Friday, August 15, 2025

La Fin de La Semaine Essay Question: Special "Originality is Way Overrated" Edition

Okay, the great climate change hoax NYC weather has been really kicking my ass of late, so while I'm still conscious, let's get immediately to the subject of today's business.

To wit:

...and your favorite (or least favorite) post-Elvis pop/rock/folk/soul record that sounds much more like the work of someone other than who it actually is, is...???

Discuss.

Oh, and no arbitrary rules whatsoever, you're welcome very much; as you may have gathered, I lack the energy to posit any. 😎

In case you're wondering, my fave is a tie between...

...the greatest Aretha Franklin record Aretha never recorded and...

...a bunch of bar band guys from Bergenfield, New Jersey doing the best Beatles sound-alike of all time? Who'd a thunk it?

Meanwhile, my least fave is...

U2 without the warmth? Spandau Ballet without the sense of humor? God, those guys suck. 😎😎

Alrighty, then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

27 comments:

  1. A couple of ex-Yes members formed a group called Flash that was pretty much a poppier Yes. Their first album was a lot of fun.

    ... wow, listening to a song from it for the first time in decades, boy is this awful.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikF0WRN2kRA&t=23s

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    1. Also a breakaway from Yes - Badger - best part was the Roger Dean Cover

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  2. That "someday you're going to be lonely" line seems like it was stolen for one of the That Thing You Do! songs. Or maybe it's just a Beatles rip. Don Dixon channeling Otis Redding on The Dark End of the Street. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTZmeZfWUqs

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  3. Vehicle by The Ides of March. For years, I "knew" that it was by Blood Sweat and Tears.

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    1. You mean that's NOT David Clayton-Thomas?!

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  4. On his 1976 album Cardiff Rose, Roger McGuinn sounds like the The Clash on the (Kris Kristofferson penned) Rock and Roll Time. I don't believe McGuinn could have heard The Clash by the time this was recorded...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SshSp7a3epQ

    Then there's Gaye Delorme, sounding like a certain guy from the north of England:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-RZcSQQDTw

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    1. I haven’t heard that McGuinn track in ages — can’t wait to check it out.

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  5. I've often thought Rod the Mod's 'Hot Legs' was the best Rolling Stones song not by the Rolling Stones.

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  6. This is a tough one. The Ides of March is a great choice. Fontella Bass was always my go to answer for this, but I realize Rescue Me sounds like Atlantic era Aretha, which was post Rescue Me. I will do with America's Horse With No Name sounding like Neil Young.

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  7. Roy Head's "Treat Her Right," would have been a great Elvis record.

    VR

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  8. J. Loslo -- I just listened to that McGuinn track and it's jaw-dropping -- it sounds EXACTLY like the Clash. I'm gobsmacked. I remember liking the album at the time, but I haven't heard it in decades and now I've gotta check out the whole thing.

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    1. Cardiff Rose is a great album. Re: Suspicion Elvis recorded it first,

      VR

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    2. OMG. He's more Strummer than Strummer!

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  9. Rob B Mullen8/15/2025 12:28 PM

    The Wonder Who - Don't Think Twice... - sounds like the Four Seasons 😉
    rob

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  10. Vicki -- did not know Elvis did "Suspicion" first. I regret the error. 😎

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  11. Rob B Mullen8/15/2025 12:59 PM

    The Masked Mauradors - a hoax album released under Rolling Stone.
    While uncredited this was thought to be the Royalty of Music recorded by Dylan - L/Mc - Stones, etc. The singing and songs mimicked all of their voices
    rob

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    Replies
    1. I actually had that album. I seem to recall the standout track was a Stones soundalike titled "Can't Get No Nookie."

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  12. Mott the Hoople's first LP tried to channel Bob Dylan.

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  13. "Westbound #9" by The Flaming Ember could've been a Four Tops hit.

    Mouse & The Traps - "A Public Execution"
    Were they ever a Dylan tribute band?

    Let's never forget the classic album "Dylan Hears A Who"!

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  14. Elvis' version of "Suspicion" was on the flip-side of his big hit single "Kiss Me Quick".

    Another performer (besides Terry Stafford) who took a song that Elvis recorded and did a better version was Elvis soundalike Ral Donner, who cut a great version of "Girl Of My Best Friend".

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  15. King Kong by the Kinks - Ray's singing appears to anticipate Marc Bolan's vocal stylings. (Released 1968, before the Tyrannosaurus Rex album)

    Black Country Rock by David Bowie - around 2:30 David starts a rather Bolan-esque verse

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  16. Tender Years - John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band - also their On the Dark Side smell very Butt-like

    Old Dave - Speaking of Bolan vibes, how about Mike McGear's Giving Grease a Ride.

    Fudley Factoid Re: Suspicion - It first appeared in Spring 1962 on Presley's Pot Luck album. When Stafford's version broke in early 1964, RCA released it as the B-Side to Kiss Me Quick. Both sides were recorded over two years prior to their issue as a single. Both tunes were Pomus-Shuman penned.

    Now back to our regular programmed scheduling

    VR

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  17. One I had forgotten about until running across it yesterday: L. S. Bumblebee by Peter Cook and Dudley more used to show up on Beatles bootleg albums in the 70s. Much, pre-internet, discussion on if it was or wasn't a true Beatles recording.

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    1. I had not heard about that -- I'll go look.

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  18. JusBt remembered a similar Knickerbockers band.
    Murray Wilson took over a band after his split the Beach Boys .
    The Sunrays - Live For The Sun
    You might think it was the B/Bs

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