“Kumbaya” has a long history. The Black spiritual was first recorded in 1926 and was popular in the 1960s when I would have heard it.
Category: Music covers
Covers: I Can Hear Music
Covers: Memory Pain
“Memory Pain” was written and recorded by Percy Mayfield. It’s a great record that wasn’t released until 1964, more than a decade after it was recorded.
I first heard it from the Johnny Winter cover from 1969. Some versions call it “Serves Me Right to Suffer” with some lyrics by John Lee Hooker.
Covers: A Case of You
Covers: Make It Easy on Yourself
“Make It Easy on Yourself” was co-written by Burth Bacharach and Hal David. It was a hit for Jerry Butler (1962) and The Walker Brothers (1965).
Covers: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
“The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was written by Ewan MacColl in 1957 but only became a big hit in 1972 when it was performed by Roberta Flack.
Covers: One Way Street
Ann Peebles released the original version of “One Way Street” which she co-wrote with her husband Don Bryant in 1974. She released a great version of it in 1996 on her album Fill This World with Love. It’s the end and highlight on a medley of her songs.
Covers: (Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame
“(Marie’s the Name) His Latest Flame” is best known as an Elvis Presley record but was first recorded by Del Shannon. Both versions were from 1961.
Covers: Mr. Tambourine Man
“Mr. Tambourine Man” is one of Bob Dylan’s most famous songs because of the Byrds’ electric cover version.
Covers: Kung Fu Fighting
“Kung Fu Fighting” (1974) is a very popular single by Carl Douglas. I recently heard a surprising cover by Mardi Gras BB over the end credits of the German film Kebab Connection (1974). The film is in German but the song is in English.
Sad! 