To be fair, you could also have worked that out from the fact that the title of the post is "Single Song Sunday".
Not for the first time, and very probably not the last, we are featuring a Holland-Dozier-Holland song. "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" was a hit twice on Motown, originally for Marvin Gaye in 1965 and then for Junior Walker the year after. Marvin brought the grace, Junior brought the groove.
Many years later Lamont Dozier himself had a go, on an album called "Reflections Of..." on which he reinterpreted his songbook. It's his song so obviously he can do what he likes to it, but personally I don't think slowing it right down suits the song.
Marvin had the bigger hit with the song in the US, reaching #6 on the charts compared to #18 for Junior (it was the other way round in the UK where Marvin barely scraped into the Top 50), but neither of them was the biggest. That honour goes to James Taylor, who took his version all the way to #5 in 1975. Now I'm partial to a bit of JT and it is a perfectly pleasant cover, but I would not consider it the pick of the bunch.
Probably my personal favourite version after Marvin and Junior is the one by a little-known British singer called Paul Weller. Originally the B-side to his 2010 single "Find The Torch, Burn The Plans", you can also find it on his "Will Of The People" rarities boxset which came out last year.
Which brings us to Karen Dalton who released this sprightly rendition on her 1971 album "In My Own Time". Karen's voice is perhaps an acquired taste. I have acquired it, you may not. We then round things off with a French cover from 1967 by Herbert Léonard and the Mandatory Reggae Version courtesy of Mr Tinga Stewart.
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" - Marvin Gaye
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" - Junior Walker & The All Stars
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" - Lamont Dozier
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" - James Taylor
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" - Paul Weller
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" - Karen Dalton
"Il Serait Doux D'Etre Aimé Par Vous" - Herbert Léonard
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" - Tinga Stewart
I was familiar with #1, 2 & 4. You won't beat Marvin in my ears, but Karen Dalton was intriguing.
ReplyDeleteI am quite taken with the Karen Dalton version, how she is slightly out of sync with the music. It's a grower.
ReplyDeleteI too have acquired a taster for Ms Dalton's voice.
ReplyDeleteTop tune.Top versions.