This month’s The Original Vs. The Cover is tackling another Kink’s song. I must be a glutton for punishment because the last time I did a Kink’s song, I was blasted by the Kink’s fans for not picking the Kink’s song. Their fans are rabid, no doubt!! Will I make the same mistake again…we will see shortly!
This month’s song is the Kink’s deep cut classic called “Stop Your Sobbing”. The song is off the band’s 1964 debut album simple called “Kinks”. There are two stories about the song and it’s origin, but both similar. The first is that Ray Davies’ girlfriend was so upset that they were becoming famous that she broke down in tears as she was worried she would lose him. The second is that Ray broke up with his girlfriend and she was so upset, she started crying and it pissed him off. Either way, she lost him!! I am sure those rabid Kinks fans will let me know the right story.
The Pretenders covered the song for their own debut album, ‘The Pretenders’, and had some decent success with it hitting the Top 40 in the UK, but only the Top 100 in the US. The coolest thing to come out of the song was that singer, Chrissie Hynde got to meet Ray Davies as a result of them singing the song. A budding relationship started between the two which actually led to a child. I would say they both got a lot out of it.
Now, let’s get to the songs…
THE KINKS
The song was written back in 1964 and definitely sounds like it. It has that early 60’s British vibe and compared to some of their other songs, this one is very simplistic which is part of its charm. Ray sings so effortlessly, but you can feel the frustration that the young lady won’t stop sobbing. Nothing he says will make her stop.
The backing vocals have his then girlfriend and future wife, Rasa Didzpetris-Davies, and Dave Davies which add such a quaint and beautiful quality to the song. The guitar work is minimalist with a few nice fills, but it is mostly the rhythm section of Pete Quaife on bass and Mick Avory on drums that keeps the song moving and driving forward. All together it is a fantastic song and there is not one thing to complain about.
THE PRETENDERS
The Pretender take the song to a totally different level and vibe. It starts off with only Chrissie Hynde singing the first line before exploding in to this upbeat, uptempo pop song. They’ve added a handclap and really turned it up a notch. Nick Lowe produced and he brought his expertise to turn this in to a pure power pop track. There is a little more guitar with James Honeyman-Scott and the rhythm section of Pete Farndon on bass and Martin Chambers on drums do as good as job as The Kinks’ rhythm section as keeping the song moving.
The band added a little instrumental break and Chrissie adds extra “Stop Stoppin'” lines for dramatic impact to show her frustration that the guy won’t stop sobbing. All this added about 30 seconds to a very short original song. Now it was around 2:38 vs 2:06 for the Kinks. But the star here is Chrissie and those vocals. Such a powerful, subtle and beautiful voice and can she deliver a lyric…Wow!. Again, another song that is brilliant and nothing to complain about.
THE VERDICT
Do I have to decide on which one? I really like both songs for very different reasons. There is no denying The Kinks’ version is sensational and The Prentenders’ took it in a different direction and made it their own. Neither superior to the other, but I created this cruel game where I have to pick one. And I am afraid the Kink’s fans are going to be mad, yet again. I truly love Chrissie Hynde and her voice. There is something special about it and it just grabs me and causes me to melt a little. For that, I have to go with The Pretenders. Don’t hate me Kinks’ fans, but I have to go with my heart.
I am really interested in hearing what everyone else thinks of these two songs. Let me know which version you like the best and why. Feel free to leave a comment and talk about the song and tell me how right or wrong I am on this one. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.
“Stop Your Sobbing”
Yes it’s time for you to stop all of your sobbing
There’s one thing that you gotta do
To make me still want you
Gotta stop sobbing now
Yeah, stop it, stop it
Gotta stop sobbing now
It is time for you to laugh instead of crying
Yes it’s time for you to laugh so keep on trying
There’s one thing that you gotta do
To make me still want you
Gotta stop sobbing now
Yeah, stop it, stop it
Gotta stop sobbing now
Each little tear that falls from your eye
Makes, makes-a me want
To take you in my arms and tell you to stop all your sobbing
Yes it’s time for you to stop all of your sobbing
Yes it’s time for you to stop all of your sobbing
There’s one thing that you gotta do
To make me still want you
Gotta stop sobbing now
Yeah, stop it, stop it
Gotta stop sobbing now
Stop it, stop it
Gotta stop sobbing now
Sobbin’ sobbin’ sobbing
2 Loud 2 Old Music 
Heard the Pretenders track and always thought that was there own tune! Little did I know. lol
I’ll have to go with the Pretenders on this one as well John. Hopefully, Ray and Dave made some good coin as other artists took their tunes and got a ton of radio and video airplay as a result of it.
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I was thinking about that because it seems I know more Kinks songs by other people than I do by the Kinks.
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Ha I’m with u on that one!
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Yep I’m with ya both on this one.
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Dave gets nothing as he is not a composer for this song.
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I’m another one who likes both versions. If forced to choose, I think I am with you on favoring the Pretenders take. Despite the same lyrics, something about Chrissie’s delivery makes the song’s message seem more inclusively targeted to us sad humans vice just that one sad human.
And appreciate the history, I had believed wrongly that the Pretenders’ recording of the song resulted from Chrissie and Ray’s acquaintance rather than spurring it.
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Thanks. Chrissie’s vocals are always great. She is something special.
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Yes, Kinks fans can be pretty rabid. I’ve received a few biting comments myself for not including a Kinks song among my picks for the 10 best rock songs of the 60s.
Anyway, I too thought this song was a Pretenders original. I agree with you about Chrissie Hynde’s voice, and my pick would also be The Pretenders’ cover version.
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So far, they have been kind and no backlash…yet
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You know, sometimes people cover The Kinks, and it turns out brilliantly. Still my preference is to the Kinks, I just have a lot of affection for Davies’ voice.
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That Kinks song is awesome and I almost went there.
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Not an overall fan of this song. I guess I better stop my sobbing. Lol
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It’s okay. Sob all you want…let it out
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Rabid is a bit harsh. We’re just well respected dedicated followers.
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I’m sorry. I mean it in good fun. I love your dedication to the band.
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I would go with the Kinks version. I like the sixties sound and that era. It’s hard to beat Ray’s distinctive voice. This is like with Beatle covers…I’ll go with the Beatles 99 percent of the time because no one else has that sound.
Although it would not stop me from listening to the Pretenders version…she does a great job.
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I hope it wouldn’t stop you…ha! Ray does have a distinct voice which makes them such a great band.
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Oh no nothing stops me from hearing a cover. Now I will say most of the time the one I hear first is usually the one I like for some reason.
I’m strange though because I’m 53 but my music taste is of a 65-70 year old lol.
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That is funny. Sometimes my taste is of that age, but there is a lot of new stuff I really like. I’m with you and usually the first I hear is my favorite but that has not always been the case with theses posts.
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That is why I started to blog…well to find old new music which I missed and…to find new music. Sometimes I find something I really like that is new. I do try to keep an open mind.
There are some good bands out there now that don’t get played in mainstream
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As a huge Kinks fan, I can admit that the only cover of a Kinks song that is superior to the original is this Pretenders version….and she might have done it again on their second album with I Go To Sleep, which Ray Davies also wrote but only released in demo form
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It takes a real fan to admit that. Good on you. But that Kinks song is still awesome. Thanks so much for commenting.
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Mick Avory (although on the cover) did not play on The Kinks first album. He was replaced in the studio by Clem Cattini or Bobby Graham. He began playing the studio with them in 1965. Great song! I think the Kinks did a great live version of it on 1980’s “One For The Road.” So I vote Kinks!
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Thanks for the information. I love to know stuff like that. I will have to check the live version out.
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I am a die hard Kinks fan but I tend to agree the update version plays well. Let face it, it is alway easier to improve on something that already exists. The simplicity and impact of the original is brilliant, so I love Ray for writing it and the Kinks for blazing the trail with the original. That being said the original is darn good too.
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You can’t go wrong with either version. Both spectacular. The Kinks were such trailblazers for sure. They are legends in rock.
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I’m with you on this one, John – it’s not that one is superior to the other, but I’ll go with Chrissie & co. as well
I think I’ll put on that pretenders LP today too, the guitar tones on Lovers of Today, exceptional!
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Good one to listen to, I hope you enjoy it!
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You definitely also have to listen to The Kinks live version of the song on their One For The Road album, then I think you will change your mind. The orginal studio version was made 16 years earlier and so opportunities to develop songs was quite different. Having said all this, The Pretenders version is a great cover and so everyone’s a winner!
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Thanks Neil for the suggestion. I will do just that. And yes, everyone is a winner with this one as they are both great.
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Like both. Like Neil says, we’re all winners. CB the fence sitter.
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As long as your comfortable on the fence, I’m good with that.
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Pretenders for me, The Kinks version is comparatively lifeless (ditto their David Watts as opposed to The Jam’s). Oh and I briefly shook Chrissie Hynde’s hand at a gig in1980.
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Does anyone know what the correct lyric is after “Gotta stop sobbing’ —“ in the chorus? Everyone has it as “now”, but it sounds like two words, something like “at all”.
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I see what you are saying, but I don’t really know. It is really hard to make out. Maybe he is turning “now” in to two syllables.
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I was 15 at the time of the ‘British Invasion’. I liked many of the bands from across the pond at that time, but The Kinks were my favorite, mainly for the lead guitar licks played by Dave Davies. I’m also a big fan of Chrissy Hynde and The Pretenders, but I have to go with the original on this one. The Kinks were fantastic and REALLY rocked!!! I remember my teenage friend and I would take the Kinks over the Beatles ANY day. I was a big fan of the late George Harrison, so while I did also like the Beatles, they sang mostly love songs where as The Kinks lead guitar licks were really loved by us teen boys back than, and still are today. The Beatles were smooth, more popular, (especially with the teen girls) but The Kinks were something special, as the decades have proven. The Kinks were bad ass!! LOL!!
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Compared to the Beatles, you are right, The Kinks were badass!! I have never completely dived in to the Kinks and I think I need to really do that. My problem was the 80’s Kink didn’t do it for me so I never went back to explore much.
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