DAILY DIRT: Is ‘Respect’ by Aretha the best cover of a song … ever?

Daily Dirt for Thursday, July 10, 2025

I think we have a tremendous top three on today’s list. I would respect any argument feeling any of those three songs should be No. 1 … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,338 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Listen up, music lovers.

What would you guess might be the best/most popular cover of a song? Add to that, the cover in question wound up being that artist/group’s biggest hit? Here are some of my choices:

1. “Respect” by Aretha Franklin: Otis Redding, in his short but ever-so-brilliant career, released this first, but the tune will always be tied to the amazing Aretha. 

2. “I Will Always Love You,” by Whitney Houston: Whitney took Dolly Parton’s original to an entirely different level of enjoyment.

3. “With A Little Help From My Friends,” by Joe Cocker: Granted, the Beatles’ original was a magnificent song, but Cocker’s is even better.

Worth mentioning:

“Love Hurts,” by Nazareth: Of all people, the Everly Brothers recorded this first. The Everly Brothers!

“Black Magic Woman” by Santana: We have Fleetwood Mac to thank for the original.

2. Did you know (Part 421)

• That in 1997, Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros played 162 games and did not ground into a double play. He’s the only MLB player to ever do that.
• That the only James Bond theme song to reach No. 1 in the U.S. was Duran Duran’s “View To A Kill”  in 1985.
• That George Michael, including his time with Wham!, had eight No. 1 songs in the 1980s.
• That 50 years ago today, these were the top three songs in America: “That’s The Way” by KC and the Sunshine Band, “Fly Robin Fly” by Silver Convention and “Who Loves You” by the Four Seasons.
• That the incredible Nolan Ryan gave up just one walk-off home run in his entire career: 40 years ago this month to journeyman catcher Bruce Bochy, who only had 26 dingers in his career.

3. Concentrating on the ’60s, were there any better back-to-back releases of albums in the same calendar year than:

The Beatles (1967): “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Magical Mystery Tour”.

Or … Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969): “Bayou Country” and “Green River”.

Or … The Doors (1967): “The Doors” and “Strange Days”.

Or … Bob Dylan (1965): “Bringing It All Back Home” and “Highway 61 Revisited”.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Fact: Ozzy Osbourne, Keith Richards and Willie Nelson have all outlived Richard Simmons. That’s all I need to know about that eating right and exercising stuff.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He needs to step up his substance use to catch up with Ozzy, Keef and Willie.