Cover to Cover - Big Mama Thornton Vs Elvis Presley - Hound Dog

Every Thursday BBC London presenter Robert Elms does a feature called Cover to Cover where he plays an original song followed by a cover version and then asks the public which one is better. Today he made a truly inspired choice (well he didn't, he invites a listener to suggest a song). The choice was Hound Dog. Now I'd guess that most people know the Elvis Presley version. Most of us are less familiar with the version by Big Mama Thornton, the original. I've heard it a few times, but never really thought to ask the question "Is it better than the Elvis version?".

When Robert proposed the question and I actually thought about it, I had to say that Big Mama's version is far superior. Incredibly, the listeners of his show agreed. Here is Big Mama Thorntons versions




 And here is the Elvis Version

What do you think?

I must say that I consider the Robert Elms daily show to be the finest and most interesting show on the Radio. It goes out between Noon and 3pm. It is intelligent and informative and if you love living in London, you'll love it. Just about every subject under the sun is covered and it is local radio at it's best.

When I started blogging, my intention was to cover the cultural side of London and the music scene. Sadly the completely bonkers political situation in Barnet has caused much distraction and in some ways I regret having gained a little notoriety for covering such a tardy subject. Sadly it seems that if the Barnet bloggers don't no one else will, as displayed so vividly this week with the Holly Farm Story, where only the Barnet Bloggers intervention forced a massive public interest story into the pages of the local papers.

Please do me a favour and elect some vaguely competent politicians in May. If you know your local councillor is useless, a sleazeball, a violent thug or a lazy dimwit, chuck them out and vote someone else in. There are plenty of Councillors on all sides, who I would be happy to see re-elected as they are decent human beings. Sury Khatri in Mill Hill for the Tories is one, Jack Cohen for the Lib Dems is another and Alan Schniederman for Labour is another. It is time for us in Barnet to look beyond the party and elect decent people. I would like to see some independents holding the balance of power and have a council which governs for the citizens, not just for itself and for its own perks and allowances.

I am appalled by the complete lack of intellect of some of the members at the top of the existing regime. If you follow them on twitter, they talk as if the public in Barnet are imbeciles and morons. Please prove them wrong.

If you do, then I can get this blog back to what it was supposed to do.