Tune du Jour: “Bring on the Dancing Horses” – Echo and The Bunnymen
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Diane Birch and The Phenomenal Handclap Band vs. The Atomic Hep Cats vs. Universal Circus
VOTE, COMMENT, then DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF
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This haunting gem was the first song to catch my attention from the band with one of the oddest names I had and still have ever heard.
The Original
Echo and The Bunnymen:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Diane Birch and The Phenomenal Handclap Band vs. The Atomic Hep Cats vs. Universal Circus
Diane Birch and The Phenomenal Handclap Band:
The Atomic Hep Cats:
Universal Circus:
SPACE
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. It is your solemn responsibility to decide which cover song prevails. In other words … Which Side Are You On!??!
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
cover me impressed 
The Atomic Hep Cats deliver a pretty straightforward rendition, although playfully interject a line or two of Pretty in Pink in that Echo’s original song appears in that movie.
I applaud Universal Circus for trying to do something a little different but what the hell were they thinking interjecting Candy Man into the song? Lost me there …
I love Diane Birch’s vocals and the Handclap Band is, indeed, Phenomenal. They get my vote in a runaway!
I bought the first two albums by Echo & The Bunnymen during my college days (still got ’em), but never bought anything else.
I saw the film Pretty In Pink at the theater when it came out, but don’t remember this song.
Never heard of any of today’s contestants, but liked all three. When I first listened to Diane Birch, I thought she had a good chance of receiving the vote, but I liked The Atomic Hep Cats even more.
Universal Circus also interesting and enjoyable.
Nothing here thrills me. Diane Birch delivers a strong vocal. But it sounds a little too much country for my taste. And Universal Circus a little too mild and more than a little weird. So, I guess the Cats take it by process of elimination.
I’ve been an Echo & the Bunnymen fan since the dawn of time — bought the first album the moment it hit the shelves and never looked back. Their second album, Heaven Up Here, still wanders into my top-ten list whenever I pretend I’m the kind of person who maintains a top-ten list. (I said that just to make Doug’s eyes roll out of his head.) This song isn’t one of my all-time favorites, but it’s a solid entry in the canon.
Unlike Richie, I found Diane Birch’s countrified take to be sheer torture. Nails on a chalkboard? No. Nails on a chalkboard that’s also on fire? Close.
I’d never heard of the Atomic Hep Cats, but credit where it’s due: they delivered a nicely guitar-forward version with vocals that didn’t make me want to cringe.
Universal Circus had me for about 30 seconds with their slow, moody, varying speed approach… and then they dropped in a few seconds of Sammy Davis Jr’s Candy Man! Points for audacity, but not for taste. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
I’m givin’ it to the Hep Cats
You like Top-10 lists?? I had no idea!
I love the original and so does Leigh. What a great sounding record. The production is perfect for the song. I had never heard this covered before but I liked all three. Diane Birch made it sound like her song. A funky alt- country shuffle with an insistent bass line and I love her vocals. Universal Circus do an inventive cut and paste. You artsy little imps! And your cute accents! Let me pinch your little cherub cheeks. But I just loved The Atomic Hep Cats. I don’t know if it sounded more like Yo La Tengo covering The Strokes or The Strokes covering Yo La Tengo. I like the segue into P Furs briefly too. All under the Velvet Underground umbrella.