Who Did It Better? Change Of Heart

Who Did It Better? 

Change Of Heart

Don't get too excited. This is not the Cyndi Lauper song or the song by the group Change, both of which I dearly love. 

No, this is a little slice of pop lite written by the legendary Eric Carmen, another songwriter I truly respect and love. So climb aboard Wonderland Burlesque's Wayback Machine and let's travel to the year 1978. 

Change of Heart is a song written by Eric Carmen, who had been lead singer and writer for the Raspberries, a power pop group who scored five Top 40 hits, two of which hit the Top Ten. He went solo in 1975 in a big way with his self-titled debut album on Arista Records. His song All By Myself became a massive worldwide hit and has since become something of a standard. He's also written songs for numerous other artists.

Carmen experienced a bit of a sophomore slump with his 1977 album, Boats Against The Current. This would result in a change of focus. His 1978 Change of Heart album would find him leaning in a more soulful direction. When it came time to record the title song, he looked about for back up singers and chose Australian Samantha Sang, who happened to be stateside working on her own comeback album with a bit of assist from her old friends The Bee Gees (more about that in a future post.) 

Sang liked Change of Heart so much, she decided to record her own version and include it on an album she was putting together for Private Stock. When her single, Emotion, written by Barry and Robin Gibb and released in December of 1977, became a bona fide hit, reaching #3 on the Hot 100 in March of 1978, a supporting album was needed - pronto. The same month the single peaked, her album of the same name was released. To support the album, a follow-up single was  needed. Change of Heart was considered, but Carmen planned on releasing his own version later that year. So, even though she would release Change of Heart before Carmen, out of deference, You Keep Me Dancing was chosen instead, with Change of Heart being relegated to the B-side. 

Carmen's version of the song, released in September of 1978, would manage to hit #19 on the Hot 100 and #6 on the Adult Contemporary chart, as well as #14 in Canada. 

It would later be recorded by Patti Boulaye and country singer Donna Fargo.

And that's the whole story.

Now, on to the competition!

The Song: Change of Heart

The Competitors: Sang vs. Carmen

Change Of Heart - Samantha Sang

Change Of Heart - Eric Carmen

Samantha Sang

I have a confession to make... I have a thing for singers with tiny voices. Carole Bayer Sager, for example? Tiny, breathy voice.  Andrea True? Tiny, breathy voice. Samantha Sang? Well, actually she has a big voice, but the Barry Gibb convinced her to sing tiny, hence, that's the voice you're hearing on this song. 

Another confession? I have a thing for treacly pop songs, as in, I can't get enough of them. That doot-dah-doot opening? Music to my ears. I owned this album, but waited for it to hit the cut-out bins. It sat on my turntable for a month solid. That breathy delivery? Love it. The production here is very sharp, with everything in focus. When it comes to the arrangement, because they were dealing with a tiny voice, they did their best not to compete or overwhelm. 

I adore all her odd pronunciations and twisted syllables. When she gives the word "bright" multiple 'i's, I am in heaven. And there's that keyboard sound... sort of like bells. It was of the period and since I have a thing for the time period, I also have a thing about that particular keyboard. (Yes, I have got a lot of 'things.') 

I don't like the scooping she does on the chorus. That lunging forward sound; it's a weird interp. Hear those Bee Gee like harmonies? Fun stuff. And the doot-do's are back, yay! Though I take issue with that stupid flute that accompanies them note for note. 

Second verse, same as the first, including odd syllables. I find them charming. My only complaint about this as we go into the second chorus is that deliberate emphasis on every other word as she sings the title of the song. "And if you EV-ah HAVE a CHANge of heart..." Musically, it doesn't make a lot of sense. It's like she's never sung in English before.   

A key change because? I dunno. Because key changes were very 'in?'

Adore the way she pushes the beat on the bridge, as if racing to get to that orgasmic "in my heart..." Another chorus and we fade out, although that damn flute gets one more mocking moment. Given that...

I still love this. 

Eric Carmen

I remember buying this album the day it came out. I also remember buying the 45, too. I had no money, but Eric was worth it.  

Carmen's approach is much meatier, although a bit more frazzled sounding than I remember. Still, a nicely filled out arrangement with some bottom to it. Carmen is a bit breathy sounding, too. It was the times, I guess. I love that plucked guitar work, giving this a little extra rhythmic muscle - although it sounds like something that was most likely programmed. I'm talking about that slight-sounding repeated scatter shot beat which apes the plucking of guitar strings running under the verse. 

Love the build into the chorus. Carmen puts the same emphasis on the same words as Sang, but breaks them apart so it doesn't sound like a rubber road (wavy). Strange, I never considered the Bee Gees influence on Carmen's version before, but after having listened to Sang's version with that in mind, one cannot listen to this one without hearing the same influences - the breathy vocals, the backing vocals and the R&B emphasis which was somewhat foreign for Carmen. Falsetto is nothing new for Carmen, he's used his to great effect throughout his storied career, however the breathiness? That's the influence of the Bee Gees and the times. 

The transition into the bridge is sure odd. That sudden shift into a totally different sound. The guitars on the bridge, so-not programmed, perhaps a bit sloppy even. You know what's buried in the mix? Carmen's piano. And, given what a wonderful player he is, that's a damn shame. That rev up as we return to the chorus after the bridge? A perfect place to allow that naturally percussive sound to dominate and warm this up a bit, while reminding us all what a great pianist he is.  

So, vocally, Carmen can hold his own, therefore, by the time we get to the final chorus? There's a lot going on. I get a sense that they were working very hard to generate some excitement here. Does it pay off? Not as much as hoped, but it's still fine. I think it's the way he rips on "love - can - do" that sells this for me. Though he keeps going back to that falsetto well a bit too often. 

The Verdict

I like them both. 

If you don't like the song, I understand. This kind of pop? It's a bit schlocky. But me? I like schlocky.

Sang's version is cute. And I do like it. I like her. 

But Carmen's version feels a lot more authentic. I like the arrangement a lot better; there's more to it because Carmen's voice can handle it. Also, I had a huge crush on Carmen and while I could see myself taking Sang to prom, the whole night I would be wondering what Eric was up to. 

So, it's Eric Carmen for me. 

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And that's my two cents worth. 

Okay, your turn! Let me know what you think. Leave your thoughts in the comments section. You know how I love to hear from you!

That's all for now.

Thanks for reading... and listening!

Change of Heart - Eric Carmen

Carmen and Sang 

both being promoted in Japan