djThunderfunk said:

Yep, thats the original, I think he wrote it. The Parlet version was a cover.

mediumdry said:

Pretty sure Prince's Cookie Jar cover was based on the original by Fuzzy Haskins, not the later Parlet version. (although I think the Parlet version is better)

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As to Prince and covers.. to me it always seemed like he wasn't really comfortable doing other people's songs. BBGW is one of his worst covers to me, but he was in love and liked Philly soul. To me it was cool he wanted to do it, I could just skip the track.

Yep yep! I love all versions to death. Its like the song "The Goose" by Parliament, loved all the existing versions.

purplerabbithole said:

I didn't mean you had an axe to grind--I meant rick james.

Hamad said:

Cookie Jar & Get On Up were both cover songs & outtakes from 1988, which I thought he did a good job. Betcha By Golly Wow & I Can't Make you love me, are cover songs from Emancipation. I personally don't have an ax to grind when it comes to Prince because I love him. But I honestly think those were terrible and unnecessary too.

No worries

An interesting thought though... Although music opinions are always subjective, sometimes an artist's cover of someone else's original song can seem "better" than the original version. To me, one example would be "Natural Woman" written and performed by Carol King (which was wonderful) but to my ears Aretha Franklin's version blows it out of the water. Better examples than that--but that's what sprang to mind at the moment.

I thought Prince just killed it on BBGW. The vocals were phenominal.

purplethunder3121 said:

An interesting thought though... Although music opinions are always subjective, sometimes an artist's cover of someone else's original song can seem "better" than the original version. To me, one example would be "Natural Woman" written and performed by Carol King (which was wonderful) but to my ears Aretha Franklin's version blows it out of the water. Better examples than that--but that's what sprang to mind at the moment.

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Aretha is simply a black swan. She also made Respect better.

mediumdry said:

purplethunder3121 said:

An interesting thought though... Although music opinions are always subjective, sometimes an artist's cover of someone else's original song can seem "better" than the original version. To me, one example would be "Natural Woman" written and performed by Carol King (which was wonderful) but to my ears Aretha Franklin's version blows it out of the water. Better examples than that--but that's what sprang to mind at the moment.

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Aretha is simply a black swan. She also made Respect better.

I love that statement!

I love the Prince version. I know some think it's overproduce or plastic in sound. I love his very specific sound he produced with Betcha By Golly Wow (It's the same sound as The Most Beautiful Girl In The World or Greatest Romance Ever Sold.)

As for Prince covering others, I find most very Karaoke in sound and a little underwhelming. Like RS (I can't get no)Satisfaction or Play That funky music. But he shines when doing All along the watch tower, Miss You, Creep, Best Of You or James Brown Covers.

kewlschool said:

I love the Prince version. I know some think it's overproduce or plastic in sound. I love his very specific sound he produced with Betcha By Golly Wow (It's the same sound as The Most Beautiful Girl In The World or Greatest Romance Ever Sold.)

As for Prince covering others, I find most very Karaoke in sound and a little underwhelming. Like RS (I can't get no)Satisfaction or Play That funky music. But he shines when doing All along the watch tower, Miss You, Creep, Best Of You or James Brown Covers.

Prince did shine on many covers--one of my favorites was his famous Small Club version of "Just My Imagination..."

alandail said:

I thought Prince just killed it on BBGW. The vocals were phenominal.

Agree. Brilliant vocals and even though it's got the sweet sugary production you can still hear a bit of that classic 94/95 NPG sound too.

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My wife, who's not really a Prince fan, loves it and even chose it to be played at our wedding while signing the register.

I can't believe I forgot his cover of 'A Case of u"...I love that cover so much even though it admits some lyrics..its so soulful and tight.

purplethunder3121 said:

kewlschool said:

I love the Prince version. I know some think it's overproduce or plastic in sound. I love his very specific sound he produced with Betcha By Golly Wow (It's the same sound as The Most Beautiful Girl In The World or Greatest Romance Ever Sold.)

As for Prince covering others, I find most very Karaoke in sound and a little underwhelming. Like RS (I can't get no)Satisfaction or Play That funky music. But he shines when doing All along the watch tower, Miss You, Creep, Best Of You or James Brown Covers.

Prince did shine on many covers--one of my favorites was his famous Small Club version of "Just My Imagination..."

purplerabbithole said:

I can't believe I forgot his cover of 'A Case of u"...I love that cover so much even though it admits some lyrics..its so soulful and tight.

purplethunder3121 said:

Prince did shine on many covers--one of my favorites was his famous Small Club version of "Just My Imagination..."

Thats a great rendition indeed

Dont agree with jelous and bitter Rick...

However when P did release BBGW as his first single from Emanicataption when he had 3 CDs full of great new original songs from him....at the time it was a big head scratcher and I really did not enjoy the cover. With time I apprecaited it more but to release it as his first single was a bone headed move

alandail said:

I thought Prince just killed it on BBGW. The vocals were phenominal.

I like it, too.

And I agree with someone else's post about having to be there when the original (by the Stylistics) came out. It obviously made a huge impression on Prince (along with La-La Means I Love You by the Delfonics) - and I totally get where he was going.

000000 said:

SoulAlive said:

I agree and I also think there are many songs that should not be remade."Betcha By Golly Wow" is one of them the original by the Stylistics,produced by Thom Bell,is just perfect.

truth. One of the songs that shouldn't be touched. Prince & RJ were rivals. RJ respected Prince but when it came to music it was "game on." Ali vs Foreman.

[Edited 4/8/18 9:51am]

More like any of the first 10 Tyson fights.

RJ could barely play the bass-

SoulAlive said:

Hamad said:

Prince was masterful at building up a song from the grounds up, but remakes have never been one of his strengths.

I agree and I also think there are many songs that should not be remade."Betcha By Golly Wow" is one of them the original by the Stylistics,produced by Thom Bell,is just perfect.

Betcha by Golly Wow

"Betcha by Golly, Wow" is a song written by Thom Bell and Linda Creed that was originally recorded by Connie Stevens as "Keep Growing Strong" on the Bell Records label in 1970. The composition later scored a hit when it was released by the Philadelphia soul group The Stylistics in 1972.

I love disco,

However. Never liked Superfreak or Rick James.. (I skuip his song everytime disco collections are played here)

Rick... he was just jealous on Prince for a lot of reasons..

Betcha By Golly Wow, maybe its a pop version, BUT a good popversion neverthe less.

I love his remakes...except Winding Road. Otehrwise they have been exceptional especially La La La Means I Love You

poppys said:

I guess to really get take on Betcha By Golly Wow, you had to be there when it hit. Huge emotional impact song of the time, 1972, Prince was 14. Lush sexy tune coming over the airwaves. Then you go to the wreka stow and buy it, maybe run into somebody... So, whether Ricky liked it or not, some of us loved it - and the fact that he would cover it.

[Edited 4/8/18 6:33am]

Agree 100%

Rick James - I Would NEVER Work With Prince

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erfn4gD34jo

djThunderfunk said:

...and THAT album by the way, is one hell of a great funk-soul album !

Prince sure must've listened to it.

I would never even know this song if it wasn´t for Prince, and after I heard the original version I think Prince made a great cover.

luv4u said:

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I love Rick! He just said how he felt.

Philly76 said:

Rick who? Seriously, who really cares what James said?

Lovejunky said:

Philly76 said:

Rick who? Seriously, who really cares what James said?

.

Well I liked, I purchased it & as for Rick, he has a lot material that is crap

poor rick...prince's voice was perfect in that song

cloveringold85 said:

luv4u said:

.

I love Rick! He just said how he felt.

considering what we are learning about prince, we dont need to do jokes about drugs of anykind on anyone