Cover to Cover: Marvin Gaye v The Band

Henry Irving

A real battle of the heavyweights.

The original pleading soul voice that is His Majesty Marvin Gaye from 1965 v the foot stomping funked up version by The Band with Levon Helm belting it out live in 1971

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKhqL3xS0Dw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Y987Uf1wY

And yes the Who did a cover as did James Taylor but this is the choice today

seth plum

Both really excellent.
I am giving it to Marvin Gaye by .00000000000000000001 of a point.

bobmunro

Marvin - just.

eaststandmike

Marvin for me

soapy_jones

Marvin Gaye

lolwray

That's a close call...its marvin for me but I ll hate myself afterwards 

Henry Irving

Much as I love the Marvin version the Band version wins it for Levon's voice and that funky bass line.

SpicedAddick

I love the Marvin version but The Band win this by a mile.

stonemuse

No contest ... Marvin 

RalphMilnesgut

Marvin for me.

hawksmoor

This breaks my heart, being a soul purist/bore, but The Band for me.

AddickUpNorth

The Band's take on that tune is just so dirtily groovy so wins this battle for me.

Henry Irving

AddickUpNorth said:

The Band's take on that tune is just so dirtily groovy so wins this battle for me.

yeah, dirtily groovy sums it up for me

Stig

Marvin for me, but credit to The Band it's a tough thing to pitch a live version against a studio recording and expect a fair outcome.

McBobbin

The band wins it for me... A live version by Gaye though would be a different story

kentaddick

McBobbin said:

The band wins it for me... A live version by Gaye though would be a different story

agreed, it has the upper hand by being a live version and mixed better.

Fanny Fanackapan

NO-ONE beats Marvin Gaye ! 

Karim_myBagheri

Mr Marvin Gaye 

AddicksAddict

Am I allowed to say which one I dislike the least?