Day 24 -- A Cover Song Better Than the Original
"Crimson and Clover" -- Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, I Love Rock n' Roll (1981)
As you know by now, I grew up listening to oldies and one of the hands down most famous oldies of all time is the psychedelic slow jam "Crimson and Clover" by Tommy James and the Shondells. It's pretty nonsensical as all those psychedelic songs were apt to be in the late 60s. While the song tells of love at first sight, or at least, interest at first sight, the use of "crimson" and "clover" come from the songwriter's favorite color and flower. He liked the way those words sounded together. Go figure.
I was first introduced to the Joan Jett version--like oh so many things--on VH1 back when VH1 was all about no-longer-popular-but-still-awesome music. The fact that a woman was singing a song that used feminine pronouns blew my twelve year old mind. Plus, the original was dreamy and this one rocked. It was urgent. It was just plain cooler with its fuzzy guitars and echoey drums.
Nowadays, this version of "Crimson and Clover" is just as well known as the original partially because it is sung by and female about a female. And you know, that's getting to be a more acceptable thing in pop music. Just imagine the stir it caused in 1981! (Actually, I bet everyone just overlooked it because Joan Jett covered a lot of classic rock songs and they didn't want to think she was a yes-no-maybe-so lesbian.)
"Crimson and Clover" everybody! It's an awesome song!
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