I love cover songs. The best ones transform the original into something new. Most of my favorites covers are by Black women artists in the 1960s and 70s like Labelle, Aretha Franklin, and Nina Simone. 

The songs they typically covered were by white male artists inspired by Black male musicians. Intentional or not, these renditions of white men’s songs by Black women put a spin on the tradition of white men in rock music skyrocketing to unprecedented fame by covering and sometimes outright stealing songs first recorded by Black rhythm and blues artists and bluesmen. 

Labelle is an outstanding group. Patti LaBelle, Nona Hendryx, and Sarah Dash’s voices are an unstoppable, brilliant force. Their music transcends genre. Soul, rock, funk, jazz, and the blues are all exquisitely rendered in Labelle’s catalogue. The group is that good.

These are three of my favorite cover by Labelle.