I’ve collected a baker’s dozen of examples of bands or artists who inexplicably took on another identity for 3 to 5 minutes. In some cases both song and artist are both well-known enough that time and familiarity have dulled the shock of the sharp break from their usual sound. But a few may induce that “I never knew that was them” type of reaction. The common thread, though, is that for just one song each of these artists sounded more like another artist’s work than their own–sort of like that Star Trek episode where Captain Kirk was really a girl.
Elton John: “Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting” …sounds like classic-era Rolling Stones–just like Elton intended.
The Doobie Brothers: “Black Water” …The “China Grove” guys did…bluegrass? Who did they think they were, some Jerry Garcia side project?
Robert Palmer: “Every Kinda People” …is pure What’s Going On-era Marvin Gaye.
Chicago: “Flight 602” …is more Crosby, Stills & Nash than it is Chicago.
Kiss: “Hard Luck Woman” …C’mon, admit it: If you weren’t a Kiss fan in the 70’s you thought it was Rod Stewart.
Santana: “Winning” …came out within months of Steve Winwood’s first solo album. Hmm…
Foreigner: “Starrider” …brings to mind one of Greg Lake’s flights of fancy from his days with King Crimson or ELP. Light years (one might say) removed from “Hot Blooded” or “Double Vision”.
Frank Zappa: “Sexual Harassment in the Workplace” …just isn’t what I think of when I think of Zappa.
The Beach Boys: “Sail On Sailor” …I had no idea who sang this when I was a kid. Probly would’ve guessed Stevie Wonder. Now Jimmy Buffet does it live, making everyone think it’s his song. He does that.
Robert Palmer: “Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor)” …Palmer again. Took him a while to find those backup babes and settle into his tuneless synth-pop niche. He’s trying on an 80’s ZZ Top sound here.
The Who: “The Kids Are Alright” …evokes the Byrds, the Hollies, the Turtles, maybe the Easybeats. This isn’t typical Who material. And Roger seems to know it in this video.
The Guess Who: “Clap For the Wolfman” …The Guess Who had given us so many great singles by 1974 they deserved to foist on us this tribute to Wolfman Jack…I guess. But I don’t suppose many who’d heard “These Eyes”, “No Time” and “American Woman” would have guessed who was singing this one.
Grand Funk: “Bad Time” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsDMxWgPQcg …contains no hint of the “footstompin’ music” of previous Grand Funk Railroad tracks (see what I did there?). This single took them back to the Top 40 for the last time, proving definitively that sweetening their sound was either the right or the wrong move.
Every Moment Has A Song 