Research project: did anyone ever play this song well?

Here are some notes on "Bang a Gong (Get it On)", Marc Bolan's glam-rock anthem, now a global standard.  The great John Peel didn't like it, they barely spoke again.  For the record, Peel was wrong.

Like its spiritual cousin, "We're an American Band" (discussed here) the song is essentially a pose.  But where "We're an American Band" is about raw power, "Bang a Gong (Get it On)" is a menacing tease, starting with a compelling riff lifted from Chuck Berry, elevating to a strong chorus, then retreating back to the original riff without a climactic resolution.

It has been covered many times, and screwed up in every way imaginable.  While the song seems simple, this is deceptive.  You have drums, bass, and vocal, there is nowhere to hide.  It is like tasting wine after eating an apple - every flaw is instantly apparent.  The best performances (e.g., Black Lips' or Rougarou's) are best because they get everything right without adding much extra.  Some bands are tempted to "stretch out" and jam.  This is an error.

You can try to dress up the arrangement and decorate it, but this is usually unfruitful (maybe Power Station is the exception).  But note the special awards section at the end.

Let us begin:

• The original - Very good, but it just seems like they're leaving something on the table.  There's a gear there they don't quite get to.  It seems so clear it could be...more...
• Live (1971) - They still don't get there.
• Marc Bolan (1977) - A late performance.  It didn't get better as he went along.
• Blondie (1979) - Hell No
• Witch Queen (1979) - FUCK No
• Power Station a.k.a Robert Palmer + Duran Duran (1985) - Almost?  Kinda?  I love Palmer, but No.
• Monuments Galore (1988) - Best acoustic version we've heard here in Winnipeg.
• Def Leppard (1993 - acoustic) - Not hating, this is actually a pretty strong version. Professional musicians.
• Stonefunkers (1998) - Interesting arrangement.  The verses are just too decorative, but very good take on the chorus.
• Bus Stop (2008) - This new 'rap' thing does not enhance the song.
• Ministry (2008) - Sorry, gimmicking it up just does not get you there.
• Santana (2010) - This would be pretty good except for the annoying guitar.
• London Bus Stop (2010) - This would be pretty good except for the annoying rap.  But see special award below.
• Velvet Bush Pilots (2013) - No, THANK YOU
• Billy Idol (2013) - No, of course not...  Actually, that's a reasonably good try.
• Boy George and the Black Lips (2014) - Boy George is touring with the wrong band.  His best version, but the chorus just doesn't elevate enough.  
• Black Lips (2014) - This band is extremely capable, they obviously understand the song.  Better without Boy George, I'm afraid.
• Culture Club (2016) - Great choice for an encore, horns a nice touch, but too loose.  Johnny Depp's guitar work is...interesting.
• Boy George and Cyndi Lauper (2016) - Sentimental favorite, but sorry.
• Alice Cooper and various friends (2016) - Well, ok.
• Clusterfuck (2017) - This pleases me...but No.
• VBDusk (2017) - Didn't mind, but too "Up With People!"  Makes me want to shout "I participated!"
• The Struts (2018) - This is a damn good band, and the performance was much better than I expected.  The rhythm section is exactly right, and the vocals are well up to standard for a club performance.  
• Rougarou (2018) - Another really strong club band performance.  These guys sound great.  I'm going to click a few more times to get their views into double digits.  And, if I am in Pennsylvania, I am DEFINITELY hiring this band.

Special Awards

Best solo performance - Danny Barnes and his drum machine (2012):




Best use in a training montage:




Best bluegrass version:




Wish I'd been there award:

This just in:  The Replacements did this song.  There's a bootleg from 1984.  It's low-fi but...wow, they get so many things right.  The bass is played with power and feeling, rhythmic but not robotic.  This is literally the only performance where the guitar varies from the original chart without fucking things up.  It's sung with commitment.  I'm a Replacements partisan on all occasions and am very tempted to call game over here, but that would be going too far.  It's still not the definitive performance - that remains to be discovered, out there, somewhere.  But this is the one I wish I could have heard in person.