As with my previous cover versions post (featuring the Manics and Suede), I am again mining ‘Ruby Trax’, the 1992 covers compilation put together by the NME to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the singles chart (and of the NME, where the very first charts were published).
While the forty acts featured on the album tended to be the hot rock and indie bands of the day – Teenage Fanclub, The Wonder Stuff, Inspiral Carpets and so on – there was room for some less predictable choices. Such as relative veteran Bob Geldof’s take on the Kinks’ 1966 classic ‘Sunny Afternoon’.
It’s actually a great cover, taking the original’s already strong music hall sound, and turning it into a rousing bar room anthem. You can almost hear Geldof and his band rolling out the barrel, while the strings and accordion give it a nicely Celtic feel. I mean, it is a song about a drunken, dissolute character, and so giving it a boozy edge certainly does work.
Elsewhere on the 3-CD album, another outspoken Irish star took on an even more golden oldie. ‘Secret Love’ was a nine-week number one for Doris Day way back in 1954, taken from the soundtrack to the movie musical ‘Calamity Jane’.
Sinéad O’Connor takes what was a fairly sparse and emotive ballad, and turns it into a swinging, big band extravaganza. I think this style suits the lyrics better, as she sounds suitably happy that her secret love is no secret anymore. (Though I’ve never seen ‘Calamity Jane’, and am unsure whether this is a good thing in the context of the film.) One thing O’Connor keeps the same is the way she belts out the iconic Now I shout it from the highest hill… in a manner befitting of Day herself. The song also featured on O’Connor’s 1992 covers album ‘Am I Not Your Girl?’
The UK Number Ones Blog 
Good on yer for picking something so obscure this time that maybe only a few of us will have heard these before. I for one had no knowledge of this album, my NME days having been over for a long time before 1992. Bob the Gob’s take on ’Sunny Afternoon’ is wise to respect the basic feel of the original, not least the thum-thump-thum-thump from drums before the second part of each verse – or is it a chorus with variegated words – while adding a clever twist with the Celticisms. Just a thought – I found the majority of David Bowie’s cover versions of anything rarely less than dire, but had Bob ever considered doing his own Hibernian ‘Pin-Ups’, on the evidence of this, it could have been quite listenable. As for Sinead’s take on ’Secret Love’, which coincidentally was No 1 on Boom Light’s Sunday lunchtime vintage chart for 1954 as I was reading this post, I’m not that familiar with her work and I’d never heard her doing anything as bold, brassy, even bombastic as this before. Dunno about secret love, but a secret talent certainly. Too late to suggest it I’m afraid, but no chance Motorhead might have done or even considered doing Mungo Jerry’s ‘Baby Jump’?
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Yes, I hadn’t heard either of these before. I think I now prefer O’Connor’s take on Secret Love as, while Doris Day is a great singer, the instrumentation in her version is very rooted in the film, with the clip-clopping sound effects and so on.
Sadly the closest it seems Motorhead came to a #1 cover was doing Jumping Jack Flash… One for the shortlist, maybe!
Agreed. ‘School’s Out’ would have fitted them well too.
“Sunny Afternoon” is among my top favorite Kinks songs, so when you cover it, you better don’t mess it up. I’d say Sir Bob Geldof passed the audition – with flying colors. Vocally, he’s a perfect fit. I also like Irish folk vibe he gave the song.
And, wow, who knew Sinéad O’Connor could truly swing. That’s a pretty cool rendition as well!
Yes, he’s wise enough not to do anything too experimental with it, and nicely ups the raucous, boozy feel. And I really like O’Connor’s cover too. I’m pleased to have discovered both of these.
Calamity Jane is definitely firmly inside my all-time Top 100 films and Doris totally dominates the film, she was never better. Secret Love works beautifully, though the message is of its’ time: She really loves her best mate but never realised it she was too mad at him all the time, and to win him she had to stop looking like a tomboy. It is still sweet despite that though and there’s nothing to say she didnt put the trousers back on again after the wedding 🙂
I’m not a huge O’Connor fan but I do like a lot of her songs. I really like this…it showed her versatility. I love Bob Geldof’s take on that song…it’s like the original…incredibly British!
Yeah I was pleasantly surprised by this cover of Secret Love. It has a great swing to it!