Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings Share “Little By Little”

Daptone proudly announces the physical version of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ new collection, Just Dropped in to See What Condition my Rendition was in, to be released on RSD Black Friday, November 29th. The digital version arrives on October 23rd, and the LP available on RSD Black Friday will feature an exclusive transparent blue with black splatter color vinyl.

“Little By Little,” made famous by Dusty Springfield, is also released today as the second single. This follows the lead single “Signed Sealed Delivered I’m Yours,” the Stevie Wonder classic. Originally recorded for a Dusty Springfield compilation, “Little By Little” is a shining example of how Jones’s incomparable vocals alongside the Dap-Kings deft musicianship and emotive horn section can reimagine a pop classic, transforming it into a raw, soulful creation all their own.

Just Dropped In… features covers by acts ranging from Janet Jackson to  Woody Guthrie, showcasing the eclectic taste and superb musicality of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Over two decades, the band and Jones have built a reputation as studio aces, and this album compiles some of their most popular, as well as completely unreleased, renditions — originally recorded on their own or for commercials, movies, and TV shows.

Both “Rescue Me” and “In the Bush” were among the outtakes on the cutting room floor of The Wolf of Wall Street motion picture soundtrack, for which the band recorded several unused sides. “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” was not just a remake of the Kenny Rogers’ First Edition hit, but more specifically a near replay of Bettye  Lavette’s 1968 version, and was notably the very first recording done at the Daptone House of Soul studio in 2002. The band’s replay of Gladys Knight’s “Giving Up” was specifically requested but unused by a producer who was confident he needed it to sample for a beat on a Dr. Dre album.

“Little by Little,” “Inspiration Information,” “Here I Am Baby,” and “Take Me with U” were cut for tribute projects to Dusty Springfield,  Shuggie  Otis,  The Marvelettes, and Prince, respectively. The latter is a perfect example of the way the band was able to take a familiar tune and completely flip it on its head.