Donny Hathaway – Giving Up (1971) (live recording from July 8, 1972)

Originally written by Van McCoy and recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, this was a highlight of Hathaway's live set at Houston's first annual Astrodome Jazz Festival.

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On July 8, 1972, legendary singer Donny Hathaway performed at Houston's first annual Astrodome Jazz Festival.

The show was recorded from the audience and bootlegged on the 1972 LP Live At The Astrodome. Original copies sell for hundreds of dollars today.

A highlight of his set was the emotional, spiritual anthem “Giving Up,” the opening cut and lead single from his 1971 self-titled second studio album, and a #21 R&B hit for him.

The song was originally written by Van McCoy and recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, released in 1964. It went to #6 R&B and #38 on the Billboard Hot 100, and its success was one of the reasons Berry Gordy wanted to sign them to Motown, which they eventually did in 1966.

It was later covered by the great singer/songwriter Zulema Cusseaux for her 1973 Ms. Z LP.

Another great moment from Hathaway’s performance that night was his superb cover version of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.”

#soul #funk #DonnyHathaway