Welcome to where your vote could make the difference!!! Follow me.

This is how a simple question can turn into a 2 hour argument and then turn into a question to be posed to the masses en route to becoming something worthy of hours of hot fun in the summertime…or not.

Saturday, December 10, 2005, approximately 730pm, somewhere in an apartment in Northeast Washington, DC

Ponderous Panama: Yo, you know Xscape’s song, “Who Can I Run To?”, is that a remake?

Builtfromwax: Yeah, by the Jones Girls.

*going to CD stacks to pull CD out of stacks…that he went to*

PP: Hmm…is it better than the Xscape version? Cuz Xscape staright murdered that track dog. Them girls can sing. I love their version.

Builtfromwax: We can listen to it. But I think the Jones Girls might have them.

*listening to Jones Girls CD that was pulled from the stacks that he went to after the question was asked that propelled the journey to the stacks for which the Jones Girls was pulled from…I could really do this all day*

PP: Dude, Xscape’s version is better.

B: I don’t know man…I like the Jones Girls.

PP: You know, folks always say that the original songs are better, but for real, sometimes the remakes are better…

That conversation you just witnessed, or didn’t witness, spawned a debate about whether or not people do justice to remakes or not. I know a lot of people who will swear up and down that remakes are never better than the original. The problem is that a lot of people are just damn wrong. The fact that something came first does not make it better…it makes it first.

After a roughly 2 hour debate, it was surmised that, potentially, this could make for a question to pose to the Negroes (and white folks and Hispanics and virtually any other ethnic group that doth transcendeth upon the site controlled by the good folks at Jackson G. Tickle Enterprises…that’d be me…Panama “Oh So Sexxy” Jackson) to get the general public’s take. Being as many people who venture to these fine digs are themselves music lovers and probably music snobs…

[***DISCLAIMER: *sigh* You fuckers know that you're music snobs. You can read and pretend that you don't watch BET. I'm a music snob at times. Amazing isn't it, coming from the guy who recommended both Ray J and Omarion albums? However, don't be acting like you all open-minded and shit...if you're a snob, claim your shit. Also, if you have any beef with the fact that I'm making a blanket statement and assuming that you reading muhfuckas are snobs, well, kiss my ass, go play in traffic on a Wednesday in any major city between 4 and 6pm...and die. Thank you. ***]

…I’d assume that many folks think the original of any song is better than the remake. I suspect that people might even say that Bobby Womack’s version of “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” is better than K-Ci of Jodeci’s remake version from the Jason’s Lyric soundtrack.

And you’d be wrong.

No really…I mean it. From the bottom of my heart.

Oh suck it up.

So with that in mind, the question being posed to you wonderfully splendiferous readers of this here scholarly scrollesque engravatious journalistic diary-etic (as opposed to a diaretic) blog is…

…are the original versions of songs always better than the remakes? Is there some default law that states this to be true?

Today, we will answer this question. I (with the help of my man hunnid grand, Builtfromwax) have chosen 6 (count ‘em 6) songs that have been remade and remade well. However, the question is whether or not they managed to do a better job or not than the folks who crafted the original.

Believe you me, this is a social science experiment that could have reverberations for eons to come. Or at least until next week when I head to Michigan for my Christmas vacation.

The radio blog (over there to the right under the WJGT Radio header) will feature the originals and the remakes for your aural, or if you don’t know what aural means, listening, pleasure.

[***EDIT (as of 924am): Umm...you know that saying, last night a DJ saved my life?? Well that DJ definitely wouldn't have been Panama Jackson. Somehow...somehow...I managed to put Mary's "My Life" on the radio blog instead of "I'm Going Down". Oops??!?!!! Also, apparently the electric powers that be rejected the assertion that Trina Broussard could even think about comparing to Minnie Riperton...resulting in what has become a total acid sounding 2 second clip of nothing. Thank you...I will correct this later. THIS is why you must proofread and proof-upload shit kiddies...oops, indeed. ***]

You ever notice how using short sentences and signifying them as paragraphs makes entries seem shorter?

No?

Hmm…just a thought.

Anyway, onto the comparisons…are you ready? Let’s begin shall we? Yes…we shall.

Jackson G. Tickle Ent. Presents-I Invented The Remake…But Really Didn’t At All

Round 1: “Who Can I Run To?” - The Jones Girls Vs. Xscape

You know, I like the Jones Girls, I really do, but to me, Xscape just sings their asses off on this version and besides, the leading chick in Xscape (the big one) outsings the leading chick in the Jones Girls (whoever the hell she may be). This is a favorite of mine. The Jones Girls do their thing and all, but Jermaine Dupri knows how to pick talent…at least leading talent anyway. Did the light skinneded girl ever actually sing? Tiny is her name by the way. By the way…has anybody SEEN the Jones Girls lately? No…that really is a question, I really want to know if anybody even knows if their alive. By the way, don’t you love how I used “by the way” back to back in one of those prior two sentences? You know, where I saidy by the way…then by the way? Wasn’t that hot? Aren’t I sexxy? Why so many questions? Do I even know? Do you know where you’re running to? Do you know the things that life is showing you?

Just questions…

What? Can a brotha ask questions?

Picks: Panama-Xscape Builtfromwax-The Jones Girls

By the way…anybody who goes against what I pick is essentially wrong. Just thought I’d share.

I don’t really mean that.

Mazel Tov!

Round 2: “I’m Going Down”- Rose Royce vs. Mary J. Blige

Umm…to me this is plain to see, you can’t change me, cuz I’mma be a nigga for life. Sorry, just had an NWA flashback. As far as I’m concerned, this really isn’t any competition. You can feel Mary’s emotion on this song. Hell, K-Ci probably beat her ass AND stole her cocaine right before she sang this song, which is why you just feel her pain…despite the shittiest video this side of Warren G’s “Get U Down” video. I love Rose Royce and Gwen Dickey (who was singing lead at that time) got her grizzly on, especially on other songs from the Car Wash soundtrack (which is where this song came from), but she’s no match for Mary. Listen for yourself…

Picks: Panama -Mary J. Blige Builtfrowax-Rose Royce

And no, I have no idea what he (with he being Builtfromwax) was thinking with that pick.

Round 3: “Lately”- Jodeci vs. Stevie Wonder

Oh boy…here’s where it gets tricky because you know, there are people out there who really think Stevie Wonder can sing. Now see, I applaud the musical genius that he is…we are going to be hardpressed to find another man as great at songwriting and music masterpiecing as Stevie…however, he is not a good singer. Period. K-Ci and JoJo’s version, was live, so you know they had to put their foot in it. I tend to think that folks would just feel guilty for saying that anybody actually outshined Stevie, on a Stevie song. And for that reason….

…I’ll say it. I like Jodeci’s better. Fuck it. Builtfrom wax picked Stevie Wonder here…I can’t be mad though, I figure most people will.

And yes, I abandoned the way I was laying out picks. Sue me.

Actually don’t sue me, I have no money.

Round 4: “Cruisin’” -Smokey Robinson vs. D’Angelo

You know, I do not like Green Eggs and Ham and I do not like Smokey Robinson. I never have. It is for that reason I pick D’Angelo off of GP. I mean did you hear how fuckin’ horribly Smokey sounded singing that craptastic ass song at the end of The Temptations Movie? Shit sounded like monkies fucking in ass buckets. However, I know a lot of people really like Smokey Robinson and he is one of the architects of Motown…however, this is about the damn song, and for my money, give me D’Angelo every time. Builtfromwax agrees…D’Angelo all the way.

America…fuck yeah.

Round 5: “Inside My Love” -Minnie Riperton Vs. Trina Broussard (off the Love Jones soundtrack)

You know, let me tell you how this one played out. So we’re listening to Trina Broussard sing. Loving it actually. In fact, she did a damn good job. I was ready to say she did it justice and it might be as good as Minnie Ripperton’s version. That was until we listened to Minnie’s version. After that first 85th octave note, it was no contest. Minnie’s voice has no equal save Mariah Carey. She could hold those notes too. Man, I just wanted to hug her. Too bad she died a long time ago. Therefore, it is altogether impossible, to say Trina’s version is better. I do not want to hug Trina and haven’t listened to her version since. Minnie it is. We both agreed.

Round 6: “Sadie” - The Sprewells AKA The Spinners vs. El Pervo Loco AKA R. Kelly

As much as Ilike R. Kelly (in the words of Huey from The Boondocks, “I think you’re underestimating how much niggas love R. Kelly”…nigga=Panama), and as much as he be singing his ass off, I just really like the Spinners version. It just has that real soulful feel to it. Don’t get me wrong, I can understand how folks could say that R. Kelly’s version is better, notwithstanding the fact that his mother’s name isn’t Sadie. You know…it’s amazing, no matter the discussion about music R. Kelly’s evil genius ass name will always come up. He’s one of the few folks that I’d trust with a remake to do it the proper justice and do it better. And on pretty much any other song, I’d agree, I just like the Spinners version better.

We both agreed on The Spinners.

***BONUS ROUND****

(Really, what makes it a bonus round? Isn’t it just Round 7?? I’m with you, except I’m the one doing it…and I’m sexxier than you. Love me.)

Round 7: “Can You Stand The Rain?” -New Edition Vs. Boyz II Men

How many of you have actually heard Boyz II Men’s version? Not many I presume, my dear Watson. However, Boyz II Men’s remake of this song is so ridiculously good that I’m willing to say its better than one of my favorite songs of all times from one of my favorite groups of all time. Do you realize that the only two people who could actually sing sing in New Edition were Ricky and Johnny? And if you say Ralph could sing you should drink some Berillium and smoke a cyanide laced donkey tail. Builtfromwax hasn’t heard this, but I’m saying Boyz II Men’s version is better. Painful I know…but true nonetheless.

There you have it. I’m making the call that the original versions of many songs just isn’t as good as the remade versions. But I need your help to figure out if this is true or not. Join me in the comments as we duke it out, mano y mano, friend versus foe, Mamas vs. Papas, Sly versus The Family Stone, Bootsy Collins versus The Rubber Band, etc. You see where I’m going with this.

Are originals better??? You be the judge.

And for your cooperation, I’m adding this video clip of one of the funniest damn renditions of Destiny’s Child “Soldier” you’ll ever see. Make sure you watch this with the volume turned down. It’s gangsta like that. And…

You. Are. Not. Ready.

This entry was posted on Friday, December 16th, 2005 at 12:58 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.