'With a Little Help from My Friends' was recorded at Olympic Studios, London and Trident Studios, London during 1968. "Feeling Alright" was recorded at A&M Studios, Los Angeles, September 1968. It was released on April 23, 1969, on the A&M Records label. This was Joe's debut studio album, and in my opinion, his best.
Joe gets a lot of help from his large circle of friends, with 24 of them collaborating on the album. Among them were Jimmy Page, Steve Winwood, Albert Lee, Matthew Fisher, and B.J. Wilson of Procol Harum, David Bowie’s producer Tony Visconti, Merry Clayton, and Madeline Bell.
To my ears this album sounds remarkably similar to one of Aretha Franklin’s exceptional albums from the late 1960s or early 1970s, where Aretha Franklin temporarily stepped aside and Joe took her place at the microphone. The background vocalists, piano and organ are eerily similar. It’s pretty clear that her recordings were being used as a template for this album, and it seems to have worked out very well for everyone involved. Sometimes it reminds me of Aretha stepping aside, and Ray Charles taking over vocal duties. And I mean all of the above in the best possible way.
This is a masterclass in Blue Eyed Soul, as well as the art of the cover song, as Joe just doesn't just replicate material; he completely dismantles and claims it.
The freeload is a 24bit/96kHz SACD rip of the Audio Fidelity release from 2015. This version has serious sonics.
For the freeload, what some of your favorite cover versions of songs that in your opinion surpass the original?
Cat Power singing Breathless by Nick Cave
ReplyDeleteNina Simone's version of "Screamin' Jay" Hawkins' “I Put a Spell on You”
ReplyDeleteCaptain Beefheart's "Moonlight On Vermont."
ReplyDeleteThis is a sheerly fantastic album, Joe wringing out his heart, and the material and musicians worthy of him.
Well that goes to show you what a moon can do.
DeleteBlack Magic Woman, while not a favorite of mine, as covered by Santana simply blows the doors off those cokeheads, Fleetwood Mac. Crowned with poppies, Carlos ruled!
ReplyDeleteCokeheads? Unfair. There's much more to any Mac Happy Meal than that. Alcohol, dope, acid, heroin, crack, speed, downers, uppers ...
DeleteDid you bring enough to share with the whole class?
DeleteMaybe Johnny Winter doesn't quite surpass Brother Ray on his version of "Drown in My Own Tears," but for a white guy— a very white guy—he does pretty damned well.
ReplyDeleteQuincy Jones' version of Benny Golson's "Killer Joe"
ReplyDeleteGood Lovin' by the Young Rascals beats the Olympics version.
ReplyDeleteLeo Sayer - Let It Be
ReplyDeleteKind regard, Mike
Taxman by Junior Parker
ReplyDeleteNina Simone's cover of Who Knows Where The Time Goes beats the Judy Collins version to hell, and I think just maybe nudges Sandy's original aside (maybe, just).
ReplyDeleteOn further (brief) reflection, Ms. Simone's discography is filled with superior versions of songs originated by others.
DeleteOn my morning walk, I listened to ‘April In Paris - Charlie Parker with Strings’.
ReplyDeleteBird’s version of the John Klenner and Sam M. Lewis song “Just Friends” blows everything else out of the water. The same could be said for Bird’s version of David Raksin’s “Laura”
Absolutely sublime…
Easy one - Tina Turner (and Ike) covering the CCR classic, Proud mary. One that most will disagree with: Staples Singers cover of The Weight.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Staples' The Weight is a great cover, as is Ike & Tina's Proud Mart.
Deleteoops, Proud Mart sounds like a cheap Wal-Mart...Make that Proud Mary!
DeleteOh, and for lagniappe, Nilsson's "Living Without You" (was originally written and recorded by the most tragic band in the history of rock, Bad Finger).
ReplyDeleteThat was one that came to my mind also.
DeleteANON RF: Is it a cliche to suggest Hendrix's All Along The Watchtower? So good that Dylan changed his own take on it to Hendrix's.
ReplyDeleteIt is not a cliche or cliché or...
DeleteIt is a paradigmatic example of a reinterpretation that became an invention. Kudos to Dylan for recognizing it, too, and talking (eventually) about how Hendrix added to the song. (I looked, again, at the Wikipedia article on the song, which cites two good quotes.)
D in California
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen is one of the most covered songs. I love the version from K.D. Lang on her album "Hymns of the 49th Parallel".
ReplyDeletePops Staples covered Peace In The Neighborhood (Los Lobos) & pretty much makes it his own. Los Lobos released an album of covers of songs written in California, Native Sons. In my opinion it is great and some covers rival the originals, you decide, here's a link, it's flac: https://workupload.com/file/LKHBuJCw98S
ReplyDeleteThere was also an album of covers, but the selections were mashups, I really like it alot too, again, decide for yourselves, Umphreys McGee - Zonkey, only mp3, I'm afraid: https://workupload.com/file/WLUQyGK2t6m
I kinda think that because these songs are mashups & that's what makes them better. I could be wrong. Also I agree, if Bird covers a song, it is his. Thanks Babs
mumbles - This Los Lobos covers album is really fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I lost track of them after "Kiko" - they certainly still have it going on after listening to Native Sons. I saw them live once just after Kiko - small venue (250 max) - they blew the roof off the place - with the double percussion players in such a small room it was crazy loud - but you sure felt what they were putting out. It was great!
DeleteShout - Lula And The Luvvers
ReplyDeleteWho Do You Love - Misunderstood
Twist & Shout - Beatles
Money - Beatles
A Taste Of Honey - Beatles
House Of The Rising Sun - The Animals
You're No Good - Swinging Blue Jeans
I Wish You Would - Yardbirds
I Wanna Be Your Man - Rolling Stones
I Wanna Be Your Man - Rezillos
Needles & Pins - Searchers
My Funny Valentine - Elvis Costello
Little Red Rooster - Rolling Stones
Shape Of Things To Come - Slade
Get Down & Get With It - Slade
Tobacco Road - Nashville Teens
Baby Please Don't Go - Them
Leavin' Here - The Birds
Silhouettes - Herman's Hermits
Just One Look - Hollies
The foundations of the British Invasion were built with great cover versions........
"Major Tom" by The Space Lady
ReplyDeletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Space_Lady
From:
The Space Lady - The Space Lady's Greatest Hits (2013)
https://pixeldrain.com/u/r26fS65H
~ Jon
Kooper/Stills' Season of the Witch from Super Session beats Donovan.
ReplyDeleteHendrix "All Along the Watchtower"
ReplyDeleteOh, and an artist who's career was pretty much defined by her songs being recorded by others - Laura Nyro:
ReplyDeleteEli's Coming - Three Dog Night
Stoned Soul Picnic - 5th Dimension
Wedding Bells Blues - 5th Dimension
Save the Country - 5th Dimension
And When I Die - BS&T
Tomorrow Never Knows by Junior Parker
ReplyDeleteLink
ReplyDeletehttps://workupload.com/file/Cuy6buCjfAT
Thanks Babs! On the subject of Joe Cocker, I have long imagined him covering Bob Wills' Faded Love, using the Delaney Bramlett tempate (on the Motel Shot album). Sadly, Joe transitioned before I could talk him into it.
DeleteEnjoy!
Delete"Frijid Pink - House Of The Rising Sun". Even though a different time signature (4/4 instead of 3/4) than the original is usually difficult. But this time it worked for me, unlike Alan Price's "Hi Lily Hi Lo," which I can't stand.
ReplyDeleteAnd one more : Al Kooper’s crazy “Baby Please Don’t Go,” which, for my taste, surpasses all the other versions.
Tom Petty's cover of "Something in The Air" / Sinead O'Connor's version of "Nothing Compares To You" / The Rolling Stones' version of "Like A Rolling Stone" ... among many others. This is a fine blog of covers material: https://www.covermesongs.com/
ReplyDelete