Don Covay 1938-2015
Don Covay
Greetings all.
It was this past weekend that word started to trickle out that the mighty Don Covay had passed away at the age of 76.
Covay was one of those giants of the soul world who was probably better known to collectors and hardcore soulies than he was to the public in general.
Though he had a handful of R&B hits under his own name between 1964 and 1980, he made his biggest (and earliest) mark as a songwriter.
His earliest successes came writing for other performers, like Chubby Checker, Tommy Tucker, Solomon Burke and Gladys Knight.
He first hit the R&B Top 40 in 1964 with ‘Mercy Mercy’, a song (featuring guitar by none other than Jimi Hendrix) which was covered the following year by the Rolling Stones.
His next hit was the song that led me to Covay (albeit in a roundabout way), via the cover by the Small Faces.
As has been recounted here before, I found my way to a lot of soul music via the beat/mod sounds of the British Invasion.
Though I knew other Don Covay songs first (especially the Steppenwolf cover of ‘Sookie Sookie’, or Aretha’s version of ‘Chain of Fools’) I had no idea they were his.
The Small Faces version of ‘Take This Hurt Off Me’ sent me out in search of the original 45, and from there it was off to the races.
A few years later, I finally put my hands on Covay’s 1966 recording of ‘Sookie Sookie’, and things were forever changed.
‘Sookie Sookie’ is one of those 45s that taps into something elemental, stirring the listener, transforming him/her into a dancer.
I first wrote about the record ten years ago:
“Opening with unadorned tambourine slaps, the starkness is soon washed away by a blaring horn section, funky guitar, organ and a set of drums with a bass kick heavier than Solomon Burke and Billy Stewart teaming up in a chicken-fight.
Don falls by, asking his peeps to “Let it hang out baby!” then dropping a succession of suggested dance steps for the crowd. When they get to the ‘Sookie Sookie’s’ in the chorus, it’s like someone dropping a sledge hammer, with one of the Goodtimer’s leaning over Don’s shoulder and screaming “BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!!!!”.
Second verse, close to the first, drums mighty hard, horns on point and then the screamer returns with something that sounds like either “ROCK ME!” or “DROP ME!”, but it doesn’t really matter since the screams are there for punctuation, like ending a sentence with a punch in the nose.
After that the fumes in the studio apparently got stronger because Don starts rapping about banana peels and turpentine, and you can almost see the band in their sequined matador jackets, conked hair and pointy boots, rocking back and forth, jammed too close together on a tight little stage dripping their sweat on the audience and making the ice cubes in everyone’s drinks spill on the floor.
I can just see some poor slob, on his way home from the late shift stopping in for a rock and rye, pulling open the barroom door and getting his wig blown off by the mixture of heat, soul and cigarette smoke. It’s that heavy.”
Having had the privilege of spinning the 45 (and several other versions of the song*) through several loud PA systems over the years, and recalling the shock up and down my spine every time I did, I stand by every hyperbolic word of that description.
Recorded in Memphis (and co-written with Steve Cropper), ‘Sookie Sookie’ packs a double-heavy drum sound (just listen to those rolls!), greasy guitar, organ and some of the most judiciously applied horn fanfares ever laid down on McLemore Avenue.
‘Sookie Sookie’ (and you have to get the OG 1966 version) is a 45 that every soul DJ should pack in their box. You can dig up all the rarities you want, tossing them out to the trainspotters in the crowd, but if you want the dance floor to shake and the ceiling to sweat, it is your sworn duty to slip this 45 under the needle.
Covay wrote and recorded a grip of amazing records, and I’ll be back later in the week with some of them (and I promise that I’ll be putting together a full tribute for the Funky16Corners Radio Show).
Until then, let it hang out baby, and raise a glass to the memory of Don Covay.
Keep the faith
Larry
*Tina Britt, Roy Thompson, Grant Green, Steppenwolf
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Also, the brand new Funky16Corners ‘Keep Calm and Stay Funky’ stickers have arrived! The stickers are 4″ x 3″ and printed on high quality, glossy stock. They are $2.00 each, with free shipping in the US ($2.00 per order shipping outside of the US). Click here to go to the ordering page.
Also, make sure that you check out the links below to the Be The Match Foundation and POAC (click on the logos for more info).
Themocracy
That excerpt from 10 years ago is some GREAT writing. Well done, sir.
Wow! Thanks JB!
Excellent post as always!
…and also R.I.P. Don Covay. I feel really guilty I didn’t say that first.
Haven’t heard this one in a long time. Around 1974 a Wash, DC oldies station (WMOD) used to play this along with the POPEYE WADDLE. Any 45 that has that (3 for $1) bullet hole in the label is great with me. I found some great music in those cut-out racks!