The rerecords in question are all from Southbound, a 2014 compilation featuring a variety of guest musicians from Rock and Country backgrounds.
So here's how this works, for anyone unfamiliar with Showdown posts from the past. I go through the tracklist of Southbound, first writing about the original Doobie Brothers song before comparing it with the rerecording, ultimately offering my verdict on which track is "best". At the end, I'll tally up the scores and see whether I prefer the original songs or Southbound on average. It's as simple as that!
Below is a Spotify playlist containing all the originals and rerecordings. Normally, I'd embed the playlist at the bottom of the post but I feel like it's better placed here, since the only thing that can be spoiled here is the overall outcome of my verdicts (found at the bottom of this post), not the songs I've chosen to write about. Anyway, let's get listening!
ROUND ONE: Black Water
Original - Ahhh, what a great song to start with. I love "Black Water" and would call it my favourite Doobie Brothers track. Great mystical introduction, awesome acoustic guitar riff and when those drums come in? Damn, they sound great. I've heard rerecordings and covers of this song in the past where they fuck the drums up by going for power instead of quality; thankfully, the original still exists and makes for an underrated tune by the Doobs.
Rerecording - OK, introduction aside, this is a damn fine rerecording. The mystical sound is still there but the percussion sounds like it belongs in an R&B track, not this. Luckily, guest musicians Zac Brown Band prevent the song from nosediving and add some great slide guitar accompaniments, not to mention some damn fine vocals (I assume). It feels more like a Rock song than the original, something that some listeners will prefer and others won't.
VERDICT - To be honest, I was always gonna give the win to the Original purely because, as I said, it is my all-time favourite Doobie Brothers song. However, this is a damn fine cover. The introduction might be weak but they improved the "hear some funky Dixieland" section and truly made the song come alive with Southern flair in the outro. If you like "Black Water", I whole heartedly recommend seeking out the rerecording.
ROUND TWO: Listen To The Music
Original - I used to find this song a little generic...but then I played it on Rock Band and noticed all the great guitar melodies buried underneath the vocals. There's also a decent little solo at the end that reminds me of The Allman Brothers Band, although nowhere near as awesome to play/listen to. Much like "Black Water" and the lion's share of Doobie Brothers hits, it's a great Summer song that's perfect for driving down country lanes with the top down and the sun beaming down.
Rerecording - Not entirely sure how I feel about that intro. Reminds me a little of "Once In A Lifetime" - Talking Heads but once the acoustic guitar riff comes in, things start to sound a little more Doobie. Joining the band this time are Country musicians Blake Shelton and Hunter Hayes on guitar and vocals, presumably contributing to the more commercial sound the song has this time. It's a decent rerecord with some nice instrumentation and far superior production values.
VERDICT - I like both versions but I think I'm gonna give the win to the Rerecording. All the aspects of the song that work are either present or improved, from the vocal harmonies in the chorus to the extended guitar solo in the outro. Thumbs Up! Wait, that's the wrong post format.
ROUND THREE: What A Fool Believes
Original - Meh, I've never really cared for this song (even if it was co-written by Kenny Loggins). The piano and synth combo sounds like something from a show for toddlers and the vocals in the chorus from Michael McDonald are also a little off-putting. It's too close to Yacht Rock for me to enjoy it as much as other Doobie Brothers hits but this Captain & Tennille knockoff works as generic background Pop, I suppose.
Rerecording - Ugh, the piano introduction is even worse here. Luckily, guest vocalist Sara Evans makes this song work with the naturally higher pitched vocals that carry more passion than the male vocalist. His voice sounds laughable when paired with Sara's, although they could only work with the source material. This song is just utter shite, even when reworked with modern recording technology and additional instruments.
VERDICT - Both versions are terrible but I guess the crappy song recorded with better technology with a talented guest vocalist sounds better than the original. The win goes to the Rerecording.
ROUND FOUR: Long Train Runnin'
Original - I imagine this song was created after the success of "Listen To The Music" forced the band to write a similar track...or maybe I'm on my own in thinking this sounds a lot like "Listen To The Music" but either way, I'm not overly fond of this song. Don't get me wrong, I think it's OK but I would never choose to listen to it if given a choice of Classic Rock songs. Maybe it's the harmonica solo or maybe it's the choice of minor key the song's written in but yeah, not a highlight of the band's career in my eyes.
Rerecording - Another song with two guest musicians, although I actually know these guys! Toby Keith and Huey Lewis! Not only do they bring some great vocals to the song but Huey's harmonica solo is a bit more complex than the original, even if when all's said and done it's still a harmonica solo and therefore pointless. However, the biggest improvement is the change in key. Tuning it down makes it sounds much better.
VERDICT - Isn't it obvious? Rerecording wins it again.
ROUND FIVE: China Grove
Original - Whilst this song is still Summer-y, it definitely feels more like a Rock song than some of their acoustic-driven tracks. The guitar riff is the song's greatest strength although the piano sounds neat in the background too. Vocals are serviceable and the guitar solo's pretty sweet for a Doobie Brothers song, although the lyrics are a little flawed. Whilst the idea of a sheriff with a samurai sword may have tickled the band when they wrote it, they neglected to consider that samurais are Japanese, not Chinese. Way to go Doobs, you just outed yourselves as horrible racists and now have 24 hours to apologise on Twitter or face pain of death.
Rerecording - OK, I went into this round thinking "I like "China Grove", the original will totally win it"...but after listening to this cover, I'm not so sure. The delay on the iconic riff in the introduction followed by the punchier, stadium percussion really amplifies the Rock elements of this song for the better. I'm not sure exactly how much guest musician Chris Young added to the track, as his voice doesn't stand out as much as previous vocalists, but I'm still impressed over how awesome the band managed to make this classic of theirs.
VERDICT - God, it's tricky. If I could give it to both, I definitely would...well, I mean, I could give it to both since it's my blog and therefore my rules. But then I've created rules about awarding the point to both and I don't think I've done it before so I shouldn't really start here...although I guess there's nothing wrong with awarding the point to both, or neither. Where was I going with this? Oh fuck it, the Rerecording gets it again. It's as good if not ever so slightly better than the original.
ROUND SIX: Takin' It To The Streets
Original - I think the main reason I've never given this song enough attention is because it sounds like Yacht Rock from the start. Thankfully, things start to pick up a bit just before the chorus with the bit that uses a similar descending chord sequence to "10538 Overture" - ELO (I'm sure all of you will know exactly what I'm referring to with that comparison). Even if it does sound like the theme for an 80s sitcom of the same name, I still like this song. It's lively and has a decent if not slightly forgettable saxophone solo.
Rerecording - Of all the rerecordings I've heard so far, this one is probably the closest to the original. There are a couple of small differences here and there, mostly in the vocal department thanks to guest artist Love And Theft, but the piano intro is spot on and the guitars are still appropriately used...until the solo comes in. Turns out a guitar solo actually helps this song more than a saxophone solo, although there's no prizes for predicting that. It's a shame the outro doesn't have the organ from the original, although the bridge they added kinda works so it's not all bad.
VERDICT - You know what I'm gonna say. The Rerecording wins another round! If it's not apparent yet, I definitely recommend Southbound.
ROUND SEVEN: Jesus Is Just Alright (With Me)
Original - Lyrics aside, this song's pretty good. It comes from Toulouse Street, a brilliant album with many classics and great deep cuts, and even if the chorus comes across as a little tacky, the guitar riff used near the start and after the FIRST awesome guitar solo is straight out of a Blue Oyster Cult song. Combine that with the rest of the music and you end up with something like Santana only without the air of pretentiousness. I recommend listening to this song if you like Classic Rock with a Latin flair; worst thing that happens is you dislike the song but get a laugh at the line "Jesus is my friend" in the middle eight.
Rerecording - Normally, I'd appreciate the transformation of any song into a fully-fledged Rock track but I'm not entirely sure it works here. This might be because I've heard a lot of Southern Rock rerecordings so far and turning a song that stands apart from the Doobie Brothers' back catalogue into something relatively generic by the album's standards isn't the best decision they could've made. It's a solid rerecording, though. Guest musician Casey James gives the vocals some extra weight and the change in key gives the song a Bachman-Turner Overdrive quality, which I will always be happy about.
VERDICT - Despite the fact that the rerecording was a good listen, I'm giving the win to the Original this time. The guitar solos in the original are more significant to me and as I said, the musical variety from the band that actually works really well should be rewarded over playing it safe.
ROUND EIGHT: Rockin' Down The Highway
Original - Another great Classic Rock song by the Doobs. Great riff, fantastic chorus, fun little solo and all-in-all, a top notch track to enjoy. I would argue that this song is probably better than "China Grove" if you're after good old fashioned Rock, although "China Grove" does have a damn fine riff and solo. However, that doesn't change the fact that I really like this song and would definitely put it up there among my favourites by the band. Oh, and you know what album it's from? Toulouse Street. Totally an underrated album.
Rerecording - Oh man, this rerecording? This rerecording right here? I fucking love it. Not surprising when the guest musician is Brad Paisley, an excellent Country guitarist with his own unique sound and style. I love how the change in key and added backing vocals in the chorus make it sound like a Styx song (yeah, I meant that as a positive; deal with it), giving it that extra burst of energy. The only downside is the guitar solo; it's not bad but it's definitely not one of Brad Paisley's best. He lets loose towards the end but it kind of blends into the rest of the music rather than standing out.
VERDICT - As much as I love the rerecording, I'm giving the win to the Original. Again, comparing the talents of the band at the time of the original recording and rerecording, I feel like The Doobie Brothers gave more. They turned up the guitars and gave us some top notch Classic Rock whereas the rerecording has a partially phoned in solo. All in all though, I do really like both versions a lot.
ROUND NINE: Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)
Original - Another fun Classic Rock tune! The increase in production values in comparison to their earlier material really makes this song come alive, as there's no way this track would work the same without the backing vocals, brass and strings. But hey, let's look at the song from a creative perspective; the chorus is perfect, the guitar solo rocks and if your foot isn't tapping by the end, you're probably in a wheelchair...or just not into this kind of music, definitely one of the two.
Rerecording - Even if the gospel backing vocals are the only holdover from the original that isn't part of the standard band, this rerecording is still pretty good! I think the lion's share of this song's high quality comes from the addition of chords in the chorus alongside the vocal melody, as I fucking love that change. I'm assuming that change came with guest musician Tyler Farr but either way, I'm glad they did it. Meanwhile, the rest of the song is good although not quite as joyous as the original.
VERDICT - The rerecording definitely has more of a Country vibe to it, which will probably make it better to those who prefer that kind of Southern music. However, I'm giving the win to the Original for reasons stated above. Looks like the Doobs from the 70s are making their comeback!
ROUND TEN: South City Midnight Lady
Original - Back to the softer acoustic based Rock songs now. The music is soft and the melodies are perfect for relaxing in your back garden during the Summer, just how the Doobs should be enjoyed. It's not the kind of song that I'd get into but it's a nice little tune with some strong vocals and a great little outro. I suppose it's good that they chose a slower, more sensitive song to appear on the album to show off their versatility and to mix things up a little.
Rerecording - Another faithful rerecording enhanced with modern recording technology and guest musicians, this time Jerrod Niemann. Since I'm not a big fan of the song in general, it's not the kind of track I take pleasure in when it comes to seeking out all the little touches that make it enjoyable. That being said, it's a song that already had Southern Rock/Country elements so a cover on this album is either redundant or necessary depending on your taste in music. For me, it's redundant.
VERDICT - Yeah, the Original wins by a hair. I don't like either version that well but the rerecording doesn't add anything that makes it worth listening to, in my opinion.
ROUND ELEVEN: You Belong To Me
Original - More Yacht Rock, presumably stuck at the end because it's fucking Yacht Rock. I'm not entirely sure what The Doobie Brothers were thinking when they wrote this song; it sounds like it was put together in a couple of hours with Michael McDonald using it as an excuse to wail over the top of a few repeated keyboard chords. It's very easy to listen to this song without actually listening to it, if that makes sense.
Rerecording - Straight away, we have slightly heavier percussion and slower tempo before guest vocalist Amanda Sudano-Ramirez comes in...and Vince Gill helps. Unfortunately, the backing vocals in this song are still annoying (ARE STILL ANNO-HOY-II-ING) and the limp nature of the song hasn't been beefed up in the rerecording, once again making it a weaker choice than some of the previous tracks. But hey, I guess The Doobie Brothers only have so many hits and they're not gonne rerecord deep cuts.
VERDICT - Even though I hate both versions, I'm giving the win to the Rerecording because Amanda's voice works well and the fact that it's now an actual duet might make fans of generic Yacht Rock more inclined to listen to it.
ROUND TWELVE: Nobody
Original - One of the first Doobie Brothers songs and another one that I like quite a lot. It's got a Wild West vibe to it and acts as a neat little introduction to the band that would go on to write songs like "China Grove" and "Rockin' Down The Highway", as there's an electric guitar solo at one point. It's hardly a bold entrance onto the music scene but it's clearly a song that the Doobs are fond of, as Southbound isn't the only time they've rerecorded this track. They had another stab at it in 2010 for the World Gone Crazy album. It was good there too!
Rerecording - The last song on the album and even though the introduction (listed as a separate track for some reason) sets the bar high with a slightly slower, Bluesier feel, the actual song is a weaker version of both the 2010 rerecording and 1971 original. The final guest musician, Charlie Worsham, does what the majority of guest acts have done (very little of significance) but the guitar solo sounds good, if you're a fan of the original. All in all, it would've been neat to have that slower version to contrast with the 2010 version, even though the slower introduction is borrowed straight from the 2010 rerecording, but I suppose it wouldn't have been very Country now, would it.
VERDICT - If I was deciding between the original and the World Gone Crazy version, this might have been a tricky decision. However, as things are, the win goes to the Original and I highly advise you listen to that song instead of this disappointing end to Southbound.
FINAL SCORES:
Originals - 6
Rerecordings - 6
I guess some of the Original wins were a little generous but in a surprise outcome, it's a direct tie. Seriously, when I started this post, I was certain that the Rerecordings would win this with a landslide majority but here we are. In all seriousness though, whilst a lot of the originals are great, I cannot understate how fucking good Southbound is until the last three songs. I would rate it 8 or 9 out of 10 if it were a Shout Out post or flat out review but since it's a Showdown, I'm just gonna recommend it to you on the condition that you stop listening once you finish "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)".
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