People Get Ready (song) - Cover Versions

Cover Versions

It has been covered by many musicians, including:

• Akabu
• Alexander Zonjic
• Al Green & Heather Headley
• Alicia Keys
• Aretha Franklin on her album Lady Soul (1968)
• Barbara Dickson (1976)
• Blind Boys of Alabama
• Bob Marley (as "One Love/People Get Ready")
• Bob Dylan with The Band in a Basement Tapes session (unreleased). See note at bottom of page.
• Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, as an intro/coda for their song, "Land of Hopes and Dreams"
• The Chambers Brothers
• Christian band NewSong have also done their own version of the song, with slightly modified lyrics
• "Craven" Tj Jeter
• Christian band Curt and Roland on their album with the same name
• Dandy Livingstone
• Digna Janssen
• Dionne Warwick
• Dokken
• Dolly Parton and Cher (1978, television special)
• Dusty Springfield
• Ed Motta
• Eva Cassidy
• Exile
• George Benson
• George Lynch
• Glee Cast
• Glen Campbell on his 1970 album Oh Happy Day
• Greg Lake, 2012 tour
• Hanaregumi, mixing original English and Japanese-translated lyrics
• Hed PE
• Human Nature
• Jackson Greenhorn
• James Booker
• Jeff Beck and Joss Stone
• Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart (1985, #48 in the US)
• Jeff Beck and Sting (2009)
• Jeff Beck and Roger Taylor (2011)
• Jimmy Little
• John Denver
• John Mayer (as Waiting on the World to Change
• Johnny Rivers
• John Oates
• Jonathan Edwards
• Joss Stone and Lyfe Jennings
• Kenny Rankin
• Kevin Max
• Kruger Brothers
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo (with Phoebe Snow)
• Larry Norman
• Liz Longley
• Maceo Parker
• Margaret Becker
• Matisyahu
• Michael Kaeshammer (as an instrumental from the album 'Kaeshammer')
• Michelle Wright
• Neville Brothers
• Newsong
• Oficina G3
• Patrick Yandall
• Paul Carrack
• Petula Clark
• Phil Collins
• Pops Staples
• Prince
• Rod Stewart
• Purple Soul
• Ryan Shaw
• Seal
• Shawn Lane
• Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
• Steve Perry
• Suade
• Susan Alcorn as a pedal steel instrumental
• Tatsuro Yamashita while performing his song from 1988 (Sobo)... which is largely based on most Gospel style songs.
• Take 6.
• Taylor Hicks
• Terry Callier
• The Blind Boys of Alabama (with Ben Harper)
• The Chambers Brothers Flip side of "Time"
• The Doors
• The Everly Brothers
• The Guys All-Star Shoe Band
• The Housemartins on their album London 0 Hull 4
• The Idea of North
• The Meters
• The Roots
• The Walker Brothers
• Tony Carey
• Trin-i-tee 5:7
• Trijntje Oosterhuis
• U2 (starting on The Joshua Tree Tour)
• Vanilla Fudge
• Ziggy Marley

Bob Dylan has recorded three different known versions of the song in three different decades. Dylan recorded the song with The Band in 1967 during the famed Basement Tapes Sessions. This version has never been officially released, but is widely available on the various bootlegs of The Basement Tapes. He recorded a second version in 1975, which was released in 1978 on a four song promotional record for his film Renaldo and Clara. That version was one of the 42 rarities on the iTunes anthology of Dylan's output. Dylan recorded a third version in 1988 for the film Flashback.

Canadian country music singer Michelle Wright covered the song on the 1997 compilation album Peace in the Valley. Her version peaked at #49 on the RPM Adult Contemporary charts.

In 2000, guitarist Eric Essix covered the song from his album Southbound.

In 2009, country music star Ronnie Milsap covered the song on his gospel album Then Sings My Soul.

At the 25th anniversary Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Concert, Jeff Beck and Sting performed a cover version of "People Get Ready." Sting sang lyrics that were more Universalist than the original version.

On Season 9 of American Idol, Crystal Bowersox sang this song to rave reviews from the panel of judges.

Country band Exile did a cover on an EP in 2010 entitled People Get Ready. The EP is a remastered version of a download only EP released on their website in 2008 titled Reunion.