Thought I'd begin the week with another two-fer, where co-songwriters performed their song. So much of what a song sounds like depends on the producer, who structures the instruments, the tempo, and the general "vibe" of the song. So, even if the two singers were similar in range and/or vocal quality the outcome could be very different.
But if the two singers ARE different, the producer's input is magnified, and that brings us to today's Time Machine entry. I chronicled the career of Kenny Loggins earlier in this space, as he was the "King of Soundtracks" in the mid-to-late '80s. He had a writing relationship with Michael McDonald that produced "What a Fool Believes" in the late '70s. In 1985 they had another collaboration, this time performed by both writers.
Kenny's version was self-produced, with help from David Foster (he was the guy who wrote the Canadian song for Africa, along with music for the 1988 Olympics and so much more) and Michael Omartian, who's best known for producing Christopher Cross, the multi-platinum debut album that spawned "Ride Like the Wind" and "Sailing".
Michael also self-produced, but got help from Ted Templeman, who did most of the Doobie Brothers' records, along with Van Halen's debut. Michael's charted better. Kenny's version was "different", mostly because it didn't have Michael McDonald. Any song with Michael McDonald is better for it. Anybody singing a song that Michael McDonald sang comes in second pretty much every time.
So, here's Kenny's version:
And here's the superior, in my view, version from Michael McDonald. Because it has Michael McDonald. Enough said.
Notice the subtle difference in how the song is structured. That's the producer. Notice the incredibly soulful vocal. That's Michael McDonald, something no producer can add, unless the producer is Michael McDonald. As Sam Mussabini said in Chariots of Fire "There's a saying in my game, son. 'You can't put in what God's left out.'"
See you tomorrow...
Pete
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