01 JACKIE WILSON — Light My Fire • Brunswick Rec. 2:45
(Morrison, Jim/Densmore, John Paul/Krieger, Robert A./Manzarek, Raymond D.) (P) 1968 Brunswick Rec. Inc. • Nipper-Music Co. Inc./Doors-Music Co. • Courtesy of The Demon Music Group, by arrangement with Smith & Co.

When it came to stage- and vocal dynamics hardly anyone could beat the incredible Jackie Wilson. Of the 100+ "Light My Fire" versions, Wilsons cover sticks out as one of the funkiest. This is largely due to his backing unit, better known as the legendary "Young Holt Unlimited" (ex-Ramsey Lewis Trio). Together they create a dense and dark atmosphere, leaving just enough space to showcase Wilsons high tenor. Thrilling…

02 PEGGY LEE — (Sitting On) The Dock Of The Bay • Capitol [2:35]
(Steve Cropper/Otis Redding) (P) 1998, 2003 Capitol Records, Inc. • East/Memphis Music Corp. (BMI) *)

Although she was already pushing fifty, swing-area star Peggy Lee managed to stay hip to the musical changes of the late sixties. With the guidance of producers Bobby Bryant and Mike Melovin she released the LP "A Natural Woman", which contained a collection of funky Rock and Soul coverversions. Her take on Otis Reddings "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay" takes us a million miles away from the originals almost meditative mood. Big Band horns, funky breakbeats and growling bass-lines turn the Big-Os musical testament into an irresistable floor-shaker.

03 BOBBY TAYLOR & THE VANCOUVERS — I Heard It Through The Grapevine • Motown/UMG [2:39]
(Barrett Strong/Norman Whitfield) (P) Motown/UMG Recordings Inc. • Stone Agate Music Corp. **)

After dropping the band name "Four Niggers And A Chink", this integrated canadian group became known as Bobby Taylor And The Vancouvers. In 1967 they were discovered at the Elegant Parlour Club by Motown president Berry Gordy and singer Diana Ross. Legend has it that Gordy was so impressed by the groups talent, that he insisted to produce their first album personally. Recorded during that session, their ecstatic version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" shows that the Vancouvers could have been much more than a mere one-hit-wonder.

04 BILL DOGGETT & HIS COMBO — Fingertips • Columbia [2:15]
(C. Paul/H. Cosby) (P) 1963 Columbia Records

"Fingertips" was the first song that brought chart success for the twelve year old Steveland Morris - later known as Stevie Wonder. From the spoken intro to the furious finale - hammond organ hero Bill Doggett stays close to Wonders original version, with the exception of Doggetts pounding organ replacing the part of little Stevies harmonica.

05 WILLIE MITCHELL — Take Five • Hi Records [2:13]
(Desmond) (P) 1969 Hi Recording Corp. • Valentine Music Group Ltd. • A Product of Cream Records Inc. • Issued under license from Demon Music Group Ltd.

"At the time I really thought it was kind of a throw-away" was Paul Desmonds dry remark when asked about his composition "Take Five". Luckily, Desmond didn't trust his initial judgement and "Take Five" became the first Jazz-instrumental that sold over a million copies and climbed to No.1 in the Pop charts. "Memphis Sound" legend Willie Mitchell speeds the originals 5/4 tempo up and adds guitars and soulful horns into the mix.

06 BO DIDDLEY — I've Been Workin' • UMG [3:44]
(Van Morrison) (P) 1973 UMG Recordings Inc. • WB Music Corp./Van Jak Music Corp./ASCAP **)

Shortly before he left Chess Records in 1974, Bo Diddley recorded a last LP: "Big Bad Bo". Although the album didn't do well with critics and the charts alike, it contained some of the funkiest material Diddley recorded throughout his career. Bos coverversion of Van Morrisons "I've Been Working" clearly diplays the albums qualities. Backed by a horn ladden big band and an ultra tight rhythm section Mr. Diddley gets into a funky blues bag.

07 SAMMY DAVIS JR. — Hi-Heel Sneakers • Reprise [4:12]
(Higginbotham) (P) 1967 Reprise • Medal Music Inc. • Licensed from Licensemusic.com Aps. An original Reprise Recording

Although Sammy Davis Jr. can hardly be described as a "R'n'B performer", he had his flirtations with a "blacker" and "funkier" sound. In 1970 Davis signed a deal with Motown Records - a collaboration that resulted in the remarkable LP "Something For Everybody". Davis coverversion of Tommy Tuckers "Hi-Heel Sneakers" sees the Rat Packer getting into a psychedelic version of the Blues - backed by Jazz-Rock heavies Blood, Sweat and Tears. Wild!

08 SAM BAKER — Don't Feel Rained On • Darcy [1:59]
(Terry, Wesson) (P) 1966 Darcy Cape Ann Music Inc. • Licensed From Licensemusic.com Aps

Originally issued as the B-Side to Esther Phillips big 1962 hit "Release me", "Don't Feel Rained On" became a kind of underground classic. Soul singer Sam Baker cut the song in 1966 and brought a raw and R'n'B driven energy to the sweet MOR ballad.

09 DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES & THE TEMPTATIONS — Ain't No Mountain High Enough • Motown [2:11]
(Nickolas Ashford/Valerie Simpson ) (P) 1968 Motown Rec. • Jobete Music Co. Inc./Ascap **)

After scoring a No.1 R'n'B-Charts success for Ray Charles with "Let's Go Get Stoned", Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson joined staff at Motown records. Shortly afterwards the husband and wife team wrote one of their masterpieces: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough". Initially a hit for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, the song became a classic and was covered many times. Here, we are presented with the smooth version of Motown's "Magnificent Seven" aka The Temptations + The Supremes.

10 MARTHA REEVES & THE VANDELLAS — Everybody's Talking • Motown/UMG [2:46]
(Fred Neil) (P) 1970 Motown/UMG Recordings Inc. • Coconut Grove Music Co./Thrid Story Music Inc. **)

Fred Neils song "Everbodys Talkin" was omnipresent in 1969. Title song of the academy award winning movie "Midnight Cowboy", No.6 position in the Pop charts, and a Grammy Award for best male contemporary performance. No wonder the song became a favorite coverversion throughout the genres. Under the supervision of arranger Wade Marcus, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas transform the song into a funky "Las Vegas meets the Gospel circuit" workout.

11 JIMMY HUGHES — A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues • Vee Jay [2:15]
(Thomson) (P) 1964 Vee Jay • Marquis-Music Inc. • Licensed From Licensemusic.com Aps • Courtesy Of Vee-jay limited Partnership

Convinced by the success of fellow Gospel singer Arthur Alexander, Jimmy Hughes decided to give R'n'B music a try. The result was "Steal Away" a catchy deep soul tune, that became a R'n'B Top 20 hit. The Sessions following the success of "Steal Away" saw Hughes recording one of the tracks, his mentor Arthur Alexander had recently performed. "A Shot Of Rhythm And Soul" is a wild mixture of Rock and Roll, Soul and Country and easily tears the roof off any Soul party.

12 ELZA SOARES — Edmundo (In The Mood) • Odeon [1:52]
(Glenn Miller) (P) 1965 Odeon *)

Composed by Red Garland, "In The Mood" became a worldwide smash hit in the 1940 version of bandleader Glen Miller. Brazilian superstar Elza Soares - once entitled the "Tina Turner of samba" - turns the swing anthem into a classy Jazz-Samba workout. Kicking stuff …

13 RICARDO RAY ORCHESTRA — Cool Jerk • Vampi Soul [2:17]
(Don Storball) (P) Vampi Soul Mclaughlin Publishing Co. - BMI • Under friendly permission of Vampi Soul

Puerto Rican bandleader Ricardo Ray grew up in the streets of Spanish Harlem in New York City. A neighbourhood, where the fusion of Latin- and Soul music became an almost logical progression in the sixties. If you thought that the Capitols original Version of "Cool Jerk" already had a lot of Latin-influences, then check out Mr. Ray turning the song into a Latin-Trash-Rocker. Wild.

14 LESLIE UGGAMS — River Deep, Mountain High • Atlantic [2:46]
(Jeff Barry/Phil Spector) (P) 1968 Atlantic Recording Corp. [3]

Leslie Uggams made her national television debut at age six, appeared with Louis Armstrong at the Apollo Theatre at seven and had her own television show by the time she was 28. Always more of a Broadway act, her move to Atlantic Records saw her recording Pop and R'n'B material as well. With her rich and full voice she boasts all over Phil Spectors epic "River Deep, Mountain High" leaving the coverversions of Deep Purple, the Four Tops, Neil Diamond and Celine Dion far behind.

15 EARL GAINES — Turn On Your Lovelight • Darcy [3:02]
(Malone/Scott) (P) 1973 Darcy • MCA Duchess Music Corp. • Licensed from Licensemusic.com Aps

After scoring the huge R'n'B hit "It's Love Baby" with Louis Brooks in 1955, singer Earl Gaines disappeared into obscurity. Shortly before he left the music scene in 1975 to become a truck-driver, he recorded this version of Bobby Blue Bland's "Turn On Your Lovelight". Raw and funky.

16 SOLOMON BURKE — It's Been A Change • Atlantic [2:12]
(Brook Benton/Clyde Otis/Roebock Staples) (P) 1992 Atlantic Recording Corp. • Staples Music BMI ***)

Solomon Burke is a man of many talents. Bishop, mortician, cook, limousine service owner, restaurant manager, drugstore owner, father of 21 children and above all: one of the greatest Soul singers of all time. With his rich and heavy baritone "King" Solomon gives the Staple Singers joyous "It's Been A Change" the royal gospel treatment and takes us straight to the sunday morning service in the deep south …

17 OTIS REDDING — Louie Louie • Atlantic [2:01]
(Richard Berry) (P) 1964 Atlantic Recording Corp. • American Berry Music Company/Limax Music Inc. ***)

The original "Louie Louie" was written in 1955 by Richard Berry and released as a single in 1957 on Flip Records. Originally a latin tinged R'n'B track, the song became an anthem in the 1963 Garage Rock version of the Kingsmen. Since then, the song has been recorded over threehundred times and has become a legend of trash aesthetics. One of the most memorable "Louie Louie" efforts is that of Soul legend Otis Redding who - lead by the Memphis-Horns and Booker T. and the MGs - makes the song completely his own.

18 JOHNNIE TAYLOR — Sixteen Tons • Atlantic [2:23]
(Travis) (P) 1966 Atlantic Recording Corp. • East Music ***)

After leaving the Soul Stirrers in 1965, gospel singer Johnnie Taylor joined the Memphis based Stax/Volt label. Paired with the legendary house-band Booker T. and the MGs, Taylor cut one of the cornerstone southern Soul LPs : "Wanted One Soul Singer". With Booker T. and the Memphis group behind him, Taylor approaches Tenesee Ernie Ford's hymnic "Sixteen Tons" with all the funky blues power Stax had to offer.

19 GARNET MIMMS — A Little Bit Of Soap • Liberty [2:17]
(Russel) (P) 1965 Liberty Records *)

"A Little Bit Of Soap", recorded by The Jarmels in 1961, was the first big hit for the - then unknown - Songwriter Bertrand Russell Berns. During the sixties,"Bert" Berns gave the Pop world unforgetable classics like "Twist & Shout", "Under The Boardwalk", "Everbody Needs Somebody To Love", "Cry To Me" and "Brown Eyed Girl". At the height of his fame in 1965, Berns decided to re-record his entry-hit with the distinctive Soul singer Garnet Mimms. Twanging guitar, hypnotic drums and Mimms soulful vocals turn this version into a perfect Pop-Soul moment.

20 JOE TEX — King Of The Road • Tree [2:10]
(Miller) (P) 1965 Tree - Tree Publishing Co. Inc. • Licensed from Licensemusic.com Aps Courtesy of Tree International Inc.

Country Superstar Roger Millers stoical celebration of the hobo life became a millionselling top-ten hit in 1965. Southern Soul legend Joe Tex –never afraid of experimenting with country material adds a soulful edge to the country classic without loosing the originals jazzy undertones.

21 ALVIN ROBINSON — Fever • SSS [3:12]
(Cooley/Davenport ) (P) 1964 SSS International • Licensed from Licensemusic.com Aps Courtesy of Sun Entertainment Corporation

Little Willie Johns "Fever" has been covered by practicaly everybody, ranging from Elvis Presley and Ella Fitzgerald to Madonna, James Brown and the Grateful Dead. Producers Leiber & Stoller strip the song of its glamourous elements and slow the tempo even further down. New Orleans born Alvin Robinson sounds like Ray Charles on a packet of tranquilizers and aches all over the song.

22 ETTA JAMES — Baby What You Want Me To Do • MCA/UMG [4:22]
(Jimmy Reed) (P) 1963 MCA/UMG Recordings Inc. • Conrad Music Publ. Co. Inc. **)

Etta James 1964 Live-Album "Etta Rocks The House" sticks out as one of the most energetic and authentic R'n'B shows ever recorded. The centerpiece from this glorious LP is clearly James rendition of "Baby What You Want Me To Do". Etta purrs, groans, screams and moans her way through the Jimmy Reed classic, attacking the song with incredible rawness and vulnerability at the same time.