filed under Music
Children, Behave!
8:05AM ON
06/18/2008
BY
Matthew Lawrence
So, yesterday Beth and I were talking about this weekend’s invasion by Gamera Tiffany, and that led to a discussion of Lene Lovich, who covered “I Think We’re Alone Now” (in both English and Japanese!) eight years before Tiffzilla.
Lovich, a Michigander with a voice one might call “kooky,” got a cult following in the late 1970s, and achieved a #3 UK hit with “Lucky Number,” a song that was originally written as a b-side to the “I Think We’re Alone Now” single. (I’m sure this makes no difference to anyone else, but Beth didn’t remember “I Think We’re Alone Now” from her album and I did, but I just learned it’s only because I have the CD re-issue that stuck that song on at the end. So we were both right!)
Anyhoo, here’s “Lucky Number”, and then some versions of “I Think We’re Alone Now” after the jump:
[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=KnIJOO__jVo]
The original, by Tommy James and The Shondells, presented in the form of a silly Harry Potter tribute:
[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=wU8c8mx2fmE]
Snuff, live in 1991:[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=-FuH6eGo0e0]
The always-delightful if not always very good Girls Aloud, in 2006. They actually released three versions of the video:
[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=Qo_CeBtQnjU]
And, finally, a surprisingly straightforward (but quite good) live version from Half Man Half Biscuit, the weird Fall-like band possibly best known for their song “Joy Division Oven Gloves”:
[youtube:http://youtube.com/watch?v=mluCZBGtjW8]
The only other major version of the song was by the Rubbinoos, the Canadian band from the 70s who are probably best known these days for suing Avril Lavigne. I can’t find their song online anywhere, though, although it did almost break the US top 40 in 1977.
June 18th, 2008 at 7:23PM
S&M Says:
What the fuck just happened in that Girls Aloud video? So they’re slutty stupid thieves? What was in the briefcase and since when does stripping knock out three huge dudes like that? Uh, maybe where just high or something but this shit is dumb or maybe we are…yeah mmaannnn….
[Reply]
June 18th, 2008 at 9:14PM
Beth Comery Says:
Thanks for straightening that out for everybody. But I am going to take issue with one thing. Tommy James had the first American version, but I think the original was by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas,in England.
(Oh… would that Tiffany could be devoured by Gamera (I’m pretty sure he’d win). That would get people out for Pride Day.
[Reply]
June 21st, 2008 at 10:39PM
Jen D Says:
Thanks for reminding me about Lene Lovich. I looked and found that I have not one, but TWO of her records, both of which have “Lucky Number” and “I think we’re alone” on them. I was trying to figure out why I had both records until I saw that only one features “New Toy” - my favorite by her. Yay - kooky + awesome. Tiffany stinks.
[Reply]
October 17th, 2008 at 9:31AM
Another Reason I’m Glad Not To Have Cable | Providence Daily Dose Says:
[...] think we all know by know how I feel about Tiffany, the woman who had a bunch of hits in the late eighties despite having a total lack of [...]