Radio 1 Established 1967 - Various Artists

...To celebrate their 40th birthday, Radio 1 released a CD of cover versions. Cover versions, often seen as a boil on the backside of the music industry, draw many opinions. I don't mind them, but very, very few are better than the original.

The 2-disc compilation comprises 40 songs - one from each of the past 40 years, sang by what is advertised as '40 of today's greatest artists'. I'll go into greater detail on each of the tracks presently, ...
...I don't listen to the radio anymore, so that's probably the reason for this.

The front cover depicts a huge number 1 (the number, not urine) with 4 music-playing appliances, from the past 40 years, surrounding it. Quite a good use of imagery, I felt; indeed, the inlay card, depicts a timeline of the past 40 years, including notable events in Radio 1's history, and dotted around, a few of the songs from the album.

I ... more

I have 12 and a bit years remaining until my 40th birthday, which seems to be growing dauntingly close. If I am still alive, I plan on spending it on holiday, rather than getting down about it in this dreaded country. To celebrate their 40th birthday, Radio 1 released a CD of cover versions. Cover versions, often seen as a boil on the backside of the music industry, draw many opinions. I don't mind them, but very, very few are better than the original.

The 2-disc compilation comprises 40 songs - one from each of the past 40 years, sang by what is advertised as '40 of today's greatest artists'. I'll go into greater detail on each of the tracks presently, but what I found surprising is that, despite only being alive for the final 66.25% of the said forty years, I recognised many more of the older track names than the newer ones. Generally, I don't listen to the radio anymore, so that's probably the reason for this.

The front cover depicts a huge number 1 (the number, not urine) with 4 music-playing appliances, from the past 40 years, surrounding it. Quite a good use of imagery, I felt; indeed, the inlay card, depicts a timeline of the past 40 years, including notable events in Radio 1's history, and dotted around, a few of the songs from the album.

I don't even know why I bought this album - in fact, its typical of me, I went to Tesco for a 12-pack of toilet roll, and came out with this monstrosity. At £13.99, it wasn't exactly cheap, and I had to stop at the Spar on the way home to buy some loo roll, as I had forgotten it, and you know what their prices are like. I just felt compelled to buy it, almost as if I had no control over what I was doing. I imagine this is what a kleptomaniac must feel, although I must stress, that this item was purchased and not stolen and I have the receipt to prove it.

The front also states that I can expect performances from Kylie (surname omitted, although the only other famous Kylie I can think of was Kylie Palmer, an Australian swimmer, who might have a decent set of fins, but I've never heard her sing), Lily Allen (complete with surname to avoid confusion with Lily Savage no doubt), Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, Amy Winehouse, Hard-Fi (never heard of them), Robbie Williams, Foo Fighters and KT Tunstall.

I have reviewed CD's previously, and discuss the semantics of the lyrics. I will not do that on this review, as most of the songs are well-known; instead, I will discuss the quality of the new version and, knowing my wandering hands (controlled by my wandering mind) will probably include a few snippets of useless information along the way.

1. 1967 - 'Flowers in the Rain' (originally by The Move), performed by Kaiser Chiefs. This song was the first record played on Radio One, so it is quite fitting that this track opens the album. I've got to be honest, I don't think I've ever heard of this song. It sounds vaguely familiar as the chorus kicks in, but the sound of the track is very dated, and does not give a modern feel to the song. Despite being track 1, picked by Radio 1, the original peaked at number 2. So ironic, Alanis Morissette could write a song about it. Not a memorable listen by any stretch of the imagination.

2. 1968 - 'All Along the Watchtower' (originally by the Jimi Hendrix Experience), performed by The Fratellis. My iTunes has just crashed, which is not what I need right now, and makes me wonder whether I should bother continuing to listen to it at all. Back up and running, the famous guitar riff intro to this classic opens and I immediately enjoy this more than the previous entry. Not on a par with the original, it is a refreshing take on an older song, and sounds slightly more modern than the last track. I don't know much about The Fratelli's and probably couldn't name you any of their songs, despite the fact I have probably heard of them. The original was actually on The Simpson's last night, and I remember hearing it on 'American Beauty', so the track is obviously a classic. The group and song combine quite well to produce an above average recording.

3. 1969 - 'Cupid' (originally by Johnny Nash), performed by Amy Winehouse. 1969 saw the year of the moon landings, and how appropriate for Amy Winehouse to sing Radio 1's soundtrack for the year, given the fact she probably feels like she's on the moon half the time, walking through the streets of London, with needles in between her toes. Anyway, that's enough Winehouse-bashing, I actually quite like her music, and this track, a complete change of pace on the album, suits her voice quite well. If she were to release it as a single, I don't think it would chart particularly, however, as she doesn't seem to put in the effort that one would normally find in her works.

4. 1970 - 'Lola' (originally by The Kinks), performed by Robbie Williams. A curious entry, considering the opinion that Robbie Williams hasn't been musically relevant for a while. This is a drab performance, which would have me reaching for the skip button if I wasn't reviewing it. It sounds very middle-of-the-road, and would probably be quite successful if it was released a single. Definitely not a patch on the original, though. So far, I find the album OK, but not particularly impressive, by any means.

5. 1971 - 'Your Song' (originally by Elton John), performed by The Streets. This performance, basically takes the beauty of the original song and smashes its to smithereens with a huge wrecking ball. Completely unoriginal, it is exactly like the original, apart from the fact that Mike Skinner doesn't sing - in fact, it appears he is reading the lyrics from a sheet of paper. Whilst I appreciate that this is his genre of music, some of which I quite like, this version is hideous and completely demolishes one of the greatest love songs of all time. About as erotic as Clarissa Dickson-Wright.

6. 1972 - 'Betcha by Golly Wow' (originally by The Stylistics), performed by Sugababes. I remember a time when Atomic Kitten released a few cover versions of 70's and 80's love songs, and this attempt is entirely reminiscent of those tracks. Unadventurous, yet ultimately quite pleasing on the ear, it allows the listener to forget the dross of the previous song. Mind you, they could have recorded a cat with its tail stuck in the mangle and it would have been better. A nice performance, which offers a slight modern twist on the original.

7. 1973 - 'You're so Vain' (originally by Carly Simon), performed by The Feeling. A soft-rock version of the original, I rather like this. Whilst many have tried to guess the subject whom Simon was describing whilst penning this hit, thoughts couldn't be further from the mind whilst listening to this. There is no mystique to it, it is merely an adequate attempt at a cover version. Not the best track on the album, but by no means the worst.

8. 1974 - 'Band on the Run' (originally by Paul McCartey & Wings), performed by Foo Fighters. I'm not a fan of Foo Fighters, but this is a very, very good cover of one of the songs on the 70's. The changes in pace, just over a minute, and then after two minutes of the song, is fantastic, and I like this as much as the original, by the band which the Beatles could have been. And yes, I'm being sarcastic. It would chart quite high if released, I think. A proper rock anthem.

9. 1975 - 'Love is the Drug' (originally by Roxy Music), performed by Kylie. A stark change in pace again, the surname-less Kylie delivers an instantly forgettable performance of this 70's favourite. Her voice is not suited for this song, and I find if I listen to it, it gets stuck in my head, and grates on me. A weak entry from a singer I had expected more from .

10. 1976 - 'Let's Stick Together' (originally by Bryan Ferry), performed by KT Tunstall. A huge contrast to her vocals on 'Other Side of the World', Tunstall actually sounds extremely masculine in this song. And I like it. She reminds me of Sheryl Crow, singing this. From the opening of the song, it immediately puts a smile on my face. The song has a feel-good factor about it, and Tunstall delivers it very well. One of the best songs on the album.

11. 1977 - 'Sound and Vision' (originally by David Bowie), performed by Franz Ferdinand. Bowie is such a difficult act to ape, I would not have attempted to cover any of his songs, due to his uniqueness. Franz Ferdinand, offer an indie-sounding variation on the song, but they would have done better covering a different song, something which is starting to become a characteristic on this album.

12. 1978 - 'Teenage Kicks' (originally by The Undertones), performed by The Raconteurs. In the year that saw the release of 'Debbie Does Dallas', starring the late Bambi Woods, it is fitting that this song makes an appearance. Not knowing much about The Raconteurs (in fact I don't think I've even frigging heard of them), I was unsure as to how this performance would rate. Its rather good actually, and appears to have been performed live. Indeed it sounds like something which would be heard at an open mic night. I quite like this, and this has to be one of the better tracks on this album.

13. 1979 - 'Can't Stand Losing You' (originally by The Police), performed by Mika vs. Armand van Helden. A complete re-vamp of the song, this has been amended to a garage-esque dance track. Fairly unidentifiable, it is a nice juxtaposition from the mimicked originals that I have been subjected to. Its shame I don't really like it. Not a fan of Mika anyway.

14. 1980 - 'Too Much too Young' (originally by The Specials), performed by Kasabian. Similar to the original, it doesn't stand out as a fantastic portrayal of the song, but at a mere 2 minutes long, provides adequate entertainment.

15. 1981 - 'Under Pressure' (originally by Queen and David Bowie), performed by Keane. This song was number 1 on the day I was born - I won't publish the date, due to the threat of identity theft. I'm not a huge fan of Keane, although the lead singer looks like my youngest sister. This sounds remarkably like the original, and there are times when I honestly thought Freddie Mercury was actually singing this. It is much better than I expected it to be.

16. 1982 - 'A Town Called Malice' (originally by The Jam), performed by McFly. Again similar to the original, McFly raise no eyebrows with this performance. It is a fairly good delivery, despite my scepticism, but not outstanding and is an average track and what is turning into a decidedly average album.

17. 1983 - 'Come Back and Stay' (originally by Paul Young), performed by James Morrison. James Morrison is one of those singers that, to me, will be no better than an average 'radio-on-in-the-background' singer. He should stick to his own material, as cover versions are not his forte. Similar to the original, this was a very safe song for Morrison to sing on the album, and offers very little.

18. 1984 - 'Careless Whisper' (originally by George Michael), performed by Gossip. My favourite track on the album, this completely transforms the rather dull original, into a modern-day punk/dance track. I am a huge fan of Gossip anyway, so I would naturally favour this, but friends who have never heard of the group before also commend this song. It is much quicker than the original and there are numerous parts of it which feature Beth Ditto solely singing over a rapid drumbeat. The song sounds exactly like what I would expect a Gossip original to sound like.

19. 1985 - 'The Power of Love' (originally by Huey Lewis and the News), performed by the Pigeon Detectives. I own a Pigeon Detectives album, but have only played it once, having bought the wrong CD, thinking they were actually Editors. I don't really like the original of the song and would have preferred them to have performed Jennifer Rush's namesake. It is a good version of the song however, and quite similar to the original.

20. 1986 - 'Don't Get Me Wrong' (originally by The Pretenders), performed by Lily Allen. I had worries about this. I'm not a huge fan of the Pretenders as Chrissie Hynde's voice sometimes makes me feel sick, and I despise Ms. Allen, who is too outspoken regarding issues that don't concern her for my liking. Surprisingly, I like this version of the song. I did like the original, just not Hynde's voice, and Allen seems to make this song her own. Slightly faster than the original, this is a more satisfactory end to the first disc.

Whilst changing discs, I will pour myself a glass of wine, and have a nibble on a 'Carr's Cheese Melt' as its nearly 8 o'clock. Moving swiftly on...

21. 1987 - 'You Sexy Thing' (originally by Hot Chocolate), performed by The Stereophonics. I do not like The Stereophonics, especially performing cover versions. I have another cover CD (much better than this actually) in which they completely murder Sinead O'Connor's beloved 'Nothing Compares 2 U'. Mercifully, this isn't as bad, but Kelly Jones' voice does not suit tracks such as these, and destroys the disco classic.

22. 1988 - Fast Car' (originally by Tracy Chapman), performed by Mutya Buena. One of the most underrated singers of all time (Chapman, that is) has her best-selling single completely and utterly commercialised in this dire attempt at a cover. I quite like Buena, but the ex-Sugababe, takes the warmth, the story, and the heartfelt emotion from the original out of the song. I would have liked her to have sang Enya's 'Orinoco Flow', which was a hit in this year.

23. 1989 - 'Lullaby' (originally by The Cure), performed by Editors. Remembering the song on hearing the intro, Editors make this track their own. The unique voice and style of singer Tom Smith lend a certain genuiity to this track, and would perform well as a single, had it been released. Enjoyable.

24. 1990 - 'Englishman in New York' (originally by Sting), performed by Razorlight. One of the better efforts on the album, despite my thinking it would be dire, Razorlight stay true to the reggae-sounding roots of the original, whilst providing an electronic modernity to it.

25. 1991 - 'Crazy for You' (originally by Madonna), performed by Groove Armada. A complete transformation of the original, this ballad is bravely turned into a dance tune. Unsuccessfully, it has to be said, which is unfortunate as it appears to be a brave effort. I also don't like the male voice singing the main part of the track, as the lyrics are far better suited to the a female vocal. There is little effort put into the emphasis of the seductive words. A poor effort.

26. 1992 - 'It Must be Love' (originally by Madness), performed by Paolo Nutini. A complete surprise, this is a very good re-make of the Madness classic. Again staying true to reggae roots, this is a pleasant listen, and more 'chill-axing' than the original. One of the best tracks on the album.

27. 1993 - 'All That She Wants' (originally by Ace of Base), performed by The Kooks. In a year when The Kooks could have chosen 'No Limit' by 2 Unlimited, we are, instead, are treated to one of the most mundane songs in Christendom, sang by a group who I am not overly-fond of. Lead singer Luke Pritchard actually sounds pissed on this. Maybe, it was recorded at karaoke.

28. 1994 - 'You're All I Need to Get By' (originally by Mary J. Blige), performed by Mark Ronson. Critically and commercially acclaimed Mark Ronson delivers a great rendition of this forgotten 90's-track. Complete with a female vocal also, this provides a fantastic reminder of song which had completely left my memory.

29. 1995 - 'Stillness in Time' (originally by Jamiroquai), performed by Calvin Harris. I must admit I haven't heard of Calvin Harris , and this is a rather obscure song compared to other possible entries from this year. The vocal is entirely computer-synthesised, not too dissimilar from the technique employed by Cher to further her career, whereby she sounds like she is singing through a drainpipe whilst pinching her neck. I am presuming this effect is due to technology, although she has had so much plastic surgery, she may indeed be robotic inside now. In fact, my dad says if she had another face lift, she'd probably have a beard. This track is a waste of album space.

30. 1996 - 'No Diggity' (originally by Blackstreet, performed by Klaxons. An unusual venture by Klaxons on an unremarkable, slightly obsolete, 90's rap song. Not a bad cover, but again the song choice leaves a lot to be desired.

31. 1997 - 'Lovefool' (originally by The Cardigans), performed by Just Jack. Again, an act I have not had the misfortune of hearing, this is a drab cover of a drab original, once again using technology to distort the voice. Completely unforgettable.

32. 1998 - 'Ray of Light' (originally by Madonna), performed by Natasha Bedingfield. The second Madonna song to be covered, I much prefer the original, although I always thought Madonna was singing about much-loved British actress 'Anna Friel' in the chorus. Not as bad as a lot of the covers on the track, the arrangement suits Bedingfield's voice, but there are much better track on the album.

33. 1999 - 'Drinking in L.A.' (originally by Brian van 3000), performed by The Twang. A much-overlooked modern classic, is given a polished performance by the group, again, of whom, I know very little. Very true to the original, this has a modern sound to it, although the song is not particularly old.

34. 2000 - 'The Great Beyond' (originally R.E.M.), performed by The Fray. Entering the nought-ies, this song, about pushing elephants up the stairs, is almost identical to the original, but with less competent vocals. The album is coming to an end now, and the covers are of much more modern songs, so would probably give them slightly more commercial appeal. A distinctly average performance.

35. 2001 - 'Teenage Dirtbag' (originally by Wheatus), performed by Girls Aloud. A surprisingly good cover from Cheryl Cole et al, which I didn't expect, due to the rock-sound of the song. I liked the original, and this is an inspired choice by the all-girl group.

36. 2002 - 'Like I Love You' (originally by Justin Timberlake), performed by Maximo Park. Yet another act unbeknown to me, this is quite a good performance of a song I'm not too fond of. I have begun to find the latter songs on the album are not too dissimilar to the Live Lounge cover versions, featured on Radio 1. Like most songs on this album, this is decidedly average.

37. 2003 - 'Don't Look Back Into the Sun' (originally by The Libertines), performed by The View. I like the upbeat feeling to this song, and the cover is not bad at all. It has a sound to it that I would expect to find in the 70's, which is quite refreshing at this late stage on the album. One of the better songs on the disc.

38. 2004 - 'Toxic' (originally by Britney Spears), performed by Hard-Fi. An odd song to cover, but the group actually do it very well. It comes across as quite a jokey song, and gives the song an indie kick - not a bad effort at all, of a song which would be undoubtedly difficult to cover.

39. 2005 - 'Father and Son' (originally by Yusuf and Ronan Keating), performed by The Energy. This song was re-released in 2005, and a collaboration of the Cat Stevens (now know as Yusuf) and Boyzone (featuring Keating) so is not really a reflection of the 2005 music scene. I sing this song on karaoke, and can sing it better than this. Its pleasant on the ear, but not spectacular at all. A very gentle penultimate song on the album.

40. 2006 - 'Steady as She Goes' (originally by The Raconteurs), performed by Corinne Bailey Rae. I've never heard of this song, or the band, as previously mentioned, and I quite like Bailey Rae's music. This is not particularly suited to her vocal style, however, and is a poor ending to an uninspired album.

To conclude, I would not recommend the album. There are a few fantastic versions of classics by modern day acts, but most of the tracks here would be more suited to Radio Luxembourg than Radio One. If I'm alive in 40 years time, I will not buy the 4-disc compilation which will undoubtedly follow, comprising tracks from the past 80 years. 

...less