Welcome to
Vinyl Gladiators,
another variation of my song cover
competition heretofore known as
Winning Hand... Version Sacrifice...
and BATTLE OF THE BANNED.
Today I present a lurid spectacle
staged solely for your amusement!
Covers of popular songs will do battle today as you sit comfortably in your box seat
in the amphitheater eating grapes, getting a massage and having your feet washed.
The fate of these brave warriors rests in your hands. How many of them, if any,
will survive the day? Let the squeamish be forewarned. Molten wax will
surely be spilled in the course of this gruesome contest!
The combatants have
entered the ring.
Vinyl gladiators now
stand before you.
Allow me to introduce
Allow me to introduce
them and... let the
games commence!
BEN E. KING
Drifters lead singer Ben E. King co-wrote and originally recorded "Stand By Me,"
a secular love song inspired by the spiritual "Lord, Stand By Me." King intended
for the song to be recorded by The Drifters but they declined. In 1961, as a solo
artist, King waxed a version that reached #1 on the R&B chart and top 5 pop.
"Stand By Me" - Ben E. King
(June 1961, highest chart pos. #1 R&B/#3 Cash Box/#4 Hot 100)
SPYDER TURNER
Born in Beckley (WV) and raised in the Motor City, Dwight David "Spyder"
Turner sang with doo-wop groups and signed a recording contract with
MGM. In late 1966, Spyder released a cover of "Stand By Me."
The recording is novelty in nature because Turner imitates Ben E. King
and other R&B and soul greats including Smokey Robinson, David Ruffin,
Chuck Jackson and Billy "Motormouth" Stewart. Spyder's take on the song
made the top 3 on the R&B chart and brushed the top 10 on the pop survey.
"Stand By Me" - Spyder Turner
(Jan./Feb. 1967, highest chart pos. #3 R&B,
#11 Cash Box/#12 Hot 100)
#11 Cash Box/#12 Hot 100)
As a bonus, I'd like you to see and hear this very rare clip of Spyder Turner doing
his hit on Village Square, a weekly music TV show that originated from a studio
in Charleston, SC, and was syndicated across the country from 1965 to 1968.
"Stand By Me" - Spyder Turner
(perf. on TV show The Village Square, Charleston, SC)
JOHN LENNON
In February, 1975, John Lennon released a cover of "Stand By Me" on his sixth
solo studio album Rock 'n' Roll. The following month the song was released as
a single and reached the top 20 in the U.S. In April, John performed his latest
hit on the UK based TV music show The Old Grey Whistle Test.
"Stand By Me" - John Lennon
(Apr./May 1975, highest chart pos. #20 Hot 100 & Cash Box,
perf. on Apr. 18, 1975, ep. of The Old Grey Whistle Test)
SCARLET FEVER!
That's right. Shady's come down with a case of scarlet fever,
because three exciting female rockers are about to join the
competition, each of them a ravishing redhead, each of
them covering an 80s hit. Let's meet the ladies now!
COLE ROLLAND &
HALOCENE feat.
ADDIE NICOLE
I introduced this first fiery frontwoman
a few weeks ago in my special feature
That Was Then - This Is Now. She's
Addie Nicole... lead singer of the
Phoenix, Arizona, band Halocene.
Once again, Addie is joined by
Canadian guitarist Cole Rolland as
they do a metal cover of Bon Jovi's
hit "You Give Love A Bad Name!"
"You Give Love A Bad Name"
Bon Jovi metal cover by
Cole Rolland & Halocene
(Feb. 2021)
ANDREEA MUNTEANU
& ANDREI CERBU
Now, from Eastern Europe, and also making a return visit to Shady's Place, here's that
zesty rising star from Romania, zinger Andreea Munteanu. On her popular YouTube
channel, versatile Andreea is part pop princess and part classic rocker. Andreea
shines as lead zinger of guitar wizard Andrei Cerbu's band The Iron Cross,
and in this performance Andreea & Andrei collaborate on a cover of
English popper Samantha Fox's 1986 synth-rock hit
"Touch Me (I Want Your Body)."
"Touch Me (I Want Your Body)" - Samantha Fox
cover by Andreea Munteanu & Andrei Cerbu (Feb. 2021)
SHUT UP & KISS ME!
feat. DARIA BAHRIN
The third sassy redhead is Daria Bahrin,
another Romanian singer discovered by
Andrei Cerbu. Daria fronts a band of
Andrei's called Shut Up & Kiss Me!
Enjoy this cookin' cover as sassy
Daria and her bandmates bring out
our animal instincts performing
Def Leppard's 1987 rock
anthem "Animal!"
"Animal" - Def Leppard cover
by Shut Up & Kiss Me! feat.
Daria Bahrin (Dec. 2020)
Put down your
wine goblet...
slowly rise from
your throne...
face these vinyl
gladiators and
render your decision.
Which lucky cover gets thumbs up
and lives to play another day?
Which poor devils get the
dreaded thumbs down
and are reduced to
puddles of molten wax
and lives to play another day?
Which poor devils get the
dreaded thumbs down
and are reduced to
puddles of molten wax
on the Colosseum floor?
The decision is yours!
The decision is yours!
