Just My Imagination

Cover version of the month #122
The Rolling Stones cover The Temptations

I stumbled across The Rolling Stones 1978 album called Some Girls in a lovely bar in the old town section of Malia while on holiday with my wife (then girlfriend) back in 2003. The guy serving behind the bar was also DJ-ing and he played a song that captured my attention.

Me - Who is that?

Barman - The Rolling Stones.

Me - No way?

He passed the CD case across the bar. The song was Miss You, the lead song on (and single from) the album. Kind of disco, kind of soulful, kind of dirty - most definitely cool. I asked him to play it again as soon as it finished.

My wife and I ended up in this wee bar every night. The strip was most definitely not for us, while the old town had quaint little restaurants and bars to chill in. The barman played Miss You every time we went in and often just let the album run on. I bought a copy as soon as I got back to Scotland.

While I most definitely fell for Miss You and the groove of Beast of Burden,  I was also captivated by the Stones cover version of Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me), a song I knew from a soul compilation album I had. 

The Stones are in the zone, they are in absolutely no rush, beautifully lazily loose. Charlie Watts gets a delicious crack from his snare, Keith Richards sounds like he is in love with his phaser pedal and the way his guitar gels with Ronnie Wood is utterly sublime. The Stones sound like the best band in the world - just jamming on a song they love.

The soul of the song is there, but the Stones take it from Motown to a place that maybe only the Stones know how to get to. They throw it under a new light ... or maybe they take it into the shadows, into the darkness. You can just imagine them playing in a dive bar down a gritty side street. 

Many cite the Stones Some Girls album as something of a rebirth, given that it was released in a world of punk and disco. Perhaps that inspired Jagger and co. Miss You definitely has a dirty disco groove and beat, while closing track Shattered is new wave before new wave. 

Setting up camp at Pathé Marconi studios in Paris, the Stones recorded on a 16-track and cut their band back to the bones with no session musicians. This was Jagger, Richards, Wood, Wyman and Watts. Richards felt that session musicians took the band away from their natural sound. As a result Some Girls was a lean, hungry and remarkably aggressive record, returning the band to a tight, street-wise, bar band. And that really comes across on their cover of Just My Imagination.

Jagger sneers and swaggers through the lyrics that sound so innocent in the original. Behind him, his band sound a few beers and smokes in, you can easily imagine bottle resting on amps and fags hanging from mouths as they play. Maybe in New York City, as Jagger changes the words in the final verse from The Temptations of all the fellows in the world, she belongs to me to and of all the girls in New York, she loves me true.

Jagger also ad libs in the second verse and sounds true to himself, rather than The Temptations.

I say I am just a fellow, with a one track mind

Whatever it is I want baby, I seek and I shall find

Listen to him harmonise with Richards on the chorus - ooft. What a band!

Richards fell for a MXR Phase 100 pedal that you can hear across the album. It creates a swirly, dreamy psychedelic effect, though through the interplay with Ronnie Wood and with Charlie Watts crack beat, the the Stones kick up the tempo. The little instrumental after the second chorus is stunning.

Respecting the melody (and band - they previously covered The Temptations Ain't Too Proud To Beg and My Girl), The Stones didn't quite run away with their imagination, but they definitely allowed it to drift enough to put their own stamp on the song. This is a magical cover version, for me, one of the bands finest covers in their massive catalogue.

The original is a Motown masterpiece - one of many!

Released in 1971, The Temptations' original version of Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) was written by the legendary powerhouse duo of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, it is a masterclass in sweet, symphonic soul. A beautiful, fragile orchestral piece of Detroit Motor City magic

Driven by the breathtaking, delicate falsetto of Eddie Kendricks, the track captures the ultimate bittersweet daydream. Lush, cinematic strings and a gently weeping French horn back a daydream of love, a relationship and marriage. It all seems so real that the author/singer is caught up in the romantic fantasy, before realising it is just his imagination.

I tell you, I can visualise it all you see

This couldn't be a dream, far too real it all seems

But it was just my imagination (once again)

Running away with me 

The bridge sees Kendrick lost in his fantasy and praying to the Lord not to take his love away from him, only to snap out of it before he hits the chorus again.

Ooh, her love is heavenly

When her arms enfold me, I hear a tender rhapsody

But in reality, she doesn't even know me 

While The Temptations original is a fantastic song and recording, The Stones version is my favourite. It just oozes cool and they really seem to be in the zone.

The Temptations original and The Rolling Stones cover version 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

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
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

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out 

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

80. Killing Me Softly

81. Ain't No Mountain High Enough

82. Drop

83. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

84. Sympathy For The Devil

85. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

86. Love Will Tear Us Apart

87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire

88. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

89. Love The One You're With

90. Cum On Feel The Noize

91. Addicted To Love

92. Valerie

93. Ride On Time

94. Let's Dance

95. It Must Be Love

96. I Fought The Law

97. For What It's Worth

98. Do Your Thing

99. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

100. Don't Leave Me This Way

101. Shout!

102. God Only Knows

103. The Last Time

104. Bridge Over Troubled Water

105. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

106. Louie Louie

107. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

108-110. I'm A Loser, Yesterday and Beware of Darkness 

111. So You Say You Lost Your Baby

112. Kelly Watch The Stars

113. Association

114. Some Velvet Morning

115. If I Had A Boat

116. Vapour Trail

117. Femme Fatale

118. You've Got A Friend

119 & 120. Jolene & I Will Always Love You 

121. Get Ready

Get Ready

Cover version of the month #121
Ella Fitzgerald and Ash cover The Temptations

Released on Motown Records in 1966, The Temptations Get Ready, written by Smokey Robinson, is a sub 3-minute gem, with horns, bass, strings and drums creating a driving energetic riff from the off. 

I never met a girl that makes me feel the way that you do (you're alright)

The relentless bassline is the engine for the song, with Eddie Kendriks taking lead vocals, instead of David Ruffin. Kendricks soaring falsetto is exceptional, soaring effortlessly above the collision of brass, strings and the driving beat.

There is an urgency to the song, exemplified by the title and the kiss off hook in the chorus get ready, cause here I come. The lift into the chorus is sublime. Get Ready is the sound of young America at its most vibrant, sounding full of confidence ... unstoppable.

And I'm bringing you a love that's true

So get ready, so get ready

I'm gonna try to make you love me too

So get ready, so get ready

Cause here I come, I'm on my way

Fast forward three years and Ella Fitzgerald is recording a rip roaring version at Olympic Studios in London for her 1969 album Ella. It's an absolute revelation! Driven by Brian Bennett on drums, this is a sweat soaked funk jazz romp, with Fitzgerald sounding like she is having the time of her life. The Temptations original has urgency, but Fitzgerald really does ramp it up a notch or two.

The backing vocals are glorious, understated in the mix, still leaving plenty of room for Fitzgerald - as if she was gonna have it any other way! Her vocal performance is fantastic, fire-y and fierce. The horns help to anchor everything. The riff is just played with a little extra oomph. It's a glorious cover version.

Ash - Goldfinger 

Get Ready was a b-side

Fast forward again, this time almost 30-years and Ash, a trio of teenagers from Northern Ireland, are making a name for themselves with a string of singles. Goldfinger, in April 1996, was the final single to be released, leading to 1977, their debut album, the following month. One of the b-sides was Get Ready - previously released as a limited fan-club 7-inch.

Ash’s version of Get Ready sounds exactly like what it is: three mates in a sweaty studio with Tim Wheeler's fuzzed guitar cranked up to eleven. It's delicious raw garage rock/pop. You can't mess with a melody or riff as strong as the ones Smokey Robinson created. So Ash just put their own spin of teenage exuberance on it. Fuzz, distortion, crashing beats and Tim Wheeler's glorious bubblegum pop delivery. Punk pop perfection.

I am currently in love with this song, particularly the Ella Fitzgerald version, which prompted this blog. Somewhere in my loft is the CD single by Ash. While researching, I also discovered a 21-minute + cover version from 1968 by a band called Rare Earth. It's ... OK ... not as cool as a 20-minute version could be. It begins with a lazy jam before they head into the song, then off on a bass heavy jam to begin with. The beat and bass are probably ripe to be sampled. Organ kicks in and away they go. It's too long for me. Give me the Creedence take on I Heard It Through The Grapevine any day of the week. Rare Earth also released an edited single version, under 3-minutes long. 

The Temptations original and both the Ella Fitzgerald and Ash versions 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

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
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

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out 

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

80. Killing Me Softly

81. Ain't No Mountain High Enough

82. Drop

83. Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay

84. Sympathy For The Devil

85. I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor

86. Love Will Tear Us Apart

87. Indian Rope Man + bonus Strawberry Fields Forever + This Wheels On Fire

88. Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You

89. Love The One You're With

90. Cum On Feel The Noize

91. Addicted To Love

92. Valerie

93. Ride On Time

94. Let's Dance

95. It Must Be Love

96. I Fought The Law

97. For What It's Worth

98. Do Your Thing

99. I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

100. Don't Leave Me This Way

101. Shout!

102. God Only Knows

103. The Last Time

104. Bridge Over Troubled Water

105. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart

106. Louie Louie

107. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head

108-110. I'm A Loser, Yesterday and Beware of Darkness 

111. So You Say You Lost Your Baby

112. Kelly Watch The Stars

113. Association

114. Some Velvet Morning

115. If I Had A Boat

116. Vapour Trail

117. Femme Fatale

118. You've Got A Friend

119 & 120. Jolene & I Will Always Love You 

I Wish It Would Rain

Motown Monthly 1

I've been digging into the extensive catalogue of Tamla Motown with relish and joy recently. Without wanting to mention Spotify again, they really have made it easy and addictable to explore albums, b-sides, demos and rarities.

I became acquainted with Motown at an early age courtesy of some records my Mum owned; a Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell duets album with Sheila Easton in pencil on the back sleeve just in case anyone borrowed (and forgot) or picked up the wrong copy at a party back in the Sixties or Seventies.

So I'm going to start a monthly Motown blog on certain songs, singles, artists or times. And I'm going to begin with a song by The Temptations called I Wish It Would Rain.

A short piano and bass intro leads to the piano being dropped and singer David Ruffin singing with real heartbreaking soul that wishes the sunshine and blue skies would go away cause he has lost his love.

Sunshine, blue skies, please go away

My girl has found another, and gone away

With her went my future, my life is filled with gloom

So day after day, I stay locked up in my room

I know to you it might sound strange

But I wish it would rain

It is an incredible opening verse that sets the scene and the second verse takes it a step further and at one point Ruffin sounds lost for words after stating listen, I got to cry, the ooooh before he explains that crying eases the pain is sublimely soulful and tugs on the heart strings.

Cause so badly I wanna go outside (such a lovely day)

Everyone knows that a man ain't supposed to cry

Listen, i got to cry, 'cause crying

Eases the pain, oh yeah

It just gets better, yet there is even more pain and self therapy with Ruffin singing that he longs for rain so he can go outside and hide his tears in the rain. There is no holding back the pain in the song.

Lyricist Rodger Penzabene penned the song just after learning that his wife was cheating on him. He would commit suicide barely a week after the single's release.

I need rain to disguise the tears in my eyes

I'm a man I got my pride

'til it rains I'm gonna stay inside

Producer Norman Whitfield created much of the musical structure to accompany Penzabene's heartbreaking poetry, with Barret Strong composing the piano intro on a piano with only ten working keys! The music is perfect for the song, there is real melancholic heartbreak in this record, it is stunning.

I Wish It Would Rain reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3-weeks and later be covered by Percy Sledge, Gladys Knight and the Pips and also by Marvin Gaye on the b-side of Lets Get It On.

Many, many Motown songs are about guys/girls longing for a lost love but I Wish It Would Rain may well be the most heartbreaking of the lot. It is a gem.