Original vs Cover- "Come Back and Stay"

Time for another edition of "Original vs. Cover". The challenge of picking which version is the superior. 

Tonight we will look at the song "Come Back and Stay" written by Jack Lee; a hit for British singer Paul Young in 1983. Young also covered two other Lee songs for his debut, "Sex" and "Oh Women"

Lee got his start in what would now be considered a Power Pop supergroup, The Nerves. The band consisted of Lee, Peter Case who went on to form the Plimsouls and Paul Collins who later formed The Paul Collins Beat aka the Beat. The band recorded and released Lee's "Hangin on the Telephone" later a big hit for Blondie.

Lee recorded a solo album in 1981. "Come Back and Stay" was on it. The song is done more in a frenetic, power pop style than Young's new wave/ soul version. Lee's version sounds not unlike some of the Plimsouls best work

                   

                         Jack Lee's version

Paul Young had been the singer in two mildly successful English bands; Streetband and later the Q-Tips. The Q-tips were more in the R&B influenced sound Young would later meld with new wave. "Come Back and Stay" was on Young's debut album "No Parlez". 

Young's credibility was probably hurt some by being marketed as a bit of a teenybopper in England and later the US. The guy is actually a great singer and stylist; kind of a combo of Rod Stewart and Robert Palmer. Shame he never really got the career longevity of those men..

His version is definitely more moody and captures the appropriate angst in the vocal .

Sure, the production sounds of it's time, the 80's. Pino Palladino's fretless bass playing is jaw- dropping and lead to him getting session work with other artist like Don Henley. He was really Young's secret musical weapon....

                       Paul Young's cover

 


 I think both versions are great 
but 
I've got to give the nod, the cover, Paul Young's version.