‘Black on White’: Affirmative R&B; Action

The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” sung by Aretha Franklin . . . the Beatles’ “Day Tripper” recorded by Otis Redding . . . Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary” redone by Ike & Tina Turner.

See a pattern here?

The production team behind a new Rhino Records compilation did and it’s spelled out in the highly recommended disc’s title: “Black on White: Great R&B; Covers of Rock Classics.”

While much has been written over the years about the hundreds of examples of white rock singers redoing songs written or popularized by black R&B;, soul or blues artists, there hasn’t been much focus on the reverse practice--until now.

In the album’s liner notes, Reggie Collins points out that the rock-soul interchange has a cultural significance, restoring some of early rock ‘n’ roll’s embrace of diverse styles.

The phenomenon of R&B; artists singing rock material is “about blacks, outsiders by definition, and disaffected whites coming to terms with the fact that they share some common ground,” writes Collins, who compiled the collection with Fred Patterson.

In a second essay, critic Elvis Mitchell draws a distinction between the passion of these 18 recordings and the watered-down, imitative recordings that countless pop and rock groups have made over the years when turning to R&B; material--from (these are my examples) the Crew-Cuts in the ‘50s to Michael Bolton in the ‘90s.

“With something such as Aretha Franklin’s cover of ‘Satisfaction,’ a rock ‘n’ soul alchemy takes place,” Mitchell writes. “Through sheer will, the newly crowned Queen of Soul condenses Mick Jagger’s playful, teasing, post-adolescent brattiness . . . and the very air around the song crackles and is converted into incandescent energy.”

Among the 63-minute album’s other highlights: Otis Clay’s rendition of the Sir Douglas Quintet’s “She’s About a Mover,” Al Green’s version of the Bee Gees’ “How Can You Mend a Broken Heart,” the Pointer Sisters’ interpretation of Bruce Springsteen’s “Fire” and Run-DMC’s classic reworking of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way.”

Also in the racks:

* Sheena Easton’s “The World of Sheena Easton--The Singles Collection” on EMI. Nineteen songs, including the Kenny Rogers duet on Bob Seger’s “We’ve Got Tonight” and the sultry, Prince-produced “Sugar Walls” (71 minutes, no liner notes).

* The Lettermen’s “Capitol Collectors Series” on Capitol. Twenty-three selections by the Los Angeles pop vocal group, including all six of its Top 20 hits. Among them: the unlikely 1967 medley of Little Anthony & the Imperials’ “Goin’ Out of My Head” and Frankie Valli’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (58 minutes, no liner notes).