Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers, "The Last Mile of the Way"

Paul Simon with Phoebe Snow and the Jesse Dixon Singers, "Gone at Last"

OPEN REQUEST SUNDAY/MARCH OF THE COVERS: Mahalia Jackson, "Elijah Rock" (Traditional)

Though the final chapter in EJ's KU career was unfortunate, we'll always have this. And this. Thanks, Wade, for the selection.

EVERY OTHER DAY IS CHRISTMAS: Darlene Love, "Christmas (Baby Please Please Come Home)" (Live on Letterman)

Didn't get a chance to post yesterday, so here goes... this is amazing. Darlene Love will return to the Late Show tonight as part of a long-running tradition. Enjoy!

A CAPPELLA WEEK: Son House, "John the Revelator"

Sonia Dada, "You Ain't Thinking about Me" (Live in Australia, 1993)

Here's some vintage Sonia Dada, from their 1993 tour of Australia, where the band soared to the top of the charts.  The original lineup, shown here, featured Michael Scott, Paris Delane and Sam Hogan on vocals, Dan Pritzker and Dave Resnick on guitar, Erik Scott on bass, Chris "Hambone" Cameron on keys, and Hank Guaglianone on drums.  Enjoy!

MARCH OF THE COVERS: Aretha Franklin, "The Weight" (The Band)

This is the way a great cover is done, folks.  I love the blues guitar intro that sets the stage for the funk to drop.  And the full-throttle gospel of the chorus.  And the horns.  And the kick drum's dum da-dum.. dum da-dum... dum da-dum... during the "a-a-a-and..."  OK.  I admit... I love everything about it.  And I also love the original.  And the Last Waltz version (below), which features The Staple Singers!

Sonia Dada, "Planes and Satellites"

From A Day at the Beach...

The Staple Singers, "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" (Bob Dylan Cover)

Check out this beautiful version of the Dylan classic recorded by the Staples Singers in 1973 for Use What You Got.  I'd never heard it till a month or two ago... and now I've been playing it on repeat for the last two days.  Enjoy.

Irma Thomas, "Time Is on My Side"

Great version of a classic song by a New Orleans legend.  Irma's take heavily influenced the Stones, which released it a year later.  Enjoy.