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Shock World Service #36
'90% Of Me Is You' - Shock Covers Podcast Pt. 1 by Jon Averill & Stephen Reynolds
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Morning Shockers,
We're back with another new episode of our award winning* and internationally renowned podcast.
This month our theme is cover versions. More difficult than we'd initially anticipated, our long journey led us to conclude that cover versions in the main just aren't very good! We wanted where possible to avoid just doing an audio equivalent of Mojo's 'Top 50 Covers of all Time' and also avoid the dirge of Nouvelle Vagueness & coffee table junk that has become the soundtrack to Urban Outfitters & other such fashionable haunts around the world.
Here's what we've come up with, remember if your listening on an ipod Touch/Iphone or ipad then there's notes on each track for you to read as you're listening embedded in the mp3.
01 The Human League - Get Carter
Appearing as a brief Casio keyboard leitmotif on their classic 'Dare' album. The melody is from Roy Budd's jazzy, hypnotic soundtrack to the 1971 film of the same name.
02 This Mortal Coil - Song To The Siren
This Mortal Coil was a supergroup of 4AD artists brought together by label boss Ivo Watts-Russell for an EP in 1983. Featuring members of Cocteau Twins, Modern English and Cindytalk they re-recorded a Modern English medley with this track, originally by Tim Buckley track as the b-side.
03 The Dynamics - 90% Of Me Is You
Versions and excursions from France as The Dynamics inject some reggae and dub elements into Gwen McCrae's 1974 classic '90% Of Me Is You'
04 Morrissey & Siouxsie - Interlude
A Lesser known collaboration between Siouxsie (of Siouxsie & The Banshees) and Morrissey. A fruitful but ultimately commercially unsuccessful alliance which was eventually released in 1994 but not promoted due the pair having a major fallout with regard track's promotional video. The song originally appears as 'Time Is Like A Dream' on the soundtrack to the 1968 film 'Interlude'.
05 Grace Jones - Warm Leatherette
Throughout Grace Jones's extraordinary career she has always been shrewd with her musical choices. This track, a cover of The Normal's 'Warm Leatherette' is an anthesis to the original, dropping the visceral drum track and deadpan delivery for a more substantial groove. The Normal's'Warm Leatherette' originally appeared as the b-side to "T.V.O.D, the first release on Mute Records and heavily references J.G. Ballard's controversial 1973 symphorophilia based novel 'Crash'.
06 Montovani & His Orchestra - La Vie En Rose
Fans of Grace Jones will be first to notice the connection here. 'La Vie En Rose' is another track to receive a Grace Jones reworking, perhaps even more radically than 'Warm Leatherette'. None of this however concerns us as Annunzio Paolo Mantovani and his orchestra are providing this podcasts version of 'La Vie En Rose'. This track may seem like a strange choice to some but I love the innocence and ardour that this piece of music exudes, next thing i'll be watching musicals...
07 Spiritualized - Born Never Asked
'Born Never Asked' appears on Spiritualized's 1995 album 'Pure Phase'. Strangely being a massive fan its only recently have I discovered the original version is by Laurie Anderson. This track is actually surprisingly short compared to Spriritualized’s usual 15 minute opuses.
08 The Slits - Heard It Through The Grapevine
The Slits were (initially) an all female band formed right at the inception of the punk movement, regularly supporting bands like The Clash, The Buzzcocks and Subway Sect. We consider The Slits raw and unrefined take on 'Heard It Through The Grapevine' second only to the unequaled Marvin Gaye's version and far surpasses the earlier clumsy Smokey Robinson version as well as other attempts by Credence Clearwater, Gladys Knight and of course Craig David.
09 Art Of Noise - Robinson Crusoe
Art Of Noise haven't really done anything to the original track bar add some drums and a few effects but we're glad they did as it grants it official 'cover' status and therefore eligible for this podcast.
10 Lee Hazlewood - Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On
Lee Hazlewood has featured heavily on Shock World Service Podcasts over the years. His wry, sardonic sense of humour is never more present than in his brilliantly creepy version of 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On'. The origins of this track are often disputed but its the 1957 rock and roll version by Jerry Lee Lewis that was most likely the progenitor for this cover.
11 Scott Walker - If You Go Away
Hands up, I declare myself to be a massive Scott Walker fan, from the early croon-laden 'Scott 1-4' albums to the generally ignored period of 'Climate Of Hunter' and his latest release 'The Drift'. He's always been a fascinating artist with one of the best voices in music. 'If You Go Away' is from Scott's earlier period, originally sung by Jacques Brei in French as 'Ne Me Quitte Pas', it is said to have lost much of the subtlety in the translation.
12 The Cramps - Domino
Part of the early CBGB punk rock movement that had emerged in New York, The Cramps were an American garage-punk band formed in 1976. They are widely recognised as one of the prime innovators of the psychobilly sound and an inspiration to many of the early goth rock bands. Following the death of lead singer Lux Interior they split in 2009. The original of this track comes from Roy Orbison, in effect his second appearance in as many episodes from us, never thought i'd be writing that.
13 Spanky Wilson - Sunshine Of Your Love
I picked this up on a Fat City Records compilation, 'The Main Ingredients - Mystic Brew' about ten years ago and still play it out pretty regularly. It takes Cream's classic riff and twists it into an almighty dancefloor celebration.
14 Schneider TM vs. KPT.Michi.Gan - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
On paper this track should be terrible. Smiths cover versions generally are a disastrous endeavour. Throw in heavily vocodered vocals to the mix and you've got the recipe for disaster. Thankfully however Dirk Dresselhaus, against all odds pulls it off with majestic dignity.
15 The Sabres Of Paradise – Wilmot
I wasn't aware until recently that this track was a cover but apparently its based on a Romanian melody we believe is called 'Bucovina', any more information is hard to come by regarding the origin of the track. I saw Andy Weatherall record shopping in Rough Trade today so should have asked him. That aside The Sabres of Paradise; Andrew Weatherall, Jagz Kooner and Gary Burns and made some landmark music between 1990 and 1995.
16 Jack Webb - Try A Little Tenderness
We thought we'd finish this episode on a lighter note. Jack Webb played Sgt. Joe Friday on the radio and TV show Dragnet in the early 50's. This album combing elements of spoken word over lush jazz tinged instrumentals with a carefree delivery is in direct contrast with his stern character on the show. This track is taken from 'Just the Tracks Ma'am' (paraphrasing his Dragnet 'just the facts ma'am' catchphrase). The original of 'Try A Little Tenderness' was recorded initially in 1932 by the Ray Noble Orchestra (with vocals by Val Rosing) but its Bing Crosby's recording that is probably most resonant today.
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