Song #85 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “A New England”, originally by Billy Bragg and covered by Kirsty MacColl. Here’s the original:
I’m not the world’s biggest fan of one-dude-with-a-guitar music, but Bragg has a sound that stands out from that crowd. Here’s MacColl:
Speaking of things that are distinctive, there’s no mistaking what decade that was made in, right? I like it, and I like the way the perspective changes with the gender of the singer, as the Popdose commentary notes. And since such a thing exists, here’s Bragg singing it with MacColl:
According to MacColl’s Wikipedia page, Bragg now includes the verses MacColl added to the song since her tragic death in 2000. Which is your favorite?