I got a woman, way over town that's good to me

By now everyone knows the song 'Gold Digger', Kanye West's thumping crtique on money-minded ladies which samples the Ray Charles classic 'I Got a Woman'. Its been played ad nauseum, and maginalised by the impressionable and ignorant listening public as 'just another song i can grind on the dancefloor to'.

Well Mr West wasn't the only person to wake up to this song by the king of R&B, artists have been re-interpreting this song all the way back to the Beatles. Here is the original, plus three covers/remixes of the same song, tell us what you think is the best.

Ray Charles - I Got A Woman (1952): The 1952 original that catapulted the man into the spotlight and made him big. The jazzy drumbeat, the cheeky brass rhythm section and that muted trumpet solo come together so perfectly stirred with Ray's stunning voice.

The Beatles - I Got A Woman: This version gets the Beatles treatment with twangy rock guitars replacing brass and those distintinctive vocal tones leaving the Beatles stamp all over this cover. Its still rhythm and blues, but its R&B via Liverpool that shows R&B and Rock and Roll share the same blood.

John Mayer Trio - I Got A Woman (2005) - A more jam oriented version of this track with its live aesthetic leaving John Mayer and his trio up to their ambitious nature to take this song to high places. Its a strong blues-y strut that releases the inner soul man in the tall skinny white man.

Diplo - I Got A Woman (2006) - Taking cues from Kanye's 'Gold Digger' , Diplo leaves many elements of the original which are sampled over the top of synthed bleeps and a driving, off-kilter electronic beat at times echoing Kanye's interpretation. Its a slice and dice affair that leaves a refreshing aftertaste.

Tags: Ray Charles,Kanye West,Gold Digger,John Mayer,Diplo,The Beatles,I Got A Woman