Bobby Bland vs. Black Pumas | Head 2 Head 🗣️

In the 18th edition of Head 🗣️ 2 Head 🗣️ (2023), Bobby Bland and Black Pumas contend for the best rendition of “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City.” 

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 18th edition of head 🗣️ 2 head 🗣️ (2023), 🎙 Bobby Bland and 🎙 Black Pumas contend for the best rendition of 🎵 “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!  

1. Bobby Bland, “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”  

💿 Dreamer • 🏷 MCA • 🗓 1974 

“Ain’t no love in the heart of the city / Ain’t no love in the heart of town.” My question is, why? Well, per late, great blues/R&B 🎙 Bobby “Blue” Bland, the reason why there 🎵 “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” is “cause you ain’t around.” Sigh, it’s always those pesky matters of the heart that affect things – love gone bad or expired! “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” commences Bland’s 1974 album, 💿 Dreamer. While the song is beloved and managed to become a hit on the R&B charts, sadly, this soulful record only peaked at no. 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Not every classic can be hit the mainstream charts the same way, I suppose.     

The narrative of this 🎼 ✍ Michael Price and Dan Walsh penned record is simple and straightforward.  Even so, Bland provides plenty of expression – ample nuance – to “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City.” “When you were mine / Oh, I was feeling so good.” Of course, of course Bobby, “But now that you’re gone / You know the sun don’t shine.” Yep – it’s a different vibe when the lover has exited the picture.  Even though “The nighttime calls / There’s a blanket of gloom,” and “another teardrop falls / In my lonely room,” Bland’s love pain is our utmost listening pleasure 🤩. The production fits both the blues and R&B/soul aesthetic.  Notably, 🎵 “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” has been covered by many times (including 🎙 Black Pumas) and is a popular sample fueling standouts by 🎙 Jay-Z (🎵 “Heart of the City (Ain’t No Love)”) and 🎙 DJ Khaled (🎵 “THANKFUL”).   

via GIPHY

Appears in 🔻:   

• Bobby Bland, “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 No. 65 (2023)  

• ‘Oh, The PLACES You’ll Go’ on These 15 Songs (2023)  

2. Black Pumas, “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”  

💿 Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition) • 🏷 ATO • 🗓 2020 

Notably, 🏆 Grammy-nominated R&B collective 🎙️ Black Pumas recorded a cover of the 🎙 Bobby “Blue” Bland classic, 🎵 “Ain’t No Love In The Heart of The City”. It appears as the 11th and final track on the second disc of 💿 Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition). In Black Pumas’ hands, “Ain’t No Love In The Heart of The City” sounds natural, preserving the sanctity of the original 💪.  

Vocalist 🎙 Eric Burton captures the bluesy, soulful vibes, singing with incredible expression and nuance. He seeks to emulate Bland, but he is NOT copycatting. Burton’s runs are tasteful and sell the depressing lyrics (“And now that you’re gone / Oh, the sun don’t shine / From the city hall to / The country line”).  Notably, he takes risks at the end as the record fades out, which is a very prudent artistic/musical move. Besides the respectable vocal take, the production and sound successfully recreate this often-sampled gem.  The musical cues from the era it originally hails are firmly in place – electrifying rhythm section and biting, colorful horns.  Covering a gem of this caliber and making it your own is tough, but in the hands of Burton and guitarist/producer 🎙 Adrian Quesada, they do a nice job.    

via GIPHY

Appears in 🔻:  

• Black Pumas, “Ain’t No Love In The Heart of The City”: Covers No. 19 (2023) 

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️  

So, who comes out on top of this Head 2 Head? Is it 🎙 Bobby “Blue” Bland or 🎙 Black Pumas?  Black Pumas does a fabulous job of covering the underrated blues/soul classic.  Eric Burton sings superbly, and as mentioned earlier, he does not merely copycat Bobby “Blue” Bland.  Even so, it is the original version by Bland that remains king – it is the definitive take.  Nothing more needs to be said!  

via GIPHY

Bobby Bland vs. Black Pumas: Head 2 Head 🗣️ No. 18 (2023) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; ATO, MCA; Antoni Shkraba via Pexels, andresilva5, talha khalil, Valentin Tikhonov via Pixabay; Nick Wang on Unsplash]