Every Little Bit Hurts

Did I mention that I love cover songs? Oh, yeah, I did...on the first day of this blog. Surprisingly, after the Beatles, I'd have to say one of the best groups to choose consistent cover choices would be the Clash. And while (given their reggae influences) it doesn't seem unusual for them to cover, say, Junior Murvin's "Police and Thieves" or Toots & the Maytalls "Pressure Drop", their rendition of Brenda Holloway's "Every Little Bit Hurts" seems an odd choice at first. Holloway was an early Motown singer who only had a couple more top 40 hits including the 1967 single "You Make Me So Very Happy" which hit number 39 in 1967 (this tune, which she cowrote, would become more famous with the 1969 Blood Sweat & Tears version). Still, the Clash's take on this gem works as Mick Jones keeps true to the original. Simple and surprisingly tender

The Clash's rendition was released on the 1991 boxed set "Clash on Broadway", a really fantastic collection released in the early days of the boxed set. The single, though, is easily obtained through iTunes, Amazon, and others. Other enjoyable covers of this song to check out include the Spencer Davis Group (with Steve Winwood on vocals), The Small Faces, and, most recently, live by Alicia Keys