He messed up Janet’s ‘Good Thing’

I swear, some songs just should not be covered.

All of the buzz around Janet Jackson’s current tour has loyal fans more excited than we’ve been in a long time, and one of the highlights of the show is a medley of Janet’s pre-”Control” material. As expected, the inclusion of “Young Love,” “Say You Do” and “Don’t Stand Another Chance” has many fans revisiting and discussing her early material. Over at the forum at popular fan site Janet Xone, a thread came up about a little-known cover version of the 1982 fan favorite “Don’t Mess Up This Good Thing.” The verdict from Xoners was swift and declarative: It wasn’t a good look. 

Mind you, “Don’t Mess Up This Good Thing” is hardly Grammy material, but it works because beyond Janet’s bubble gum vocals, it boasts production and backing by the wizards behind the Solar Records sound. It, like the eponymous debut it came from, is just good, no-frills teen pop-soul. Truth be told, it sounds so similar to the work Solar trio Shalamar was doing at the time, I can almost hear Jody Watley singing it. Now that would have been some hot shit.

Unfortunately, the only other version that exists is the one by Glenn Scarpelli, a former child actor best known for his role as Alex on the hit show “One Day at a Time.” Recorded around 1984, Scarpelli’s version of the song is just not the correct answer. I’m not a hater, but it is obvious that this was one of those records that would not have existed had it not been for Scarpelli’s appeal to the teen market via his career in television. (Think Kim Fields’ lopsided croon on the quirky but memorable ode to The King of Pop “Dear Michael.”) Though the track is still danceable, the production is nowhere near as crisp as the original – and the singer’s coarse, formless vocals do nothing to help the situation. Since Scarpelli has stated in interviews that a team of people pulling the strings of his career surrounded him, this may not have even been something he wanted to do. I’m just glad he never tried to mount a serious recording career.

But hey, I won’t hold it against him. We all make mistakes.

Check out Scarpelli’s version at the top of the post and Janet’s at the bottom. You already know who I think the winner is. ☺

~ by S. Flemming on September 26, 2008.