Don Covay
Donald James Randolph (March 24, 1936 – January 31, 2015), better known as Don Covay, his stage name, was an American R&B, rock and roll and soul singer and songwriter most active from the 1950s to the 1970s. His most successful recordings include "Mercy, Mercy" (1964), "See-Saw" (1965), and "It's Better to Have (and Don't Need)" (1974). He also wrote "Pony Time", a US number 1 hit for Chubby Checker, and "Chain of Fools", a Grammy-winning song for Aretha Franklin. He received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1994.
Writing in the Washington Post after his death, Terence McArdle said, "Mr. Covay’s career traversed nearly the entire spectrum of rhythm-and-blues music, from doo-wop to funk."
Life and career
Donald Randolph was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States. His father, a Baptist preacher, died when Don was eight. Covay resettled in Washington, D.C., in the early 1950s and initially sang in the Cherry Keys, his family's gospel quartet. He crossed over to secular music as a member of the Rainbows, a group which also occasionally included Marvin Gaye and Billy Stewart, and made his first recordings with that group in 1956.
Pony Time
"Pony Time" is a song written by Don Covay and John Berry (a member of Covay's earlier vocal group, the Rainbows), and originally recorded in 1960 by Covay with his group the Goodtimers. The song achieved greater success when it was recorded by Chubby Checker the following year, becoming his second US #1 (after his 1960 single "The Twist.") Chubby Checker's recording of "Pony Time" was also a number one hit on the R&B charts.
The song introduced a new dance style, The Pony, in which the dancer tries to look like he or she is riding a horse. It was featured in the film "Hairspray".
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External links
Pony Time (band)
Pony Time are a two-piece garage rock band from Seattle, WA consisting of two members: Luke Beetham on bass/baritone guitar/vocals and Stacy Peck on drums. The band has been praised by the likes of CMJ and Spin Magazine
History
The two met helping a mutual friend move a stereo back in 2009, and started playing their unique brand of danceable punk music together soon after- eventually leading to several nationwide tours and three full-length albums. Frontman Luke Beetham (also a guitarist in the British garage band Armitage Shanks) is locally renowned for his keen fashion sense, having been featured in the weekly Seattle newspaper the Stranger's prestigious "Men In Rock" guide. Drummer Stacy Peck (also a member in the alternative-rock band Childbirth) has also brought some notoriety to the group by directing most of the band's music videos which have been featured in prominent publications such as Spin Magazine and Vice Magazine Peck is also an out lesbian who has written about her experiences for Vice Magazine
Podcasts:
Don Covay
ALBUMS
- The Platinum Collection released: 2007
- King of Soul released: 2005
- Mercy Mercy: The Definitive Don Covay released: 1995
- Hot Blood released: 1975
- See-Saw released: 1966
- Music for Dancing: The Twist! released: 1961
- Mercy & See-Saw released:
The Platinum Collection
Released 2007- Seesaw
- Mercy Mercy
- Come on In
- Take This Hurt Off Me
- Sookie Sookie
- The Boomerang
- Please Do Something
- Sweet Pea (Don't Love Nobody but Herself)
- Everything I Do Goin' Be Funky
- You Must Believe Me
- Fat Man
- Iron Out the Rough Spots
- Come See About Me
- You're Good for Me
- Mad Dog Blues
- But I Forgive You
- Key to the Highway
- I'll Be Satisfied
- I Never Get Enough of Your Love
- The Usual Place
- A Women's Love
- Precious You
King of Soul
Released 2005- Sweet Thing
- Why Do Your Put Your Shoes Under My Bed
- Three Time Loser
- I Didn't Think I Could Make It
- Daddy Please Don't Go Tonight
- Stop By
- Love Is Sweeter on the Other Side
- Ugly Woman
- Your Love Has Got to Me
- Standing in the Grits Line
- You Can't Get Me for Nothing
- Bad Luck
- Ain't Nothing a Young Girl Can Do
- What's in the Headlines
- If There's a Will There's a Way
- Yo Yo, Part 1
- Yo Yo, Part 2
Mercy Mercy: The Definitive Don Covay
Released 1995- Bip Bop Bip
- Pony Time
- See About Me
- (Where Are You) Now That I Need You
- Mercy Mercy
- Take This Hurt Off Me
- Daddy Loves Baby
- The Usual Place
- Please Do Something
- A Woman's Love
- See-Saw
- Sookie Sookie
- Iron Out the Rough Spots
- Watching the Late, Late Show
- Temptation Was Too Strong
- It's in the Wind
- You've Got Me on the Critical List
- I Stole Some Love
- Overtime Man
- I Was Checkin' Out While She Was Checkin' In
- It's Better to Have (And Don't Need)
- We Can't Make It No More
- No Tell Motel
Mercy & See-Saw
- Mercy, Mercy
- I'll Be Satisfied
- Come On In
- Can't Stay Away
- Can't Fight It Baby
- You're Good For Me
- Take This Hurt Off Me
- Daddy Loves Baby
- Come See About Me
- You Must Believe In Me
- Please Don't Let Me Know
- Just Because
- See-Saw
- The Boomerang
- Everything Gonna Be Everything
- Fat Man
- Preciouse You
- Iron Out The Rough Spots
- Please Do Something
- I Never Get Enough Of Your Love
- The Usual Place
- A Woman's Love
- Sookie Sookie
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See Saw
by: Don CovayFool!
I've been feelin' meager
Been hurt so many times
But I've got faith in you
You can ease my troublin' mind
Come on, now
Iron out the rough spots, girl
Iron out the rough spots, yeah
You can do it, baby
Come on an do it, baby
Fool!
Hurts gotta hold on me, girl
And I can't explain just what it is, now
But if you'll turn to me
I'll be alright if you will
Come on, girl
Iron out the rough spots
People, let her
Iron out the rough spots
Come on, right now