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Sly & The Family Stone vs. Barry White: Head 2 Head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ No. 31 (2022) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner, Epic, Kool Shooters, Layers, Mario Aranda, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Unlimited Gold, Valentin Tikhonov]On the 31st Head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ 2 Head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ (2022), Sly & The Family Stone and Barry White contend for the best rendition of โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again).โ€ย 

Head 2 Head [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner, Kool Shooters, Layers, Mario Aranda, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Valentin Tikhonov]

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ 2 Head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ, we pit at least two musicians singing the same song together, comparing their performances.ย  Then, after much deliberation, we deliver a verdict of which performance was the best, or at least, subjectively, which performance moved us more.ย  In the 31st edition of head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ2 head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ (2022), ๐ŸŽ™ Sly & The Family Stone and ๐ŸŽ™ Barry White contend for the best rendition of ๐ŸŽต โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ€. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!


1. Sly and the Family Stone, โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ Greatest Hits โ€ข ๐Ÿท Epic โ€ข ๐Ÿ—“ 1970

Sly and the Family Stone, Greatest Hits [๐Ÿ“ท : Epic]โ€œI want to thank you falettinme / Be mice elf agin.โ€ ๐ŸŽต โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ€ is one of the most memorable lyrics and song titles of all time. The iconic soul/funk collective ๐ŸŽ™ Sly and the Family Stone had a surefire hit on their hands โ€“ a no. 1 hit to be precise! ย Musically, one of the biggest innovations cited when mentioning this song is the bass technique by ๐ŸŽ™ Larry Graham, which would go on to influence numerous musicians in various genres. Beyond that, the vocals by ๐ŸŽ™ Sly Stone are nothing short of awesome, infused with ample personality and oozing with soul.

[๐Ÿ“ท: Valentin Tikhonov / Pixabay]Beyond the famed lyrics of the chorus (aforementioned), the lyrics of the verses are quite colorful.

โ€œLookinโ€™ at the devil

Grinninโ€™ at his gun

Fingers start shakinโ€™

I begin to runโ€ฆโ€

Per a song fact from Songfacts, โ€œSly Stone wroteโ€ฆthe [song because he] as upset that people were not listening to the messages in his songsโ€ฆ They were an integrated band and tried to spread the message of racial harmony, but Stone thought that message was getting lost. The lyrics are scathing and mostly directed at Sly himself…โ€ Interesting.ย  One part of song that listeners canโ€™t missย  are the references made to other Sly and the Family Stone hits: โ€œDance to the music / All nite long / Everyday people / Sing a simple song.โ€ โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ€ is awesome, period.

Appears in ๐Ÿ”ป:


2. Barry White, โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ€

๐Ÿ’ฟ Staying Power โ€ข ๐Ÿท Unlimited Gold โ€ข ๐Ÿ“… 1999

Barry White, Staying Power [๐Ÿ“ท: Unlimited Gold]Itโ€™s no secret that ๐ŸŽ™ Sly & The Family Stone did a bang-up job with ๐ŸŽต โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ€ โ€“ itโ€™s a funk classic. ย Furthermore, itโ€™s a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. ย That said, soul icon ๐ŸŽ™ Barry White delivers a contemporary, funky reinterpretation โ€“ย  ๐ŸŽต โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ€ โ€“ on his 1999 album, ๐Ÿ’ฟ Staying Power. Itโ€™s worth noting, Staying Power would be the final studio album by White, who died four years later in 2003.

[๐Ÿ“ท: RODNAE Productions / Pexels]What makes the Barry White cover of โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ€ intriguing? Well, it all starts with that signature baritone, which is one-of-a-kind.ย  Itโ€™s a stark difference compared to the original in that regard alone.ย  Beyond Whiteโ€™s distinct pipes, the contemporary R&B makeover is incredibly cool.ย  Even with some modern production tricks ala the 1990s, the backdrop manages to preserve the sanctity of soul with its infectious groove and of course, the clavinet! Another difference that gives away the fact that this is a 90s version of the record is the rap verse. Hip-hop was big during the 90s, so a rap collaboration is idiomatic of the times.ย  This laid-back, Barry cover works, all told!


The Verdict ๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿฟโ€โš–๏ธ

[๐Ÿ“ท: Layers on Pixabay]๐ŸŽ™ Sly & The Family Stone or ๐ŸŽ™ Barry White?ย  Barry does a fine job covering ๐ŸŽต โ€œThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ€.ย  Even so, itโ€™s a no-brainer, folks.ย  Sly & The Family Stone gets the edge, period.ย  They own the original and definitive version of a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. No further explanation is needed!

the champ


Sly & The Family Stone vs. Barry White: Head 2 Head ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ No. 31 (2022) [๐Ÿ“ท: Brent Faulkner, Epic, Kool Shooters, Layers, Mario Aranda, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Unlimited Gold, Valentin Tikhonov]

 

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the musical hype

the musical hype aka Brent Faulkner has earned Bachelor and Masters degrees in music (music Education, music theory/composition respectively). A multi-instrumentalist, he plays piano, trombone, and organ among numerous other instruments. He's a certified music educator, composer, and a freelance music journalist. Faulkner cites music and writing as two of the most important parts of his life. Notably, he's blessed with a great ear, possessing perfect pitch.

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