It's Soul, Covered Up Part 6

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This sixth part of 'It's soul covered up' is most of all a tribute to Donna Summer (picture). The one and only Queen of Disco died of cancer yesterday. I felt really sad when I heard the news. I have a weak spot for her from the moment I saw her on Dutch television in 1974. I bought all her singles from then on, like the masterpiece 'MacArthur park' that I selected for this episode of 'It's soul covered up'. The original was sung by Richard Harris in 1968.

The most remarkable cover version of this sixth edition is probably the one from Ladders. It's in fact a solo project from Andy Scott, bass player of glam rock band The Sweet. He turns the Motown classic 'Gotta see Jane' from Canadian singer-songwriter R. Dean Taylor into an interesting combination of rock, disco and new wave (by the way, the keyboards sound almost exactly the same as in 'Laugh and walk away' from the Shirts). Scott makes the song even more threatening than the original version. He really has to see Jane, otherwise bad things will happen...

Speaking of Motown, by far the best version of 'Don't leave me this way' is the one that Thelma Houston sang on Motown. Her vocals and the funky, almost neurotic bass from Henri Davis (who also played on 'Love hangover' from Diana Ross) make it a song about lust and desire, rather than love and sadness. That's also the difference between disco and soul in short. Thelma Houston obviously turns the soul song from Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes (sung by Teddy Pendergrass) into a sing-along (gay) disco anthem. Lorraine Johnson did more or less the same trick on 'The more I get, the more I want' (on the Prelude label), originally from Teddy Pendergrass as a solo artist. Enjoy this sixth part of 'It's soul covered up'! More on covers and originals on Second Hand Songs.

Tracklist (in parentheses the originals):

Willie Hobbs – Till I Get It Right (Tammy Wynette) (1973)
Stanley Turrentine – Love Hangover (Diana Ross) (1976)
Terry Snyder And The All Stars – Puttin On The Ritz (Harry Richman) (1960)
Nouvelle Vague – Too Drunk To Fuck (Dead Kennedys) (2004)
Candi Staton – Jolene (Dolly Parton) (1974)
Kellee Patterson – I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little Bit More, Baby (Barry White) (1976)
Lorraine Johnson – The More I Get, The More I Want (Teddy Pendergrass) (1977)
Jackie Moore – This Time Baby [Special Disco Version] (O'Jays) (1979)
Ladders – Gotta See Jane (R. Dean Taylor) (1983)
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour – Inner City Blues (Marvin Gaye) (2009)
Gregory Porter – Work Song (Oscar Brown Jr) (2012)
Dee Dee Sharp Gamble – I'm Not In Love (10cc) (1976)
Thelma Houston – Don't Leave Me This Way (Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes) (1976)
Earth, Wind & Fire – Can't Hide Love (Creative Source) (1975)
Tata Vega – Get It Up For Love (Ned Doheny) (1979)
Linda Lewis – It's In His Kiss (Shoop Shoop Song) (Merry Clayton) (1975)
Club Nouveau – Lean On Me (Bill Withers) (1986)
Jean Carn & Glenn Jones – Sweet And Wonderful (Bridge) (1981)
Donna Summer – MacArthur Park (Richard Harris) (1978)

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