Bananarama - Venus | REACTION

[@asheard23]

This is a rare occasion where both the original (by Shocking Blue) and this cover by Bananarama hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, in 1970 and 1986, respectively

[@youllis]

The Shocking Blue singer is the one who looks exactly like Lady Gaga, who sang her own song Venus 30-40 years later, respectfully 💖 for some Musical Magic

[@ballyastrocade5672]

Also a rare occasion where the cover version is actually on par with the original, instead of being a pale imitation (or outright butchering) of it. :-)

[@jeantrentleman7543]

@@ballyastrocade5672 speaking of a rare covers check out VANNY VABIOLA he covers are truly amazing I mean I can't think of anyone covering the scropions apologies for interrupting your conversation just felt like sharing Rocko out

[@chrisa4695]

I never knew this was a cover. I’ll have find the original.

[@bobthebear1246]

@@youllis Okay, the original singer of this song looked nothing like Lady Gaga. WTF dude. 🤣

[@dabig25]

Their song "Cruel Summer" was the JAM back in the day. Still Hits Today

[@empathy_is_only_human]

This is the first version of Venus I'd heard growing up. Still love it.

[@Tleeshan]

Me too!

[@lindacoy7165]

Same!

[@brentliebrecht7866]

Only version I have heard or knew of until yesterday.

[@ogmike7302]

Very nice. Love this track. “I heard a Rumor” is another banger by them. 🙏 Thank you for reacting to this one. ✌️😎

[@coolchickgem7209]

Yay! Thanks for covering this ! Can you review some Duran Duran ? It’s the 40th anniversary of their Rio album release on 5/10/22 & they were just inducted to the RNR Hall of Fame. Please check out Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf , Save a Prayer . Thank you for doing what you do !

[@bobmarlowe3390]

@@coolchickgem7209, I think you may have meant 40th anniversary.

[@coolchickgem7209]

@@bobmarlowe3390 typo - thanks I corrected it😊

[@steveparker3652]

It's like having Banarama dancing live in your guest bedroom!!

[@jangle4246]

Yes, Bananarama made the song their own. That was an accomplishment, given how good the original was.

[@JStarStar00]

Uh no they didn't. These chicks sound half asleep.

[@johnsaporta4633]

This cover was mind blowing when it came out. Massive hit. The band members are young, cute, and smashing it.

[@ls-toronto7230]

Britain had the BEST 80s bands! I think you would also enjoy an 80s band from Vienna, Austria: Falco ~ huge in Europe. Great tunes: Amadeus (to date, the single is the only German language song to peak at number one of the Billboard Hot 100, which it did on 29 March 1986), Vienna Calling, Der Kommissar. RIP Falco (Johann Hölzel - 9 February 1957 to 6 February 1998)

[@the_vile_one.]

If you do more covers...I highly recommend the Power Station - Get it on (originall song by T. Rex) Awesome supergroup with Robert Palmer, Tony Thompson, and the two Taylors from Duran Duran.

[@shanedesselle2590]

I second that!

[@AJ17_]

@@shanedesselle2590 Thirded!

[@springfauna1465]

Ohh yeah, that's right!! Excellent suggestion!!! 👍

[@Ken-vk8pb]

Jamel, This cover version of Venus was released in the summer of 1986 and it was more popular than the original version by the Shocking Blue. They also had a big hit with the song "I Heard A Rumour " and I did receive all your notifications the last few days. Please check out the Climax Blues Band and their love song ballad titled "I Love You " from 1981 and I promise you will love hearing and reacting to this song. The song is played at many weddings and is a favorite with women and men. Thanks.

[@Phoenix85006]

How is it "more" popular if they both made it to #1?

[@Ken-vk8pb]

@@Phoenix85006 Both songs made it to #1 but most people are more familiar with the Bananarama version rather than the much older one and the Bananarama version is known by way more people. I was 19 years old in 1986 so I know how popular their version was compared to the Shocking Blue's version. Bananarama's version has appeared in '80's movies also. Most people barely remember Shocking Blue's version even Jamel said in the video he thought Bananarama's version was the original so that's another reason people think that. Much older people will say the Shocking Blue's version and middle age or younger will say Bananarama's version. Bananarama sold way more copies of their single version than did Shocking Blue for theirs so even if both songs made it to #1 The second version was more popular due to selling more records for that single and being more well known and Bananarama's version charted longer on the music charts since I have checked into it.

[@bobthebear1246]

@@Ken-vk8pb That's so cool that you are my age. And yes, I absolutely agree with you on "I Love You" by The Climax Blues Band. OMG, Jamel HAS to do that song and of course dedicate it to his wife!!

[@sjefhendrickx2257]

Not in europe!

[@the_vile_one.]

Loved this group as a kid! Loved 'Shy Boy' too 😊

[@dalekidd420]

This was a huge dance hit in '86 and '87. I was in college at the time, and it seemed this was played constantly in the clubs.

[@surlechapeau]

Jamel, you will love their "Shy Boy" and "It Ain't What You Do (It's the Way That You Do It)"(with Fun Boy Three) " !!

[@nigelwheeler4141]

Glad you got their name right this time,

[@WarPhoenix]

I just listened to this last night! One of my favorites. I never knew it was a cover until I was a teen.

[@manoelmedeiros809]

MUSIC OF THE SHOCKING BLUE. ONE OF THE BEST BANDS I'VE EVER HEARD. MARISKA VERES, PHENOMENON. WHAT EYES!

[@Mangeosaurus]

Shockingly this only reached #8 on their home charts in the U.K. Their back catalogue of hits is phenomenal. They are just about to release their 40th anniversary album.

[@munkeeBraynStoo]

I'm your Beavis, I'm your fire,.. fire,... fire,... fire,... 🔥🔥🔥

[@coffeetime5995]

Thanks for the reaction. I enjoy both versions, but this one gets me up and dancin'💃

[@annieholbis2430]

I remember this like it was yesterday ! ❤

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

Jamel, thanks for the great reaction, as usual. I was one of those who suggested this in the Cruel Summer video so, thanks for doing it. Just to let you know, KZbin didn't alert me of this, or Cruel Summer for that matter, luckily I found them both by going through my feed on here. Their sound was less commercial in the beginning, another track to check out is, 'I Heard a Rumour'.

[@quixote6942]

The Main reason up-and-coming artists do Cover Songs is for two reasons. The First one is to expedite the Albums (So the Covers were considered "Fillers" or "the B Side" ). Or the Producers didn't have much faith in the Original Songs the Group had Thus Far, so they had them Sing "Established" Songs that already had play time and made Money. That's how it was for The Beatles. Over Half the Songs on their First Albums were Covers mixed in with their Hits. Joan Jett couldn't get a Record Deal until she Produced a Powerhouse Album made up of Covers. And Whitney Houston had already made a Name for herself , but She'll Forever be known for her Cover of "I will Always love you" ... To This Day People still think She Wrote it. When they Hear Dolly Singing it, they Sometimes think SHE's doing the Cover!

[@ballyastrocade5672]

Dude, don't Randomly Capitalize words in The middle of A Sentence like That. :-) It makes It Really hard to Read.

[@jimmyhill1069]

This brings back memories ! Was one of my faves back in the day. I used to wire houses with a few other guys and when this song came on the radio we all dropped what we were doing and danced. How could you not? hahahahaha (thank god we didn't have cell phones with cameras back then !!)

[@kelst75]

I remember dancing around my room as a preteen copying their moves & singing my heart out. Or lipsyncing with the hair brush as a mic. Good times.

[@anthonyorians9501]

WOW....back when MTV actually played music videos, whenever I heard this video come on I would rush in to watch!!! I was in love with these girls back then!!!!

[@deanmaynard8256]

One of these girls was also in Shakespeare's Sister (Death in Stay)

[@littlemonkeys4903]

My first 45 was Venus (original) $1 dollar 1969.

[@joenicedj]

The lead singer is Keren Woodward. Her husband is Andrew Ridgeley, otherwise known as the other guy from WHAM! not named George Michael.

[@sarablack2547]

They split in 2017 after 25 years together which is a decent time.

[@ragjamrock]

The original was by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue, in the late 60's.I like the high energy of this cover though.👍🎶

[@Stoney_Snark]

Thanks as always Jamel. These girls were fun MTV content. Mostly covers, but it was always good to see them!!

[@victoriawoods3898]

I love Bannanrama's personalities in this video. Awesome song and reaction.

[@briansredd]

Bananarama has always been a guilty pleasure of mine. My absolute favorite track they do is "I Heard A Rumor". BTW there's one more version of "Venus" to check out by "Don Pablo's Animals".

[@billofalltrades2633]

Oh man, great group, awesome song. 8 haven't heard it in years.

[@doplinger1]

Love the original, but this version is awesome!

[@thaitim007]

For the sound system, i believe the producers are Stock Aitken Waterman, who also did for Dead or Alive (you reacted before) - You Spin me Round.

[@thaitim007]

@@group-music indeed. Mel and Kim i loved a lot.

[@NyMyers64]

I think they had performed this song for a long time and they wanted to style it into a dance track so that's how they ended up releasing it.

[@GeekManagement]

Hey Jamel! Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama has another act called Shakespeares Sister, with a great song called “Stay”, that you should check out!

[@suem6004]

This was a cover of the original 1960s Venus by Shocking Blue. A huge hit though for Bananarama 1980s.

[@ericorbit]

BOTH versions are absolutely fucking awesome and that is EXTREMELY rare.

[@thaitim007]

Hi Jamal. Loved being a UK teenager in 1986. Im glad you like this band. There is more from them like Robert de Niro saying talk in Italian. Try Fuzzbox, another British girl band. Pink Sunshine, International Rescue. Those girls are beautiful and they play instruments. Fun days.

[@thaitim007]

@@group-music indeed. I didn't have time to Google the title, just scraping my memory of 1984. :) Great time to have been 12..

[@thaitim007]

@@group-music human league sound of the crowd and more. Talk Talk, Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, Harold Faltemayer, Jan Hammer.. and then there was house music Marrs, Jack'n'chill, 808 state.. and on.. then Information society and Nine inch nails by 89.

[@thaitim007]

@@group-music incredible stuff. Nothing matches that before or since. Futuristic.

[@Chris-es7qp]

Produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman who pretty much ruled the UK charts mid to late 80's with artists like Dead or Alive, Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, Jason Donavon,Sonia, Mel and Kim... and revitalised the career of Donna Summer

[@randydogs61]

This was then mixed by Dieter at the Club Sprockets and the rest is history!!!LOL

[@gotham61]

The music doesn't come from a "band" as such. The Dum-dum-dum.du.du.du.du.du.dum drum sounds all came from a pre-programmed drum machine. Not much to see there. Other than guitars, the rest of the music is synthesizers played one at a time in the studio by producer Tony Swain. Bananarama was strictly a singing group, they didn't play any instruments, much like groups such as the Spice Girls or One Direction. The music backing was all created by a production team, in Bananarama's case, often a production trio called Stock Aitken Waterman. Their productions have a very distinctive dance floor sound. Listen to another Stock Aitken Waterman production like You Spin Me Round by Dead of Alive, and you'll hear it sounds very similar.

[@melcatley3437]

Stock Aitken Waterman days of music arghh!

[@bobthebear1246]

Did they also do "Blue Monday" by New Order?

[@gotham61]

@@bobthebear1246 Lol no. New Order were, and are, actual musicians. They played and produced that record themselves.

[@craigm.9070]

Timeless beat! Takes me back a long time ago in a galaxy far far away - Victor Sherrod's on Eglin Pkwy!

[@papabones6307]

Know where your talking about, down in Ft. Walten Beach. Went there a couple of times way back in the day when I was tdy a couple of times at Eglin AFB

[@NOAHCASAS]

NICE WITH SOME GREAT 8O'S HIT JUST LIKE 🎶 AIR SUPPLY ~ GOODBYE 🎶 HAS ME THINK OF MI PRIMA REST.IN.PARADISE. 💔💛💚 GREAT MEMORIES WE HAVE AND SHARE THANKS JAMEL_AKA_JAMAL ✌🏼& LO💚E MY BROTHER

[@brianjohnston5325]

Yet another reminder why the 80’s were the best decade!

[@jimmyhill1069]

loved being a teen in the 80's man !

[@springfauna1465]

Being in my 20's in the 80's in Southern California was the BOMB!! Had such a great time 😊✨💜

[@klasseact6663]

I remember this video on beavis and butthead and they said satan's got back when the girl with the red leather pants was dancing

[@broniex14]

Great song - Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) was married to Siobhan Fahey from Bananarama in the late 1980s

[@dwanegibbons9315]

The instruments used in this cover of Venus are studio manufactured loops and samplings. This is a current technique that is used a lot in the recording studios today. Sad but true.

[@Tleeshan]

Very "synthy"

[@beefcakes27]

I wanted them to cover My Boyfriend's Back from 1963. It would have been a hit.

[@WaybackTECH]

This is the first version I heard as a kid in the 80's. 80's was huge for covers.

[@NowVs1980s]

Love Bananarama and this somg. Was dancing around crazy to this.😁 #80srule

[@4evalocd660]

The best club hit💯

[@gamera3000]

The producers were instructed to may this cover sound like You Spin Me Round (Live a Record). You might want to check that out

[@youllis]

PLEASE do the original Shocking Blue she looks SO much like Lady Gaga / venus!💙💖

[@pepe1999ish]

Love this rite here

[@pepsigod2324]

Please do (bananarama-I heard a rumor) next please ! If you can

[@cherylreichardt]

There's Shocking Blue but this version is my favorite! The visuals in the video and that awesome 80's vibe are it!

[@youllis]

And the singer looks just like Lady Gaga personally I can't get over it since Gaga made a new Venus song decades later

[@springfauna1465]

Mine too!!! The way Bananarama did this was like an explosion 💥

[@gerardroll6468]

Jamel… This song was a global smash hit back in ‘86 & it came out just before I graduated from high school. When I was old enough to get into clubs here (18), it was also very high on the request list for those wanting to dance ✌️😄. Off topic… I hope you & the Griffin Bros spoiled Mamma Lolo rotten for Mother’s Day 💐 👍😁💐. I also hope you & the Fam are all well brother ✊️😎🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@AlexHamelMusic]

Ah, cool one. I always find it amazing that Shocking Blue could influence both Bananarama and Nirvana to cover their songs. Nirvana did 'Love Buzz' by them.

[@CodeBleu724]

The "True Confessions" album by Bananarama is spectacular...

[@TheBoltactionrifle]

If you love great 80s harmonies, you need to hear "Something About You" by Level 42

[@loritajohnson5664]

One of my all-time favorites from Level 42!

[@craigmorris4083]

Ah, the national anthem of Isla Island. :)

[@roseblair5273]

This version is discoed out. Check out Shocking Blue original.

[@keithespinoza2064]

Jamal: this is one of only a few songs that has gone #1 twice. I love both versions. Shocking Blue’s 1970 original you could call “power pop”. Bananarama‘s 1986 cover is a 80s “synth-dance club”interpretation. Now you have to complete the Bananarama trifecta and review “I heard a rumor.”

[@eduardojuselinodiazmartine4271]

Shakespear Sister's "Stay"!!!

[@karlsmith2570]

Hey Jamel, one of the ladies of this group, Siobhan, was actually about 3 months pregnant with her first child with her husband, Dave Stuart, the lead guitarist for The Eurythmics

[@sixbladeknife44]

This song reminds me of going in circles on the bobsled ride at the amusement park in the 1980’s 😅

[@JohnCarey1969]

Another great snapshot of the 80s. Now, there are some classic Cameo tracks you can try! I love Word Up! and Single Life, when they were more "commercial"

[@sarahmckinneyrobinson]

Thank youuuuu! ❤️‍🔥 (I hope you saw my last comment on the Cruel Summer reaction about my Bananarama obsession…) It’s all synthesizers by Stock/Aiken/Waterman (SAW)… You should do more Bananarama 🍌🍌🍌 reactions; their style constantly changes. They’re now a duo.

[@thestarseeker8196]

If I’d make a billion dollars by having one of my tracks associated with women’s razors for eternity, I’d do it

[@jeantrentleman7543]

Morning Jamal still really want you to react to VANNY VABIOLA her voice a gift to world from God your subs need to hear this artist here music literally pins you down as it's as if you can't move God speaks to the world through this woman wow wow wow she'll leave you speechless !!!!!!! All the best from the East coast of Canada Rocko out

[@glennspangler3868]

React to ‘I Heard a Rumor’

[@DigiRangerScott]

Pay some respects to the Dancer of Death

[@sumonjamal1653]

British babes in the 80's 😍 U gotta check out Samantha Fox (I suggest 'Touch me') ...and the cover by Kim Wilde of the Supremes' hit "You keep me hanging on" (Kim Wilde opened for Michael Jackson on the 'Bad' tour 1988)

[@bellapepperpatchesfluffy]

now you have to check out love in the first degree! :)

[@nothing2seehere34]

got the notification, and glad I did.. the remake is much better than the original!

[@HotQgav]

Notifications are ok with me...

[@mairikarlovits]

Love the original

[@jen_alanfromchicago53]

They might do covers because they need 1 or 2 more songs, remember at least back then you gotta have enough songs to fill the LP. Or you can do a complete album of only covers because the label wants another record out of you right now and you just came off a year of being on the road doing concerts and haven't written a complete album yet, like Van Halen's 'Diver Down'🤷‍♂️👍

[@yomogami4561]

i'm seeing your room as the back ground with a transparent video over it for some reason. kinda like some talkin' heads stuff

[@strajearocks11]

Love this! Since you are doing 80's songs, How about Spice Girls-"Tell me want you Want" New Kids on the Block," "Step by Step" & Patrick Swayze's "She's like the Wind". Also a early 2000 video is "Here it Goes" by Ok Go-such a cool video"-Must Watch- You will love it!

[@lamusiclover2264]

You wouldn't be able to see the instruments in this video because most of the instrumentation is produced by synthesizers and drum machines, so you'd mainly be looking a few keyboards and computers, which is true of a lot of music these days.

[@daviderrington8224]

One cover I would highly recommend is Sandi Thom's version of the Guns and Roses classic 'November Rain;

[@janethernandez724]

Yes, this was first version I heard of and I thought it was theirs! I heard the original eventually but I like this version better. Perhaps it is because I grew up with this one! :) Enjoyed your reaction! ☮💕

[@dalee72]

This cover was done 17 years later than the original so the originators didn't really plan on having their song be revived as another or as a bigger hit. Bananarama most likely really liked the original and they wanted to pay homage to it by doing their own version of it.

[@darrinlindsey]

When a recording artist records a song that had previously been released by another artist, it's not a "cover". It's a remake. When a private artist makes a video of them singing a song that had previously been released by a recording artist, it's a cover. Professional artists don't "cover" songs, except in a tribute to the original artist.

[@Skyfire_The_Goth]

I looked up the definition of cover song to make sure I remembered it right, and here is the definition of a cover song: A cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. So, you're right that it is a remake, but people calling it a cover are also right. I learned something new though, I always thought a remake was a new version by the same artist, turns out remake is also a synonym for cover when referencing music. Rerecording is what it's called when an artist makes a new version of one of their songs, though I think remake should be synonymous with rerecording, but it is what it is.

[@tonym5062]

Take me back to HS dances. :)

[@robparsons1527]

In a band you can also do covers just because you like the tune.

[@bmw128racer]

Love the banana babes! ❤

[@Tleeshan]

Hi Jamel! Thank you for another great reaction! If you can please react to Alice Smith! She's a totally different genre than this trio but I'm gonna suggest her every chance I get 😆!

[@sarahp9086]

This brings me right back to the 80s! I was in 6th grade when this came out, and man, this was the JAM for my girlfriends and I, hahaha!

[@daviddrouant2852]

me too

[@marthabahena3842]

Both of. Good

[@linkloudenback8359]

Some artists do covers of music,or of other artists they like or have influenced them in some way.

[@sonofthesea3298]

Bananarama - Preacher Man is also a good one 😍I actually prefer Bananaramas version of Venus over the original,wich is super rare as i always like the originals better.

[@garymcatear822]

The record labels love bands to do covers, they don't have to pay the band songwriters royalties.

[@andythrush3341]

This song was perfect for the times. However, I like the original version better. The original has more of a rock sound vs. the disco-funk sound of this version. Both good, but the original just suits my taste more...

[@chrisreinhardt5493]

Nice

[@claudialsmith2996]

Jackson Beat It. yeah.yeah

[@victorduffany7723]

The instrumental part is all sound synthesizer