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ain't got no soul: bad covers of great soul songs

Many a great soul track has suffered some truly egregious desecration. The single example that comes most readily to mind is Huey Lewis's rendering of Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'". Ouch! Rememeber folks, this question does not depend on any emphemeral concepts such as race. To be sure, I'll take Dusty's version of "Son of a Preacher Man" over Aretha's any day. For that matter, limey whiteboys such as Elvis Costello and Paul Weller display a far more instinctive grasp of soul than does, for example, Bobby Brown. Don't disappoint me, I am sure that you can name some real atrocities.
tweakgeek
pehare's avatar
pehare
639 posts
 
Phild for that gem can I buy you a beer or something?
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
4,163 posts
 
All time top of the list goes to Pat Boone's rendition of "Tutti Frutti". It says something about American 50s culture that it actually outsold the Little Richard version.

BTW, I like the Huey Lewis version of "Cruisin'". No it's not equal to Smokey's, but if you've seen the film "Duets" you'd gain a better understanding of why it works. The film is about karaoke singers and it also features an amazing gospel acapella version of "Freebird".

And in a shameless attempt to hijack your thread, I nominate Ray Charles doing "Eleanor Rigby" as the best soul cover of a non-soul tune. Can I get a witness?
scotty_910
119 posts
 
In another shameless attempt at hijacking, how about Toots and the Maytalls doing John Denver's Country Roads as the best soul (cause we all know that Reggae got soul) cover of a non soul tune.
mknowles16
101 posts
 
Was that Aerosmith doing "Baby Please Don't Go" on the most recent Superbowl broadcast? Yikes!!

And if Michael Bolton does not take this hands down, I am revoking my mebership.
potsey
58 posts
 
without question, pat boones tutti fruitti. most covers don't get laughs like pat did. i think he even laughed at himself.
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