Welcome to my Amy Winehouse Mix CD. If you don’t know what my Amy Winehouse Mix CD is, read this. Today I reveal the first track: “Valerie (’68 Version)” taken from Amy’s posthumous 2011 album Lioness: Hidden Treasures. I’ve always considered Lioness to be a hastily thrown together collection of tracks without any real consistency or continuity. To be honest, it felt like a rush job to capitalize financially and/or shift the conversation about Amy back to the music and away from the tabloids in the wake of her death. Lioness was released less than five months after Amy passed. I don’t consider it a proper Amy Winehouse release the way Frank and Back To Black are. Those are albums. Lioness is a compilation. That doesn’t mean there weren’t some gems. At the top of that list is the ’68 version of “Valerie”.
I knew the moment I heard “Valerie” that it was a cover, but I kind of assumed it was a dusty 60s soul classic. The insanely catchy original version comes from a band called the Zutons (autocorrect wants me to call them The Futons, which is fun) circa 2006, around the same time that Mark Ronson was wrapping his own album called Version and Back To Black with Amy. According to a recent article from The Guardian, Ronson was hoping to get Amy to contribute something for his album and Amy loved “Valerie” so they brought in the Dap Kings and put their own spin on it.
There’s no doubt “Valerie” belongs on my mix CD, but the only question was which version to use: The version that ultimately made Ronson’s album or the “’68 Version” from Lioness? Ronson’s version is a bit more upbeat, the vocals are slightly different, and there’s an occasional chime sound that unintentionally gives it a holiday feel. To me it’s not even close. The ’68 version is where it’s at. The reason I chose the ’68 version is the guitar. The slightly slower tempo. The funkier drums. Did I mention the guitar? Whatever Ronson did to make that guitar sound like ’68, kudos. Once you’ve heard the ’68 version the guitar is noticeably absent in the regular version and it makes all the difference. Winehouse’s vocals are phenomenal on both, but I also give the edge to ’68. You really can’t lose with any version – including the Zutons’ original – because it’s an amazing pop song. Respect to Zutons’ front man Dave McCabe for telling a great story and writing a masterpiece in the process. I don’t like being the “they don’t make them like this anymore” guy, but goddamn it, they just don’t. Y’all can have Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter who whatever mediocre corporate creation passes for good pop music now. Give me “Valerie”. This song is perfect.
In case getting the Zutons original, the version from Ronson’s album, and the ’68 version weren’t enough, here’s one more for you. Easily my favorite live version of “Valerie” is a slowed and stripped down performance from BBC Live Lounge Session in 2007. I’ve scoured the internet and cannot find a video of it to save my life, but it is available on her Amy Winehouse At The BBC collection so you’ll have to settle for the audio. It’s arguably better than any of the studio versions, and in fact on my first Amy Mix CD I chose this version. You will hear me say this many times over the next three weeks: I’m a big fan of any track that strips down the music and allows Amy’s vocals to shine. She sounds flawless on this version along with a guitar, bass, organ, and no drums.
As beautiful as this track is, I can’t hear it without thinking that we barely scratched the surface of the greatness Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson could’ve achieved together. Ronson has had an amazing career regardless, but there was so much untapped potential there. This song – like many of Amy’s – makes me ache thinking about what could’ve been. As they both grew and perfected their crafts the possibilities were limitless. “Valerie” should’ve just been the beginning. Unfortunately it was also the end. Every listen to this song is always slightly bittersweet.
I close my ode to “Valerie” with a quote directly from Ronson in the aforementioned Guardian article: “Valerie is the one song Amy sings that’s devoid of the pain and torment in her own music, which is why it’s such a beloved piece of her. You can forget the sadness and tragedy and just celebrate her voice.” Beautifully said, Mr. Ronson. I won’t attempt to elaborate any further.
Back with the second track tomorrow.
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