Comments on: Remember Me?

Remember Me?

hermitosis — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:31:36 -0800

1973: Marlena Shaw.
1997:Blue Boy.
2009: Tame Impala.

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:43:15 -0800

Practically worthy of its own post: the cover image for Shaw's album "Who Is This Bitch, Anyway?"

By: The Whelk

The Whelk — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:46:06 -0800

ooooooo......

By: various

various — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 12:58:25 -0800

1965: Evie Sands 1966: The Hollies 1980: Linda Ronstadt

By: stavrogin

stavrogin — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:15:01 -0800

1964: Gloria Jones! 1981: Soft Cell 2001: Marilyn Manson

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:18:27 -0800

Well, if we're gonna do this... 1987: Mr Fingers 1993: The Creator 2009: DJ Sprinkles

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:20:01 -0800

You know, I prefer my examples because they stretch across a longer period of time and refer to current music, and also because the original was such a powerful (and probably still relevant) political statement which has been diluted by its homages, and also because... well, I'm the one who made the damned FPP in the first place. But you know, do what you gotta do.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:22:09 -0800

Heh. Sorry herm. The songs in the post are better than any of these, anyway.

By: MuffinMan

MuffinMan — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:28:27 -0800

Heh. I'd forgotten about Marlena Shaw.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:30:01 -0800

... actually, to be honest, that Tame Impala cover is sort of atrocious.

By: various

various — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:30:40 -0800

Yeah, sorry. I didn't mean to derail. Thanks for posting!

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:30:42 -0800

The reason I posted in the first place (and maybe I should have fleshed this out more, but I didn't want to editorialize) was that I thought it was interesting how the Blue Boy version sampled Shaw's voice, keeping some of her sound and attitude but nixing her confrontational message and sapping the context from the sampled words. Then, in the new Tame Impala version, you have white guys jamming out and singing those words to a mostly white audience. Considering the original meaning of those words, which wikipedia cites as being "in reference to black maids raising white children for little pay in America," I find the whole thing pretty interesting (and a little depressing).

By: nervousfritz

nervousfritz — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:40:06 -0800

I like the 2nd one best, I guess because it rolls a bit better.

By: iviken

iviken — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:41:36 -0800

1967 (?): Nick Ashford (demo) 1968: The Fifth Dimension 1968: Gerald Wilson Orchestra 1969: Marlena Shaw 1970: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (...or is it Valerie Simpson?) 2005: Riot Act 2009: Sky Balla feat. The Game The Marlena Shaw version is best, btw. Considering the original meaning of those words, which wikipedia cites as being "in reference to black maids raising white children for little pay in America," I find the whole thing pretty interesting (and a little depressing). The 2005 techno version of "California Soul" was used in ads for KFC, and the 2009 rap version does not have very much left of what Wikipedia describes as "a socially conscious-type of song advocating love and peace."

By: Threeway Handshake

Threeway Handshake — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:42:19 -0800

TL;DR thread: YOU CANNOT 'HEAR' Marlena Shaw.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:53:08 -0800

Also worth pointing out: 197?: Phyllis Dillon 197?: Hortense Ellis 197?: Jennifer Lara

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:54:59 -0800

Unfortunately not much info on rocksteady/reggae/dub records from the seventies.

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:57:39 -0800

the gentrification of Marlena Shaw is a cultural rhythm with a beat of its own

By: bearwife

bearwife — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 13:59:05 -0800

Where have I been? Never heard of Marlena Shaw before. The first link gave me chills, all the way to my toes. And yeah, hermitosis, the other two numbers are pale and paler shadows.

By: koeselitz

koeselitz — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:08:16 -0800

Heh. There are apparently a lot of Jamaican covers of this song; seems to have been ridiculously popular over there. A pretty good version (switching it to a male perspective, which may or may not be valid) is Little John's "In The Ghetto" from 1985.

By: bobobox

bobobox — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:08:36 -0800

Is there a reason St. Germain wasn't mentioned? It's not a cover at all, but still a use of her voice and words.

By: ouke

ouke — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:25:17 -0800

Wow, Marlena Shaw. Thanks so much. I really cherish the blue for all uncovering all those hidden gems. And really, are we doing a 1-2-3? I'm biting: 1935 Lecuona Cuban Boys 1964 The Jokers 1973 Santana disclaimer: We used to have this beer drinking and dope smoking outfit, consisting of two guys, in a room with loads of 45's and a record player, pulling trio's like this. We used to call ourselves the Church of 1-2-3.

By: Sys Rq

Sys Rq — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:41:32 -0800

1970 - Crosby & Nash 1979 - Miles Davis 1991 - Crosby & Nash

By: Faze

Faze — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 14:51:26 -0800

I notice that guitarist from Lame Impala is playing in bare feet. A bad idea, given the number of rock stars who have died by electrocution.

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:56:55 -0800

I'd feel somewhat better about the 2009 version's further dilution if the phrase "tame impala" wasn't basically congruent to "domesticated African animal."

By: rongorongo

rongorongo — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:57:52 -0800

Sections of the lyrics you can credibly sing if you are a white Australian dude: 1. "Remember me? I'm the one who had your baby's eyes" 2. "Gen ge ge gen gen gen gen gen ge ge gen ge ge gen gen gen"

By: Daddy-O

Daddy-O — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 15:58:18 -0800

1978: Warren Zevon 1988: David Lindley 2004: Adam Sandler

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:21:24 -0800

1. "Remember me? I'm the one who had your baby's eyes" I think you've got Radiohead on your mind, actually.

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:38:58 -0800

1970: Ray Brown Orchestra 1993: Bjork

By: Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese

Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 16:55:00 -0800

Wait a minute, so is she not singing "had your baby's eyes?"

By: hermitosis

hermitosis — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:14:03 -0800

Everywhere I can find says, "Remember me? I'm the one who had your babies, I." Emphasis mine, to show how I interpret the lyric.

By: googly

googly — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:46:34 -0800

1964: Gloria Jones! 1981: Soft Cell 1985: Coil 2001: Marilyn Manson posted by stavrogin at 4:15 PM on June 13 [+] [!] The Coil cover is fascinating because it completely changes the feel of the song. Not coincidentally, all profits from its sale were donated to the AIDS charity, the Terrence Higgins Trust, lending an entirely new meaning to the idea of "Tainted Love."

By: june made him a gemini

june made him a gemini — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:07:58 -0800

I'm not sure what is going on with the Tame Impala version, but I'd just like to say that they are otherwise incredible and very good live.

By: msalt

msalt — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 00:32:08 -0800

lending an entirely new meaning to the idea of "Tainted Love." That's how I always took the Soft Cell cover in 1981.

By: Jer1h

Jer1h — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 20:39:53 -0800

1966: Charles Aznavour - Parce Que Tu Crois 1999: Eminem ft Dr.Dre & Xzibit - What's the Difference 2003: Blu Cantrell Feat Sean Paul - Breath 2006: Bitter:Sweet - Dirty Laundry 2007: Koxie - Garçon