Grateful Dead Family Discography: Sweet Inspiration

Sweet Inspiration

Composer: Spooner Oldham / Dan Penn

Sweet Inspiration was played by the Keith And Donna Band in 1975 and by the Ghosts / Heart Of Gold Band in 1980. Its possible that the Grateful Dead played the song at a soundcheck in 1973 but this has not been confirmed.

Sweet Inspiration was written by Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham for the Sweet Inspirations. They recorded the song in late 1967 and it was released an album in 1967 and on a single in 1968. The single release reached #18 the the Billboard Hot 100.

On some recordings the title is given as I Need Your Sweet Inspiration. On some recordings the song is credited to Dewey Lindon Oldham and Wallace Pennington, the given names of Oldham and Penn.

Sweet Inspirations

no info The Sweet Inspirations, The Sweet Inspirations, 1967
no info Single (I'm Blue / Sweet Inspiration), The Sweet Inspirations, 1968
no info The Super Hits Vol. 3, Various Artists, 1968
no info Atlantic Blockbusters, Various Artists, 1969
no info That's Soul 3, Various Artists, 1973
no info Soul Shots Volume 3: A Collection Of Sixties Soul Classics, Various Artists, 1989
no info Estelle, Myrna And Sylvia (expanded edition), The Sweet Inspirations, 1991
no info Rare Soul: Beach Music Classics Vol. 2, Various Artists, 1992
no info The Best Of The Sweet Inspirations, 1994
no info Only Rock'n Roll: 1965-1969, Various Artists, 1996
no info Lost Hits Of The 60's:40 Solid Gold AM Radio Classics, Various Artists, 1996
Beg, Scream and Shout: The Big Ol' Box of 60's Soul, Various Artists, 1997
no info Great R&B Female Groups Hits Of The '60's, Various Artists, 1997
no info The Girls Got Soul, Various Artists, 2000
no info In The Right Place, The Sweet Inspirations, 2005
no info Something's Got A Hold On Me, Various Artists, 2005
no info The Greatest Soul Music Hits Of All Time, Various Artists, 2006
no info Sweet Inspiration: The Songs Of Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham, Various Artists, 2011
no info The Complete Atlantic Singles Plus, The Sweet Inspirations, 2014
no info Let It Be Me: The Atlantic Recordings 1967-1970, The Sweet Inspirations, 2021

Other recordings

Diana Ross & The Supremes Join The Temptations, The Supremes / The Temptations, 1968
no info Sweet Soul, King Curtis, 1968
no info Single (Sweet Inspiration / By The Time I Get To Phoenix), Bunky Green, 1968
no info Grazing In The Grass, Trombones Unlimited, 1968
no info Single (Instant Groove / Sweet Inspiration), King Curtis & The Kingpins, 1969
no info Non Stop Dancing 8, James Last, 1969
no info Right On, Wilson Pickett, 1970
no info Single (Sweet Inspiration / Sweet Inspiration), The Pioneers, 1970 (Jamaica)
no info Single (I Need Your Sweet Inspiration / Everything Nice), The Pioneers, 1970 (UK)
no info Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head, Bill Black's Combo, 1970
Songs, Jackie DeShannon, 1971
no info Club Reggae, Various Artists (The Pioneers), 1971
no info Single (Sweet Inspiration / Where You Lead / Didn't We), Barbra Streisand, 1972
no info Live Concert At The Forum, Barbra Streisand, 1972
no info Songs For Old Ladys And Babys, Marc McClure, 1972
no info Trojan's Greatest Hits Vol. 2, Various Artists (The Pioneers), 1972
no info The Best Of Reggae, Various Artists (The Pioneers), 1973
no info Sitting On Top Of My World, Rita Jean Bodine, 1974
no info 24 Reggae Greats, Various Artists (The Pioneers), 1974
no info Maxi-SIngle (Let Your Yeah Be Yeah / Sweet Inspiration / I Hear You Knocking), The Pioneers, 1976
no info Roll On Muddy River, The Pioneers, 1977
no info Love Me Again, Rita Coolidge, 1978
no info Barbra Streisand's Greatest Hits Volume 2, Barbra Streisand, 1978
no info Live At The Fox..., Ronnie McDowell, 1978
no info The Pioneers Greatest Hits, The Pioneers, 1979
no info 20 Golden Pieces Of The Platters, 1984
no info Motown Legends, Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations, 1985
no info Join The Temptations / Together, Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations, 1986
no info Romantic Reggae, Various Artists (The Pioneers), 1989
no info A Knife And A Fork, Kip Anderson, 1993
no info Longshot Kick De Bucket... Best Of, The Pioneers, 1997
no info Sweet Inspiration, The Platters, 1997
no info Moments From This Theatre, Dan Penn And Spooner Oldham, 1999
no info Heart And Soul: New Songs From Ally McBeal, Vonda Shepard, 1999
no info Reggae Grooves Volume 2, Various Artists (The Pioneers), 2000
no info Requests, The Girls, 2001
no info Let Your Yeah Be Yeah: Anthology 1966 To 1986, The Pioneers, 2001
no info Give & Take: The Best Of, The Pioneers, 2003
no info The Ultimate Trojan Club Reggae Box Set, Various Artists (The Pioneers), 2003
no info Sweet Inspiration, Delaney Bramlett, 2004
no info The Great Platters, The Platters, 2004
no info Joined Together: The Complete Studio Duets, Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations, 2004
no info Live: A Retrospective, Vonda Shepard, 2004
no info The Television Specials (DVD), Barbra Streisand, 2005
no info Sweet Soul/Everybody's Talkin', King Curtis, 2005
Songs (expanded CD), Jackie DeShannon, 2006
no info Already Free, The Derek Trucks Band, 2009
no info With Love, The Sisters Love, 2010
no info Funky Midnight Mover: The Atlantic Studio Recordings 1962-1978, Wilson Pickett, 2010
no info The Best Of Ally McBeal: The Songs Of Vonda Shepard, 2010
no info Original Recordings, Vol. II, Trombones Unlimited, 2013
no info The Complete Atco Singles, King Curtis, 2015
no info The Complete Atlantic Albums Collection, Wilson Pickett, 2017
no info Stone Cold Soul: The Complete Capitol Recordings, Jackie DeShannon, 2018
no info Anytime... Anywhere / Love Me again / Satisfied / Heartbreak Radio, Rita Coolidge, 2022