Hello, Kittens & Dawgs! My blog hop commitments on Wednesdays are really tight, so I thought I’d go live a day early with my battle. I hope y’all don’t mind. Maybe it’s too soon to do another cover scrabble of Hebb’s classic 60s hit song, Sunny but I last time I was torn on how to present this battle. So, I decided to keep both posts showcasing them back to back in Another “Sunny” Cover Between Three Johns #BoTB.
Hebb’s Sunny is a popular recorded cover. The most interesting artist to release a cover is Leonard Nimoy. Strangely, Mr. Spock did an alright job! Moving on to today’s contenders.
#1 Johnny Mathis (1967). Hebb’s said he was proud of Mathis’ slower tempo rendition. I can’t imagine Mathis doing it any other way, can you? Listen to see what you think.
#2 John Walker (1966) the American singer/songwriter and founder of The Walker Brothers became popular in the UK during the 60s and #1 hit song, Make It Easy On Yourself(’65). The band broke up in ’67 and John went solo but then in the mid-70s, the band got back together cranking out three albums (No Regrets, Lines, and Nite Flight). Honestly I don’t remember John or the The Walker Brothers. That doesn’t matter, he did a nice job with what I call a middle of the road tempo between Mathis and Rivers’ covers. Listen, digest, and tell me what you think?
#3 Johnny Rivers, “Secret Agent Man”, covered the song the same year as Mathis but kept more true to Hebb’s tempo than his competitors. Will his style sweep you away?
Ok, here’s the drill. Voting is open to everyone visiting. There is NO wrong vote, except if you DON’T vote. You can start by telling me in comments which artist you like best and why (optional) and next week this time, I’ll share the results along with who I voted for in this round. Three Johns battling it out in the spotlight, all good fantastic artists with different styles. The choice is up to you!
Who do you pick – Mathis, Walker, or Rivers?
The fun continues with more epic battles underway and I invite you to visit the official manager of BoTB, Stephen for the update list of players.
This is Curious as a Cathy signing off with a bonus of the first artist to record Hebb’s song in 1965, the year before his own version released, Mieko Hirota.
Please join me for tomorrow for not-so Wordless Wednesday!
Have a bandtastic day!
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Great song, and we can always use a little more ‘sun’ in our lives! At first I thought I was going to vote for Mathis, but after listening to them all, my vote goes to Johnny Walker
~Mary
Mary, Mathis is a fabulous vocalist but I believe he’s too mellow for everyone the go around. Thank you for voting. I’ll be over to see you soon.
Mathis – 1
Rivers – 1
Walker – 5
I rêally like Johnny Walker’s version the best. It seemed upbeat yet classic. Johnny Winter’s take was too frenetic for me and Johnny Mathis was too slow but Walker was just right as baby bear would say.
Birgit, I’m happy you decided to cast your vote. I got tickled when you referenced baby bear because that’s the way I felt when I put these artists together in this battle. lol
Mathis – 1
Rivers – 1
Walker – 4
HiHelloHowdy, CATHY! ~
You know what’s funny? You’ve now BOTBed this song twice with 5 different artists, but you still haven’t used either of the two artists I have penciled in for a future BOTB on my own list. So, ‘SUNNY’ may see yet ANOTHER BOTB appearance in the future.
I love J.M.’s voice. He’s way, way up there on my list of all-time favorite singers. And I didn’t mind his uniquely slow tempo on this. It was different, but “good different”.
John Walker’s version was excellent, but other than a slight change in pace, it didn’t deviate much from Hebb’s classic. Really good, and he’s got a nice soulful voice.
I’ve always dug Johnny Rivers. Not just a great artist in his own right but a first class producer and discoverer-of-other-talent. His version here though sounds a bit thin. Maybe just because of the recording quality, or perhaps because it was a live version without additional studio musicians to flesh the piece out.
But in this Battle of the Johnnies, I think I’ll go with that especially unique version by MATHIS. In BOTB, he’s always going to be tough to beat when it comes to winning my vote.
~ D-FensDogG
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(Link:] Stephen T. McCarthy Reviews…
Howdy my ole pal, Stephen!
Well, I’m tickled my double BoTB posts didn’t spoil your future potential of this fabulous old classic. That’s really wild that I didn’t use any of your picks. I’m really glad you with Mathis. It was looking like he would get any hits at all. Everyone can’t seem to get into his slow tempo but like you, I think it’s a good kinda different and definitely deserving a chance to take the golden mic award. I gotcha recorded and thanks for stopping by, my friend!
Mathis – 1
Rivers – 1
Walker – 3
Johnny Mathis is a great singer, but his version of “Sunny” dragged and sometimes I felt he added extra beats and screwed with the timing. Johnny Rivers is another great singer, but his was a little too fast and not quite as smooth as it should be. John Walker was closest to Bobby Hebb’s version (tempo and general feel) and was a pleasure to listen to. He gets my vote.
By the way, I love this song. They called Hebb’s brother “Sunny” and Bobby wrote it after his brother and Dr. Martin Luther King were murdered. Talk about taking lemons and making lemonade…
John,
I didn’t realize Hebb’s brother was called “Sunny” but I did know the factoids inspiring Hebb’s song, which is remarkable. We all can learn from this example. It just goes to show, life’s circumstances don’t have to break us but it’s how we choose to use the bad for good. Thank you for voting and stopping by, my friend. Have a good day!
Mathis – 0
Rivers – 1
Walker – 3
I love this song! There’s never too many covers of this one. I am tossed up between John Walker and Johnny Rivers. Johnny Mathis was WAY too slow for me. I like John Walker’s sound best but I like the tempo of Johnny Rivers. This is really a toss up and I’d like to vote for both! But if I have to pick one, I’ll go with Johnny Rivers.
Fun battle!
Michele at Angels Bark
Michele, so glad you didn’t mind another cover. I actually like Mathis’ slower tempo but will I vote for it? I’m undecided at this point. Thanks for joining in the fun, my friend!
Mathis – 0
Rivers – 1
Walker – 2
I’ve got a few songs lined up in my queue that I’ve already used once. Sometimes there are so many good versions that it’s difficult not to do more than one Battle.
I’m feeling like Goldilocks as I approach this Battle. Mathis was a bit too slow and draggy for me, though very nicely vocalized.
Rivers was a bit too frantic in his signature style, but it all seem inappropriate for this song.
I’m going with the easy laid back style of Johnny Walker even though I’m not much of a Scotch drinker.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Lee,
That’s the way I feel about these battles, too. I figured if I didn’t go ahead and share these other covers then I’d probably forget about it. So, I bit the bullet and took the plunge hoping everyone isn’t too tired to listen to another go at this classic do-over. Thanks for voting, my friend!
Mathis – 0
Rivers – 0
Walker – 2
Wow. You know I am pretty traditional with music…and everything else. wink
Annie, These artists aren’t Hebb but you gotta like one of them.
Feel free to vote. It’s open to everyone with no strings attached! 
Thank you for dropping by, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
Happy early BOTB day to you, dear friend!
I never heard any of these other covers of “Sunny” but actually enjoyed them all, even the one by Spock.
I especially appreciated learning about and listening to the original recorded version of the song by Mieko (aka Mico aka Miko) who was nicknamed the “Connie Francis of Japan.”
In your battle we have three different artists singing “Sunny.” In each case the singing style and arrangement fit the artist. My question in determining how to vote was “does that style fit the song?” Balladeer Johnny Mathis gave us his typical ultra slow, easy listening pop treatment. His version was too subdued, in my opinion. It dragged. Johnny Rivers offered yet another of his many cover songs performed in an uptempo “Whisky A Go Go” style, the type of recording that gained him fame early on, a treatment that I enjoy but didn’t think was right for the song. John Walker of the Walker Brothers, one of the groups I have been featuring the last few years in my series Echoes of the Spectorian Era, performed “Sunny” in a manner and at a tempo that I think best suited the song. I enjoyed the characteristic Walker Bros. Wall of Sound arrangement, too.
In this one I’m going with John Walker. Thank you very much, dear friend Cathy!
Tom, Thank you for being the first to vote in my early edition of BoTB. I’m pushing having three contenders this round. I know it’s gonna be a stretch for folks to give proper attention but hopefully, it’ll work out fine. I’m glad you enjoyed the fill-in material relating to the song and thanks for sharing Mieko’s nickname. The comparison between the two artists styles is a good match. I like your logic in which you came up with your pick. I’m a tiny bit afraid everyone else will follow along with your thinking. But, I’m hoping some will prefer the ballad or uptempo versions better. *cross fingers* Thanks for stopping in, my friend and have a good day!
Mathis – 0
Rivers – 0
Walker – 1