A Certain Girl:
ORIGINAL: Ernie K-Doe (1961)
REMAKE: The Yardbirds (1964), Warren Zevon (1980)

Ain’t Nothin’ But A House Party:
ORIGINAL: The Showstoppers (1968)
REMAKE: The J. Geils Band (Early 1970’s)

All I Ever Need Is You:
ORIGINAL: Ray Charles (1971)
REMAKE: Sonny & Cher (1971)

Always Something There To Remind Me:
ORIGINAL: Lou Johnson (1964)
REMAKE: Sandie Shaw (1964), Dionne Warwick (ca. 1964) R.B. Greaves (1969), Naked Eyes (1983)

Anna (Go To Him):
ORIGINAL: Arthur Alexander (1962)
REMAKE: The Beatles (1963)

Baby Let's Play House

ORIGINAL: Arthur Gunter (1954)

REMAKE: Elvis Presley (1955)

Bad Boy:
ORIGINAL: Larry Williams (1958)
REMAKE: The Beatles (1965)

Beauty's Only Skin Deep:
ORIGINAL: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1964)
REMAKE: The Temptations (1966)

Big Boy Pete:
ORIGINAL: Don & Dewey (1959)
REMAKE: The Olympics (1960)
Note: This was later remade by The Kingsmen as Jolly Green Giant

Blue Monday:
ORIGINAL: Smiley Lewis (1954)
REMAKE: Fats Domino (1955)

Boys:

ORIGINAL: The Shirelles (1960)

REMAKE: The Beatles (1964 or 1965)

Brother Louie:
ORIGINAL: Hot Chocolate (1973)
REMAKE: Stories (1973)

Burning Love:
ORIGINAL: Arthur Alexander (1971)
REMAKE: Elvis Presley (1972)

California Sun:
ORIGINAL: Joe Jones (1961)
REMAKE: The Rivieras (1964)

Can't Stop Loving You

ORIGINAL: The Flirtations (ca. 1970)
REMAKE: Tom Jones (1970)

Chapel Of Love:
ORIGINAL: Darlene Love (1963)
REMAKE: The Dixie Cups (1964)

Chains:
ORIGINAL: The Cookies (1962)
REMAKE: The Beatles (1963)

Coldest Days Of My Life:

ORIGINAL: Walter Jackson (1970)

REMAKE: The Chi-Lites (1972)  

Dedicated To The One I Love:
ORIGINAL: The 5 Royales (1957)
REMAKE: The Shirelles (1959), Mamas & The Papas (1967),
The Temprees (1972)

Devil In His/Her Heart:

ORIGINAL: The Donays (1962)

REMAKE: The Beatles (1963)

Devil With The Blue Dress:
ORIGINAL: Shorty Long (1964)
REMAKE: Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels (1966)

Dizzy Miss Lizzy:
ORIGINAL: Larry Williams (1958)
REMAKE: The Beatles (1964)

Don’t Leave Me This Way:
ORIGINAL: Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (1975)
REMAKE: Thelma Houston (1976)

Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood:
ORIGINAL: Nina Simone (1964)
REMAKE: The Animals (1965), Santa Esmeralda (1977), Elvis Costello (1986)

Don't Throw Your Love Away:
ORIGINAL: The Orlons (1963)
REMAKE: The Searchers (1964)

Do-Wah-Diddy Diddy:
ORIGINAL: The Exciters (1964)
REMAKE: Manfred Mann (1964)

Drip Drop:
ORIGINAL: The Drifters (1958)
REMAKE: Dion (1963)

Everlasting Love:
ORIGINAL: Robert Knight (1967)
REMAKE: Carl Carlton (1974)

Every Beat Of My Heart:
ORIGINAL: The Midnighters (as The Royals) (1952)
REMAKE: Gladys Knight & The Pips (as The Pips) (1961)

Farmer John:
ORIGINAL: Don & Dewey (1959)
REMAKE: The Premiers (1964)

The First Cut Is The Deepest:
ORIGINAL: P.P. Arnold (1967)
REMAKE: Cat Stevens (1967), Rod Stewart (1976)

Funky Broadway:
ORIGINAL: Dyke & The Blazers (1967)
REMAKE: Wilson Pickett (1967)

Good Lovin’:
ORIGINAL: Lemme B. Good (1965)
REMAKE: The Olympics (1965), The (Young) Rascals (1966)

Note: Nearly every article I've ever read credits The Olympics as doing the original version.  However,  Dick Rosemont's articles in Discoveries magazine on Original versions of Hit  and Classic Songs say Lemme B. Goode did the first version.  To learn more about the origins of "Good Lovin'," go to The Originals Project   

Go Now:
ORIGINAL: Bessie Banks (1964)
REMAKE: The Moody Blues (1965)

Groupie (Superstar):
ORIGINAL: Delaney & Bonnie (1969) again in 1972
REMAKE: The Carpenters (1971)

Groovy Kind Of Love:
ORIGINAL: Patti LaBelle & The Bluebelles or Diane & Anita (1965)
REMAKE: The Mindbenders (1966), Phil Collins (1988)

Note: On the CD Where The Girls Are Vol. 2, the linar notes say Diane & Anita did the original.  On the Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells CD Over The Rainbow/The Atlantic Years it says they did the original version.

Groovy Situation:
ORIGINAL: Mel & Tim (1969)
REMAKE: Gene Chandler (1970)

Hang On Sloopy (My Girl Sloopy):
ORIGINAL: The Vibrations (1964)
REMAKE: The McCoys (1965), Ramsey Lewis Trio (1965)

Harlem Shuffle:
ORIGINAL: Bob & Earl (1963)
REMAKE: The Rolling Stones (1988)

Hey There Lonely Girl/Boy:

ORIGINAL: Ruby & The Romantics (1963)

REMAKE: Eddie Holman (1969)

Hound Dog:
ORIGINAL: Big Mama Thornton (1953)
REMAKE: Elvis Presley (1956)

The House That Jack Built
ORIGINAL: Thelma Jones (1968)
REMAKE: Aretha Franklin (1968)

I Can't Hear You (No More)
ORIGINAL: Betty Everett (1964)
REMAKE: Helen Reddy (1976)

I Dig You Baby:

ORIGINAL: Lorraine Ellison (1965)
REMAKE: Jerry Butler (1967)

I Feel A Song (In My Heart Again)
ORIGINAL: The Five Stairsteps (1971)
REMAKE: Gladys Knight & The Pips (1974)

I Found You (I Got You I Feel Good):
ORIGINAL: Yvonne Fair (1962)
REMAKE: James Brown (1964)

I Heard It Through The Grapevine:

ORIGINAL: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1966)

REMAKE: Gladys Knight & The Pips (1967), Marvin Gaye (1968), Creedence Cleawarter Revival (1970)

Note: Gladys Knight & The Pips version was the first version released.  To my knowledge, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles version wasn't released until 1998 on the CD "Motown Sings Motown Treasures."

I Knew You When:

ORIGINAL: Wade Flemons (1964)

REMAKE: Billy Joe Royal (1965)

I'm A Woman:

ORIGINAL: Christine Kittrell (1961)

REMAKE: Peggy Lee (1962)

I'm Gonna Knock On Your Door:

ORIGINAL: The Isley Brothers (1959)

REMAKE: Eddie Hodges (1961)

I'm Gonna Make You Love Me:
ORIGINAL: Dee Dee Warwick (1966)
REMAKE: Madeline Bell (1968), The Supremes & The Temptations (1969)

I’m Into Something Good:
ORIGINAL: Earl-Jean (1964)
REMAKE: Herman’s Hermits (1964)

I'm Wise (Slippin' And Slidin'):

ORIGINAL: Eddie Bo (1955)

REMAKE: Little Richard (1956)

I'm Your Puppet:
ORIGINAL: Dan Penn (1965)
REMAKE: James & Bobby Purify (1966)

It Hurts So Good:

ORIGINAL: Katie Love & Four Shades Of Black (1971)

REMAKE: Millie Jackson (1973)

It’s All Over Now:
ORIGINAL: The Valentinos  (A.K.A. The Womack Brothers)(1964)
REMAKE: The Rolling Stones (1964)

It's In His Kiss (Shoop Shoop Song)
ORIGINAL: Merry Clayton (1963)
REMAKE: Betty Everett (1963), Cher (1991)

I've Got My Mind Set On You:
ORIGINAL: James Ray (1961)
REMAKE: George Harrison (1987)

Java:

ORIGINAL: Allen Toussaint (1958)

REMAKE: Floyd Cramer (ca 1960), Al Hirt (1964)

Jock-A-Mo (Iko-Iko):
ORIGINAL: Sugar Boy Crawford (1953)
REMAKE: The Dixie Cups (1965), Dr. John (1972)

Justine:
ORIGINAL: Don & Dewey (1958)
REMAKE: The Righteous Brothers (1965)

Keep On Dancing:
ORIGINAL: The Avantis (1963)
REMAKE: The Gentrys (1965)

Kentucky Bluebird (Message To Martha/Michael):

ORIGINAL: Lou Johnson (1964)

REMAKE: Adam Faith (ca. 1965), Dionne Warwick (1966)

Ko Ko Mo (I Love You So):

ORIGINAL: Gene & Eunice (1955)

REMAKE: Perry Como (1955)

Note: Gene & Eunice had two versions of this song in 1955.  The first one was on the Combo label, the second on the Aladdin label.

Land Of 1,000 Dances:
ORIGINAL: Chris Kenner (1963)
REMAKE: Cannibal & The Headhunters(1965), Wilson Pickett (1966)

Last Kiss:
ORIGINAL: Wayne Cochran (1962) also again in 1963
REMAKE: J. Frank Wilson (1964)

Leavin’ It Up To You:
ORIGINAL: Don & Dewey (1957)
REMAKE: Dale & Grace (1963)

Let's Get Together Soon:*

ORIGINAL: Dusty Springfield (1970)

REMAKE: Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes with Sharon Paige

*Was remade as Hope We Can Be Together Soon

Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette):
ORIGINAL: Benny Spellman (1962)
REMAKE: The O’Jays (1965)

Little Darlin’:
ORIGINAL: The Gladiolas (1957)
REMAKE: The Diamonds (1957)

Little Latin Lupe Lu:
ORIGINAL: The Righteous Brothers (1963)
REMAKE: Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels (1966)

Lookin’ For A Love:
ORIGINAL: The Valentinos (1962)*
REMAKE: The J Geils Band (1971), Bobby Womack (1974)
*Bobby Womack was a member of The Valentinos

Louie Louie:
ORIGINAL: Richard Berry (1956)
REMAKE: More performers than I can think of

Love In Vain:

ORIGINAL: Robert Johnson (1936)
REMAKE: The Rolling Stones (1969)

*Midnight Train To Georgia:
ORIGINAL: Cissy Houston (1973)
REMAKE: Gladys Knight & The Pips (1973)
*Originally Midnight Plane To Houston by Jim Weatherly

Mr. Moonlight:

ORIGINAL: Dr. Feelgood & The Interns (1962)

REMAKE: The Beatles (1964 or 1965)

Money (That’s What I Want):
ORIGINAL: Barrett Strong (1960)
REMAKE: The Beatles (1964), Jr Walker & The All-Stars (1966)

Mustang Sally:
ORIGINAL: Sir Mack Rice (1965)
REMAKE: Wilson Pickett (1966)

My Ding-A-Ling (Toy Bell)
ORIGINAL: Dave Bartholomew (1952)
REMAKE: The Bees (1954), Chuck Berry (1972)

My Sweet Lord:
ORIGINAL: Billy Preston (1970)
REMAKE: George Harrison (1970)

Note: Billy Preston's version was recorded first, but I believe that George Harrison's was released first.

Mystery Train:

ORIGINAL: Little Junior's Blue Flames (A.K.A. Junior Parker) (1953)

REMAKE: Elvis Presley (1956)

Nobody But Me:
ORIGINAL: The Isley Brothers (1963)
REMAKE: The Human Beinz (1967)

One Mint Julep:
ORIGINAL: The Clovers (1952)
REMAKE: Ray Charles (1961)

On Broadway:
ORIGINAL: The Crystals (1962)
REMAKE: The Drifters (1963), George Benson (1978)

Only In America:
ORIGINAL: The Drifters (1963)

REMAKE: Jay & The Americans (1963)

Over And Over:
ORIGINAL: Bobby Day (1958)

REMAKE: The Dave Clark 5 (1965)

Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone:
ORIGINAL: The Undisputed Truth (1972)
REMAKE: The Temptations (1972)

Patches:
ORIGINAL: Chairman Of The Board (1969)
REMAKE: Clarence Carter (1970)

Piece Of My Heart:
ORIGINAL: Erma Franklin (1967)
REMAKE: Big Brother & The Holding Company (1968)

Pony Time:
ORIGINAL: Don Covay (1961)
REMAKE: Chubby Checker (1961)

Putty (In Your Hands):

ORIGINAL: The Shirelles (1962)

REMAKE: The Yardbirds (1965)

Rainy Night In Georgia:
ORIGINAL: Tony Joe White (1969)
REMAKE: Brook Benton (1970)

Reach Out For Me:

ORIGINAL: Lou Johnson (1963)
REMAKE: Dionne Warwick (1964)

Remember What I Told You To Forget:
ORIGINAL: The Four Tops (1972)
REMAKE: Tavares (1975)

Respect:
ORIGINAL: Otis Redding (1965)
REMAKE: Aretha Franklin (1967)

Respectable:

ORIGINAL: The Isley Brothers (1959)
REMAKES: The Yardbirds (1964), The Outsiders (1966)  

Sha-La-La:
ORIGINAL: The Shirelles (1964)
REMAKE: Manfred Mann (1965)

Share Your Love With Me:
ORIGINAL: Bobby "Blue" Bland (1964)
REMAKE:  The Fantastic Four (1967), Aretha Franklin (1969)

Note: The Fantastic Four's version was titled "To Share Your Love."

Sharing The Night Together:

ORIGINAL: Arthur Alexander (1976)
REMAKE: Dr. Hook (1979)

She Said Yeah:
ORIGINAL: Larry Williams (1958)
REMAKE: The Rolling Stones (1965)

She’s Looking Good:
ORIGINAL: Rodger Collins (1967)
REMAKE: Wilson Pickett (1968)

She's Not Just Another Woman:
ORIGINAL: 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) (1970)
REMAKE: The 8th Day (1971)

Sincerely:
ORIGINAL: The Moonglows (1954)
REMAKE: The McGuire Sisters (1954)

Slow Down:
ORIGINAL: Larry Williams (1957)
REMAKE: The Beatles (1964)

Smiling Faces Sometimes:
ORIGINAL: The Temptations (1971)
REMAKE: The Undisputed Truth (1971)

Someday We're Gonna Love Again:

ORIGINAL: Barbara Lewis (1964)

REMAKE: The Searchers (1964)

Someday We'll Be Together:
ORIGINAL: Johnny & Jackey (1960)
REMAKE: Diana Ross & The Supremes (1969)

Some Guys Have All The Luck:
ORIGINAL: The Persuaders (1973)
REMAKE: Rod Stewart (1984)

Some Kind Of Wonderful:
ORIGINAL: Soul Brothers Six (1967)
REMAKE: Grand Funk Railroad (1974)

Sookie Sookie:
ORIGINAL: Don Covay (1965)
REMAKE: Steppenwolf (1968)

Soulful Strut (Am I The Same Girl):*
ORIGINAL: Barbara Acklin (1968)
REMAKE: Young-Holt Unlimited (1969)
*Both versions were the same recording. Acklin's vocals were replaced with a piano.

Southern Nights:

ORIGINAL: Allen Toussaint (1975)

REMAKE: Glen Campbell (1977)

Strawberry Letter 23:
ORIGINAL: Shuggie Otis (1971)
REMAKES: The Brothers Johnson (1977), Tevin Campbell (1992)

Sweet Music:

ORIGINAL: Major Lance (1963)

REMAKE: The Yardbirds (1965)

Tainted Love:
ORIGINAL: Gloria Jones (1964)
REMAKE: Soft Cell (1982)

Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While):
ORIGINAL: Kim Weston (1965)
REMAKE: The Isley Brothers (1968), The Doobie Brothers (1975)

Tell Mama (Tell Daddy):
ORIGINAL: Clarence Carter (1966)
REMAKE: Etta James (1967)

That Lady (Who's That Lady):
ORIGINAL: The Isley Brothers (1964)
REMAKE: The Isley Brothers (1973)
(They cut it twice.)

That's All Right Mama:

ORIGINAL: Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (1946)

REMAKE: Elvis Presley (1954)

That's How Strong My Love Is:
ORIGINAL: O.V. Wright (1964)
REMAKE: Otis Redding (1964)

That’s The Way Love Is:
ORIGINAL: The Isley Brothers (1967)
REMAKE: Marvin Gaye (1969)

Think:
ORIGINAL: The 5 Royales (1957)
REMAKE: James Brown (1960)

This Diamond Ring:
ORIGINAL: Sammy Ambrose (1965)
REMAKE: Gary Lewis & The Playboys (1965)

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
ORIGINAL: The Temptations (1966)
REMAKE: Marvin Gaye (1968)

Tramp:
ORIGINAL: Lowell Fulsom (1966)
REMAKE: Otis Redding & Carla Thomas (1967)

Try (Just A Little Bit Harder):
ORIGINAL: Lorraine Ellison (1967)
REMAKE: Janis Joplin (1969)

Trying To Live My Life Without You:
ORIGINAL: Otis Clay (1972)
REMAKE: Bob Seger (1981)

The Twist:
ORIGINAL: Hank Ballard & The Midnighters (1959)
REMAKE: Chubby Checker (1960)*
*Was released again in 1962. Both times it was #1 on the pop charts.

Twist & Shout:
ORIGINAL: The Top Notes (1962)
REMAKE: The Isley Brothers (1962), The Beatles (1964)

Until You Come Back To Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do):
ORIGINAL: Stevie Wonder (1967)
REMAKE: Aretha Franklin (1974)

War:
ORIGINAL: The Temptations (1970)
REMAKE: Edwin Starr (1970)

What A Man:
ORIGINAL: Linda Lyndell (1968)
REMAKE: Laura Lee (1969), Salt ‘n" Pepa w/En Vogue (1994)

When You're Young & In Love:

ORIGINAL: Ruby & The Romantics (1964)
REMAKE: The Marvelettes (1967)

Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On:
ORIGINAL: Big Maybelle (1955)
REMAKE: Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)

Why (Am I Treated So Bad):
ORIGINAL: The Staple Singers (ca. 1966)
REMAKE: The Sweet Inspirations (1967), Cannonball Adderley (1967)

Workin' On A Groovy Thing:
ORIGINAL: Patti Drew (1968)
REMAKE: The 5th Dimension (1969)

Yes We Can (Can):
ORIGINAL: Lee Dorsey (1970)
REMAKE: The Pointer Sisters (1973)

You Are So Beautiful:
ORIGINAL: Billy Preston (1974)
REMAKE: Joe Cocker (1975)

You Better Move On:
ORIGINAL: Arthur Alexander (1962)
REMAKE: The Rolling Stones (1965)

You Could Have Been A Lady:
ORIGINAL: Hot Chocolate (1971)
REMAKE: April Wine (1974)

Your Good Thing (Is About To End):

ORIGINAL: Mable John (1966)

REMAKE: Lou Rawls (1969)

You Got What I Need:

ORIGINAL: Freddie Scott (1968)

REMAKE: Biz Markie (1989)*

*Biz Markie's Just A Friend was a rap version of You Got What I Need

Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher And Higher):
ORIGINAL: The Dells (1967)
REMAKE: Jackie Wilson (1967), Rita Coolidge (1977)

Note: On this song, I was informed The Dells recorded their version in Feb of 1967 and Jackie Wilson recorded his on July 6, 1967.  However, I've heard stories about Jackie Wilson recording his version in 1965.  Anyone have anything to add to this?

You’re No Good:
ORIGINAL: Dee Dee Warwick (1963)
REMAKE: Betty Everett (1963), Linda Ronstadt (1975)

You’ve Made Me So Very Happy:
ORIGINAL: Brenda Holloway (1967)
REMAKE: Blood, Sweat & Tears (1969)
 

Source: Soul Originals link on Dean Farrell's Soul Express website.

Special thanks goes to the following people:   Dick Rosemont of East Lansing MI who authored three articles that appeared in Discoveries magazine called Original Versions of Hit and Classic Songs (Sept 1998, Sept 2000 and August 2002) for answering all my questions regarding original versions of numerous songs. You can check out his website The Originals Project for more original versions of songs.   Eric Levy of Chicago, IL for sending me Dick Rosemont's first two articles in Discoveries magazine on Original versions of Hit  and Classic Songs.   Clovis Baker of France, Greg Silver of Bethesda, MD and numerous other people for their contributions to this list.

If anyone has an unknown original song for this list, please e mail me by clicking on the envelope below.

However, in order to qualify for entry on the unknown originals list, it must meet the following criteria:

1. The original version was done by a Soul or R&B artist.

2. The original version never hit the Billboard chart or if it did, it didn't chart very high.  However, a high charting original can appear if the cover became so well known that only a true fanatic will remember who did the original.  Examples: The Twist, Everlasting Love, Share Your Love With Me.

3. Not all versions of  remakes will be included on this list.  Mostly they will consist of songs that were major hits for an individual.  However certain exceptions will be considered for such performers like major British Invasion groups (ex. Beatles, Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, etc.), well known album artists (ex. J Geils Band, Warren Zevon, etc.) and some Soul artists.