Song #48 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “Tears Of A Clown”, originally by Smokey Robinson, and covered by English Beat. Here’s the original:
Smooth as silk. There was nothing else quite like Motown at its peak. Here’s the cover:
There have been many times in this series where I’ve been completely unfamiliar with an original version. This is a rare time when I’ve never heard of the cover. I like it – I prefer my ska in measured doses, but it’s an effective way to re-purpose a well-known song. What do you think?