Johnnie Taylor put us “up on game” and sold a million copies of this truth-telling jam. “Who’s Making Love” went #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and #1 on the R&B Chart.

You can tell if a song is good if other artists want to cover it or reinterpret it… even if their interpretation is much different or not necessarily as good as the original. “I Forgot To Be Your Lover” has been covered and sampled by Ludacris, Jaheim and even Billy Idol. Check out Billy Idol and Jaheim’s versions below. “I Forgot To Be Your Lover” (1969)… by William Bell.

Billy Idol: “To Be A Lover”

Jaheim “Put That Woman First”

The beauty of the crossover hit “Respect Yourself” by The Staples Singers is its timeless message of empowerment.  Written by Luther Ingram and Mack Rice in 1971, this song came at a time of cultural frustration at the state of the world. In his annoyance, it was said that Ingram made the statement, “black folk need to learn to respect themselves,” and from that point, a hit was born, inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and listed on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

I can clearly remember as a youngin’ watching my mother groove to this song and specifically asking her, “What is this record?” She replied “Green Onions”, and I thought that was the craziest tune and title I’d ever heard. Chalk that up to immaturity, ’cause now I know that my momma and Booker T. & The M.G.’s were throwin’ down.

Even if you don’t know that name of the song you know “Green Onions”. The groove is unforgettable and it’s been used in several film and television commercials. “Green Onions” won a Grammy Hall of Fame Award and was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, which is a list of “culturally, historically, or asthetically important” American sound recordings. Enjoy.

This song represents soothing soulful singing at its best. “Where Is The Love” went to #1 on the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles and Easy Listening charts and to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Where is the Love”, the Grammy Award-winning song from the 1972 album Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway.

“R-E-S-P-E-C-T…” You would have to be living under a rock to have never heard this song. Even if you’d never heard Aretha Franklin sing “Respect”, chances are you’ve heard somebody somewhere sing this song… and it might have taught you how to spell the word.

“Respect” was orginally written and recorded by Otis Redding for Stax Records in 1965. Aretha Franklin recorded the song in 1967 and the song became a #1 hit, an anthem and a signature song for her. “Respect” won two Grammy Awards and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1987. Aretha Franklin’s version of “Respect” gets so much respect that in 2002 the Library of Congress added it to the National Recording Registry.

“Respect”, from Aretha Franklin’s debut Atlantic Records album I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You.

Did you know that “nasty” records didn’t just come about in the last 10 years? “Hoochie Coochie Man” is a blues standard recorded by Muddy Waters in 1954, the song went number 8 on the Billboard Black Singles chart. The Hoochie Coochie was a provocative dance performed by woman and a “Hoochie Coochie Man” watched. “Hoochie Coochie Man” has been covered by several artists; from Etta James to B.B. King to Eric Clapton. The song is the the Blues Hall of Fame and received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 1998.

“No Particular Place To Go” was recorded by Chuck Berry and produced by Phil and Leonard Chess in 1964. It features the same music as another Chuck Berry hit, “School Days”. The song peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts. Recently, audiences were introduced to the song when Mos Def portrayed Chuck Berry in the film Cadillac Records. Watch the video of him performing “No Particular Place To Go” below.