As I mentioned the other day I've finally got around to acquiring 69 Love Songs by the Magnetic Fields.
There is a lot to digest and I am taking my time and getting there slowly.
It does however give me the opportunity to finally compare and contrast the original of Papa Was a Rodeo with the cover by Kelly Hogan.
Taken from Beneath the Country Underdog a 2000 album on Bloodshot and billed as Kelly Hogan & the Pine Valley Cosmonauts it has long been a firm favourite of mine.
I would go as far as saying it is probably one of my top 10 songs ever and it has certainly appeared on just about every CD mixtape compilation I have compiled since then..
The Magnetic Fields original is of course excellent but obviously not as good as Kelly
What a coincidence your Papa was a Rodeo too
The Magnetic Fields - Papa Was a Rodeo
Kelly Hogan & the Pine Valley Cosmonauts - Papa Was a Rodeo
Couldn't agree with you more, CC. I am hopelessly devoted to Kelly Hogan, or the next Mrs Goggins as I think of her, and this is possibly the finest of her many fine moments.
ReplyDeleteBig fan! An old friend of mine from my youth played on her album I Like To Keep Myself In Pain.
ReplyDeleteGentlemen of exquisite taste who recognise when greatness is among you
ReplyDeleteVery nice. I think I still prefer the original, but then that's been my favourite Magnetic Fields song for so long, it'd be bloody hard to dislodge it.
ReplyDeleteI'm holding out for Kelly here. I heard her gorgeous version (live) first so that probably influences me. Stephen Merrit's baritone take which I do like, eventually becomes a tad grating - don't mean to sound churlish though as he wrote the damn thing!
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