Vicki Sue Robinson vs. Gloria Estefan | Head 2 Head

In the eighth edition of Head 2 Head (2025), Vicki Sue Robinson and Gloria Estefan contend for the best rendition of “Turn The Beat Around.”

Welcome to Head 2 Head! On Head 2 Head, we pit at least two musicians performing the same song and compare their performances.  After deliberation, we decide which performance is the best or moves us more subjectively.  In the eighth edition of Head 2 Head (2025), Vicki Sue Robinson and Gloria Estefan contend for the best rendition of “Turn The Beat Around”. So, without further ado, let the Head 2 Head commence!

1. Vicki Sue Robinson, “Turn The Beat Around”

Never Gonna Let You Go // RCA // 1976

“(Turn the beat around) / (Love to hear percussion) / (Turn it upside down) / (Love to hear percussion) / (Love to hear it).” What better inspiration to get on the dance floor than “Turn The Beat Around”, a timeless hit from the late Vicki Sue Robinson (1954 – 2000)? “Turn The Beat Around” is the opener from the actress/singer’s 1976 album, Never Gonna Let You Go. It was written by Gerald Jackson and Peter Jackson, while Warren Schatz produced it. “Turn The Beat Around” peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would be Robinson’s sole top 40 entry on the pop charts making her a one-hit wonder. She received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female at the 19^th Annual GRAMMY Awards.

From the opening chorus, the body is prompted to move! Not only is the chorus infectious, but the music grooves fiercely.  The disco is disco-ing hard on this infectious pop track.  Vicki Sue Robinson brings ample personality to the vocals, touting the sweet instrumentation that makes the music possible.  In the first verse, she implores, “Blow horns, you sure sound pretty / Your violins keep moving to the nitty gritty.” Oh, snap! In the second, she mentions the flute and guitar player, as well as the drummer.  Most intriguing is how Robinson describes the rhythm. Of the guitar, she sings, “With the syncopated rhythm, with the scratch, scratch, scratch / Makes me wanna move my body, yeah, yeah, yeah.” When it comes to “The drummer [who] stars beating that beat / He nails the beat with the syncopated rhythm / With the rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat on the drums, hey!” Backed by electrifying musical accompaniment – articulated horns, dizzying strings, hard-grooving percussion, and a tight rhythm section – and delivering enthusiastic vocals, you cannot help but smile when you hear “Turn The Beat Around”. Vicki Sue Robinson, you did that, girl! R.I.P.!

Appears in :

• Vicki Sue Robinson, Turn The Beat Around: 1 Hit WONDERful 13 (2025)

2. Gloria Estefan, “Turn The Beat Around”

Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me // Sony Music Entertainment, Inc. // 1994

Grammy-winning Cuban American musician Gloria Estefan (1957 – ) unveiled her rendition of “Turn The Beat Around” in 1994.  It is the seventh track from her double platinum album, Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me. Beyond its appearance on Estefan’s LP, it appeared in the soundtrack for the 1994 film, The Specialist. Estefan’s version peaked slightly lower than Robinson’s on the pop charts reaching number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single was certified gold by the RIAA.

With the original “Turn The Beat Around” hailing from Robinson in 1976, the 1994 remake sounds more contemporary.  Keys and synths sound more representative of the sound of 1990s music. Like the original, the production is electrifying. Estefan’s version still features epic horn riffs, impressive strings, and a relentless percussive groove. Gloria ‘brings the heat’ with her vocals. She is enthusiastic and passionate to the nth degree. Arguably, she infuses even more attitude and personality, particularly during the colorful second verse where the flutist, guitarist, and drummer are referenced.  Adding to the grandeur and spirit of this pop cut is a timely key change.  Gloria Estefan ‘puts her foot’ into a cover that could be mistaken as the original.

The Verdict  

So, who comes out on top of this head-to-head battle? Is it the Grammy-nominated original version of “Turn The Beat Around” by the late Vicki Sue Robinson or is it the scintillating, updated cover by the awesome Gloria Estefan? It is hard to beat the original performance, particularly when it was a top 10 pop hit and nominated for a Grammy.  But, in this case, I prefer the remake by Estefan. Sure, Estefan missed the top 10 (just slightly) and was not recognized by the Grammys for this performance, but she got the edge in my eyes, unpopular opinion or not!

Vicki Sue Robinson vs. Gloria Estefan: Head 2 Head No. 8 (2025) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Israel Torres, KoolShooters, Los Muertos Crew, RDNE Stock project, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels]