Cover to Cover: Alone Again Naturally

Henry Irving

Two versions of the same song.

The 1972 Gilbert O'Sullivan original or the 1982 Nina Simone cover with radically re-worded lyrics.

Listen to both without prejudice and say which you prefer.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_P-v1BVQn8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FOhboyfn4Q

Johnnysummers5

Nina Simone, what a great voice the lady had

Stig

In a battle between kitsch 70s and school piano I'm going kitsch 70s every time.

I usually like lyrical re-workings, especially clever ones as Nina's surely is, but I'm afraid it didn't cut it for me. I guess I find it hard to associate with anyone being glad that their dad is dying.  

3blokes

Well I’m going for old Gilby’s original version. I always thought  the song Nothing Rhymed was his best number tbh, but, although Alone Again is a bit ‘woe is me’, it’s still a decent song to these old ears of mine. Didn’t really like Nina’s version.

Karim_myBagheri

ah, the song that redefined the way hip hop music used samples in the production. Biz Markie used a little of Gilberts version in a song. the case was brought to court and was classed as theft. from then on all music sampled in hip hop (and other music genres) would have to get permission before being released. 

anyway, my vote goes to Gilberts version. 

Addickted

Gilberts'.

Sorry to say but Nina's sounds like a version that is not only poorly sung and produced, but has about as much sincerity as a Trump speech.

iainment

Shit song whoever sings it.

bobmunro

iainment said:

Shit song whoever sings it.

Would tend to agree. 

My vote goes to GOS as the least worst!

Algarveaddick

GOS all the way. Knowing that Nina was a very hard, unforgiving person to work with it's hard to garner much sympathy for her (albeit clever) lyrics. And the piano is awful.  

3blokes

Wow this one’s really caught the imagination of all the Lifers eh!😁 the internet is going to melt at this rate...
Anyway, you can’t win them all, I’m glad to see the cover to cover concept back with us 👍🏻

Stig

Algarveaddick said:

GOS all the way. Knowing that Nina was a very hard, unforgiving person to work with it's hard to garner much sympathy for her (albeit clever) lyrics. And the piano is awful.  

I don't know but I think she may have tried to be clever and make a reference to Gilbert and Sullivan. Is that oriental-sounding piano phrase something from The Mikado? Either way it was awful.

Johnnysummers5

Looks like the voting will be close.

Stefco

This is my favourite version of the song:

https://youtu.be/mmPYo1LuEEM

Henry Irving

Clear win for Gilbert O'Sullivan

falconwood_1

https://youtu.be/aBDuORtM4Io

Rob

I prefer Nina's. It came over to me that she was really hurting about the death of her father. Whereas with GOS it sounded a bit more of a stereotypical song from the early 70's. That's how I read it anyway.
And Nina's 'simple' piano playing wasn't as 'simple' as it appears. I think if you were listening to both over and over you'd get more and more from Nina's version but not so much from GOS's.

stonemuse

So weird.. I was in a restaurant tonight and heard, for the first time, the Nina Simone version ... total rubbish. 

Stig

Would have made a good tune for the returning boycotters:

We're feeling quite happy,
'cos there's no more Duchateley,
so we promised ourselves, that we'd treat ourselves 
with a trip to the old Valley,
We're home again, naturally!

Stig

Rob said:

I prefer Nina's. It came over to me that she was really hurting about the death of her father. Whereas with GOS it sounded a bit more of a stereotypical song from the early 70's. That's how I read it anyway.
And Nina's 'simple' piano playing wasn't as 'simple' as it appears. I think if you were listening to both over and over you'd get more and more from Nina's version but not so much from GOS's.

There's the problem - never gonna happen.  Though Gilbert's version has embedded itself as a bloody earworm!

Wheresmeticket?

I'll vote for Peters and Lee.