Seesaw

Don Covay and The Goodtimers: "Seesaw" (1965)

Don Covay was one of the most underappreciated figures in 1960s soul and R&B, a singer, songwriter, and producer whose influence on the genre was extensive even when his own recordings did not always reflect the full scope of his talents. Born Donald Randolph in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in 1936, Covay had been active in the music business since the late 1950s, recording for various labels and developing the compositional skills that would eventually attract the attention of artists ranging from Otis Redding to the Rolling Stones. His early career was marked by the instability common to independent label artists of the era, but by the mid-1960s he had found a productive home at Atlantic Records and its subsidiary labels.

Writing, Production, and the Atlantic Connection

"Seesaw" was written by Don Covay and Steve Cropper, the latter being the guitarist for Booker T. and the MGs and one of the most prolific and respected songwriter-producers associated with the Stax and Atlantic orbit in the 1960s. The co-writing credit with Cropper linked "Seesaw" to the broader Memphis soul network and gave the recording both a compositional pedigree and a production sensibility rooted in the tight, disciplined approach for which Cropper was known. The combination of Covay's soulful vocal approach and Cropper's songwriting and production instincts produced a record that sat comfortably within the developing Southern soul aesthetic of the mid-1960s.

The Goodtimers, who backed Covay on his recordings of this period, were a capable ensemble that provided the rhythmic foundation his vocal performances required. Atlantic Records, through its distribution and promotion network, had the infrastructure to support Covay's singles nationally in a way that earlier labels had not, and "Seesaw" benefited from that infrastructure. The label's commitment to genuine soul and R&B product, and its roster of experienced producers and A&R staff, created an environment in which Covay's approach could find its commercial footing.

Billboard Hot 100 Chart Performance

"Seesaw" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 13, 1965, at position 92. The single showed a consistent upward trajectory throughout its nine-week chart run, climbing through positions 86, 70, 62, and 52 before reaching its peak position of 44 during the week of December 25, 1965. The nine-week chart run, culminating at number 44, was a strong performance for Covay, representing his best showing on the pop chart to that point in his career. The record also performed strongly on the R&B singles chart, where Covay's core audience was concentrated.

The timing of the peak, during Christmas week of 1965, meant the record was competing for radio attention and consumer spending against holiday-themed releases and the year-end promotional push from major labels. Its ability to climb to the mid-40s under those conditions demonstrated genuine commercial traction. The late 1965 pop landscape included the continued dominance of British Invasion acts alongside the growing presence of Motown, soul, and folk-rock, making it a competitive environment for an Atlantic R&B act seeking crossover airplay.

Covay's Broader Legacy as Songwriter

While "Seesaw" was a meaningful commercial entry in Covay's discography, his most enduring contribution to 1960s music history may be as a songwriter rather than as a recording artist. His composition "Mercy Mercy" had been covered by the Rolling Stones on their 1965 album Out of Our Heads, and the group's admiration for his writing brought him to the attention of a much wider audience. Otis Redding covered his material as well, and the list of artists who recorded Covay's compositions reads as a comprehensive index of the soul and rock establishment of the 1960s.

"Seesaw" itself was later covered by Aretha Franklin, whose version appeared on her landmark 1967 Atlantic debut I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You and brought the composition to its widest audience. Franklin's recording, produced by Jerry Wexler, has become the more widely known version, though Covay's original retains its significance as the document of the song's creation and its first commercial outing. The connection between Covay's original recording and Aretha Franklin's interpretation represents one of the more striking examples of the way songs moved through the Atlantic Records network during this extraordinarily creative period in American music history.