Good Cover Version: Street Joy Does Van Halen

Pulp gave the world the song "Bad Cover Version." But seeing as I'm a sonic optimist, I'm of the belief that there's more likely than not more good cover versions floating around than bad ones. Good Cover Version celebrates the good, and leaves all that bad and ugly stuff alone.

Street Joy's version of "Hot for Teacher" was initially done for a surprise birthday party. Happy birthday, indeed. But this sassy, party hearty cover wasn't meant to be a one-and-done kind of thing. 

The LA duo took over one of the seminal hair-tossing songs of the impossibly decadent decade and whipped it into dancefloor-readiness in sensational ways. While it may rest firmly on the synthy side of the spectrum, Street Joy hits 80s levels of indulgence and over the top camp. Perhaps so much so that even David Lee Roth would smile his devil-on-the-shoulder smile of approval.     



[posted 11.5.17]