Amy Winehouse vs. Sam Smith | Head 2 Head 🗣️

In the 34^th edition of Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️ (2022), Amy Winehouse and Sam Smith contend for the best rendition of “Love Is a Losing Game.” 

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 34^th  edition of head 🗣️2 head 🗣️ (2022), 🎙 Amy Winehouse and 🎙 Sam Smith contend for the best rendition of 🎵 “Love Is a Losing Game”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Amy Winehouse, “Love Is a Losing Game”

💿 Back in Black • 🏷 Universal island Ltd. • 📅 2006

“For you I was a flame / Love is a losing game.” Songs about love, particularly the plight of love, never grow old.  🎙 Amy Winehouse had a terrific record about being on the losing end of it with 🎵 “Love Is a Losing Game”.  The gem appeared on her 🏆 Grammy-winning, tour de force, 💿 Back in Black (2006), the album that made her a star.  Sadly, Winehouse would become a member of the infamous 27 club, succumbing to alcohol poisoning in 2011.  Even though Winehouse left a small discography, it’s definitely a case of quality over quantity.

“Played out by the band

Love is a losing hand

More than I could stand

Love is a losing hand.”

“Love is a Losing Game” in Winehouse’s hands sounds like it could’ve been recorded in the 1950s or 1960s.  This is vintage, retro-soul at its best, perfectly emulating the sound of music long past.  Even though this record sounded uncharacteristic of the mid-aughts, it provided a refreshing vibe as opposed to an anachronistic, irrelevant one.  Winehouse keeps things short, just crossing the two-and-a-half-minute mark.  That is a sufficient amount of time for her to bless us with a distinct, once-in-a-lifetime tone that’s throaty, and incredibly expressive and nuanced.  With that expressiveness comes a high degree of authenticity, as Winehouse draws you into her love pains.  It also doesn’t hurt that she’s backed by splendid production (🎛 Mark Ronson) and orchestration, incorporating strings and horns.  To quote 🎙 Al Green, “Love Is a Losing Game” is 🎵 “Simply Beautiful”.

2. Sam Smith, “Love Is a Losing Game”

💿 In The Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition) • 🏷 Capitol • 📅 2015 

The 🎙 Amy Winehouse gem, 🎵 “Love is a Losing Game” has been covered by various musicians – it’s just an EPIC song. One of the best renditions comes from 🏆 Academy and Grammy Award-winning musician, 🎙 Sam Smith.  Their rendition appears on 💿 In The Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition), released in 2015. Smith possesses their own truly gorgeous, haunting voice – one that’s the definition of ‘one of a kind.’

Expectedly, in Smith’s hands, “Love is a Losing Game” contrasts the original.  Sure, it shares the same sensibilities and theme, but the sound is different.  Rather than embracing retro-soul, the Smith version sounds like an adult contemporary ballad that fits perfectly in the mid-2010s. Strings remain in play, like the original, though the only other notable instrument accompanying is warm piano.  It’s more than enough for Smith to shine, masterfully capturing the emotion of the record.  They never under- or over-sing.  Smith, essentially, finds the right balance.  His own authentic interpretation goes a long way.

Appears in 🔻:

• Lose: 5ive Songs No. 47 (2022)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

🎙 Amy Winehouse or 🎙 Sam Smith?  I would argue that Smith does a fine job of making 🎵 “Love is a Losing Game” truly his own.  That said, CLEARLY, this is and will always be Amy’s song.  Case closed!

Amy Winehouse vs. Sam Smith: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 34 (2022) [📷: Brent Faulkner, Kool Shooters, Layers, Mario Aranda, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Valentin Tikhonov]