In celebration of CBC Music’s new Killer Covers stream, we’re pitting some of the most famous cover versions against the originals. Once a day for two weeks we'll post an original song and its cover, and you can vote for which version you prefer.
Today, “Tainted Love.”
“Tainted Love” was written by Ed Cobb and released by Gloria Jones in 1965. The song, which had a Motown sound despite not being a Motown song, was initially a bit of a flop. It only became a hit after it was covered. Check out the original, which you may never have heard before.
In 1981, British new wave duo Soft Cell released a slowed-down, synth-heavy cover of the song. Their rendition became the most famous version and a top 10 hit in several countries. I bet Ed Cobb was pleasantly surprised about that.
Since Soft Cell’s success with "Tainted Love," it has been covered dozens of times, most notably by Marilyn Manson in 2001 on the Not Another Teen Movie soundtrack. Manson’s version is really a cover of a cover, as it incorporates some of the same synth sounds used by Soft Cell.
Check back tomorrow for another cover song matchup.
Related:
Cover Wars: 'I Will Survive'
Cover Wars: 'Leaving on a Jet Plane'
Cover Wars: 'Blinded by the Light'