![]() Don Covay established a solid rock ‘n’ roll pedigree. He did a twist covers LP with King Curtis. As Twist-era dance craze attempts go, it’s very catchy, and its resemblance in parts to Do You Love Me? assists that. Covay put out Shake Wid The Shake, then Hand Jive Workout, then The Popeye Waddle under his own name, with a novelty girl chorus. ![]() His songwriting career took off when Chubby Checker covered it faithfully and had a #1 hit with it. Then there was Pony Time, labelled as by The Goodtimers in 1961. Right away we have his habit of namechecking other singers and songs in lyrics, which over the years he flogged with all his might. Peter Guralnik rates it equal with James Carr’s version of Dark End Of The Street as “the best soul ballad ever”.Ĭovay’s first hit record was Betty Jean/Believe It Or Not in 1958 on the Sue label. Years later in 1965, Don Covay wrote I Don’t Know What You Got (But It’s Got Me), for Little Richard, and sang backing vocals. This is classic raucous rock ‘n’ roll, not soul. He was then called Pretty Boy and released a frantic single Bip Bop Bip, produced by Little Richard and featuring his band, The Upsetters. Don Covay went on and opened for Little Richard and served as his chauffeur in 1957. It all started with The Rainbows … Don Covay, Marvin Gaye and Billy “Summertime” Stewart. As everyone is having a go at vocals, the Don Covay content is too diluted for a Toppermost. They had a hit with Soul Meeting, which Covay had arranged with Bobby Womack, a sinuous loud bass line being his trademark. Don Covay was acknowledged as the instigator. ![]() They had big plans for subverting the entire industry and running things themselves. The Soul Clan was a co-operative of Atlantic soul stars, featuring Don Covay, Solomon Burke, Joe Tex, Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. ![]()
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