Medicine Show was/is one of Big Audio Dynamite's best songs- one of the best singles of the 1980s if you ask me- and a show of post-Clash songwriting and production strength from Mick. Six minutes of choppy guitar riffs, drum machines, spaghetti Western samples triggered from Don Letts' keyboards and proper funny lyrics. It sounds like good fun and was innovative too. The United States got a different version, or at least a remix. I don't know why- it doesn't sound especially American or FM radio, the guitar riff is chopped up a bit and song has less of a flow than the original. Of interest to the completists among you (and thanks to Dubrobots).
Medicine Show (U.S. Remix)
It may be of some interest to Rick Rubin fans too, as he did the remix. There was some connection with BAD and Def Jam back in the day (as the kids say, or did last time I checked).
ReplyDeleteI think it's a good remix, but the fact that the vocals are slightly out of synch annoys me.
I forgot to mention that the lyrics about a 'hostage release in the middle east' are missing from this version too.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it was an attempt to recapture the success of Magnificent Seven (audio)but...this sucks by comparison.
ReplyDeleteI mean I'm glad you posted it...I'm glad to have heard it but...not my favorite.
Not as punchy as the UK original, sounds a bit half-hearted. I've always wondered why BAD didn't put the full 12" version of 'Bottom Line' on the first album. There's a remix on the recent reissue, but the original 12" wasn't a mix, it was just a much longer version of the song with loads more lyrics.
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