On the 31st Head ๐ฃ๏ธ 2 Head ๐ฃ๏ธ (2022), Sly & The Family Stone and Barry White contend for the best rendition of โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again).โย
Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head ๐ฃ๏ธ 2 Head ๐ฃ๏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 ๐ฃ๏ธ2 head ๐ฃ๏ธ (2022), ๐ Sly & The Family Stone and ๐ Barry White contend for the best rendition of ๐ต โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!
1. Sly and the Family Stone, โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ
๐ฟ Greatest Hits โข ๐ท Epic โข ๐ 1970
โI want to thank you falettinme / Be mice elf agin.โ ๐ต โThank 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 ๐ 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 ๐ Larry Graham, which would go on to influence numerous musicians in various genres. Beyond that, the vocals by ๐ Sly Stone are nothing short of awesome, infused with ample personality and oozing with soul.
Beyond the famed lyrics of the chorus (aforementioned), the lyrics of the verses are quite colorful.
โLookinโ at the devil
Grinninโ at his gun
Fingers start shakinโ
I begin to runโฆโ
Per a song fact from Songfacts, โSly Stone wroteโฆthe [song because he] as upset that people were not listening to the messages in his songsโฆ 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 canโt missย are the references made to other Sly and the Family Stone hits: โDance to the music / All nite long / Everyday people / Sing a simple song.โ โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ is awesome, period.
Appears in ๐ป:
- Thankful Songs ๐๐ถ 15
- Thankful ๐๐ถ 3: 5ive Songs No. 62
- Gratitude: 20 Gracious, Thankful Songs
2. Barry White, โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ
๐ฟ Staying Power โข ๐ท Unlimited Gold โข ๐ 1999
Itโs no secret that ๐ Sly & The Family Stone did a bang-up job with ๐ต โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ โ itโs a funk classic. ย Furthermore, itโs a no. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. ย That said, soul icon ๐ Barry White delivers a contemporary, funky reinterpretation โย ๐ต โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ โ on his 1999 album, ๐ฟ Staying Power. Itโs worth noting, Staying Power would be the final studio album by White, who died four years later in 2003.
What makes the Barry White cover of โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)โ intriguing? Well, it all starts with that signature baritone, which is one-of-a-kind.ย Itโs a stark difference compared to the original in that regard alone.ย Beyond Whiteโs 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 ๐จ๐ฟโโ๏ธ
๐ Sly & The Family Stone or ๐ Barry White?ย Barry does a fine job covering ๐ต โThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)โ.ย Even so, itโs 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!
Sly & The Family Stone vs. Barry White: Head 2 Head ๐ฃ๏ธ No. 31 (2022) [๐ท: Brent Faulkner, Epic, Kool Shooters, Layers, Mario Aranda, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Unlimited Gold, Valentin Tikhonov]