Who wore it best: A castle built for two

Stevie Wonder "Overjoyed"
Mary J. Blige "Overjoyed"

I'm scared of Mary J. Blige for a few reasons. This is one of them. Her titanic, grapefruit sized balls are another.

Seriously: who, at 21, on her debut album covers Chaka Khan? And not just Chaka Khan, but "Sweet Thing?" And not just covers, but releases the track as a single that goes on to become the definitive version for a generation (or two or all)?

Balls.

And that's why we love her. It's no coincidence that her two highest-charting U.S. singles -- "Not Gon' Cry" and "Family Affair" -- include premium Mary sassin' like, "I shoulda left your ass a thousand times," and "hateration / holleration," respectively. To love Mary is to admire her boldness, her recklessness (particularly vocally -- her aesthetic is almost proud-to-be-flawed), her arrogance (only she could make endearing a diatribe about today's R&B youth beginning with the phrase, "It's not like Beyoncé can't sing, but . . . "). If she's striking fear in your heart, however slightly (even if she's making you scared that she's not gonna hit that next note she's already straining for), she's doing her job.

Mary's cockiness has led her to take on many more classics -- you get the feeling that she's knowledgeable enough to dig up soul obscurities to cover, but she'd rather just raid the canon. And so we get uniformly great remakes of uniformly obvious tracks: Aretha's (sorry, Carole, it's hers) "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman," Rose Royce's "I'm Goin' Down," The Mary Jane Girls' "All Night Long" (sort of), the Emotions' "Best of My Love," Cheryl Lynn's "Got To Be Real," Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much" and First Choice's "Let No Man Put Asunder." Her recent cover of U2's "One," off The Breakthrough, has gotten so much attention that she's set to perform it with Bono on the Grammys. Great. It's not that I don't understand the praise for the track -- Mary's performance is indeed amazing. The track's production (and pointless inclusion of Bono's vocals) is not -- it's just a cleaned-up version of the mind-numbingly bland original.

But that's Mary for you -- most of the aforementioned covers bear remarkable similarities to the originals. Maybe it's out of respect, but considering Mary's ever-present 'tude, I think it's another sign of arrogance: I'ma knock this outta the park without even changing it up, she's saying. She's going toe-to-toe with titans on purpose. Perhaps the most blatant example of this is "Overjoyed," her nearly identical cover of Stevie Wonder's moderate hit from his 1985 album, In Square Circle. Mary's version knocked around for a few years after it was recorded in 1999, bouncing from a Nike commercial to the 2001 Japan-only compilation Ballads to 2003's oft-delayed Wonder tribute, Conception: An Interpretation of Stevie Wonder's Songs.

Mary's "Overjoyed" was produced by Stevie himself and really, it's virtually the same backing track -- Stevie beefs up the bass a bit (it no longer sounds like splashing puddles, thanks to hip-hop culture's demand for a blatant low end), and he turns down the fake strings, but that's about it. Mary, herself, keeps things as close to the original as possible, aping Stevie's every vocal turn, as best she can (for unquestionable proof ,check the 2:58 mark of hers versus the 2:57 mark of his -- the "And though the odds say improbable . . ." section -- identical!).

And so, on virtually equal ground, Mary does what she always does: knocks it out of the park. Her "Overjoyed" has what Stevie's is missing: conflict. Though his voice sounds a bit hoarse in the opening lines, Stevie soon commences joyously gliding over the gushing track, giving a lovely, if forgettable performance (certainly, what I always found so awesome about this song, before Mary even touched it, is the melody and the songwriting, not necessarily the delivery). When Stevie opens his mouth, out comes liquid soul, and he often risks sounding complacent and phoned-in if there's no discernible discord in his work (which is why his sweetness is so effective over sad, sad, sad tracks like, "Lately" and "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer"). Yeah, you know he's overjoyed, but what else is new?

Mary's delivery on the other hand, her natural, gravelly, marvelously flawed tone chafes wonderfully against Stevie's idyllic lyrics. You feel the stucco texture on her castle. You're aware of the pain in turning every stone. You understand what it means for this voice to be overjoyed. The past is caked on her voice, and even if you don't exactly know what it entails, you know that it means so much for her to be, finally, in this ecstatic state.

(As an aside, could someone please, for the love of God, explain to me what the blue fuck " . . . just to find I had found what I searched to discover" means? Please?)

So Mary wins. And I'm not just saying that because I'm afraid she'll choke me if I don't.

Comments

[yancey]

great post brother! totally agreed.

[Eric]

If Stevie was going to have to lose, I'm just glad it wasn't him against Salome de Bahia.

[Lucycat]

I saw Chaka in concert shortly after MJ released "Sweet Thing." As Ms. Khan did the intro for her version she said (I'm paraphrasing) "who told that child she could sing my song?" I think Chaka might have been half joking, but I couldn't be sure.

I love that MJ has enough confidence that she has no problem taking on such classic covers. Having said that, I thought her and Patti Labelle's remake of "Ain't No Way" was weak. That's Aretha's song through and through.

[Scout]

Oh. My. God. I can't believe I love 'Overjoyed' more now than ever.

[anonymouse]

I think you're hearing what you want to hear on this one. Sometimes Mary is great (i.e. that Gap commercial she did, and the duet with Bono), and sometimes, she's flat/off key, like she is on this one. She's also just mimic'ing the original here. I don't hear anything "extra" about this version. Too kareoke for my taste.

[joshua lim]

Mary is the one in middle school who was the leader of the clique of black girls who waited in the 4th floor halls for any poor passerby so she could beat them up for 3 quarters at lunch.

As for covers, I would have to say her most killeresque covers are Rolls Royce's (?) I'm Goin' Down and Natalie Cole's Our Love. Both, like all other covers she's done, are note-for-note faithful to the originals.

[Rich]

Shit. I totally forgot "I'm Goin' Down." Duh. Adding it above.

I don't know Natalie's "Our Love," but I'll totally check on it.

[Saun]

While I am the biggest fan of Mary J, I would have to disagree on this one. Overjoyed is my favorite Stevie song and Mary does it well but she'll never beat Stevie on this. A live version may be better though. Mary is much better live.

[MotherSister]

"Just to find I had found what I'd searched to discover" = I already had what I was looking for. In other words, I found that I'd already found what I was I trying to find and just didn't know it!

LOL. Stevie's a genius!

[Keisha]

OMG I'm a HUGE Mary J fan. Lol, on a note other than her music though, did you read that article where she threatened anyone from PETA that would DARE try to throw paint on her fur coat? To paraphrase, let's just say Mary's not scared to cut a bitch!

[Quel]

Stevie Wonder is...wonderful. It's ridiculous how talented he is and how much his music has influenced so many artists who've come after him.

I been sleepin' on Mary, but I'm waking up.

Rich, thanks for blogrolling me! I feel all cool and stuff now.

[summer]

"Sweet Thing" or as Mary says, "Sweet Thang" is the version of my generation. And "Our Love" mentioned above, oh, so, so good.

I was disappointed somewhat in her latest CD because of the production. It is so frustrating that the bass is so amped up in so many songs that you can't hear Mary. And that's why you like Mary. For the gritty, gravely voice that makes you feel the pain. I emphasize somewhat, thought, because I can't stay mad at Mary. I just turn the bass way, way down and turn the treble way up so I can hear gems like -- "and then you take me to the level of some bullshit / say you never had these problems from a white chick". Tell his ass, Mary, tell 'im!

[price]

And she sampled "Nadia's Theme"!! Between that sample and the video, "No More Drama" is the clear predecessor to "Trapped In the Closet", except not embarrassing.

[GoldenLady]

I can't give it to Mary. I like her version, but at best it's a good imitation. Stevie reigns. No one can remake his music better than him.

[tigerlilly]

Overjoyed is one of my all time favorite songs, and I think Mary sounds dry and lifeless singing it. This cannot touch Stevie's version. It has no emotion, no life, no nothing. It's like Christina Agu-whatever singing at last. She just could not live up Etta James, and Mary couldn't either. This version makes my heart hurt.

[Foxy]

No one's mentioned that soul diva-face off between Mary and George Michael on Stevie's "As"? 'Cause I find it quite tasty.

Mary Blige is very special...(uh huh uh huh uh huh uh huh...)

[sunburst]

Another cover that she did that was only a white label release was Aretha's "Rock Steady." Now that one actually shyed away from the original. It had guitar riffs from Lenny Kravitz and Jay on the rhymes. It was a big risk, but from what I hear, it was an underground club banger!! Aretha zealots may not like it, but I actually enjoyed it.

OOOH. I almost forget, on a UK bootleg, she has a version of Angie Stone's "Everyday." MARY KNOCKED IT OUT THE PARK! It was better than Angie's!!!

[sunburst]

Ok. I'm a Mary FAN-atic. I almost forgot her cover of Dorothy Moore's "Misty Blue." Almost identical to the original, but to quote Rich, Mary delivers "her natural, gravelly, marvelously flawed tone" on this one as well. Now, she does scream a little too much for me on that one, so I can only listen to it in doses; but, it was very ballsy of her to redo such an R&B classic.

[aqua]

Do you allow the owner of http://fadedyouth.blogspot.com/2005_12_11_fadedyouth_archive.html to use your images? Because I have seen several of your images there with "YOU HEARD IT FIRST HERE!" He even linked to the devilish Tyra Banks one!

Is it that sad that I read your blog so much that I recognize your (stolen!) pictures on other sites?

[Rich]

Ha -- thanks for the heads-up. I don't read Faded Youth, so I'm not aware of any stealing going on.

But what can you do?

But to answer your question: no, no one has permission to just take my shit without throwing me a link a link. Except for Fresh, since if I ever decide to procreate, it's going to be with her.

[Takeitoutside]

Wow..i've been looking for this song for a minute. I've heard the Stevie Original since I was a kid, so I can't give it to Mary on this one. But I'm a huuuge Mary fan. Great post btw

[Johnny Chicago]

I've always hated Mary Jane Blech because she steals. EVERYTHING. ANYONE. ELSE. HAS. DONE.

On the upside, this dopey copycat bitch knows how to whore it better than any slut who's ever sucked a greasy cock (and with her bulbous lips, don't think a few producers haven't dumped their hot nutzos in there!).

The Blechster has even gotten commericals for her shameless stealing talents.

There is a room in musical Hell for her, and a 17 inch strap-on, administered by the late Ella Fitzgerald, is waiting for her.

Dirty fucking CUNT.

[Bourgeois Nerd]

I love Ms. Mary J. Blige! Not just because she used the word (?) "dancerie" in "No Mor Drama," but also because there's an air of sadness and melancholy to her that draws you in. I remember watching a "Behind the Music" or somesuch on her once and the bitch has been through it. Plus, she's always so well put together. The difference between her classic, simple, appropriate white ensemble when she sang on New Year's couldn't have been more different than the slips of chiffon and thrust-forward boobs covering Mariah Carey's crazy ass. (BTW, Mariah, we're really tired of looking at it. Put a sweater on.)

[terri]

thank you for delivering the gospel of mjb!!! you nailed the explanation of why she is so magnificent. it's not about an awesome voice in the traditional sense, but the raw emotion she exposes in her singing and how she draws you in to every lyric and note whether you want to come in or not. for the all haters: just respect mary's pimpin'....

[love her]

don't forget her cover of stevie's "always" with george micheals which is so tight that it makes you forget the stevie actually did it first. her voice is great - true, raw emotion. i mean, that girl can sang!