While watching a movie on cable (would you think less of me if the film was Dodgeball?) I nearly freaked out for a song I hadn't heard in years, The Sugarhill Gang's version of the 60's classic Apache. Of course, I immediately pulled my Sugarhill cd out and played it loud.  I had always known it was a cover, but not much else, so I did a little research.  It's interesting to look and listen to the evolution of the song Apache.

Originally recorded by The Shadows, Cliff Richards' original backup band, Apache was an instrumental hit that the bands solo career. They never achieved as great success as with Apache and played for Richards until 1968 and stayed active until disbanded in 1990.

The next incarnation for the song was by The Incredible Bongo Band.  TIBB was a revolving-door group of studio musicians led by bongo player Michael Viner. Their funky version of The Shadows' Apache become one of hip-hop's earliest breakbeat staples and one of the most sampled tracks in hip-hop history. First-generation hip-hop DJs Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash came to rely on its percussion breaks to get block parties moving.

Label mates to Grandmaster Flash, Sugarhill Gang, completely reworked Apache and forged memorable grooves exploring the funk side of rap/hip-hop. Sugarhill Gang was named after their record label, Sugarhill Records (founded by Sylvia Robinson), Sugarhill Gang is known today mainly today for their groundbreaking sampling (Chic's Good Times) hit Rapper's Delight.

Lastly, a decade later, in 1992, the band Senseless Things reworked the tune for Ruby Trax: The NME's Roaring 40, the must-have British indie covers project (and benefit for The Spastic's Society). This version is sadly not good and bespeaks what was wrong with 90's music and included here for evolutionary purposes more than anything else.

The Shadows - Apache (1960)
The Incredible Bongo Band - Apache (1973)
Sugarhill Gang - Apache (Jump On It) (1982)
Senseless Things - Apache (1992)

Back in 2005 former Propaganda and ACT chanteuse Claudia Brücken, and ZTT label-mate, Andrew Poppy created a unique album of cover songs.

Well before Nouvelle Vague gave 'new wave hits' the Bossa nova treatment, Brücken & Poppy created Another Language. Like the album name implies, the twelve songs are re-presented through Brücken's distinctive voice and Poppy's minimalist style, in way you hadn't heard before: all are a work of voice and solo piano or guitar.

Online resources: Label Website, Andrew Poppy Website

Claudia Brücken & Andrew Poppy - Running Up That Hill
Claudia Brücken & Andrew Poppy - Broken English

DJ/Producer Mark Ronson has just released his second full-length, Version.  You may know his name from previous eponymous remix fame or production work for Nikka Costa, Christina Aguilera, Amy Winehouse, Lily Allen, and Robbie Williams.

Ronson's album, is a interesting pop hybrid of remakes, covers, collaborations, samples, and mash-ups  Featured guests include, Lily Allen, Kasabian, Phanton Planet, Ryan Adams, and more covering some by the likes of The Smiths, Maxïmo Park, The Zutons, Coldplay and Britney Spears.

This kind of album has been done before, and well, by remixer/producer Richard X.  Whereas the Richard X's centered on re-purposing Eighties songs with British R'N'B act's vocals; Ronson targets an rockier assortment of Indie collaborators while still keeping a mind to his dj/club beginnings.

Online Resources: MySpace, Website, iTunes.

Mark Ronson - Stop Me (Original Mix)
Mark Ronson - Just (featuring Phantom Planet)

One thing I've not read in this brouhaha about Avril Lavigne was that the song she did was originally done by Lush on their 1998 album, Topolino, in which the writing credits are given to Dunbar and Gangwer (of the Rubinoos) properly.

I'm not defending Avril, I'd be the first on a haters-bandwagon, but ...

Lush - I Wanna Be Your Girlfriend