Wednesday, October 20, 2021

DID THE PIONEERS COVER THEIR COVER?


Every genre has them. Covers. Some are good and some are bad. In reggae there is a fine line between a good cover and and a bad one. The good covers are usually either instrumentals, soul covers or Motown, or some older vocal thing. Rock covers by reggae artists are on double secret probation. One thing that absolutely shouldn't be done: incorporating rock riffs in a chunka chunka riddim. Listen to a few of the covers down there and then listen to Alpha Blondy's cover of "Whole Lotta Love". I'm sure some may like it. I don't. It just seems to be a little desperate for attention.

I've got an semi-related request. I really don't think anyone who reads this will have the answer (to crowd source successfully you must first have a crowd), but I have to ask: does anyone know the story of the version of "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" below by the Pioneers. The one I have was produced by Joe Gibbs. The one below sounds different, cleaner and mixed differently. I spent a bit of time trying to find out and found squat, So, just throwing it out there. Gibb's version is better anyway.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~
Listen:
Alton Ellis - It's A Shame mp3
at Internet Archive
Horace Andy - Ain't No Sunshine mp3
at Internet Archive
The Pioneers - Papa Was Rolling Stone mp3
at Internet Archive
Faye and Mystic - California Soul mp3
at Internet Archive
Nostalgia 77 ft Alice Russell - Seven Nation Army mp3
at Internet Archive
Alpha Blondy - Whole Lotta Love mp3
at Internet Archive

4 comments:

espege said...

Hi Tom! I sent a link to a friend who might know about that non-Gibbs (?) mix. Will update you if he has any info.

:) espen

Tom G. said...

Thanks Espen!

espege said...

Just off the phone with my good friend Thor. His best tip was to join a Facebook group called Roots Knotty Roots (yes; Knotty, not Natty). Apparently this is where all the Reggae nuts convene, sharing info which is registered on a database by the same name. You can register and access the database (https://www.reggaefever.ch/rkr/) on your own, but according to Thor, shooting a question on the related FB group is probably your best option. Good luck, Tom.

E

Tom G. said...

Thanks again Espen! Knotty? Whatever!