By rights I should prefer the seventies soul/gospel sound of Otis Clay but I'm going with Yazz, horrible eighties drum machine and all, for the more upbeat tempo and uplifting chorus.
Spooky.....a couple of days ago we heard the Otis Clay version on 6 Music. Neither myself or the missus even knew that the Yazz song was a cover. We had this exact debate about it. For the record...... Otis Clay x 1 (Me) Yazz x 1 (The missus)
The Otis Clay version is awful, by the time this song was wheeled out in 1980 disco was *almost* dead. It's hard to believe that these releases are only eight years apart.
I never realised it was a cover version either. I think that's credit to Yazz who really made it her own. I like the Otis Clay version, especially the guitar which reminded me of Nils Rogers, overall though it just didn't have the energy. Yanks 0 Londoners 1.
PS Just looked it up on wiki and was surprised that the Clay version wasn't released until 1980. I'd have put it 10 years earlier, perhaps a bit more.
I never realised it was a cover version either. I think that's credit to Yazz who really made it her own. I like the Otis Clay version, especially the guitar which reminded me of Nils Rogers, overall though it just didn't have the energy. Yanks 0 Londoners 1.
PS Just looked it up on wiki and was surprised that the Clay version wasn't released until 1980. I'd have put it 10 years earlier, perhaps a bit more.
Until I heard Trevor Nelson play the Otis Clay version the other night I never knew that Yazz was a cover version either. I went in to the missus and said 'Did you know Yazz The Only Way is Up was a cover of a 60's soul record?' so I too was amazed when I looked it up on Wiki and found it was released in 1980, only eight years previously, as it sounds a lot more dated.
I prefer the Yazz version, a lot more uplifting and joyful.
Otis Clay was played in the last few months of Wigan Casino, quite a few late 70s early 80s tracks were being played there in the last couple of years before it closed & have to say some like this were a refreshing change others were fucking dreadful disco shit. Now a days it's a bit so so, if I pull out the box that it's in I might give it a spin but rarely to the end plus most copies like mine have a hiss which is annoying, probably reused vinyl I guess.
Yazz sounds like euro disco shit to me so I'll stick with Otis
Comments
Why? 1998 Playoff Final celebrations - that's why.
For the record......
Otis Clay x 1 (Me)
Yazz x 1 (The missus)
PS Just looked it up on wiki and was surprised that the Clay version wasn't released until 1980. I'd have put it 10 years earlier, perhaps a bit more.
Until I heard Trevor Nelson play the Otis Clay version the other night I never knew that Yazz was a cover version either. I went in to the missus and said 'Did you know Yazz The Only Way is Up was a cover of a 60's soul record?' so I too was amazed when I looked it up on Wiki and found it was released in 1980, only eight years previously, as it sounds a lot more dated.
I prefer the Yazz version, a lot more uplifting and joyful.
Now a days it's a bit so so, if I pull out the box that it's in I might give it a spin but rarely to the end plus most copies like mine have a hiss which is annoying, probably reused vinyl I guess.
Yazz sounds like euro disco shit to me so I'll stick with Otis
Calling it a draw for me.