I Was A King vs. The Records - Starry Eyes

"Starry Eyes" is a power pop classic recorded by the British band The Records, their debut single actually, released in 1978. It was written by the band's drummer Will Birch, fresh from the pub rock outfit The Kursaal Flyers, and rhythm guitarist John Wicks who were The Records' main songwriters. After The Records disbanded in 1982 the pair's songs have been recorded by numerous acts ranging from Mary Chapin Carpenter to Too Much Joy, from The Searchers to Michael Monroe of Hanoi Rocks! "Starry Eyes" was the starting point though, a largely forgotten pop classic that sounds as wonderfully fresh now as it did in 1978. This week it was performed on Norwegian television show Trygdekontoret by the Oslo band I Was A King, a faithful rendition that does the original justice. Here are both, and you should check them out.

I Was A King version

The Records version

Dingus feat. Alexander Lindbäck vs. One Direction - Fireproof

Norwegian alt country band Dingus has recorded a surprising cover of the One Direction song "Fireproof" in an attempt to reach a younger and slightly more female audience. The plan will probably not succeed, but they have done a great version of the song off the boy band's latest album Four, and it's almost twice as long. The original, which I had not heard until today, is a dead catchy, up tempo pop song, and the Dingus version is a slow, harmony-filled country waltz, featuring added vocals by Alexander Lindbäck of Seven Doors Hotel "fame". Lindbäck says he thinks the Dingus version is better and slower, and at least he's right about it being slower. I actually like both versions a lot. This is simply a great song. I wish I could credit one songwriter though, but there are five of them, including two of the One Direction members. I know a few people who can write a great song by themselves, but let's leave that aside. "Fireproof" is a good song, and that's that!

Tomorrow evening Dingus will be playing the Oslo club Revolver, and Lindbäck will attend to sing along on "Fireproof". Details here. Unfortunately, there's no word on any upcoming One Direction shows in town.

Dingus version

One Direction version

Kate Bush vs. Tracey Thorn - Under The Ivy

Tracey Thorn was guest editor of the BBCs Radio 4 Today programme yesterday and wanted to pay tribute to Kate Bush in some way. She chose to do a cover of the "Running Up That Hill" B-side "Under The Ivy", a song she deemed fit as it is, in her own words, "all about privacy and intimacy, hiding "away from the party", meeting someone in a safe and secret place" and thus reminds her of Kate Bush's approach to her public life. It's a beautiful little song that clicks in at just above two minutes, and below you can hear both versions, 29 years apart, both absolutely brilliant. To me it's impossible to choose one over the other, as they're by two of my all time favourite artists.

Kate Bush original

Tracey Thorn cover

Sval vs. Kråkesølv - Tidsfrist

Det 15 år gamle stjerneskuddet Sval (Rosenløw Eeg) vant Melodi Grand Prix junior i 2011 med "Trenger deg", og ga for få uker siden ut en ny single, den uimotståelige "Tidsfrist", en herlig sang om ung og vanskelig kjærlighet. Det er liten tvil om at Sval har en strålende fremtid foran seg og at hun er et stort talent. Som hun sier selv, "Tidsfrist handler om å fortelle noen hva man føler før det er for sent", og det har hun til de grader klart å formulere. Sval er flink med ord. Jeg er imidlertid ikke alene om å være imponert. Bodøbandet Kråkesølv gjorde en nedpå og fin og følsom cover av "Tidsfrist" da de gjestet Christine Dancke i P3 sist fredag der de også gjorde en akustisk versjon av sin egen flotte "Ikke rart vi bli sprø". Under er lenke til P3-siden der du finner begge låtene (scroll ned for å finne "Tidsfrist") og dessuten en lenke til Svals originalversjon. Jeg digger begge.

Sval

Kråkesølv

 

Vazelina Bilopphøggers - Gi meg fri i kveld vs. Lee Dorsey - Ya Ya

"Gi meg fri kveld" var Norges første møte med det som for mange er blitt et livslangt kjærlighetsforhold. Totningene i Vazelina Bilopphøggers ble allemannseie fra dag en med singlen "Gi meg fri i kveld"/"Bilopphøgger Boogie" som gikk rett til topps på Norsktoppen og nådde 3. plass på VG-lista høsten 1980. Bandets spesialitet er å skrive om - med en mildt sagt humoristisk vri - amerikanske og til dels britiske rock'n'roll-låter fra (primært) siste halvdel av 50-tallet og første halvdel av 60-tallet. "Gi meg fri i kveld" er en frisk tolkning av Lee Dorseys 1961-låt "Ya Ya", og i mine ører er den faktisk også langt bedre. Her er begge to, så kan du jo se selv hvilken du foretrekker.

"Gi meg fri i kveld"

"Ya Ya"

 

Phil Collins vs. The Postal Service - Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)

"Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" is probably Phil Collins' best-known song, a power ballad to end all competition that was the title track for the 1984 Taylor Hackford movie Against All Odds. You can say many things about Phil Collins, but the fact remains that he is a hell of a singer. "Against All Odds" was initially written by Collins for his debut solo album Face Value after his first wife left him pretty much devastated, but was for some reason not completed. Collins was eventually awarded a Grammy for his performance, and the song has been covered by many, including Westlife and Mariah Carey, neither of whom made very interesting versions. The Postal Service however, the electro-pop indie superduo consisting of Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello, recorded a fabulous version for Paul McGuigan's 2004 film Wicker Park, an understated and subtly quiet version, full of hidden layers and depths you really can't hear at first. Which of the two is the better version? Collins' original, I'm sure, but The Postal Service actually gives him a good run for the money.

Phil Collins version



The Postal Service version

 

Nick Lowe vs. Stavros Mihalakakos - Cruel To Be Kind (Vres To Nasi)

Yesterday I came home from the wonderful Greek island of Kos, where I spent some nice days working. When visiting Kos Town one evening I heard a very familiar song, Nick Lowe's 1979 classic "Cruel To Be Kind". However, the almost identical recording was sung in Greek. Pretty much tone for tone, the arrangement was similar to the original, and now I have identified it for anyone's pleasure. It is called "Vres To Nisi" which means "Find The Island", and is performed by a Greek-Cypriot pop singer called Stavros Mihalakakos, who won the second season of the Greek X Factor, and it sounds great, if a little peculiar. Here are both versions, hope you like them both really. My money is of course on Lowe's original, but that's because it's one of my all-time favourite songs.

Nick Lowe - "Cruel To Be Kind"

Stavros Mihalakakos - "Vres To Nisi"

 

The Kooks vs. The Houston Kid

This morning I heard British band The Kooks' amazing 2006 single "Ooh La" on the radio and it struck me how much it resembles legendary American singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell's equally amazing "Telephone Road" off his 2001 album The Houston Kid. They're both great songs so why not hear them both? Here are, simply put, two masterpieces.

Rodney Crowell - "Telephone Road"

The Kooks - "Ooh La"

Ryan Paris vs. Egil Olsen - Dolce Vita

Italian pop star Ryan Paris (born Fabio Roscioli) enjoyed a worldwide hit with his 1983 single "Dolce Vita". It was never one of my favourites, but it does indeed have a very good melody. As part of Norwegian streaming service WiMP's celebration of 80's popular music, a few songs from the decade has been covered by contemporary artists, and one of them has even got a video. Norwegian singer/songwriter Egil Olsen has covered "Dolce Vita" and transformed it into a kind of lullaby, very beautiful actually. Which one do you prefer? Below you'll find a link to both videos. Olsen's is at the top, and if you scroll all the way down, you'll find Fabio's original.

Watch and listen

José Feliciano - Rain vs. Inger Lise Rypdal - Regn

"Rain" was a minor hit single in 1969 for the Spanish guitar virtuoso José Feliciano, co-written with his first wife Hilda. A beautiful little song about not minding the rain as long as you're with the one you love. It's also been translated into Norwegian as "Regn" by lyricist and record producer Arve Sigvaldsen, first recorded by Inger Lise Rypdal in 1973, and subsequently Penthouse Playboys in 1996, fine versions both. Here are Feliciano's and Rypdal's versions.

José Feliciano - "Rain"



Inger Lise Rypdal - "Regn"

Wilco vs. Bill Fay - Jesus Etc.

British singer/songwriter Bill Fay has not released a proper album in 41 years, but on the recently released album Life Is People he is back with a vengeance. And with a little help from a few friends and fans, young and old. Among these are Wilco's Jeff Tweedy who sings a bit on the track "This World". Also, Fay gives Tweedy his due respect by doing a stunning version of Wilco's classic "Jesus, Etc." that appeared on the band's 2002 album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Below you'll find both a live clip of Wilco performing the song in 2008, and the audio file of Fay's version. They're both incredible, and it's hard to pick one over the other. I guess it's a tie, but you may disagree...

Wilco version

Bill Fay version

Gotye vs. Walk Off The Earth: Somebody That I Used To Know

Gotye's "Someone That I Used To Know" is one of the best and most original hit singles to emerge for quite a while, a pop song unlike anything you've ever heard. Already it has been covered far and wide and the most popular version besides Gotye and duet partner Kimbra's original is undoubtedly Canadian YouTube phenomenon Walk Off The Earth's version. It shows five people playing one acoustic guitar, and the simple, stripped-down arrangement is also incredibly effective, whittling the song down to its core, showing what a masterpiece it actually is. Some even think it's better than the original, but I think that's way off as good as it still is. What's your opinion? Here are both of them, so please enjoy!

Gotye version



Walk Off The Earth version

New Order vs. Iron & Wine - Love Vigilantes

Iron & Wine a.k.a.Samuel Beam has done a fabulous version of New Order's classic "Love Vigilantes" from their 1985 Low-Life album. It's available on the 2CD rarities compilation Around The Well, released in 2009. It's a stripped-down version that works really good, but if I'd have to choose I'd go for New Order's original. Here they both are, so you can be your own judge.

New Order version



Iron & Wine version

Alphaville vs. Ane Brun - Big In Japan

"Big In Japan" is originally a 1984 synthpop classic by German band Alphaville, a big hit in many countries. It was covered by Norwegian singer/songwriter Ane Brun in 2008 for a Swedish television documentary called "Stor i Japan". I love both versions dearly. On the one hand you have the light as a feather, immediately catchy Alphaville original, and on the other Ane Brun's wonderfully atmospheric and introverted, downbeat and acoustic version. Hard to choose one over the other really.

Alphaville version



Ane Brun version

Aerosmith "Dream On" vs. Eminem "Sing For The Moment"

Aerosmith's 1973 classic "Dream On" off the band's eponymous debut album is among that decade's greatest rock classics, a stunning song that's up there with the best of Led Zeppelin, Queen, Deep Purple and other giants of the era. In 2002 rapper Eminem sampled the song heavily on his own "Sing For The Moment" from his fourth album The Eminem Show, and Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry pops up to play the solo towards the end. The question remains: Which one do you like the best?



Aerosmith "Dream On"


Eminem "Sing For The Moment"

Doris Troy vs. The Hollis - Just One Look

Doris Troy, sometimes known as "Mama Soul", had a big US hit with the single "Just One Look" in 1963, and British pop heroes The Hollies enjoyed huge success with their version in the UK some months later, in early 1964. They're both fantastic, and you can hear them both here.

Doris Troy version

The Hollies version

Dennis Edwards vs. Kane Gang - Don't Look Any Further

The Temptations singer Dennis Edwards' 1984 single "Don't Look Any Further" should have been a smash hit, but can at best be called a minor hit. It has been recognized for the great song it is from time to time though, as it has been sampled by many and also covered a few times, most famously by M People in 1993, and by British soul band Kane Gang in 1987. Theirs is the best version, but does it eclipse the original? Not necessarily, but it's a great version, very true to Dennis Edwards' own. See which one you like the best. It should also be mentioned that Edwards' female companion is Siedah Garrett, who famously dueted with Michael Jackson on his 1987 hit "I Just Can't Stop Loving You".

Dennis Edwards version



Kane Gang version

House Of Love vs. Marte Heggelund - Beatles And The Stones

British band House Of Love released their eponymous debut album in 1988, but really gained momentum with their second album, released in 1990, and also simply named House Of Love although it's often referred to as The Butterfly Album because of its cover. One of the very best tracks on what is a very good album, is "Beatles And The Stones", written by the band's frontman and sole songwriter Guy Chadwick. The band released an additional two albums that met with little or no success and then disbanded. They got back together for a new album in 2005 called Days Run Away which was pretty good, but didn't rock anyone's world despite that.

Then, let's head to Norway and the singer/songwriter Marte Heggelund. In 2006 she releases her debut album I Abide and two years later she's back with album number two, Treason. Surprisingly that album is spearheaded by a cover version of "Beatles And The Stones", and it's a beautiful take on an already beautiful song. It even has a guest appearance by none other than Marty Willson-Piper from Australian band The Church.

Here you have both versions, and they're both perfect in their different respects. Hope you like them as much as I do.

House Of Love version

Marte Heggelund version

Blu Cantrell vs. Carolina Chocolate Drops - Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)

"Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" was Blu Cantrell's 2001 debut single, and what a debut single it was. Written and produced by Dallas Austin, it's still Cantrell's biggest hit by a long shot, a funky, elegant take on the good old-fashioned theme of female payback.

Then there's the amazing cover version by decidedly rusty string band Carolina Chocolate Drops, lifted from their 2010 album Genuine Negro Jig. Amazing stuff, as funky as the original in most respects, not least because of singer Rhiannon Giddens' impressive voice.

It's hard to say which version is the best one. I think they're both incredible.

Blu Cantrell version

Carolina Chocolate Drops version

Mike Oldfield/Hall & Oates - Family Man

Mike Oldfield's "Family Man" was a hit in 1982, taken from his album Five Miles Out, with vocals performed by Maggie Reilly. But it was an even bigger hit when Hall & Oates recorded their version a year later. I like both versions, so here you go.

Mike Oldfield version

Hall & Oates version