Cover Versions and Legacy
Over 60 artists have recorded their own version of the song including a not yet established Jackson 5, who first performed the song at their television debut on the Miss Black America Pageant, later recording it for their ABC album (It is not listed as a Track on the ABC album by Jackson 5). Another version was recorded by Memphis soul singer Ann Peebles and saxophonist Lou Donaldson recorded an instrumental version on his 1969 album Hot Dog.
The song also has been heavily sampled by hip-hop acts, most famously by rap group Salt 'N' Pepa and D.C. go-go band E.U., who sampled it for "Shake Your Thang" (1988), and like many of their earlier singles, the song has been featured in commercials. The song has been credited for being one of the first full-fledged funk songs around the same time as artists like James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone brought their own funk anthems to the scene. Brown interpolated the melody in his 1974 song "My Thang".
Aretha Franklin recorded the song for her album "Jump to It" (1982).
Former Motown label-mates The Supremes and The Four Tops recorded a duet version in 1971 that remained unreleased until 2009.
James Brown used the musical background from the song for the songs "It's My Thing (You Can't Tell Me Who To Sock It To)", an answer song by Marva Whitney, and Brown's own 1974 single, "My Thang".
Some Canadian commercials for the Ramada hotel chain have featured a cover version of "It's Your Thing", modified so the lyrics say "Do Your Thing" instead.
The 1988/89 album All or Nothing/Girl You Know It's True by Milli Vanilli also contained a cover of this song.
Read more about this topic: It's Your Thing
Famous quotes containing the words cover, versions and/or legacy:
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“The assumption must be that those who can see value only in tradition, or versions of it, deny man’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances.”
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