Cover vs. Cover - "You're No Good"

Female soul singers from the 1960s are one of my touchstones for cool.  My definition of cool as it relates to music & demeanor evolves over the years, but some people have cemented themselves in my mind for cool.  Keith Richards is cool.  Aretha Franklin is cool.  Charlie Watt is cool.

This search for cool has led me down the path of trying to discover more and more 1960s/70s rock and soul that was a bit below the radar but is as cool as the Stones and Aretha and Marvin Gaye and the list goes on...

Which leads me to the song "You're No Good" penned by composer Clint Ballard, Jr., who also wrote the 1965 hit "Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders.

I came to this song via the Linda Ronstadt version released in 1974 on her 'Heart Like A Wheel' record.

It was all over the radio in the mid to late 70's and an eventual crush ensued once I saw Ronstadt on T.V as a young kid. This song is burned into my head from the formative years and I went into the 21st Century thinking Ronstadt was the sole purveyor of this nice piece of 1970s soft rock (people called it country back then).  This was arguably THE song that made Ronstadt famous.

Anyhow, after some Pandora-related happenstance, I came across the Dee Dee Warwick version (you guessed it, sister of Dionne Warwick of Solid Gold fame).  This version just goes to show what a talent Warwick was...enough foreshadowing on the winner?

Dee Dee Warwick

Through some searching, I found "You're No Good" was also recorded by Betty Everett (you know, singer of "The Shoop Shoop Song").

Betty Everett

The Brits jumped on board with the Swinging Blue Jeans version of the song. 

                                                   The Swinging Blue Jeans

I was able to find two other renditions, but will not discuss them here.  Elvis Costello recorded it too as a B-side to "Veronica", but I can't find a free version of that one online.  Van Halen also recorded it as the lead track on their 1979 album Van Halen II.  Van Halen has some good songs, but they have embarrassed me more than anything over the years, so I'm not going to discuss their version, and it doesn't really come close to the other versions.  Here's exhibit A on why they embarrass me:

enough said

Anyhow, I guess I always thought Ronstadt's version was the original and all other arrangements were covers.  Not so, but with this many versions of the song out there, it seems like an interesting song to dissect based on these drastically different versions.

Let's start with the chronology. It's probably safe to say that most people know "You're No Good" only as a Linda Ronstadt song.  But, it was first recorded by Warwick in 1962.  Then came the 1963 arrangement sung by Betty Everett. A few days later the Swinging Blue Jeans dropped their version on the wax.  Van Halen macho-ed it up in 1979 and then Elvis Costello's released his version in 1989.

I prefer the song the song from the female perspective.

Both Everett and the Swinging Blue Jeans feel like the least inspired both musically and vocals wise.  

I rank the Swinging Blue Jeans last, followed by Everett, because the horns and piano in that version are more interesting than the Merseybeat boilerplate version.

Listen to both versions here:

The Swinging Blue Jeans "You're No Good"

Betty Everett "You're No Good"

With those two out of the way, we are down to brass tacks.  Rondstadt and Warwick delivered the two best version of the song, so they must go head to head.

Ronstadt's version starts off with a weird 70's electric piano groove and an even weirder guitar parts that start in at 1:23...long solos of varying styles and sounds.  It is a great take on the song and one I still love to this day.  I love the guitar solo, but the jam is kind of weird and long and almost overshadows the lyrics and Ronstadt's voice.

Listen to her version here:

Linda Ronstadt "You're No Good"

The studio musician vibe in this version is both a strength and weakness.  A bit too polished maybe for Ronstadt's strong voice.  And there is no anger or edge in her voice that would say f-you or I don't need you, bum.  It's prettier, but still with enough gut to make it work.

And then you have the Dee Dee Warwick version...son of a...this is a top ten female soul song of all time.  Brash and full of fuck-you-thens...this woman was in charge and you my friend are no good and she'll make you feel that you missed the boat.  Regret, son.  Regret.  You pissed Dee Dee off because you're no good and she's moved on and is making raucous music with her friends.  You lose, she wins.

The outrageous "Hey Ho's" and "Ah, Ah's" that are off kilter and straight outta church are as fierce as the lead vocals.  The Latin percussion sound seems straight outta Cuba and is crazy off beat.  Wait, it gets better, the gritty guitar solo at 1:19 with the sexy ah, ah ah's...I'm done.  The guitar is mean as she is.

This is the hands down winner.  Dee Dee Warwick will always own "You're No Good", she made one of the best American soul songs ever and takes the cake.

Listen to what Dee Dee did: