Sinead O'Connor recorded an unknown song by Prince.

Glee Cast sang Gaga's Poker Face.

 

Both are cover versions but very different in all aspects.

 

Hearing God Help the Girl version of 'Funny Little Frog' was weird

In regards to covers, I think it depends on whether it sounds just like an unimaginative ‘karaoke recording’ or whether the act have produced a more creative re-recorded version of the original song.

 

Even though I do not know the original version by The Turtles, I would expect it would be very much in the style of “Happy Together” or “Elenore” rather than The Lightning Seeds, who would have slowed down the tempo to that kind of ‘Britpop-Triphop’ version that we all remember.

 

As The Turtles were a recording act of the 1960s, when there was many songwriters placing their songs with a number of different acts [as mentioned in another post above], I doubt that they [‘Flo & Eddie’] would have written the tune in the first place. Therefore I guess that “You Showed Me” by The Lightning Seeds is actually a cover of a cover.

 

I think it is also important to remember that the cover could be the most fondly remembered version of the song and therefore looked upon as the ‘definitive’ version. I think if many people were to name a Soft Cell song, then a large percentage of people would name “Tainted Love” rather than “Say Hello Wave Goodbye”, a song by the duo which, in regards to the thread, I think should have got to Number One instead.

 

Marc Almond has recorded a number of ‘covers’ albums and in fact, he has stated that his current album will be the last of original composed material. I have not got around to listening to my copy of ‘Stardom Road’ yet, but I remember that ‘Jacques’ was a good album as it introduced me to the works of Brel, many years before I bought a similar album of recordings by Scott Walker.

 

As these albums featured the songwriting of one man [though obviously other people translated the lyrics into English] these projects worked well as coherent album releases. This is actually saying something when considering Walker’s album, as ‘Scott Walker Sings Jacques Brel’ was not actually intended as a covers album project, instead being a compilation of tracks from his solo albums.

 

On the other hand, Duran Duran’s “Thank You” was a covers album project and seeing as the album is now infamous as one of the worst albums ever recorded, maybe it would have been better for another compilation of old material to have been issued instead.

 

In regards to their older material, I was never a big fan of “The Reflex” as the bridge to the chorus [“Why-yi-yi”] always annoyed me. In addition to this, I am not a really a fan of ambiguous lyrics or vague metaphors, as I can never understand them and therefore I have a problem with the lyrics of “The Reflex”. I might be missing the point but lyrics such as “The Reflex is a lonely child that’s waiting by the port” seems like a load of rubbish to me.

 

“The Reflex” is from the album ‘Seven and The Ragged Tiger’, which now includes former ‘one-off’ single and chart topper “Is There Something I Should Know?” on one of the bonus discs. In regards to their two Number Ones, I prefer this tune over “The Reflex”, though as it was a record that was on all those ‘Worst Lyrics of the 1980s’ lists [for the line “you're about as easy as a nuclear war"] alongside “The Lebanon” by The Human League, I do not think it could also regarded as their best single either.

 

I suppose in light of these facts, I think it would have been better for Duran Duran to have their two Number Ones taken from other songs on their albums [apart from any of the tracks on ‘Thank You’, though if you think “Perfect Day” would have been a better Number One by Duran than by the BBC, please say]. I can imagine many people who would also select “A View To A Kill”, “Save A Prayer”, “Rio” or “Ordinary World” as a great Number One single replacement, though I would like to nominate “The Chauffeur” and “Election Day” instead.

 

Even though “Election Day” is credited to Arcadia, the song does feature three members of Duran from the 1980s [though only the duo of Le Bon and Rhodes appear in the promotional videos, something I did not know about, until I watched the ‘So Red The Rose’ DVD last week], which is one more 80s member than Duran Duran had in 1999, as well as Grace Jones, who deserves a Number One in her own right.

 

Loz

 

(Is this the way) to Amarillo - Tony Christie (""feat. Peter Kay"") from 2005.

 

I know, it's exactly the same version like in the 70's but Peter Kay was only miming Christie and got to number 1

while the original from 1971 only went to #18 in the UK Charts...

(Is this the way) to Amarillo - Tony Christie (""feat. Peter Kay"") from 2005.

 

I know, it's exactly the same version like in the 70's but Peter Kay was only miming Christie and got to number 1

while the original from 1971 only went to #18 in the UK Charts...

 

and that placing was generous... because back then it was a serious track, in 05 it was a joke.

(Is this the way) to Amarillo - Tony Christie (""feat. Peter Kay"") from 2005.

 

I know, it's exactly the same version like in the 70's but Peter Kay was only miming Christie and got to number 1

while the original from 1971 only went to #18 in the UK Charts...

 

As a ‘replacement’ Number One has not actually been selected for Christie, may I suggest the Jarvis Cocker song “Walk Like A Panther”, of which Christie performed as guest vocalist of Sheffield’s All Seeing I [a dance act that I think originally included ‘Parrot’ and ‘Ping Pong’ from The Funky Worm, before evolving into I Monster].

 

Generally I would say that most people will regard Christie as a cheesy has-been from the horrible ‘Light Entertainment’ hell that was the 1970s, though I think this negative association actually helps “Walk Like A Panther” as it does sound like it is being performed by the ‘Star Turn’ at Batley Working Men’s Club.

 

I think that “Walk Like A Panther” is a much better collaboration between artists ‘old and new’ than “Tom Jones International”, a record that only seemed to damage the reputation of producer Wyclef Jean. I do not know why Tom Jones is much more credible than Christie, as many of Christie’s songs [such as “Maria”] sound like Jones in the first place. Maybe it is because Jones is more likely to be associated, in people’s minds, with a glitzy Vegas show rather than a grim Northern Social Club, places which, unlike Las Vegas, will never be seen as being eternally cool.

 

Loz

 

As a ‘replacement’ Number One has not actually been selected for Christie, may I suggest the Jarvis Cocker song “Walk Like A Panther”, of which Christie performed as guest vocalist of Sheffield’s All Seeing I [a dance act that I think originally included ‘Parrot’ and ‘Ping Pong’ from The Funky Worm, before evolving into I Monster].

 

Generally I would say that most people will regard Christie as a cheesy has-been from the horrible ‘Light Entertainment’ hell that was the 1970s, though I think this negative association actually helps “Walk Like A Panther” as it does sound like it is being performed by the ‘Star Turn’ at Batley Working Men’s Club.

 

I think that “Walk Like A Panther” is a much better collaboration between artists ‘old and new’ than “Tom Jones International”, a record that only seemed to damage the reputation of producer Wyclef Jean. I do not know why Tom Jones is much more credible than Christie, as many of Christie’s songs [such as “Maria”] sound like Jones in the first place. Maybe it is because Jones is more likely to be associated, in people’s minds, with a glitzy Vegas show rather than a grim Northern Social Club, places which, unlike Las Vegas, will never be seen as being eternally cool.

 

Loz

 

agreed...i like 'walk like a panther'...was it written deliberately for christie? just wondering about the referance to 'marie'

 

(Is this the way) to Amarillo - Tony Christie (""feat. Peter Kay"") from 2005.

 

I know, it's exactly the same version like in the 70's but Peter Kay was only miming Christie and got to number 1

while the original from 1971 only went to #18 in the UK Charts...

 

I actually prefer I Did What I Did For Maria.

agreed...i like 'walk like a panther'...was it written deliberately for christie? just wondering about the referance to 'marie'

 

I cannot be sure, but think it was written with Christie in mind. I seem to remember that, during the 1990s, Christie was living in a state of semi-retirement, somewhere in Spain [maybe in Marbella] and so I would have expected that he would have been personally invited to sing that song.

 

It is years since I have played the All Seeing I album ‘Picked Eggs And Sherbet’, but if I were to find that album again, I would expect that most collaborators will have come from Sheffield, as did Jarvis Cocker, Parrot and Phil Oakey [the singer on follow up single “1st Man In Space”]. I think they would have wanted a famous Sheffield crooner for “Walk Like A Panther”, but rather than Martin Fry, a singer who was popular in either the 60s or 70s [in addition to not being ‘old’ enough, maybe Martin Fry was too much of a famous Stopfordian to qualify].

 

By any chance, did you get to hear Christie’s album called 'Made In Sheffield' that was released a few years ago. I wanted to listen to it as he recorded it with Richard Hawley, who I have liked ever since his Longpigs days. It was supposed to be a very good album but unfortunately it did not chart, probably because he is regarded as a novelty singer now after that Number One with Peter Kay.

 

'Made In Sheffield' featured Christie covering songs by number of local bands and songwriters, including the song “Louise” by The Human League. That recording is supposed to be a much better version than the original, as all the usual synths on the track are replaced by a ‘striped-down’ acoustic recording, more in keeping with Rick Rubin’s productions for Johnny Cash.

 

Loz

 

Marc Almond has recorded a number of ‘covers’ albums and in fact, he has stated that his current album will be the last of original composed material. I have not got around to listening to my copy of ‘Stardom Road’ yet, but I remember that ‘Jacques’ was a good album as it introduced me to the works of Brel, many years before I bought a similar album of recordings by Scott Walker.

 

my introduction to Brel was through Alison Moyet - I've yet to hear a cover of 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' as absolutely jaw-droppingly heart wrenching and beautiful as hers.

I cannot be sure, but think it was written with Christie in mind. I seem to remember that, during the 1990s, Christie was living in a state of semi-retirement, somewhere in Spain [maybe in Marbella] and so I would have expected that he would have been personally invited to sing that song.

 

It is years since I have played the All Seeing I album ‘Picked Eggs And Sherbet’, but if I were to find that album again, I would expect that most collaborators will have come from Sheffield, as did Jarvis Cocker, Parrot and Phil Oakey [the singer on follow up single “1st Man In Space”]. I think they would have wanted a famous Sheffield crooner for “Walk Like A Panther”, but rather than Martin Fry, a singer who was popular in either the 60s or 70s [in addition to not being ‘old’ enough, maybe Martin Fry was too much of a famous Stopfordian to qualify].

 

By any chance, did you get to hear Christie’s album called 'Made In Sheffield' that was released a few years ago. I wanted to listen to it as he recorded it with Richard Hawley, who I have liked ever since his Longpigs days. It was supposed to be a very good album but unfortunately it did not chart, probably because he is regarded as a novelty singer now after that Number One with Peter Kay.

 

'Made In Sheffield' featured Christie covering songs by number of local bands and songwriters, including the song “Louise” by The Human League. That recording is supposed to be a much better version than the original, as all the usual synths on the track are replaced by a ‘striped-down’ acoustic recording, more in keeping with Rick Rubin’s productions for Johnny Cash.

 

Loz

One of the all time great Top of the Pops performances was Jarvis Cocker performing Walk Like A Panther when Tony Christie was unavailable for whatever reason. I've got the Made In Sheffield album. It's a bit patchy but does have some very good tracks.

 

my introduction to Brel was through Alison Moyet - I've yet to hear a cover of 'Ne Me Quitte Pas' as absolutely jaw-droppingly heart wrenching and beautiful as hers.

Jacques Brel is one of the all-time great songwriters. Bertolt Brecht is another. Both of them have been hugely influential but their names are still relatively little known.

Jacques Brel is one of the all-time great songwriters. Bertolt Brecht is another. Both of them have been hugely influential but their names are still relatively little known.

 

It is a name that I have heard of many times before in passing, though I am not at all familiar with his work. I think his songs would be something that either Patricia Kass or Ute Lemper would sing, as I think he would write the kind of torch songs that would work well in a smoky cabaret bar somewhere in Paris or Berlin.

 

To be honest, I am not too sure if Bertolt Brecht would have been German or French. With a name such as Bertolt Brecht I would say he was German, though obviously as boundaries have changed over the years, I cannot be certain [for example Herbert Lom is so old that I think he was born in the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire]

 

Actually, I might be getting myself mixed up between Brecht and Kurt Weill at this present moment. It is more than likely that I am thinking about Weill, as I know that he would have been writing songs at the time of The Weimar Republic, a period in history that I would mostly associate with the sound and image of Ute Lemper.

 

That is about as much as I know about Weill, who as a reference, probably is to music as what Rainer Werner Fassbinder was to films, seeing as they are names from German culture I have heard about, but unlike Werner Herzog and various ‘Kosmische’ groups of the 1970s, not artists that I have seen discussed in depth before, whether on BBC Four or in the press.

 

It could be the case that Weill’s life has been on BBC Four before, but in an art or history series that was so ‘highbrow’ that I decided against viewing. I think the ‘Legends’ series is about as far as I will go when it comes to serious cultural documentaries, as I generally like watching the more populist music shows broadcast by the BBC on Friday nights, such as ‘Synth Britannia’.

 

I found the documentary about the ‘Kosmische’/Krautrock groups of the 1970s very interesting, when it was shown a few months ago on BBC Four and I hope this will be followed up with a documentary on the European electronic music scene of the 1980s.

 

I suppose if the BBC does commission this kind of documentary, then at least they will have a chance to show the live concert by Kraftwerk again. They are a group that I have respected for many years, though in relation to this thread, I think somebody else has already mentioned the situation regarding people’s preference for “The Model” over “Computer Love”.

 

Unlike Kraftwerk, one act that I did briefly mention earlier was Flo & Eddie [a duo who were originally in The Turtles]. Now I do not know if anybody else listened to the Radio 2 show about Glam Rock, that was broadcast last night at 10pm, but I did and was surprised to hear their names were mentioned a number of times in regards to the recordings of T Rex.

 

Along with T Rex the show mainly focused on David Bowie, as it was the first part of a documentary series that will be concluded tonight with a look at bands such as Slade and Sweet. Whilst I would expect that no Glam Rock fan would fault the Number One hits of T Rex or Slade, I think that there might be a few better recommendations for Bowie, especially when considering “Dancing In The Street”, as most pundits seem to regard that song as an embarrassment in Bowie’s back catalogue.

 

Loz

 

So which version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" do fans prefer ? Gladys ? Or Marvin ? I adore both but I'd have to give the edge to Gladys. Perhaps because Marvin's is so played to death.