This Week's "Under The Covers" Classic

[1finemrg]

Taking a look at the Top 40 for the 70s or 80s broadcast for the week, this thread will feature a song from the countdown. If it's an original, another version would be featured.

If the featured song is a cover, the original song may be featured or another cover tune may be spotlighted. We begin with the King...

This week's Under The Covers classic is from November 4, 1972 countdown, Elvis Presley fell from his #2 peak position with "Burning Love". His version featured the guitar work of Dennis Linde who wrote the song.

The first version was recorded earlier in 1972 by an artist who was featured recently on the Lost 70s classic thread. He is the only artist who wrote songs recorded by the Beatles (Anna, Soldier Of Love), the Rolling Stones (You Better Move On, Go Home Girl), and Bob Dylan (Sally Sue Brown). In his career, he had four Hot 100 singles with his version of "You Better Move On" peaking at #24 in 1962.

Burning Love - Arthur Alexander

[at40petebattistini]

This topic is made-to-order for the cover of another song from November 4, 1972…

The flipside to The Who’s “Join Together” was a song titled “Baby Don’t You Do It”, the same one by The Band, at #34. What’s also noteworthy is a lyric sampling to The Who’s hit single, “…join together with The Band…” The more well-known version released by Marvin Gaye in 1964, “Baby Don’t You Do It” was recorded in concert by The Who and issued as a 45 with “Join Together” earlier in 1972.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gH9H6DENJF8

[dth1971]

Here's an UNDER THE COVERS classic I chose for the AT40: The 80's 11/2/1985 show:

At #13 that 11/2/1985 AT40 week is Paul Young with his version of "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down" originally done circa 1973 by Ann Peebles. This is what Ann Peebles' original version sounds like:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyMsvE8UcbI

[1finemrg]

Barry Manilow was slowly inching his way toward the Top 10 on the November 10, 1979 survey with his current hit.

This week's under the covers classic is the original version from the songwriter. From his album "You're Never Alone With A Schizophrenic", his single "Just Another Night" missed the Top 40.

The album also included the original version of "Cleveland Rocks" and this track.

Ships - Ian Hunter

[jlthorpe]

From that same November 10, 1979 AT40, John Cougar's #39 "I Need a Lover" was covered by Pat Benatar and released as a single that same year. From her debut album In the Heat of the Night, the song did not chart in the United States.

[dth1971]

Here's an UNDER THE COVERS choice by me for 11/17/1984 AT40, to connect with Cyndi Lauper's "All Through The Night" which is #9 on that chart, here is Jules Shear's original 1983 version which never charted:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lovdp792NaY

(Listen to it, you may think it sounds like it could have even made Billboard's Country chart!)

Now if we can only unearth the unreleased version of this "All Through the Night" song by the Cars.

[dth1971]

To tie in one of the AT40 Christmas specials - 1971, here's an UNDER THE COVERS choice of one of the 1971 AT40 Christmas special entries, but in reverse of remade of original. This is a cover of the Royal Gaurdsmen's "Snoopy's Christmas" done by the Peppermint Kandy Kids on Peter Pan Records:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JL3l1gmZGI

By the way, on the 1971 AT40 Christmas special: "Snoopy's Christmas" by the Royal Gaurdsmen was ranked #31.

[mct1]

Nov 6, 2024 1:09:14 GMT -5 jlthorpe said:

From that same November 10, 1979 AT40, John Cougar's #39 "I Need a Lover" was covered by Pat Benatar and released as a single that same year. From her debut album In the Heat of the Night, the song did not chart in the United States.

Benatar's version of "I Need A Lover" may have received airplay on album-oriented rock stations as an LP cut, but it was never released as a single in the U.S.

Cougar's version of "I Need A Lover" had become a hit in Australia in 1978, taken from an album (A Biography) that wasn't even released in the U.S. after his first album had flopped here. I assume Benatar or someone connected to her (possibly producer Mike Chapman, who was originally from Australia) heard Cougar's version somewhere and thought it would be a suitable song for her to do, not necessarily knowing that Cougar's management was going to try to use Cougar's version of the song to break him in the U.S. But that's exactly what happened, so both versions ended up coming out in the U.S. at about the same time in 1979.

[LC]

Nov 8, 2024 0:31:35 GMT -5 mct1 said:

Nov 6, 2024 1:09:14 GMT -5 jlthorpe said:

From that same November 10, 1979 AT40, John Cougar's #39 "I Need a Lover" was covered by Pat Benatar and released as a single that same year. From her debut album In the Heat of the Night, the song did not chart in the United States.

Benatar's version of "I Need A Lover" may have received airplay on album-oriented rock stations as an LP cut, but it was never released as a single in the U.S.

Cougar's version of "I Need A Lover" had become a hit in Australia in 1978, taken from an album (A Biography) that wasn't even released in the U.S. after his first album had flopped here. I assume Benatar or someone connected to her (possibly producer Mike Chapman, who was originally from Australia) heard Cougar's version somewhere and thought it would be a suitable song for her to do, not necessarily knowing that Cougar's management was going to try to use Cougar's version of the song to break him in the U.S. But that's exactly what happened, so both versions ended up coming out in the U.S. at about the same time in 1979.

Not long ago, I heard Pat's version at Kroger.  Yep, Kroger.  They also played "Stepping In a Slide Zone" by the Moody Blues, if you can believe it.  Props to their muzak programmer.

[1finemrg]

Dr. Hook was ascending toward the Top 10 on the Hot 100 November 11, 1978 survey with their current hit.

Written by Ava Aldridge and Eddie Struzick, a couple of the artists took a shot at having success with this song before Dr. Hook sunk their "hooks" into it.

The original was recorded in 1976 by an artist who would become one-half of a one hit wonder duo, peaking at #13 in 1977 with "Falling". His version missed the Hot 100, but charted at #99 on Cashbox.

Sharing The Night Together - Lenny LeBlanc

A second version was also released in 1976 by the artist who was the subject of the first post on this thread. It also missed the Hot 100, but managed a #94 Cashbox peak.

Sharing the Night Together - Arthur Alexander

Dobie Gray's also recorded "Sharing The Night Together". His version was included as the "B" side of his last Top 40 single "You Can Do It".

---------------

Bonus: On November 11, 1978, Styx was about to peak with their current single "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)".

As was the trend in the mid-2000s, Styx released a CD of covers in 2005. Titled "Big Bang Theory", some of the highlights included their take on "I Am The Walrus", "I Can See For Miles", and "Can't Find My Way Home".

Styx also re-recorded "Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)", giving it a bluesy vibe with songwriter and vocalist Tommy Shaw singing lead. Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Johnnie Johnson and blues legend Koko Taylor also lent their talents to this recording.

Blue Collar Man @ 2120 - Styx

By the way, @ 2120 refers to the address of Chess recording studios (2120 S. Michigan Avenue).

[dth1971]

Here's my UNDER THE COVERS choice for the 11/22/1980 AT40 chart:

Since a live version of Supertramp's 1975 album cut from the "Crime of the Century" album called "Dreamer" is on the 11/22/1980 AT40 chart, here's the original 1975 Supertramp studio version:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT1W50BQHhY

[1finemrg]

Nov 12, 2024 20:49:14 GMT -5 dth1971 said:

Here's my UNDER THE COVERS choice for the 11/22/1980 AT40 chart:

Since a live version of Supertramp's 1975 album cut from the "Crime of the Century" album called "Dreamer" is on the 11/22/1980 AT40 chart, here's the original 1975 Supertramp studio version:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT1W50BQHhY

I believe the studio version of "Dreamer" was the "B" side to "Bloody Well Right".

[dth1971]

An UNDER THE COVERS choice tied in to the 1973 AT40 Christmas Countdown:

Since Vic Dana's "Little Altar Boy" ranked #26 in the 1973 AT40 Christmas Countdown, here's a reverse cover done by Andy Williams:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPDMCVcw6nw

[mga707]

Nov 13, 2024 12:38:43 GMT -5 1finemrg said:

Nov 12, 2024 20:49:14 GMT -5 dth1971 said:

Here's my UNDER THE COVERS choice for the 11/22/1980 AT40 chart:

Since a live version of Supertramp's 1975 album cut from the "Crime of the Century" album called "Dreamer" is on the 11/22/1980 AT40 chart, here's the original 1975 Supertramp studio version:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT1W50BQHhY

I believe the studio version of "Dreamer" was the "B" side to "Bloody Well Right".

Checked the list of my 45s and 12" singles that I created back in 2020--you are correct.

[1finemrg]

Billy Idol was a couple of steps from the Top 10 on November 29, 1986 with his current single. His idol-ized version was a cover of a Stax original from 1969.

This week's under the covers classic was co-written by the singer and Booker T. Jones. It narrowly missed the Top 40, peaking at #45 (#10 R&B).

It would be another eight years before this singer would have his moment in the Top 40, topping the R&B chart and reaching #10 on the Hot 100 with "Trying To Love Two".

I Forgot To Be Your Lover - William Bell

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In 2022, Bruce Springsteen released "Only The Strong Survive", a collection of R&B covers. On his version, he shares the spotlight with Sam (and Dave) Moore.

I Forgot To Be Your Lover - Bruce Springsteen with Sam Moore