In the 51st edition of Head
2 Head
(2022), Al Green and Chris Stapleton contend for the best rendition of βIβm A Ram.β
Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head
, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing their performances. Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more. In the 51st edition of head
2 head
(2022),
Al Green and
Chris Stapleton contend for the best rendition of
βIβm A Ramβ. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!
1. Al Green, βIβm a Ramβ
Gets Next to You β’
Hi Records β’
1971
ββCause Iβm a ram, yes I am / And I know just what to do / Think Iβll drive on / And try to get next to youβ¦β
Gets Next to You is one of the great soul albums of the 1970s. Gets Next to You marks the third studio album by soul and later, gospel icon,
Al Green. The best-known Green hit from Canβt Get Next to You is
βTired of Being Aloneβ. That said,
βIβm a Ramβ, a deeper cut in the Green collection, is a gem in its own right.
βIβm a Ramβ may not be considered among the greatest of Al Greenβs greatest hits, but itβs an infectious, must-hear soul joint. The groove is incredibly funky, the riffs are utterly sweet, the horns sublime, and Al β well β heβs beastly. Thereβs a certain cool that only Green could generate and generate it he does indeed. He sings incredibly expressive, impressing with his distinct, nuanced pipes. The question is, is Green really singing about an animal β and a ram of all things? Well, yes and no. Green seems to embody the aggressiveness of the animal as well as being forceful like a battering ram. And, yes, of course, he mentions the fact that βIβm a ram out in the bush /And he needs to be free.β Woo! Why? To get close to her, of course, which makes sense in the context of the album!
βHey baby
βCause Iβm a ram
Bet your life, I do
βCause Iβm a ram now
And I wanna get next to you
Oh, baby.β
Would it be far-fetched to say that Green was a bit, um, horny ? Those ram horns and all, I mean!
Appears in :
2. Chris Stapleton, βIβm A Ramβ
βIβm A Ramβ β’
Sound / UMG Recordings, Inc. β’
2022
Chris Stapleton is one of the true bright spots in country music, with his talents transcending beyond the musical genre. That is why it is totally NOT far-fetched that Stapleton covered the
Al Green classic,
βIβm A Ramβ, from his 1971 masterpiece,
Gets Next To You. Stapleton has the skill set to deliver the goods on βIβm A Ram.β His voice, first and foremost, is incredibly expressive and nuanced β filled with grit and soul
. That is a big reason why the original by Green is so awesome β soul, soul, SOUL!
Stapleton and his co-producer,
Dave Cobb, masterfully recreate the simple yet potent, rhythmic backdrop. It is not a copycat mind you, but successfully keeps the essence of the original alive and well. Stapleton, naturally, gives this a bit more of a countrified rock flavor, and it sure is delish. If
βIβm A Ramβ were not already a hit by someone else, you could argue Chris Stapleton delivered a spirited original. His interpretation of this Al Green classic is authentic β you can tell he put his all into it, as he does with his originals.
Appears in :
The Verdict
Al Green or
Chris Stapleton? That is a heavyweight battle! Stapleton deserves ample credit for a sensational cover of βIβm A Ramβ β he does a bang-up job. That said, βIβm A Ramβ will ALWAYS belong to Al Green, period. Stapleton would likely agree.
Al Green vs. Chris Stapleton: Head 2 Head
No. 51 (2022) [
: andresilva5, Antoni Shkraba via Pexels, Brent Faulkner, Hi Records,The Musical Hype, Nick Wang on Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay, talha khalil, Valentin Tikhonov]
1 Comment
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Β· January 4, 2023 at 12:01 am
[β¦] Al Green vs. Chris Stapleton: Head 2 Head
51 (2022) [β¦]
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