Back in 1980, I bought a 12″ single by Grace Jones, simply for the B-side as it was a cover version of She’s Lost Control.
On first listen, I was appalled by it. It didn’t appeal one iota to the musical snob in me. But after giving it some more spins on the stereo hi-fi over the following weeks, I eventually gave into its charms as I accepted for what it was – a radical cover version completely different from the original that had to be listened to and judged on its own merits.
As for the A-side, I think it probably took me about a month to get round to playing it. This was an era when I had a fairly profitable paper round that made me around £15 a week, almost all of which was spent on records, and so I’d be buying things and not necessarily listening to them…a sad trait that continues to this day!! But here’s the thing….I immediately fell in love with what I still consider to be a classic cover version of a track on the debut LP by The Pretenders. I’ve read that Chrissie Hynde herself is also a huge fan of this version which in my mind, albeit I have a limited knowledge of the genre, is pop-reggae at its finest.
I don’t recall this being a hit but the records show that it did reach #17 in the UK singles charts which, back in 1980, added up to a fair number of sales. It was also the only chart success enjoyed by Grace Jones until 1985 when Slave To The Rhythm went mega.
mp3 : Grace Jones – Private Life (Long Version)
mp3 : Grace Jones – She’s Lost Control (Long Version)
Enjoy
THE NEW VINYL VILLAIN 