The Puppini Sisters vs Findlay Brown vs Wham!
Written by Father Guido Sarducci IV // December 16, 2010 // Music, The Conservatory // 3 Comments
Like This and Like That is the new column from Snobcast extraordinaire, Father Guido Sarducci IV. The procedure: Every morning (OK, maybe not every morning) Guido will snatch the first crisp, clean & new mp3 he stumbles upon, listen to it at least once, and then find an old song (ten years or more) for some good old-fashioned compare and contrast. The purpose: To draw a line between the modern and the out-of-date. The premise: To expose the kids to their past while also showing the unfashionable adults that there’s great new music being made every day. Thus, if you like This than you might like That.
“Last Christmas (Wham! cover)” by The Puppini Sisters vs “Last Christmas (Wham! cover)” by Findlay Brown
[audio:http://godonnybrook.com/home/wp-content/themes/mimbo2.2/images/04-Last-Christmas-Wham-cover.mp3|titles=Last Christmas (Wham! cover)]
Many musicians have covered the modern classic “Last Christmas” by Wham! The Puppini Sisters are just the latest. “Last Christmas” is a great unrequited love song that happens to take place over christmas. Who wouldn’t want to put this on their christmas album? What’s awesome about this cover is the vintage 40s sound that the Puppini Sisters use. These sisters from the UK tend towards a jazzy, 1940s style, and I think it goes well with the source material. Usually, a christmas song isn’t the best place to be introduced to a new group, but I find myself wanting to know more about these “swing-punk” gals. The unrelated girls (their name is a tribute to The Andrews Sisters) have been doing their in-your-face swing since 2004, and, according to Marcella Puppini, the group sings about modern and risque subjects in a quaintly old fashioned way. Christmas with the Puppini Sisters (October 5, 2010) is the groups third album.
[audio:http://godonnybrook.com/home/wp-content/themes/mimbo2.2/images/Last-Christmas.mp3|titles=Last Christmas]
Findlay Brown is a singer-songwriter who, like the Puppini Sisters, hails from the UK but recently relocated to NY. I guess the British really like Wham! This British crooner has been doing his soulful 60s surf-pop thing for about as long as the Sisters. On this cover, Findley smartly chose to tone-down the surfside and keep it on the more mellow soul-meets-folk side.
For those that don’t know, “Last Christmas” is a 1984 song by British pop duo Wham!, written by George Michael. Here’s a list of other notable(?) covers of the modern classic: Danish singer, Whigfield; English singer/actress, Billie Piper; American singer/actress, Ashley Tisdale; Crazy Frog aka The Annoying Thing; German eurodance group, Cascada; Swedish eurodance group, Alcazar; and about 75 more.
3 Comments on "The Puppini Sisters vs Findlay Brown vs Wham!"
Almost exactly three years ago to the day, on this very site, I wrote about the three greatest covers of “Last Christmas” ever:
http://godonnybrook.com/home/the-three-greatest-cover-versions-of-last-christmas-ever/
Incidentally, two of the three are not included on the Wikipedia list. I still stand by my picks, especially the Pas/Cal version. That shit is crazy.
But in all earnestness, the reason it’s so frequently covered is because it’s actually a really great song in its original incarnation.
Plus as you noted, it’s only superficially about Christmas–it’s really about moving on from heartbreak but most listeners only hone in on the “I gave you my heart” portion–which makes it weird when radio stations start playing it around the holidays.
Shit! I meant to add that link in the original post. Thanks Prof!
You’re right, the original is a really great anytime song.
Ahhhhh, The Puppini Sisters… My darlings, how I have loved you from afar.
I have oft sat in stunned reminise of their beautiful faces bringing forth the voice of divinity from my Facebook page. How I long for the day when I may sit at a small cabaret table and hear them swing their lovely songs towards me with a knowing wink and an almost missed nod of the head.
I need more cheesy puffs.