Who Did It Better? Show Me Heaven, Part II - The Dance Edition

Who Did It Better? 

Show Me Heaven

Part II - The Dance Edition

As noted last week... Some songs resonate with a certain country, returning to the charts there time and time again. Such is the case with today's Who Did It Better? selection.

Show Me Heaven is a power ballad written by singer/songwriter Maria McKee (former lead singer of Lone Justice), Eric Rackin and Jay Rifkin.

As you read last week, it found success in the UK recorded by Maria McKee and Tina Arena. In addition it was also recorded in that same manner by Robin Zander of Cheap Trick and Laura Branigan.

However, that was only half the story.

The song would reappear on the UK charts twice more... as a dance song. Yes, it seems the UK's appreciation of this particular song was hardly over.

In 1997, Chimera, a group name used by back-up queen Miriam Stockley, had a dance version of the song which reached #70 in the UK, Stockley, a distinctive singer in her own right, served as back up singer to the stars - Queen, Freddy Mercury, Brian May, Hanoi Rocks, Roger Daltry, Bonnie Tyler, Elaine Paige... the list goes on and on. At age 11, she had a hit in 1976 in South Africa with a remake of Blue Suede's Venus - light years before Banarama got their hands on it.

Then, in 2003,  another dance version by Saint, featuring vocals by Suzanna Dee, reached #36 in the UK in 2003. Suzanna Dee has recorded with the likes of  Nicki French, Saint, Matt Pop, Groovesisters, and Rene Ablaze, as well as her own solo output. To this day, she remains a featured artist at many a Pride festival.

In addition, it was recorded and released again a, a dance single in 2007 by Belgium's Jessy with frequent collaborator Mickey Modell. Jessy started singing when she was eight years old and began her recording career in 1995 as a member of Belgian dance act The Mackenzie ft. Jessy. In 2001 she decided to go solo, finding success with her album, 2002's Rain which featured a trio of popular songs. As for her version of Show Me Heaven, while it did find its way into the clubs and onto the compilation album Clubland 12, it did not make the charts.

And that's the whole story.

Now? Onto the competition. 

The Song: Show Me Heaven

The Competitors: Chimera vs. Saint feat. Suzanna Dee vs. Modell feat. Jessy 

Show Me Heaven - Chimera

(Radio Edit)

Show Me Heaven - Saint feat. Suzanna Dee

(Video Edit)

Show Me Heaven - Mickey Modell feat. Jessy

(Radio Edit)

Chimera

That intro... meh. It's fine. Her voice is fine, too. Once the hi-hat kicks in it feels a bit off, like either the singer or the drums need to catch up, but that resolves as the singer starts the build to the chorus. 

I like her voice. It's treated with lots of reverb, but ethereal all the same. The way her voice breaks brings to mind Maria McKee, whose version I believe this is the answer to. It's sort of a tradition in dance... big ballad single yields dancefloor knock-off. And there's good reason... some of the best dance songs are, at heart, a big ballad with a fat beat underneath it. 

The winning feature is that little bubbly triplet that keeps coloring things. Otherwise? This is a very clean presentation. The vocalist isn't fighting against anything or having to compete for attention. 

Unfortunately, that rhythm track gets overly busy on the chorus, mucking up things, making it feel a tad off. That's a frequent occurrence in Euro-pop Dance mixes like this. Sadly, it cheapens the whole affair. 

And so it continues into the second verse. What doe it remind me of? A galloping cardboard pony. It's a very dead sound and far too busy for this rather plaintive ballad. The the meld the bubbling to the bass line which is supposed to appease us, I guess.

I don't know that I would dance to this. 

And that's the true test of a dance song. It feels very lightweight, disposable and forgettable. 

That said, the vocalist, Miriam Stockley, is really quite lovely.  Wow... I've reached this conclusion at the 1:30 mark, leaving me with two plus minutes to wade through. 

And then, for the second build up to chorus they add cardboard bongos? Why? It's like they're sitting at the board going, "Well, okay, and then what if we add this, huh? That's different. That's something we haven't had before." They're just piling on. 

A slight treble organ underneath the second chorus? A synth, at any rate. I just can't tell if it's supposed to be organ-like or string-like. 

Always love the drop out point in a dance mix. Mainly because of what happens with the lights on the dancefloor. Typically everything that's been flashing brightly and moving about is stilled and you get just the white sprinkle lights that flicker with the tinkly synth still featured in the mix. It's a welcome opportunity to catch your breath and check yourself to see exactly how sweaty you've gotten.

The C-section brings aboard the exact synth expected. Sounds a bit dated now... as does this whole mix, but it was of its time, for sure. The vocalist sure delivers. She's got a number of voices to draw from, which, no doubt, is why she's such a successful back-up vocalist. On the C-section she sounds like Bonnie Tyler on a good day. 

It's the rhythm track on this thing that ruins it for me. So cheap sounding. Which is too bad, because Stockley brings the goods. 

Saint feat. Suzanna Dee

Sorry to use the video version of this song, but the only other version is a remix that runs seven plus minutes and I am reticent to try your patience (or mine) that much. 

Some seven years later...

That tempo feels a bit rushed, no? Ms. Dee is making quick business of those lyrics. I don't mind her voice at all. 

Wow... this just rushes by so fast. That rapid piano and insistent beat put this thing in maximum overdrive and keep it there. 

The drop out at the 1:28 mark is welcome relief. I am rather enjoying her strident vocals. This certainly isn't attempting to ape the original in any manner. 

The arrangement is a bit staid and of the period. I don't know if this would have me running to the dance floor. It's all beat and blare; there's no groove - I like me some groove. Also, at this stage in te game, I don't think I could keep up with that beat. But that could be because I am in a real mellow mood at the moment. 

I like this quieter moment with the vocalist. But it doesn't last long. Why are we in such a rush? This feels rushed.

Does Ms. Dee strike you as a bit shrill? She certainly can bite off the end of a phrase and punches every note. If she is shrill, I don't mind it. 

That back beat they add at the 2:29 mark made me laugh. It seems such a cliché now.

It gets very house near the end with that that series of ascending chords.

Frankly, the whole thing feels like we're off to the races from note one. 

I'm on the fence. It was sort of fun.

Mickey Modell feat. Jessy

Fast forward four more years... elements of house have come home to roost, coloring lighter offerings like this. 

Pitched lower and much more earthy, I do appreciate the softer intro. Jessy has a bit of slyness to her vocals and she's in good form. Modell certainly is having fun. Odd thing is, the tricks he's pulling with her vocals are those used by producers to make up for the deficiencies of a given vocalist; Jessy doesn't seem to need any help, so he's simply stroking himself here. 

We continue with that slow build, but you can hear the storm brewing beneath. But it all seems for nothing... that chorus doesn't take off for me, it's impact not as big as I'd hoped. This is very clean, and a tad ethereal. Jessy's vocals strike me as a bit on the pedestrian side. I was hoping she'd open up her sound more on the chorus. 

Very Ibiza. 

I used to be very into this sound. I remember having a discussion about four years ago with this clerk at a gas station. Whenever I'd go pump gas there, he would be playing some mix tape - and it was all of a kind. I think I mentioned three or four DJs/mixmasters and his eyes got huge and we sort of bonded for a moment over our love of this stuff. 

I do wish Modell would quit messing with Jessy's vocals. It's not helping.  Ugh, he even goes so far as to use auto-tune on her, ala Cher. Again, Jessy doesn't need it. I think her vocals are straight forward and fine. 

The echo effect on the C-section is simply annoying. As is the rather shrill sound created when doubling her vocals. 

Oddly enough, even with all the mucking about on Modell's part, this would indeed get me to the dance floor. I can't explain it. I think it is the fact that it harkens back to those halcyon days. Yes, it was a very drugged out scene, but there was also such a sense of community.

The Verdict

I dunno. 

They each have something to offer. But they each have something that has me looking askance at them. 

I rather adore Miriam Stockley's vocal performance. Yes, it apes McKee's a bit, but she also brings to play additional sounds. I particularly enjoy her Bonnie Tyler moment. But the arrangement left me wanting - it felt lazy and undercooked. 

Suzanna Dee acquits herself quite nicely. A very strident vocalist, but effective. And, well, at least she kept up with that cardiac inducing tempo. I didn't think much of the arrangement. It seemed rather staid. 

And while Jessy sounds in fine form, it's Modell mucking things up for her. I do love that Ibiza-influenced arrangement, though - and it is the only one that would get me to the dance floor. So, despite my misgivings about all the cheap ass vocal manipulations Modell insisted on inserting, and the fact that Jessy is probably the weakest of the three vocalists (she never really asks much of herself), I guess I am going with the Mike Modell feat. Jessy version. 

--- ---

And that's enough of me.

Okay, your turn. You know what to do: leave your thoughts and choice in the comments section.

I'll be very curious to hear what you have to say about these. 

That's all for now.

Until next time...

Thanks for reading... and listening!

Show Me Heaven - Chimera

Show Me Heaven - Mickey Modell feat. Jessy