Single Song Sunday

Welcome to the latest edition of our long-running but infrequent series. It is also, to be honest, one of the more pointless editions.

It was only when I listened to the various versions of "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" in my collection back to back that I realised that most of them are replicas of Junior Walker & The All Stars magnificent 1969 original. Junior's sax part is so perfect nearly everyone copies it note for note, and some minor variations apart the same goes for the intro and the vocal arrangements.

We kick things off with Junior and the boys, who are followed by four versions that are pretty much the same - all very nice but none quite as good. Tony Joe White brings a bit of variation by dropping the backing vocals and swapping the sax for a harmonica. 

We then finish with two Mandatory Reggae Versions, one from the great Alton Ellis for the purists, the other from Chilean pop-reggae sensation Betania Lopez. Large chucks of her arrangement have been lifted from Alton rather than Junior, but at least that is a variation of sorts.  

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - Junior Walker & The All Stars

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - The Electrifying Cashmeres

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - The 5th Dimension

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - Motherlode 

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - Garland Jeffreys 

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - Tony Joe White

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - Alton Ellis 

"What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" - Betania Lopez

We've saved the best till last.