The third and last “5” Royales song I will post today.
“Dedicated to the One I Love” was released by The “5” Royales” in 1957. The 1959 Shirellles version and 1967 version by the Mamas and Papas were hits. Those are the versions most people (including me) know.
The “5” Royales are one of the most underrated groups ever. Several of their songs are better known by cover versions. I am going to post a series of them now. The covers, especially the James Brown version of “Think” and the Ray Charles version of “Tell the Truth” are great but the original versions are well worth your time. “Tell the Truth” was released in 1958 and followed by Ray Charles’s version in 1959.
“Nowhere to Run” is a 1965 record by Martha and the Vandellas of a Holland-Dozier-Holland song. Laura Nyro, backed by Labelle, covered it in 1971.
“Powderfinger” (1979) from Neil Young’s album Rust Never Sleeps is my favorite Young song. I like the country version he did with the International Harvesters in 1984 and at Live Adi in 1985.
“Fortune Teller” was written by Allen Toussaint and recorded by Benny Spellman in 1962 (with Toussaint producing). The Rolling Stones and the Who are among the artists who have covered it.
People my age know “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” from Bette Midler’s 1972 cover. I knew the original version was by the Andrews Sisters but I had no idea until yesterday that it was originally in 1941’s Buck Privates with Abbott and Costello. I was watching it on TCM and was surprised when it appeared.
“Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues” is one of the best songs on one of Bob Dylan’s best albums, 1965’s Highway 61 Revisted. In addition to the original version, a live 1966 version with the musicians later known as the Band was the b-side of the single of “I Want You”. It was recorded in Liverpool on May 14, 1966. The link also connects to a picture of the single. This version is also on the box set of the 1966 live recordings (disc #14). The Cutting Edge collection also has unreleased versions – see the second video. Dylan and the Band performed it on the 1974 tour but it wasn’t on the official album from the concerts, Before the Flood. They did perform it in the show I saw – 1/6/74 afternoon in Philadelphia.
There are many covers by artists such as Nina Simone and Bryan Ferry. Check out the version by the Handsome Family.
Chuck Berry’s “Little Queenie” is from 1959. I included it here because of the Instagram post of a performance by Keith Richards and Jerry Lee Lewis. That’s Mick Fleetwood on drums. The Rolling Stones covered it on their 1970 live album Get Yer Ya-Yas Out.
Back in the High Life Again was cowritten by Steve Winwood and released by him in 1986. Warren Zevon covered it in 2000.
