“Things Get Better” was a minor R&B hit for Eddie Floyd in 1966. It was covered by Delaney & Bonnie and Friends on their 1969 Stax album Home with some of the same musicians. Delaney and Bonnie also made it the first song on their 1970 album On Tour with Eric Clapton.
Category: Music covers
Covers: Iko Iko
Covers: Walking to New Orleans
“Walking to New Orleans” was written by Bobby Charles and made famous by Fats Domino. Make sure to try Buckwheat Zydeco’s version from the 1980s.
Covers: (I Don’t Know Why) But I Do
Clarence “Frogman” Henry‘s biggest hit was “(I Don’t Know Why)But I Do” from 1961. It is currently being used in an Expedia commercial. It was written by Bobby Charles and Paul Gayten.
Henry is best known for his own song “Ain’t Got No Home” from 1956. Charles and Gayten made recordings that are worth checking out.
Covers: Hang On Sloopy
“Hang On Sloopy” was a big hit for the McCoys in 1965 but it wasn’t the original version. I also remember the Ramsey Lewis version which was popular in 1966.
Covers: Always on My Mind
The most famous version of “Always on My Mind” is by Willie Nelson. It was co-written by Wayne Carson who also wrote “The Letter” which was a hit for the Box Tops.
Covers: Land of 1000 Dances
The original version of “Land of 1000 Dances” was by Chris Kenner in 1962. There are well known covers by Cannibal & the Headhunters and Wilson Pickett.
A version by the Walker Brothers is in the 2021 film Last Night in Soho.
Covers: Dueling Banjos
“Dueling Banjos” became famous because it was in the 1972 film Deliverance. The film version was played by Eric Weissberg and Steve Mandell. The original version was by Arthur Smith who had to sue to get credit when the film was released. Among the covers is “Dueling Tubas” by Martin Mull.
I saw Tony Trischka play it in 2014 at a banjo concert held in conjunction with an exhibit at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. Mandell was in the audience and Trischka introduced him.
Covers: They’re Coming to Take Me Away, Ha-Haaa!
This isn’t really a cover. The B side is the song played backwards. Even the label was printed in reverse. This novelty record was a huge hit in 1966. I was around (and had a copy) but I can’t explain why it was so popular.
There are covers:
Covers: Sail On, Sailor
“Sail On, Sailor” is a Beach Boys song from their 1973 album Holland. It’s a great song, harking back to their preoccupation with water during surfing days but much more complex. I saw the Beach Boys in concert in 1974. The opening act was Steely Dan! The audience didn’t want to hear their newer material. All they wanted was oldies like “California Girls”. It must have been discouraging for the band.
This message board post discusses the long and complex history of the song’s composition.
Van Dyke Parks, one of the song’s five author’s recently posted a link to a version by The Beach Boys and Ray Charles.
from the upcoming Los Lobos album to be released in July 2021:
Sad! 