Tune du Jour: “Runaway Train” – Soul Asylum
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: Piet Botha & Jack Hammer vs. Smith and Myers vs. Chelsea Williams
VOTE, COMMENT, then DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF
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Despite its runaway popularity and overplay, remains my favorite Soul Asylum song. Lyrics are simply perfection!
The Original
Soul Asylum:
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
Piet Botha & Jack Hammer vs. Smith and Myers vs. Chelsea Williams
Piet Botha & Jack Hammer:
Smith and Myers:
Unfortunately, for God only knows why, these two do not allow their video to embed elsewhere. So if you want to hear their version you will have to go to the YouTube site.
Chelsea Williams:
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 
Simply love this song. But I didn’t care for the video. While I deeply respect Soul Asylum’s desire to promote the horrors of human trafficking that’s simply not what the song is about. The song perfectly emotes the angst of a troubled individual desperately reaching out to an ex for comfort (think Phil Ochs calling his ex to sing Changes over the phone).
I have to admit, I have often wanted to live vicariously through Dave Pirner. Just seems like the coolest of guys! Heads a kickass, excellent band. Plays the prom for high schoolers in Grand Forks, ND whose town was devastated by a flood. Unites with Lulu on unplugged to do a superb revisit of To Sir With Love, meets Winoner Ryder at the event and dates her for a few years thereafter! Yeah, I could live with that …
Piet Botha and Jack Hammer perform a wonderful interpretation of this fine song. Nice emotional vocals (without overdoing it) and I loved the introduction of a harmonica and piano to the ballad. I did a little research on Piet and his band. They were a very popular South African band in the mid-70’s right through 2019, when Piet passed. I love this description of their work: raw, unpolished, road-worn rock; guitar-driven with blues-rock grit; earthy, soulful vocals; and a mix of electric power and acoustic introspection with South African folk elements. I am going to look up more of their work.
Smith and Myers deliver a very straightforward, competent and, yeah, beautiful, cover but they added nothing of their own and, perhaps, got a bit overly emotional at times. But why the hell do these guys prohibit the spread of their video. Weird …
Never hear of Chelsea Williams but I was thoroughly impressed. I liked the female vocals for a change; soft, ethereal, ambient, subtle and just the right amount of emotion. The light percussion in the background worked nicely. I will also look into more of her work.
Really, really tough decision between Piet and his band and Chelsea. I could have gone either way but … today, Piet got my vote.
These guys were riding high for a while, very popular. I loved that album. Loved the song Black Gold, and also Homesick. Homesick for the home I never had. What a great line.
I found myself surprisingly drawn to Chelsea Williams’s version, and gave her the vote. I didn’t listen to Smith and Myers. If they’re going to be so rude as to not allow their video to embed, well, fuck ’em.
None of the contenders change the song much. I thought it was a close call. Chelsea Williams slowed it down and her voice is very distinctive adding a little flavor but it seemed a bit long. I chose Smith and Myers. Very similar to the original but performed with great affection. I could have believed it was their song.