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Cover to Cover: Let's Work/Stick Together - Canned Heat v Bryan Ferry

Henry Irving
Henry Irving Posts: 85,292
in Not Sports Related
Two versions of the same song. Listen to both without prejudice and say which you prefer and why.

No mentions of other versions allowed other than to say both are covers as the originals were both by the writer Wilbert Harrison who recorded the two different versions of the same song ("Stick" in 1962 and "Work" in 1969.)

So do you prefer the 1970 Canned Heat blues boogie Let's Work Together or the 1976 smooth and funky Bryan Ferry Let's Stick Together?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGGW4IezbC4


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9EbR0ckb40
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Comments

  • Greenie
    Greenie Posts: 9,172
    No contest, cant stand Ferry and and most of Poxy Music.
    Canned Heat for me.....
  • ken from bexley
    ken from bexley Posts: 5,087
    Canned heat, they played this song at the Hyde park free concert, the day after the guitarist was buried. It rained most of the time,
    Like Roxy music, but this version has Chris Spedding, on guitar, is this not the period when Ferry wanted to be a 'pop star'.
  • 3blokes
    3blokes Posts: 4,610
    Mum tricky one for me because I always tend to associate this song more with the Bryan Ferry version (I am never sure whether I like or loathe him) , but on balance I think I much prefer the Canned Heat version.
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,191
    Canned Heat.
  • iainment
    iainment Posts: 8,045
    Canned Heat. Such a brilliant band. The Ferry one sounds too calculated and clean.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,292
    And Mrs Rupert Murdoch features in the Ferry video BTW.

    Early lead for Canned Heat.

    Thought there might be more support for the Ferry version from our soul boy and girl contingent
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    Nah.
    I also saw Canned Heat at the Hyde Park concert with Bob Hite and all, they also did the seminal 'On the road again'.
    For me this is an open goal for Canned Heat.
  • bristoladdick
    bristoladdick Posts: 1,150
    Canned Heat.
  • Chef_addick
    Chef_addick Posts: 2,196
    Canned Heat
  • Alwaysneil
    Alwaysneil Posts: 13,825
    Canned heat. Can't stand ferry.

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  • Bedsaddick
    Bedsaddick Posts: 24,784
    edited May 2017
    Bryan Ferry
  • Johnnysummers5
    Johnnysummers5 Posts: 8,469
    Canned Heat
  • Six-a-bag-of-nuts
    Six-a-bag-of-nuts Posts: 8,132
    Canned Heat wipe the floor with him.
    I'm a Roxy Fan but Ferry's song sounds too contrived. I bet he conceived the video before recording it.
    Canned Heat rock.
  • Macronate
    Macronate Posts: 12,914
    Ferry.
  • Stig
    Stig Posts: 29,108
    edited May 2017
    Ferry comes across as an obnoxious bloke, but his version is far better.

    If I heard some pub band doing that Canned Heat version I'd be very happy, but as a record it's not nearly original enough. Talking of which, what about this?:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYWiUErA9Kw
  • SoundAsa£
    SoundAsa£ Posts: 22,506
    edited May 2017
    Astounded what one or two people are saying about Brian Ferry.......he's one of the good guys,he's a polite respectful classy fella, well educated too(not that that necessarily makes him a decent person mind you)......can't see for one minute what there is to dislike about him other than he can appear to be a little aloof at times.
    Greenie your talking nonsense matey.....do you or anyone you know, know him?
    I know a few people who have worked with him over the years and have never heard a bad word said about the man.
    Incidentally......I like both versions.
  • Greenie
    Greenie Posts: 9,172
    SoundAsa£ said:

    Astounded what one or two people are saying about Brian Ferry.......he's one of the good guys,he's a polite respectful classy fella, well educated too(not that that necessarily makes him a decent person mind you)......can't see for one minute what there is to dislike about him other than he can appear to be a little aloof at times.
    Greenie your talking nonsense matey.....do you or anyone you know, know him?
    I know a few people who have worked with him over the years and have never heard a bad word said about the man.
    Incidentally......I like both versions.

    OK to clarify, I can't stand Ferry or Poxy Music's music, it's too avant garde for me, I'm sure old Brian is kind to furry animals, but his music and vocal are pony. It's just my opinion and if you say he's a decent fella, fair enough mate.
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,292
    Stig said:

    Ferry comes across as an obnoxious bloke, but his version is far better.

    If I heard some pub band doing that Canned Heat version I'd be very happy, but as a record it's not nearly original enough. Talking of which, what about this?:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYWiUErA9Kw

    Red card @Stig read the OP
  • ken from bexley
    ken from bexley Posts: 5,087
    seth plum said:

    Nah.
    I also saw Canned Heat at the Hyde Park concert with Bob Hite and all, they also did the seminal 'On the road again'.
    For me this is an open goal for Canned Heat.

    Was there as well Seth...... this might bring back a few memories,
    http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/Hyde-park-9-12-70.html
    Later the following week Hendrix died, the night he jammed with Eric Burdon and war at Ronnie Scott's, (who was on the bill at Hyde park, and turned up to support him, having rumoured to be at the park the previous week
  • Alex Wright
    Alex Wright Posts: 8,214
    canned heat for me.

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  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    ken from bexley said:

    seth plum said:

    Nah.
    I also saw Canned Heat at the Hyde Park concert with Bob Hite and all, they also did the seminal 'On the road again'.
    For me this is an open goal for Canned Heat.

    Was there as well Seth...... this might bring back a few memories,
    http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/Hyde-park-9-12-70.html
    Later the following week Hendrix died, the night he jammed with Eric Burdon and war at Ronnie Scott's, (who was on the bill at Hyde park, and turned up to support him, having rumoured to be at the park the previous week
    I remember it clearly. Eric Burdon announced at the Hyde Park gig that War were playing at Ronnie Scotts the following Wednesday and urged people to come and 'chase all those jazz fans away'. We weren't to know it would be Jimi's last live appearance of any kind.
  • Solidgone
    Solidgone Posts: 10,231
    Canned Heat
  • sillav nitram
    sillav nitram Posts: 10,176
    Probably Canned Heat for me, mostly because that was from my growing up generation.

    I like Ferry, great front man for a great band in Roxy Music.

    To say his version is too contrived, well I would say that was Ferry and Roxy to a tee, that was their style.
  • dickplumb
    dickplumb Posts: 4,835
    Canned Heat for me. Great group and The Bear was a great front man.
  • JamesSeed
    JamesSeed Posts: 17,391
    Canned Heat for me, as it's a Bromley record. Not meaning it was recorded in Bromley of course. Just that I was fourteen when it came out, and I lived in Bromley. And the music you liked when you were fourteen seems to stay with you.

    Never bought it, but it was always on the radio.

    Don't mind the Ferry version, but don't really like the 'slick' ahead-of-its-time production with the horns. Funnily enough the Canned Heat version has more soul, I reckon.
    Love the guitar sound as well.

    Met Ferry once, and found he's a fellow cycling fan, so I liked him.
    I liked him less in the late seventies when my mum developed a soft spot for him.

    Loved Virginia Plane/Pyjamarama is one of the great double A sides.
  • PaddyP17
    PaddyP17 Posts: 13,046
    I've never listened to this song before, except maybe once in passing. It's a good tune. But to be totally honest, both versions have their flaws, and I probably wouldn't put either of these on a regular playlist any time soon.

    The Canned Heat version seems to have some very wavey drumming - the tempo changes and fluctuates very minutely, but consistently, and messing with the meter of something so simple as a blues is somewhat unforgivable.

    However, the fucking horn stabs on the Brian Ferry version. Jesus Christ what is that about?! Can they, y'know, perhaps sling in something that's not the tonic note? That was such a crap bit of arranging. I'm quite angry, tbh.

    To be fair, for all the faults with the drumming, the Canned Heat version wins for me by an absolute mile. It's got a much more defined feel; the vocalist has a tone more suited to the song; and the guitar lick is simple and effective.

    VERDICT: CANNED HEAT
  • Henry Irving
    Henry Irving Posts: 85,292
    I love both versions and whichever one I'm listening to at the time is my favourite until I listen to the other.

    Still, this was a big win for Canned Heat. Surprised that so few went for Ferry.

    Another eclectic choice later.
  • Johnnysummers5
    Johnnysummers5 Posts: 8,469
    Henry Irving said:

    I love both versions and whichever one I'm listening to at the time is my favourite until I listen to the other.

    Still, this was a big win for Canned Heat. Surprised that so few went for Ferry.

    Another eclectic choice later.

    What about Stairway To Heaven- Led Zeppelin or Rolf Harris
  • JamesSeed
    JamesSeed Posts: 17,391
    Johnnysummers5 said:

    Henry Irving said:

    I love both versions and whichever one I'm listening to at the time is my favourite until I listen to the other.

    Still, this was a big win for Canned Heat. Surprised that so few went for Ferry.

    Another eclectic choice later.

    What about Stairway To Heaven- Led Zeppelin or Rolf Harris
    Both suck.
  • AFKABartram
    AFKABartram Posts: 57,902
    Canned heat for me. Never heard of Canned Heat and never heard that version.



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