The Shadowy Version #2

This is the second installment of "The Shadowy Version," a regular column featuring the covers of Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet and the original versions. I had planned to feature one of my favorite SMOASP covers, but WFMU took the wind out of my sails with this post, which features not one, not two, but seventy-nine versions of the song "Popcorn." Still, I was pleased to see that my library contains a version not found on their list, which empowered me to persevere. The original, along with a German language version (though I could have asked my girlfriend for a translation, even someone with a cursory knowledge of German should be able to glean the subtleties from a line like "Popcorn ist es gut.") is posted below.

Also included is a cover of Gene Pitney's Eastern-tinged "Mecca," a simple pop song with a wonderful arrangement and ballsy lyrics comparing his girl's house to the holiest of Moslem shrines. It's doubtful someone could write a song like that these days without a load of socio-political baggage attached. I'd like to think there's a missing verse comparing her room to the Masjid al-Haram, but I realize that's wishful thinking. The Shadowy version is a rollicking, upbeat affair. I love Brian's solo in here, subtly changing from the staccato picking of the verse to fuller, more sustained notes. Though his guitar work in Shadowy Men is almost completely un-effected, small nuances in his playing allow for clear delineation of sections.

Hot Butter -- Popcorn
Antoine -- Popcorn (German Language Version)
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet -- Popcorn

Gene Pitney -- Mecca
Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet -- 13 (Mecca)