...the answer is really very straightforward: Singing is more difficult

March 25, 2022 12:39 AM

Short video segment from BBC Four documentary Better than the Original: The Joy of the Cover Version featuring Deborah Evans-Stickland of the Flying Lizards discussing their 1979 cover of 'Money (That's What I Want)'.

As one of the YouTube comments on the BBC segment puts it "why sing, play instruments or write songs when you don't have to. Now that is art." cw: There's a clip of Thatcher in the BBC vid.

posted by maxwelton (8 comments total)

This version of money is still the best, lo these 43 years (!) later. Found this vid while reliving my youth on YT.
posted by maxwelton at 12:44 AM on March 25, 2022 [3 favorites]

Early Beatles version with Paul going into the eternal octaves, for me
posted by BlunderingArtist at 1:19 AM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

I always loved that cover of the song and a lot of the first album in general. I thought, at the time, 1979, they were kind of on a bit of a cutting edge. But in the US I don't recall seeing another album until 1984's 'Top Ten' by which time 'Money' had kind of drifted into the background and a lot more 80s-styling covers had been done by others. So perhaps they'd missed a window of opportunity?
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 4:16 AM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

(Adding: going to discogs.com jogged my memory and now I remember also listening to their second album, 1981's 'Fourth Wall', but I didn't find it until well after it was released and after I located 'Top Ten.' 'The second album was also almost entirely original tracks. I need to go back and give it a listen!)
posted by Insert Clever Name Here at 4:32 AM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

'Fourth Wall' is a great album. It is one the records that I used to always look for when evaluating the coverage of new music services because it is so obscure. Which is so sad. They were great musicians and never got past their novelty cover version hits.

Lots of weird experimental sounds, combined with catchy riffs. Right up my alley.
Best songs:
Lovers and Other Strangers
In My Lifetime
Hands 2 Take

It includes one great cover, too, Curtis Mayfield's "Move on Up."
Here is a listing of their cover songs.
(Previously)
posted by bitslayer at 6:05 AM on March 25, 2022 [2 favorites]

Hands 2 Take (w/Michael Nyman) also appeared in a different form in The Falls soundtrack. Fun times.
posted by ovvl at 7:29 AM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

1981's 'Fourth Wall', but I didn't find it until well after it was released and after I located 'Top Ten.' 'The second album was also almost entirely original tracks. I need to go back and give it a listen!)

Fourth Wall doesn't have a single (or a gimmick) like Money, yet it does go to some fascinating places. And it has Robert Fripp.
posted by philip-random at 2:18 PM on March 25, 2022 [1 favorite]

I made a comment a number of years ago:

Maybe around 1982 or so a hip punk girl my older brother knew made a cassette tape for him. It had Devo doing "Satisfaction", The Flying Lizards "Money", The Slits doing "Heard It Through The Grapevine", the Hollywood Brats doing "Then he kissed me", followed by most of side one of the B52s first album. ("Planet Claire", "52 Girls", "Rock Lobster".) That tape changed my life.

Which isn't an exaggeration. That tape was the thread of coolness that I measured all the schloky dreck that came after in the 80s.

Glad to see an update from The Flying Lizards, even if it is from one of these breezy BBC shows.
posted by Catblack at 7:32 PM on March 25, 2022 [2 favorites]