Killing Me Softly

Cover version of the month #80
Fugees cover Roberta Flack

The opening 35 seconds of Fugees Killing Me Softly is 35 seconds of Laryn Hill singing. Her pure, sweet and beautiful voice is utterly captivating. Her band then drop a hip hop beat and there is the sound of conversation as they encourage Lauryn to continue singing hey yo L, you know you got the lyrics.

Hill certainly has the lyrics, she certainly has the voice. The beat is joined by a bass and her bandmate Wyclef ad libbing one time. Something that everyone would do when singing along back when the song was released in 1996. It was massive, it was absolutely everywhere, topping the charts in over 20 countries. Killing Me Softly was the biggest selling single in the UK that year.

Fugees didn't just cover Killing Me Softly. In classic old skool hip hop block party style, they were sampling as well. Bonita Applebum by A Tribe Called Quest, which actually samples Memory Band by Rotary Collection is where Fugees got the distinctive riff that introduces the beats at the start and subsequent verses.

The song is stretched to almosty 5-minutes, Fugees are in no rush. Their cover version is warm, full of love and appreciation for the original, they just add a beautiful little bit of hip hop soul to put their own stamp on it. And they do it in style.

Now ... here we have another example of me finding out that what i thought was the original version ... wasn't the original version! Get ready for the story behind this involving Don McLean & Marvin Gaye!

I always thought that Killing Me Softly was a Roberta Flack song and I'm positive that all the press around Fugees version indicated that too.

However, the original was released in 1972 by Lori Lieberman who co-wrote (uncredited) the song with Charles Fox (music) and Norman Gimbel (lyrics). 

Lieberman was inspired to write the song while watching Don McLean in concert, in particular when he sang his song Empty Chairs. She scribbled notes and Fox & Gimbel worked them into a song (although there is a degree of dispute around who did what).

Lieberman released the song as a single, but it didn't chart. However the song did find its way on to the in flight entertainment system on a plane that Roberta Flack was on! She then played the song live in an encore while supporting Marvin Gaye who put his arm around her and said; Baby, don't ever do that song live again until you record it!

Flack did record the song, it went to number 1 and in 1973 she won a couple of Grammy awards.

The original version has a quaint folk-like quality to it. Lieberman sings beautifully, but there just isn't enough to it. Flack changes the intro, straight into the chorus. The layered harmonies create a new depth, the kick drum coming in all slow is beautiful. Flack's voice is stronger and more soulful.

Flack just lifts the song in all the right ways. The change to the intro, the pace, the use of keyboards/piano rather than the folky guitar in Lieberman's version. And ... the voice! What a voice! It's interesting that Flack's version is also a full 60-seconds longer than the original. She makes the most of that time, with the chorus intro from the very first second through to the end where she just keeps it going, keeps it flowing.

So there you have it. Roberta Flack's Killing Me Softly is a cover. The Fugees version is a cover of a cover! I love Roberta Flack's version, but the Fugees version just takes me back to 1996 when it really was everywhere. I love the video, Lauryn Hill is super cool and check the live version from Later. Fugees version has that whole block party vibe going on - it's a cracker.

All previous cover version of the month blogs are listed below. To listen, search for Everything Flows Cool Cover Versions playlist, featuring all of the songs below, on Spotify or CLICK HERE

Lori Lieberman version

Roberta Flack version

Fugees original video

Fugees live on Later

Previous covers of the month

1. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' 

2. Going Back To My Roots

3. Nirvana play The Vaselines

4. Slip Inside This House

5. Top 10 covers by Teenage Fanclub

6. Only Love Can Break Your Heart

7. Time For Livin' 

8. Sound and Vision 

9. All Along The Watchtower

10. I Am The Walrus 

11. Guiding Star

12. You’ll Never Walk Alone

13. Hurt

14. This Guy's In Love With You

15. I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine

16. California Soul

18. Wonder wall 

19. Dancing In The Dark

20. Always On My Mind

21. Ceremony

22. Heroes

23. Different Drum

24. Wild Horses

25. Respect

26. Mr Tambourine Man

27. I Heard It Through The Grapevine

28. Superstar

29. Twist and Shout

30. Purple Rain

31. Baker Street

32. Not Fade Away

33. Stop Your Sobbing

34. I Don't Want To Grow Up

35. Serious Drugs

36. Dancing With Myself

37. How Does It Feel To Feel?

38. Love Buzz

39. ABBA-esque
40. Jumpin' Jack Flash

41. Discoland

42. Varshons 2 by The Lemonheads

43. The Langley Schools Music Project
44. Witchi Tai To
45. Our Lips Are Sealed
46. Sunshine Of Your Love
47. Here Comes The Sun
48. I Think We're Alone Now
49. Don't Let Me Down 
50. It's Oh So Quiet
51. Alcoholiday 
52. Summer Holiday
53. Who Do You Think You Are?
54. Head On
55. Nothing Compares 2 U

56. Hey Jude

57. Seven Days Too Long

58. L.O.V.E Love

59. Into Your Arms

60. Heart Of Glass

61. Take Me To The River

62. We Can Work It Out 

63. Talking In My Sleep

64. Lola

65. Lost In Music

66. My Little Red Book

67. Isn't It A Pity

68. Walk On By

69. Walk Away Renee

70. Tainted Love

71. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

72. Listen The Snow Is Falling

73. Mrs Robinson

74. He's Gonna Step On You Again

75. In My Life

76. Caravan Of Love

77. The Only Way Is Up

78. Dancin' Round & Round

79. With A Little Help From My Friends

It's All Gone To F**k by Stanley Odd

The State's inspiring hate

Something I conspire to break

It's all gone to f**k

What a crazy week! I was waiting to see if a band would come out with a political song and I've been rewarded with It's All Gone To F**k by Stanley Odd.

The song was written and recorded a few months ago, debuted live at the Stag and Dagger Festival in May. Released today, a week after the UK voted to leave the European Union, it perfectly captures the feeling by many across the country, especially in Scotland.

This isn't the first time Stanley Odd have commented on the state of the country or the world. In fact it's pretty much what they do, although things went viral in 2014 with the release of the beautifully poignant and soulful Son I Voted Yes. Listening to it now sends shivers down my spine.

In somewhat typical Scottish fashion, the hip hop outfit from Edinburgh (via Airdrie and Largs) get straight to the point with the  title and Veronika Electronika (great name) led chorus that starts off with gentle guitars before a pulsating electro synth bass comes in.

Solareye (Dave Hook) leads the listener on a merry dance and he skips through the verses with speed, wit, force and intelligence.

The third chorus (after the second verse) picks up speed, the bass and beats kick in along with energetic electric guitars and Solareye joining in with Veronika. It's playful and it sure as hell makes a statement.

A stunning film with drawing and animation by Kirsty Marquis accompanies the song and the film cleverly makes it own comment on the world, tying in superbly with Stanley Odd.

I look forward to catching Stanley Odd live in the near future. Odd??? Not really - honest, intelligent, funny, soulful and speaking from the heart - yeah. Maybe it is everyone else that is odd :-)

Check the amazing video here and the lyrics below. It's All Gone To Fuck is out now on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Keep an eye on the bands Facebook page for live dates.

A rusty nail on a stick tae beat yi wi the irony

Forget the rivalry I took some time tae hibernate

Look lively mate. I’m trying tae be alive again

Hi – I’m Dave. I’m the hardest guy in the library

Don’t lie to me. Any questions fire away

I’m higher than a guy in a spire of skyward ivory

Highrise wi me. Fly away while sirens rage 

My touch is Midas-y with Golden Age variety

Drying ma eyes matey wi Mike Skinner’s Original Piracy

While piloting this hovercraft silently through cyberspace

Is that Matrix reference? Is this in the test professor?

I’m having a get together, all aboard the Nebuchadnezzar

Nae pressure, through the iris of a violent age

Any cunt fancy playing eye spy wi me?

Revolutions coming, no time for lies and games

The State’s inspiring hate, something I conspire tae break

I tried in vein the day tae keep ma eyes on the prize again 

But ma resolve dies when Beyonce shakes her thighs at me

I’ll write the slogans if you and yir mate buy the paint

Never plan tae buy cocaine but I’m easily swayed like Simon Says

I’ve got a sweet tooth but no saccharine in my refrain

Couldnae gie a flying fuck who Alan Sugar fired the day

Even if I utter a stutter I’d still defy an amaze

Here by the way it’d be nice nob’dy had tae die diddy died the day

I watched Inner Space and invented a giant ray

Miniaturised ma mate and then fried him in the microwave

Full ae cider I drew on a tigers face

Then went out tae paint the town violet when the giro came

What lies in wait? For live debate I tried to enlighten some right-wing apes 

Took ma time to state the case for peace, immigration and climate change

But they were more intae inciting hate 

With Solareye restrained and crucified on a Formica stage

Sugarhill Gang at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut

Last night I caught the legendary Sugarhill Gang in the intimate environment of King Tut's Wah Wah Hut!

In all my years of attending shows at Tut's I have never experienced an atmosphere like the one they created last night. It was pure party. The three rappers were backed by a huge DJ who spun their hits and others.

The first 35 minutes were truly sensational. I haven't smiled and danced that much at a gig since Chic at Wickerman last summer. In truth, last night was much more than a gig. Sugarhill Gang turned Tut's into a house party.

8th Wonder and Apache sounded fantastic as Michael Wright, Hank Jackson and Guy O'Brien rolled back the years by bounding about and swapping positions on stage, urging the crowd to throw their hands in the air, wave them from side to side and scream.

Old Skool Hip Hop was the name of the game and Sugarhill Gang worked the crowd into a frenzy with tunes like The Message causing Tut's to go wild. The Gang were quite taken aback by the response and commended the crowd which only served to enhance the atmosphere. By the end of the show we were being referred to as the 'loudest in the world'.

White Lines was utterly stupendous. The atmosphere was ramped up another notch. If the Gang ever do venture back to Glasgow it would be incredible to turn their performance into a club night. The 3 rappers worked things superbly, they really were ultimate professionals in crowd participation. If we weren't putting our hands in the air, waving them like we just don't care or screaming then at one point we were all sliding from left to right. Everyone was loving it.

Rappers Delight was better than we could have dreamed with a load of girls from the crowd invited up on stage to party with the band. Some of them knew all the words which again just helped the crowd party.

After that it turned into a house party with the DJ dropping all kinds of tunes; starting with some modern hip hop influenced by the Sugarhill Gang - Jay-Z and Eminem.

Two of the band then left to sign cd's (still hustling after all these years) leaving the DJ and most energetic member to keep the party going. There was a great run of songs including Madonna's Holiday, Eurythmics Sweet Dreams, Nirvana's Teen Spirit and The Jackson 5's I Want You Back. There was a hilarious moment when they dropped Vanilla Ice and I need to find the name of the Mary J Blige track that was totally gorgeous.

The DJ mixed it up big style before ending with Michael Jackson's Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. Chants of 'one more tune' were sadly turned down, but everyone in the crowd had a smile on their face as wide as the Clyde after this show. Catch them if you can.