Bobby Caldwell vs. Gus Dapperton | Head 2 Head

In the 21^st edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Bobby Caldwell and Gus Dapperton contend for the best rendition of “What You Won’t Do For Love.”  

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song, comparing their respective 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 21^st edition of Head 2 Head (2024), Bobby Caldwell and Gus Dapperton contend for the best rendition of “What You Won’t Do For Love”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Bobby Caldwell, “What You Won’t Do For Love”

What You Won’t Do for Love // Big Deal // 1978 

“I guess you wonder where I’ve been / I searched to find a love within.” The late, great Bobby Caldwell does a fabulous job singing about L-O-V-E on his beloved song, “What You Won’t Do For Love”. HE continues singing, “I came back to let you know / Got a thing for you and I can’t let go.” The feeling is SOOO relatable. “What You Won’t Do For Love” is Caldwell’s most successful single, reaching no. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. He penned this beloved record from his 1978 album, What You Won’t Do For Love, alongside Alfons Fernando Kettner.   

First and foremost, the biggest selling point of “What You Won’t Do For Love” is Caldwell. He sounds utterly amazing delivering commanding, nuanced lead vocals. The centerpiece is the chorus, featuring the titular lyric:   

“What you won’t do, do for love   

You’ve tried everything, but you don’t give up  

In my world, only you  

Make me do for love what I would not do.”   

Beyond awesome vocals, relatable songwriting, and a tuneful melody, the sound of “What You Won’t Do For Love” is a big deal.  The horns sound utterly fantastic, while the strings add warmth and lushness.  The rhythm section cooks with the prominent bass line, chill electric piano, rhythm guitar, and drum groove.  The sound is idiomatic of blue-eyed soul and pop-soul.  Adding to the allure of “What You Won’t Do For Love” is the fact that the record is in no rush, allowing the celestial instrumental to ride out well beyond the final note Caldwell sings. 

Appears in 🔻:  

• Bobby Caldwell, What You Won’t Do For Love: Throwback Vibez 🕶️🎶 113 (2023)
• Incredible Songs: 1970s, Vol. 3 (2023)

2. Gus Dapperton, “What You Won’t Do For Love”

“What You Won’t Do For Love” // Gus Dapperton, LLC / Warner // 2024

“I came back to let you know / Got a thing for you and I can’t let go.” Fascinating musician Gus Dapperton covered the Bobby Caldwell classic, “What You Won’t Do For Love” in 2024. Dapperton successfully makes Caldwell’s sole top-40 hit his own. 

“What You Won’t Do For Love” commences with lovely background vocals during the introduction, setting the tone of this classic (“Do for love…”).  The production (Dapperton and Asa Taccone) is more contemporary than the original. Gone are the horns, replaced with guitar covering the famous, melodic riff. Even without the 70s musical cues, there are still fine musical touches in play, including the prominent bass line, played by Gus. Of course, the cover is more about the coverer than the instrumental.  Dapperton serves up strong vocals, bringing command and bite to his performance. Adding to the bite of the performance are vocal effects, specifically distortion, which proves to be effective.  Gus still brings the magic out of the tuneful melodies of this 1970s gem, particularly in the chorus. Ultimately, Gus does Bobby justice with his take on “What You Won’t Do For Love”.

Appears in 🔻:

• Gus Dapperton, What You Won’t Do For Love: Covers No. 20 (2024)

The Verdict 👨🏿‍⚖️ 

So, who did it better? Who ATE “What You Won’t Do For Love” up? Was it the blue-eyed soul original by the late, great Bobby Caldwell or a more contemporary, solidly executed cover by the fascinating Gus Dapperton? Gus does a nice job – he has a fabulous voice. But, this top-10 hit will always belong to Bobby.  The horns, the 1970s aesthetic, and those dynamic, exuberant vocals by Caldwell easily secure the dub.

Bobby Caldwell vs. Gus Dapperton: Head 2 Head No. 21 (2024) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Big Deal, Gus Dapperton, LLC, Warner; Hernán Toro, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]