In the 60s, if a song was a hit, everyone recorded it. This sometimes led to some interesting recordings. A lot of artists used cover songs to establish some cred, usually by straying from their comfort zone. Terminally square? Try "A Well Respected Man," an indictment of...terminal squares. Too folky? A little pop fluff like "Red Rubber Ball" does the trick. Surf music on the way out? Try some way out psychedelia. And, when all else fails, there's always Dylan.
The funny thing is, these are some pretty good covers. The Four Tops bring out the soul in "Light My Fire." Rocker-turned-hippie Johnny Rivers does a nice job on the old war horse "Hey Joe." The big surprise is the instrumental treatment of "Turn Turn Turn" by Tiger Beat heartthrobs Dino, Desi, and Billy. D, D, & B were, respectively, Dean Martin's son, Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball's son, and their friend named Billy Hinsche. They recorded for Frank Sinatra's Reprise label, and were produced by none other than Lee Hazelwood. They turned out to be a not-bad garage trio. Believe it or not, they're back together, with Dino's brother Ricci filling in. If they tour, I'm totally there.
The List:
The Bachelors - A Well Respected Man
5th Dimension - Sunshine Of Your Love
Four Tops - Light My Fire
Johnny Rivers - Hey Joe
The Seekers - Red Rubber Ball
Cher - Dont Think Twice (It's All Right)
Tom Jones - It's A Man's Man's World
Dino, Desi, and Billy - Turn Turn Turn
The Supremes - Blowin' In The Wind
The Lettermen - Mr. Tambourine Man
The Ventures - Strawberry Fields Forever
Sizzle Me Baby!
