Is there a cover of a song originally done by an artist on the famous Motown Records label that you enjoy?  There are tons out there.  What are some of your favourites?

In 1984, Lionel Richie had a massive hit called 'Stuck on You' and a few months later, a British reggae singer named Trevor Walters covered it and outpeaked Lionel's version in the UK.

I love the original.  I grew up with it and it's fantastic, but after learning of Trevor's version, I quite like it just a little bit more as I think it works so well as a reggae song!

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"Dancing in the Street" is a song written by Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson and Ivy Jo Hunter. It first became popular in 1964 when recorded by Martha and the Vandellas whose version reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at No. 4 in the UK Singles Chart. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.

A hit cover version of "Dancing in the Street" was recorded by the English rock icons Mick Jagger and David Bowie as a duo in 1985, to raise money for the Live Aid famine relief cause. The original plan was to perform a track together live, with Bowie performing at Wembley Stadium and Jagger at John F. Kennedy Stadium, until it was realized that the satellite link-up would cause a half-second delay that would make this impossible unless either Bowie or Jagger mimed their contribution, something neither artist was willing to do. In June 1985, Bowie was recording his contributions to the Absolute Beginners soundtrack at Westside Studios with Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley, and so Jagger arranged to fly in to record the track there. A rough mix of the track was completed in just four hours on June 29, 1985. Thirteen hours after the start of recording, the song and video were completed. Jagger arranged for some minor musical overdubs with Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero in New York City.

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"Don't matter where you are, back in the U.S.S.R"

Here is a 1989 cover of the 1965 Supremes hit 'I Hear A Symphony' by a Canadian singer named Eria Fachin.  This song was one of 3 singles to come from her debut album, yet her success was short lived as about a year after she released this, she was diagnosed with cancer, eventually succumbing to the disease in 1996. 

Her music lives on though as not only do I remember when this was popular, I still sometimes hear it on the radio.  It's a fantastic version of a fantastic song!

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This psych-o-delic cover of The Supremes' "You Keep me Hangin' On" was a big hit (in an edited version) for Vanilla Fudge in 1967. Here's the full album version.

Vanilla Fudge
"You Keep Me Hangin' On"
1967

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ChToIvLRM

"You Can't Hurry Love" is a 1966 song originally recorded by the Supremes on the Motown label. It was released on July 25 of 1966 as the second single from their studio album The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966).

The most notable cover of the song was released in November 1982 as a single by Phil Collins from his second solo album, Hello, I Must Be Going! Collins's version reached number-one on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks in January 1983 (becoming his first number-one solo hit in the UK Singles Chart, and peaking two positions higher than the original song did in that country), and reached number 10 in the United States (his first top 10 single in the U.S.). The single was certified gold in the UK.

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The Rolling Stones's deconstruction of The Temptation's "Just My Imagination" was the sole cover on their 1978 "Some Girls" album, an album that defines the late 70s like no other.

The Rolling Stones
"Just My Imagination"
1978

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnqH7W4me9o

"Dancing in the Street" is a song written by Marvin Gaye, William "Mickey" Stevenson and Ivy Jo Hunter. It first became popular in 1964 when recorded by Martha and the Vandellas whose version reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at No. 4 in the UK Singles Chart. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song.

A hit cover version of "Dancing in the Street" was recorded by the English rock icons Mick Jagger and David Bowie as a duo in 1985, to raise money for the Live Aid famine relief cause. The original plan was to perform a track together live, with Bowie performing at Wembley Stadium and Jagger at John F. Kennedy Stadium, until it was realized that the satellite link-up would cause a half-second delay that would make this impossible unless either Bowie or Jagger mimed their contribution, something neither artist was willing to do. In June 1985, Bowie was recording his contributions to the Absolute Beginners soundtrack at Westside Studios with Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley, and so Jagger arranged to fly in to record the track there. A rough mix of the track was completed in just four hours on June 29, 1985. Thirteen hours after the start of recording, the song and video were completed. Jagger arranged for some minor musical overdubs with Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero in New York City.


"Don't matter where you are, back in the U.S.S.R"

The American rock band Van Halen also covered it, in 1982 (?).

Good topic!

"I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was covered several times, including within the Motown house.

Some may not know this - the first release, by Gladys Knight & Pips, was recorded after Marvin Gaye's memorable version, as Berry Gordy made Gaye sit on it.  (The first recording, by The Miracles, was actually released later as an album cut.)

I enjoy CCR's cover, from Cosmo's Factory (1970):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixqofv-Oi74

British Rockabilly giant Shakin' Stevens had a UK Top 30 hit in 1987 with The Supreme's Come See About Me.  This is such a fun version!

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In 1964, The Four Tops had their first Motown hit with 'Baby I Need Your Loving'.  It was covered in 1982 by Carl Carlton and peaked at #103 in the US and #27 in Canada.  This one is fun to dance to!

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In 1964, The Four Tops had their first Motown hit with 'Baby I Need Your Loving'.  It was covered in 1982 by Carl Carlton and peaked at #103 in the US and #27 in Canada.  This one is fun to dance to!

It was also covered by Johnny Rivers in 1967.

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Linda Ronstadt (who I was never really that big a fan of) scored big with two Smoky Robinson covers:

"The Tracks of My Tears"
1975

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs2UlOai2RU

"Ooh Baby, Baby"
1978
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhkKVhEZV5k

James Taylor had a big hit with this Marvin Gaye classic in 1975. The poor dear, it sounds like Wonder Bread to me.  ;D

James Taylor
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)"
1975

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdxXEERZO20

James Taylor had a big hit with this Marvin Gaye classic in 1975. The poor dear, it sounds like Wonder Bread to me.  ;D

James Taylor
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)"
1975


Awwww, now I like what he did with this cover...

In the early 80's Tears Of A Clown received a "ska treatment" -

The English Beat - Tears Of A Clown (1980)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e05yeByozlk

Awwww, now I like what he did with this cover...


I guess it's ok. Hee.  :D

James Taylor had a big hit with this Marvin Gaye classic in 1975. The poor dear, it sounds like Wonder Bread to me.  ;D

James Taylor
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)"
1975


Awwww, now I like what he did with this cover...



I also like James’ recording of that song. O0

Here is a group called West End Girls with a 1991 cover of the 1970 Jackson 5 hit 'I Want You Back'.  I remember this one well and it's still fun to hear

This group did not take their name from the Pet Shop Boys song.  They are 3 girls from Vancouver, which is on the west end of Canada.  The blonde is the daughter of Bill Henderson, lead singer for the band Chilliwack

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Here are the Stars on 45 with their 1982 hit 'Stars on 45 III: A Tribute to Stevie Wonder'.  In the UK and some other countries, this is called 'Stars on Stevie' by Starsound

I love this song. It is a medley of Stevie Wonder hits, but the only thing I don't like about it is the sound of the baby crying on ''Isn't She Lovely?'.  It just sounds weird

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkqNCKKAc-k
BoysTown Gang- Yesterme, Yesteryou,Yesterday.

The Hollies
"Stop In the Name of Love"
1983

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-Eh-1t0948

Kim Wilde had a massive hit in 1987 with The Supremes cover You Keep me Hangin'On.  Love this one!

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I still like hearing this Supremes cover... from 1989, this is Love Child by a duo called One to One. 

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Mustn't forget - none other than The Beatles themselves were fans of the Motown sound.  Their early albums featured covers such as this:

The Beatles - Money (That's What I Want)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeWjEYhk7Xo

Mustn't forget - none other than The Beatles themselves were fans of the Motown sound.  Their early albums featured covers such as this:

The Beatles - Money (That's What I Want)


I'd forgotten that was a Motown song.  There was a 1979 version by a British group called The Flying Lizards that was a massive hit in many countries, some countries not until 1980.  It's an interesting version, but super catchy!

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Mustn't forget - none other than The Beatles themselves were fans of the Motown sound.  Their early albums featured covers such as this:

The Beatles - Money (That's What I Want)

I'd forgotten that was a Motown song.  There was a 1979 version by a British group called The Flying Lizards that was a massive hit in many countries, some countries not until 1980.  It's an interesting version, but super catchy!


Yes; I know the Flying Lizards’ version as well! O0

In 1982, The Carpenters reached #74 in the US with a cover of The Marvelettes' 1962 classic Beechwood 4-5789.  It would be the final chart appearance for the group before Karen's passing in 1983.  Whenever people talk about songs about phone numbers, this one is seldom mentioned, probably because unless you are either the right age or you just know about it, you might not know about the long defunct telephone exchange name system that was used to reach people on the telephone

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Cher & The Osmonds do a Stevie Wonder medley on the "Cher" show, 1975:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6FIVEUld4U

In 1984, former Temptations singer Dennis Edwards had a fantastic hit called Don't Look Any Further featuring Siedah Garrett.  It peaked at #72 in the US, #45 in the UK and is such a good song, I truly believe it to be in the Top 10 of best Motown singles of the 80s!

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In 1988, a version by the British group The Kang Gang outperformed the original in the US where it peaked at #64 and topped the Dance chart for 1 week.  It also reached #52 in the UK

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Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today) was a 1970 hit by The Temptations.  In 1985, a cover version simply titled Ball of Confusion became the debut single by the British rock band Love and Rockets. While it failed to chart in the US or UK, it did peak at #18 in Canada. 

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In 1984, Andy Fraser, the British singer, bass player and co-founder of the group Free, peaked at #82 in the US with a really good cover of The Contours' 1962 hit Do You Love Me

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In 1974, a Canadian singer named Charity Brown had a #9 hit in Canada with a cover of Marry Wells' hit You Beat Me to the Punch.  This is such a good version...

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In 1975, The Doobie Brothers charted with a cover of the Kim Weston 1965 hit Take Me in Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While).  It peaked at #11 in the US and Canada, and #29 in the UK

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At the same time The Doobies' version was rising up the charts, another cover by Canadian singer Charity Brown was also, and peaked at #5 in Canada.  This version was also released as a single in the UK, but failed to chart

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