“You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”
Writers: Pete Burns, Steve Coy, Wayne Hussey, Tim Lever, Mike Percy
Original Release Date: November 5, 1984
We’re throwing it back thirty years with the beautifully cheesy but still so good “You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)”.
The eighties must have been wild with bands like Dead or Alive out and about (is he wearing an eye patch in this video??). For all their questionable fashion choices, they still managed to produce one heck of a jam. Maybe it’s because I always picture Adam Sandler performing this song at the beginning of The Wedding Singer which reminds me of how great that movie is (please watch it if you haven’t already). Or maybe it’s the synths in the background that get your shoulders shimmying without you even noticing. Or maybe it’s the cheesy but irresistible lyrics. Either way, this is a record I like to spin (right round).
The last time I saw Andrew McMahon, the Australians in Atlas Genius were opening for him—and when they pulled out this cover, it got the biggest crowd reaction of their set. Their synths have a more futuristic quality than the original, and the thrumming bass in the chorus makes the walls shake if you play it loud enough. It’s different in the best way: still recognizable and easy to sing along to, but with a funky flair that’s all their own. Vocalist Keith Jeffery does a fine job moaning the lyrics but for me, it’s the instrumentals that make this cover so memorable.
For now I’d choose the original over the cover simply because it’s more familiar. But Atlas Genius is definitely one to watch if they can produce covers as fun as this one.
