Ok so i love this YMO tune. Everyone should, it’s amazing. And it’s had a strange life of its own through 80s pop. I’ve tried to nail down the story but if anyone knows more (or could tell me if I got anything totally wrong), that would be awes~~
Here’s YMO in 1979 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8IMbm4apE0
YMO, budokan 1980 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAMGmyuSc3s
YMO, small bit of a skanked-up version, LA '80 http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rvDYFmq21w
Then things move to LA, where a keyb dude named Greg Philinganes worked on a version of the song with Michael Jackson, who wrote some new lyrics. I’ve read that the song was going to be on Thriller but didn’t make the cut. Philinganes recorded a version for an album of his own in 1985, which didn’t do too well on the R&B charts but had some success in dance clubs
Greg Philinganes, '85 (sound is kind of f'ed) http://youtube.com/watch?v=eiQezzDvOpY
(here’s a better youtube of the Philinganes version, which someone posted with a bunch of clips from Moonwalker, helpfully…) http://youtube.com/watch?v=YnEfZ5qDp9g
Then of all people Eric Clapton got a hold of it – I’d never heard this until hunting through youtube for YMO stuff! I think the connection is Philinganes himself, who worked with and maybe toured with Clapton (?)
Clapton’s recording of the song, with the Jackson/Philinganes lyrics http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqfwBIXTVNM
Clapton live in ‘87(?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64dUqMxxyjQ
Clapton, live again, with Phil Collins & Midge Ure, the Prince’s Trust concert, lol 80’s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vknAa7Vhms
Strangely enough, here’s Sakamoto again, '87, on a maxi-single called “Compute Compute Compute” promoting Kyocera cameras – and imitating the Clapton version of the Philinganes version?? http://youtube.com/watch?v=hZpB2rBe7uQ
and back to YMO, in ’93, sounding a bit like Johnny L http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVkhYZBTOqw
and then here’s Sakamoto again, with a vaguely Utah Saints-y version, lol 90’s (don't know when this is from, exactly) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6tAJURuqOc
have I missed anything??
― gff, Thursday, 6 March 2008 19:49 (seventeen years ago)
Michael Jackson version
― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:08 (seventeen years ago)
theres a pretty dope orbital remix and a remix of shoulder lean sampled it
― and what, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:19 (seventeen years ago)
lol also goldie lookin chain - your mothers got a penis
yeah i stay away from that kind of thing
― gff, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:20 (seventeen years ago)
it was a hit when i lived in london!!
― and what, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:21 (seventeen years ago)
i heard it on pirate radio!!
― and what, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:22 (seventeen years ago)
wait tho there's a version with michael actual jackson? is this a bside or something?
xp ha well ok, can't argue with the strange engine of the london continuum now can i
― gff, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:23 (seventeen years ago)
how come "nice age" didn't have legs like this
― El Tomboto, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:23 (seventeen years ago)
michael actual jackson
the strange engine of the london continuum
kudos for these
― El Tomboto, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:24 (seventeen years ago)
ill zshare the young dro remix when i get home
― and what, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:24 (seventeen years ago)
yeah do that, i love that tune too!
― gff, Thursday, 6 March 2008 20:26 (seventeen years ago)
senor coconut & his orchestra covered it in 2006, remixes by al usher and that man villalobos. good.
― or something, Thursday, 6 March 2008 23:51 (seventeen years ago)
Better than good. Brilliant. I was just listening to the Al Usher mix again last night in fact.
I have a strange memory of thinking about the Clapton version (which I liked), tied to a textiles class at school in 1988 or whenever it was. Until I saw this thread, I thought it was his song.
― Alba, Friday, 7 March 2008 00:01 (seventeen years ago)
YOUNG DRO & T.I. - SHOULDER LEAN RMX
http://www.zshare.net/audio/857743470580df/
― and what, Friday, 7 March 2008 00:01 (seventeen years ago)
I think the connection is Philinganes himself, who worked with and maybe toured with Clapton (?)
correct
i've got the housey Human League cover but it's not all that
― blueski, Friday, 7 March 2008 00:02 (seventeen years ago)
I have "Yellow Metal Orchestra"
― Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Friday, 7 March 2008 00:11 (seventeen years ago)
Philinganes version is some proper plucky young guy becomes successful stockbroker/journalist in 80s NYC montage sountrack material. Briefcase in one hand, other hand punching the air and maybe doing a little jump.
― Bodrick III, Friday, 7 March 2008 00:30 (seventeen years ago)
yeah i much prefer the al usher of the two, though ricardo's ain't too shabby.
― or something, Friday, 7 March 2008 00:32 (seventeen years ago)
just picked up the al usher remix, not bad
young dro rmx is totally greeeeeaaaaat too
― gff, Friday, 7 March 2008 02:56 (seventeen years ago)
Could we have a thread on the various versions of Tong Poo now please?
― MaresNest, Friday, 7 March 2008 09:29 (seventeen years ago)