When the clocks go back and the nights start to draw in up here in the north, I always find myself reaching for some John Martyn and in particular Small Hours for some reason.
A couple of weeks ago I did a post concerning the White Label, Stolen Voices album and mentioned that they had cut up, for want of a better word, Small Hours. At the time I was quite disparaging about this, as fucking about with that song is akin to Michael Bolton covering Dock Of The Bay. Anyway, after repeated listens I have grown to quite like what has been done with it, granted it can not compare to the sheer beauty of the original but it has a charm all of it's own, I think anyway.
See what you think.
White Label/Stolen Voices - John 2
and here is a version that you may not have heard of Small Hours from the US mixes of One World. I cannot take the credit for bringing this to your attention, it was kindly sent to me by Dubrobots, a Martyn aficionado and frequent commenter.
John Martyn - Small Hours (US mix)
4 comments:
Strangely he's a springtime listen for me. US version, not so bad or the remix. But the original is untouchable and impossible to improve on - anything else can only fall short
Thanks for the mention - fame at last!
Have to agree - I'm always happy to hear any other versions of Small Hours that might be knocking about, but the (UK) original is pretty much perfect, so they're never going to top it.
I think I mentioned a Howie B track that sampled Solid Air - I've since remembered the name and dug it out. It's here if anyone fancies giving it a blast -
http://www.mediafire.com/?enk6zd6a0ti4ls1
cheers
See what you mean - it isn't that bad at all. Though I am still not sold on the whole White label approach...
Robert Smiths version of Small Hours is worth a listen. Though - changing the artist-subject - the best cover I have ever heard (one that far surpassed the original) is the Johnny Cash cover of Nine Inch Nails "Hurt".
Mond - I think we had the same discusion last year.
Dubrobots - thanks again for the US mixes
la mujer libre - not sold on the White Label concept, it's worth it just for Jean 1 alone which may be coming out on 7".
Smith's version is okay niot keen on much of that album
As for cover versions, that discussion could take a while.
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