Laura Nyro, You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me | COVERS

In the 43^rd edition of COVERS (2023), Laura Nyro delivers a compelling rendition of “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me,” originally performed by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

“Tighter, tighter.” Ah, it’s time to get cozy and totally cover up! In COVERS, we highlight a musician or band covering songs by another musician (likely a popular musician). COVERS focuses solely on the musician who covers, as opposed to the original/most famous performer.  It is open to both established musicians and musicians who may not be as well-known. In the 43^rd edition of COVERS (2023), 🎙 Laura Nyro and 🎙 LaBelle deliver a compelling rendition of 🎵 “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”, originally performed by 🎙 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. 

“I don’t like you (But I love you) / But I love you (Seems like I’m always / Seems that I’m always / Thinking of you.” Indeed, 🎙 Laura Nyro, indeed! Despite a short life (just 49 years), Songwriter’s and Rock and Roll Hall of famer Nyro made her impact known. A talented and soulful singer/songwriter, one of the true bright spots of Nyro’s discography is her 1971 covers album, 💿 Gonna Take A Miracle. Previously, her epic rendition of 🎵 “It’s Gonna Take A Miracle” (originally performed by 🎙 The Royalettes) was featured in this column.  Now, again performing alongside 🎙 LaBelle (including 🎙 Patti LaBelle),  she covers the top-10, 🎙 Smokey Robinson & The Miracles classic, 🎵 “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”.

Laura Nyro, with a mighty assist by LaBelle (those harmonized backing vocals soar), makes “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” truly her own. Her own voice oozes with soul, and she packs a mean punch 🥊.  Furthermore, she’s able to deliver  playfulness, exuding personality.  Nyro never sounds as if she’s forcing things, singing with an optimal tone and naturally delivering the goods. Initially,  the record begins percussion-less, with piano and bass, truly placing emphasis on the elite vocal performance.  By the minute-and-a-half mark, a full drum groove has entered the mix, as well as guitar, strings, and vibes.  At this point, the vocals are nothing short of epic.  Interestingly, after the two-and-a-half-minute mark, Nyro totally surprises in the outro, speeding up the tempo, fully showcasing the extent of her love (“Hold me baby, and don’t turn me loose /… ‘Cause I love you, oh.”).  This livelier transformation only adds to the magic of the fabulous Nyro/LaBelle rendition of 🎵 “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”. Oh, and I failed to mention it was produced by  🎛 Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff – Philly soul, baby!

🎙 Laura Nyro & LaBelle • 💿 Gonna Take A Miracle • 🏷 Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. • 🗓 1971

Laura Nyro, You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me: Covers No. 43 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner /The Musical Hype; Sony Music Entertainment, Inc.; cottonbro studio, MART PRODUCTION, Ron Lach from Pexels; Paul Brennan from Pixabay]