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
The bloodless reading of "drift away" by I believe Hootie and the blowfish. Dobie Gray must roll in his grave everytime that piece of dreck hits the airwaves.
Every pathetic group of white boys playing the blues in bars and clubs all over the country, night after night, year after year.
Scotty - Dobie is alive and well as far as I know and provided some of the vocals for the current rendition. He was also in the video. Whether or not he likes the Uncle Cracker version is another story...
Grateful Dead : Johnny B.Goode Unworthy of Chuck Berry!

Rolling Stones: Goin' to a go-go Smokey kills this.

Eric Clapton: I Shot the Sheriff Marley smoked this.

One I like : Rod Stewart : I'm Losin' You (right up there with The Temps' version)
On the other hand, if you want to hear some great R&B covers, get a copy of "Country, Rythym & Blues"
The album "The Chipmunks Sing Alongs" is all covers, including "Witch Doctor". Not sure which version that might be as I've never had the pleasure of hearing the album myself, but I'm fairly certain it would be at the top of my list of bad covers. Just one step below Michael Bolton and John Tesh.

Marco
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?
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.
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.
without question, pat boones tutti fruitti. most covers don't get laughs like pat did. i think he even laughed at himself.
I totally agree with Micheal Bolton, it seems every hit he had was a re-make. Oh yeah jsonic I don't think I have to tell you it wasn't the Sheriff that Bob smoked ;)-~. We have a Winner:Michael Bolton. Yes, that was Aerosmith doing baby please don't go, I heard it on the Radio yesterday. I think Pat Boone did a Heavy Metal cover album, with classics like "Stairway to Heaven", also.
Who's the metal band that just did a remake of Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal? I really thought that sucked.
Van Halen's version of "Dancin in the Streets". Come to think of it The Grateful Dead's version of that tune also can't hold a candle to Martha and the Vandellas' version. Here's a reversal: Ike and Tina Turner's version of Proud Mary versus CCR's. Gotta go with the original there.
Michael McDonald's Motown disc is a pleasant spin

but that's not what you asked for

bad soul remixes - BLues Brothers doing Sam and Dave
anybody trying to imitate Otis Redding
didn't George Michael do an old Stax tune
that induced vomiting???

but yes Michael Bolton - When a Man Loves a Woman

beyond bad
The Rolling Stones doing the Temptations: Aint Too Proud To Beg. IMHO nobody, absolutely nobody, can do a Temptations song better than The (original) Temptations.
If you think white boys playing the blues is bad...how 'bout white boys playing reggae. They should be shot by the sheriff! And smokin ganja, doesn't help them one bit! It would be like Keith Richards singing Amazing Grace...need I say more.
Can't think of the title at the moment, but I recall Phil Collins had a hit with a Supremes tune. Gotta be right up there with Michael Bolton.
Ogsarg - it was "You can't hurry love".

How about the Soft Cell's cover of the Supremes "Where did our love go?"
I'd love to have heard a Johnny Cash version of NWA's Fuck the Police preferably done live from San Quentin!
Here is one of my favorites, Love And Rockets doing The Temptations "Ball of Confusion [That's What the World Is Today]".
This morning I heard Grand Funk Railroad's pathetic version of Do The Loco Motion.