Besides writing huge hits with Genesis and in his solo career, Phil Collins also recorded several praised and successful covers, especially of Motown and Soul songs. For most listeners he did a great job performing the tracks he grew up listening to.
Over the decades the musician has talked about many bands, including The Rolling Stones. Although he likes them he once said that two of the covers they recorded were pretty awful.
The 2 Rolling Stones covers that Phil Collins said were pretty awful
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”
The first cover that The Rolling Stones recorded mentioned by Collins was “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”, which was part of their 1974 album “It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll”. “They’re pretty awful (The versions for the songs). But they weren’t out to recreate it. It’s the Rolling Stones doing those songs,” Collins told Pollstar in 2010.
That song was written by Norman Whitfield and Eddie Holland. It was originally recorded by The Temptations and released on their 1966 album Gettin’ Ready. The single sold more than 500.000 copies in the United States, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard Pop chart. The Stones was not that successful on the US Billboard hot 100 chart, peaking at number 89.
The British Pop star Rick Astley also covered the song, releasing his version in 1989 on his album “Hold Me In Your Arms”. In 2010 Collins covered the song on his final studio album “Going Back”. That record features versions of 1960s Motown songs and Soul Standards.
Phil Collins was a good friend of Charlie Watts
Although Collins didn’t like those versions done by the band he likes them and was a friend of the late Charlie Watts. Talking with BBC 6 Radio in 2016 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), the musician recalled an interesting experience he had with the late drummer.
“When I did the big band in 98, this would have been, The Stones were playing or based in Paris, anyway. He called me and he said ‘You’re playing the big band show tonight and I’d love to come’. So I said ‘Please come’.”
“He called just before we were supposed to leave and he said ‘I can’t leave my clothes. They arrived and I have to lay everything properly’ and I said ‘Ok’. This is an interesting look on Charlie Watts, you know. Anyway, he did turned up, he was the most style I’ve seen of any drummer,” Phil Collins said.
“Going to a Go-Go”
The second song mentioned by Collins was “Going to a Go-Go”, which was part of their 1981 live album “Still Life”. Their version peaked at number 26 on the British charts and 25 in the United States.
That song was written by Smokey Robinson, Pete Moore, Bobby Rogers and Marv Tarplin, being released by The Miracles in 1965 on their album of the same name. Their version was a hit, peaking at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number 2 on the Hot R&B Singles. The song was also covered by Collins on his 2010 album “Going Back”.
Collins had the chance to meet Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood properly during the Live Aid charity festival in 1985. He recalled that in an interview with David Sheff, saying it was his close friend Eric Clapton who introduced him to Richards, Wood and Bob Dylan.
“(I) arrived in Philadelphia about half an hour before Eric was on, then I was on, and then Zeppelin. It was an amazing day. At the end of it, I was back in New York and I was thinking, What’s been going on today?”
“I was in London this morning and performed with all those people. Eric just introduced me to Dylan and Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood. I performed in America, and then I played with Led Zeppelin doing Stairway to Heaven. Now I’m back in New York and tomorrow I go back home again. It was extraordinary,” Phil Collins said.
Unlike “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”, which had Mick Taylor as lead guitarist, when the band recorded “Going to a Go-Go”, Ronnie Wood was already part of the band. Besides him, their line-up had Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts.