Cover version of the month #101
Lulu and the Luvvers cover The Isley Brothers
There have been a number of famous and successful Scottish cover versions over the years. Think of Wet Wet Wet's chart domination with The Troggs Love Is All Around or Bay City Rollers with The Four Seasons By Bye Baby for example.
Arguably the most famous, was potentially the first, certainly of note. Lulu's cover version of The Isley Brothers Shout! in 1964 made the song her own. Sixty years down the line, if you mention Lulu, her debut single will be the song that the majority of people immediately think of.
I marvel at the fact that the song was originally released back in 1959! I think of The Isley Brothers as being a mid-60's onwards band on Motown. Little did I know that their debut single was The Cow Jumped Over The Moon in 1957!
Shout! was certainly a step up! Gospel, rhythm and blues, rock n roll and the sound of Ray Charles are all intertwined in Shout!, creating a powerful song with a classic call and response to engage audiences on dancefloors and at concerts.
The Isley Brothers loved Shout! so much that they recorded it in parts 1 and 2. Part 1, the single and the song as it is know, is just over 2-minutes of infectious energy over a shuffling rhythm with an outrageous lead and excellent backing vocals.
There is a glorious breakdown at 1 minute 16 seconds;
I want you to know
I said I want you to know right now
You been good to me baby, better than I been to myself
As everything kicks back in, The Isley Brothers work the intensity of the song to a euphoric climax. Pt 2 is just the band continuing to vibe, breaking it back down, building it back up, having loads of fun;
A little bit softer now (shout) is repeated until they take things down to a mere murmur.
A little bit louder now - SHOUT is repeated until the band are wooping along, tambourine kicks in and the call and response that Lulu took a little further in her version is introduced.
Lulu was only 15 when she recorded and released Shout! with her backing band The Luvvers. Her voice is extraordinary! Raspy, raw, raucous and soulful, the teenage Scot delivered a performance that sends tingles down spines.
Weeeeeelllllllllllllllllllllll .... you know you make me wanna SHOUT!
What a debut single! It really does demand your attention. Lulu sounds sensational, while The Luvvers blitz through the song with a driving beat, horns are introduced and the backing vocals are in there.
After some outrageous aalllllrrrriiigghhtt's by Lulu , at 2 minutes 8 seconds, the arrangement of the song takes in the little call and response that The Isley Brothers used in Pt 2 and gives it a little longer before Lulu goes into overdrive.
Across the world teenagers would be screaming this into their hairbrush in front of the mirror. Lulu was doing it on TV shows and on tour with The Beatles. Incredible. What a cover version.
Both versions of Shout! are added to my Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist on Spotify which also features all of the songs listed below. Search for the title or CLICK HERE
Previous covers of the month blogs
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U
