Fifty by Two

Episode 30.5 – Cover Versions Special – The Greatest Writer in the World

Welcome to Fifty by Two, a podcast about music where two friends with very different tastes count down their top fifty albums.

A break from the countdown for another special: we pick three cover versions each and make each other listen to them, for your entertainment. Sometimes we do things just to wind each other up, for your entertainment. We also talk a surprising amount about Strictly Come Dancing, and the 2024 Ballon D’Or nominees. There is literally something for everybody.

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Episode 30.5 – The Greatest Writer in the World

Transcript coming soon.

Content warnings: some minor explicit language.

See below for show notes, and further listening and watching recommendations. Note that this will contain spoilers, and we’d recommend reading on after listening to the episode.

Recommendations

Bobcat Goldthwait as Zed in Police Academy.

Larvell Jones highlights in Police Academy.
Michael Winslow on America’s Got Talent.
The Number Twelve Looks Like You performing An Aptly Fictional Description live (warning: flashing images).
Weird Al’s inevitable My Sharona parody.
A Covid-19 themed My Sharona parody.
Should you ever want to learn Steps’ dance moves to Tragedy, that would be a tragedy, but here it is.
A1 (who are they?) covering Take On Me.
Subwoolfer’s Give that Wolf a Banana at Eurovision 2022.
The Dee Gees (Foo Fighters) covering Tragedy. The full EP (Hail Satin) is available on YouTube here.
Steps covering Diana Ross’ Chain Reaction.
Faye Tozer’s quickstep on Strictly Come Dancing 2018.
Tony Adams’ Samba on Strictly Come Dancing 2022.
Muse’s Feeling Good in a Virgin Atlantic advert in 2011.
Muse’s Feeling Good on Later… With Jools Holland in 2001.
Muse playing Knights of Cydonia live at Wembley in 2007.
Muse playing Microcuts (Glen’s favourite of theirs) live, the version from their Hullabaloo DVD.
Chris Cornell’s cover of Nothing Compares 2 U.
Mrs. Robinson in Wayne’s World 2 (1 of 2). Yes, that is Charlton Heston.
Mrs Robinson in Wayne’s World 2 (2 of 2). Yes, that is Christopher Walken.
Wayne pitches his festival.
Official video for Paul Simon’s You Can Call me Al, featuring Chevy Chase.
Thelma Houston’s version of Don’t Leave me this Way.
Bronski Beat’s Smalltown Boy.
Jimmy Somerville stumbles upon a busker playing Smalltown Boy.
Richard Coles’ Paso Doble on Strictly Come Dancing to the theme of Flash Gordon in 2017.

Songs Discussed in this Episode

Glen’s choices:

  1. The Number Twelve Looks Like You – My Sharona (The Knack) (Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube).
  2. Muse – Feeling Good (Nina Simone and others) (Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube).
  3. The Lemonheads – Mrs Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel) (Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube).

James’ choices:

  1. Steps – Tragedy (The Bee Gees) (Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube).
  2. Chris Cornell – Nothing Compares 2 U (Prince) (Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube).
  3. The Communards – Don’t Leave me this Way (Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes) (Apple Music | Spotify | YouTube).

Music Clips Used

  • The Number Twelve Looks Like You – My Sharona (11:13, 17.36).
  • The Number Twelve Looks Like You – An Aptly Fictional Description (19:45).
  • The Knack – My Sharona (23:24).
  • Steps – Tragedy (24:52, 38:23).
  • The Dee Gees – Tragedy (30:47).
  • Muse – Feeling Good (41:37, 46:20, 53:17).
  • Nina Simone – Feeling Good (44:32).
  • Muse – Newborn (48:40).
  • Chris Cornell – Nothing Compares 2 U (54:27, 57:48, 01.03.28).
  • Prince – Nothing Compares 2 U (59:42).
  • Sinead O’Connor – Nothing Compares 2 U (01:01:16).
  • The Lemonheads – Mrs. Robinson (01:05:42, 01:18:12).
  • Simon & Garfunkel – Mrs. Robinson (01:10:20).
  • Frank Sinatra – Mrs Robinson (01:11:48).
  • Paul Simon – You Can Call me Al (01:16:28).
  • The Communards – Don’t Leave me this Way (01:19:16, 01:27:56, 01:35:44).
  • Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes – Don’t Leave me this Way (01:24:46).

Our current theme is a Tijuana style arrangement of The King of Rock and Roll by Prefab Sprout (written by Paddy McAloon), arranged and made by Glen.

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