I Chase the Devil

How about a bit of reggae? With lyrics fit to grace the script of The Exorcist, too. As the title suggests, "I Chase the Devil" (aka "Iron Shirt") fantasises on the possibility of getting rid of the Prince of Darkness and sending him to another planet. The performers are Max Romeo, who appears on the video clip, and the Upsetters, and the song originally appeared on their 1976 album War ina Babylon. A very apocalyptic title for extremely relaxing music.

And now the ska version that Madness included in their 2005 cover album The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1. The title's changed, though. Now it's "I Chase the Devil, aka Ironshit." Those English vowels, they just keep on shifting.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

If "Heard it through the Grapevine" is about a guy who suspects his girl's about to leave him, the song we've selected is about a toy-boy who's decided to leave his sugar mommy (or daddy). Considered by many to be his best song, Elton John's "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," from the 1973 album of the same name, deals with the sense of freedom gained from breaking off a relationship that one has come to feel as too constraining.

And here's the cover the Ray Conniff Singers did of the song.

Finally, we have the version by Keane. Do you think he's in the same league as Sir John (Even with the pretty-pretty photos)?

Heard Through The Grapevine

St Valentine's well and truly behind us now -at least that's the gist of "Heard through the Grapevine," the song about the guy who's just found out his girl's about to dump him. Although associated with Marvin Gaye, the song was in fact first recorded in 1966 by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. And here it is, the genuine Motown article.



A year later Gladys Knight and the Pips did the soul version of the song, which you can listen to in the clip below (Man, just dig those Afro hairstyles!)



Now we just couldn't cover this song without Marvin, could we? Also, in this clip we have the lyrics so you can sing along as well. So what are you waiting for, Caruso?



Here's definitely the longest version, by Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1970. Most of it's instrumental, though.



Shouldn't be posting this up really, but we'll go ahead all the same -just out of curiosity. Here's the song in Spanish, roughly translated to "Las malas lenguas" by Santiago and Luis Anserón in 2006.

Let Me Kiss You

Still haven't quite got St Valentine out of our system. Here's Morrissey singing "Let Me Kiss You," from the 2004 album You Are The Quarry.



Nancy Sinatra released her version of the song in the same year, with Morrissey himself. Here the song is accompanied by scenes from Jean Cocteau's La Belle et la Bête. Choice inspired by the line "But then you open your eyes and you see someone that you physically despise" perhaps?

Baby, I Love You

With St Valentine's Day just round the corner we thought "Baby, I Love You" would be appropriate. First, we have the original version by a sixties girl group the Ronettes, released in 1964, the same year as the previous song, "Where Did Our Love?" Listen and enjoy the slideshow, especially the hairstyles sported by the singers.



In 1980 Phil Spector, the man who produced the Ronettes' version, got the Ramones to do a cover of the same song. Here they are on the BBC's Top of the Pops. Same song, different haircut.

Where did our Love Go?

After the excess testosterone of "Hey Joe!" something a little more romantic. The first clip, in black and white, is a performance of Diana Ross and the Supremes singing their 1964 hit "Where did our Love Go?"



Too mournful for your taste? How about the 1981 synthpop cover by Soft Cell, originally blended into another classic, "Tainted Love"?



Or you might prefer the slightly jazzed up version by Declan Galbraith, from his 2006album "Thank You." (Sorry about the tacky photographs)

Hey, Joe!

From Jesus to Joe. "Hey Joe" is a traditional ballad, though it's associated with the legendary Jimi Hendrix. We've uploaded a clip of one of the numerous versions the guitar-playing genius recorded of the song, with him plucking the chords with his teeth and all. With the clip we've included Willy Deville's mariachi version, together with Franco Battiato's mournful rendition, transformed into a damning indictment of domestic violence. Which one do you like best?

Personal Jesus

Here's a video of "Personal Jesus" as originally sung by Depeche Mode with the lyrics so you can amaze your friends with your singing skills at the Karaoke. We've included a couple of cover versions of the same song so you can vote for the one you think's the best. Listen, sing, enjoy - and tell us what your favourite version is!