Best Leon Russell Songs
A simply Fantastic, transcendent song, written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell and first recorded by Delaney & Bonnie & Friends (including Eric Clapton & Russell).
Many have covered it with the first real popularity (& in my humble opinion the definitive version) being Rita Coolidge's lead vocals backed by Leon & his band, and the most popular success probably by The Carpenters. Doesn't get much better than this one, folks!
Though I didn't state it, I intended this to be songs he wrote or co-wrote and not some of the great covers he's done or his great accompaniment. I haven't heard this one done primarily by him but it was great when he did it with George Harrison in The Concert for Bangladesh.
Among other great covers, I love several of his interpretations of Dylan songs as well as the great performance of Jumpin Jack Flash/Youngblood medley also on "Bangladesh"
Leon does do a version of this very well by himself, but as noted the version on Bangladesh becomes something else on a higher plane.
There is actually a demo version by "The Beatles" on one of the "Anthology" discs, but Leon and George really are the best, and its saying something when someone can improve a Beatle version of one of their own.
