!! ashford & simpson!! as for the recent version of lady marmalade, to me it was a forced vocal gymnastics exercise, trying to outshout each other. am i going to get in trouble for saying that?
since we are on the subject of remakes...has there been a discussion of that endless "hooked on...." series? that artificial thump, clap, thump, clap, thump, clap.

[NickNack]

I know we're off-topic but you were discussing 'remakes' and I'm sitting here listening to Dionne Warwick's "Soulful". Ten covers of other artists (three by The Beatles) and most are just... WOW! I love the reconstruction of "A Hard Day's Night". It's taken almost to the point of dirge but her intonations let you know her man will be waking up REAL FAST! May fave on the lp: "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling". Then again, I think I like everybody's version of this song.

[california mike]

i remember when the "soulful" album came out, she wanted to do an album that she had input, and ended up having i think a top ten single with "you've lost that ...". sometimes it's a test, the artist wants to know if they are having hits because of who they are, or in this case, were all her hits big because they were bacharach-david compositions?
since we have mentioned dionne warwick, i have to mention one of my favorites, patti austin.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: california mike on 2002-07-10 09:00 ]</font>