‘Firestarter’, by Torre Florim
I have to thank the person who, in the comments section on ‘Firestarter’, pointed me in the direction of this version of the Prodigy’s controversial classic. (Folks, please put your name in the comments!) It’s a complete reinvention – as all the best cover versions are – ‘Firestarter’ as performed by ‘White Album’ era Beatles, and sung by Scott Walker. Still, it retains the song’s ominous, bubbling nastiness, even as it lulls to you to sleep with its droning lullaby beat. It’s performed by Torre Florim, of Dutch band De Staat, and came to prominence on the soundtrack for the video game ‘Just Cause 3’.
‘Honky Tonk Women’, by The Pogues
If ever there were a band to rival the Stones for hellraising and general debauchery, it’s the Pogues. And they covered one of Jagger & Richards debauched classic ‘Honky Tonk Women’ as the ‘B’-side to their single ‘Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah’ in 1988. So this must be officially the most rock ‘n’ roll record ever made…? Unusually for a Pogues song at the time, lead vocals are taken by Spider Stacy rather than Shane MacGowan, but the raucous air remains intact. This cover version doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but then sometimes you just don’t need to.
Some final covers coming up tomorrow!
The UK Number Ones Blog 
I loved The Pogues about the time of the ‘Rum, Sodomy and the Lash’ album in 1985, but found their appeal wearing a bit thin after a while. This version of ‘Honky Tonk Women’ seems to have had an interesting history, as a B-side to ‘Yeah’ x 5 in 1988, and as an A-side in its own right four years later, reaching the Top 60 – and with Frankie Miller, Glasgow’s answer to Paul Rodgers, on backing vocals. But I can’t say it ever did much for me. The Stones’ version is indisputably one of the all-time iconic rock singles, but I think any folk/rock pub band could have done this as well as if not better than Spider Stacy & Co. I’ve played and sung in a pub session band for some years and this is one of our favourite turns, people have occasionally recorded us doing it on a mobile phone, and dare I say I think we possibly do it to about the same standard! If you want a really good Cajun/acoustic version of the song, then look no further than the fiddle-driven ‘Country Honk’ on the Stones’ “Let it Bleed’ album which is a delight (although when I played it to a friend at school he hated it – he was in a minority though). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AmCjpY4hqKE
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At first I thought the YouTube link was taking me to the phone footage of your pub band! Bit dissapointed… I do like ‘Country Honk’, but they way they polished it up for ‘Honky Tonk Women’ is great. The Pogues version has a touch of Cajun with the accordions, too. Their version sounds pretty much exactly how the Pogues doing ‘Honky Tonk Women’ should, I’d say.
I have no way to prove it but I was the one that originally suggested the Firestarter cover. I’m glad to see you post about it! I think it’s a great cover and like you said, reinvents the song in a totally different way.
Well there was only one recommendation, so it must have been you. Thanks again, it was a good find!
I love the Pogues version! I also like the flip side of Yeah Yeah etc… great rock and roll and I’ve grown to appreciate them as time goes by.