The verdict
Documented Sampling History
A confirmed songwriter of record (Allen Toussaint), no dispute found — a clean case from one of New Orleans’ most celebrated songwriting partnerships (written for Lee Dorsey in 1966; re-recorded by Toussaint with Elvis Costello in 2006).
Used by independents?
Yes — covered by Z.Z. Hill, on the independent Kent/Malaco soul label.
Who you need to ask
The songwriter of record — Allen Toussaint’s estate
Secondhandsongs → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — covered by The Winstons (1969), Ferrante & Teicher, King Biscuit Boy and Z.Z. Hill; re-recorded by Toussaint himself with Elvis Costello in 2006.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; a confirmed songwriter of record from a celebrated New Orleans partnership — no dispute.
Related Songs
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See every song that samples “The Greatest Love” →
The Winstons covered this on their 1969 album “Color Him Father”
Toussaint also recorded his own version of “The Chokin’ Kind,” another track on the same Winstons album
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Allen Toussaint (estate, following his 2015 death)
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A real full-circle moment decades later
Toussaint re-recorded the song as a duet with Elvis Costello on their 2006 collaborative album “The River in Reverse” (produced by Joe Henry) — the original composer returning to his own work decades after writing it for someone else.
WhoSampled · read it →
A direct connection to another song in this cluster
The same Allen Toussaint separately recorded his own cover of “The Chokin’ Kind” (also on The Winstons’ 1969 album) — a documented cross-connection between two songs on the same album.
Harlan Howard Songs · read it →
A legendary New Orleans partnership
Written amid Toussaint’s prolific mid-’60s work with Lee Dorsey and producer Marshall Sehorn (“Ride Your Pony,” “Working in the Coal Mine”), often backed by the musicians who would become The Meters.
Wikipedia (Lee Dorsey) · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
The Winstons · Ferrante & Teicher · Z.Z. Hill · Toussaint w/ Elvis Costello
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
AT
Allen Toussaint’s estate
The confirmed songwriter of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 4 in total
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass