Play it Again, Sam #13b - "American Woman"

@teamfreak16 (43421)
Denver, Colorado
June 21, 2018 4:17pm CST
Geez. I'm sitting here in our van, writing today's Play it Again, Sam entries, while my wife is working out inside Planet Fitness. I look up, and there's a motorcycle cop, with flashing lights, directly behind me, blocking my potential exit, and one parked next to us. Didn't ever come and talk to me, just stood there, and eventually left together. What the hell? Anyway, we are at #13b, the "cover" portion: Lenny Kravitz' cover of the Guess Who's "American Woman." Funky, soulful, hard rocking Lenny Kravitz covered "American Woman" for the soundtrack for the 1999 film, Austin Powers: The Spy who Shagged Me, which was later included on his album, 5, that same year. One of the elements that made "American Woman" so good was Randy Bachman's guitar solo, which Kravitz left out of his version, by choice: as he told Bachman himself, Lenny "couldn't get the sound. Couldn't get the tone." Thus, no guitar solo on the cover. Kravitz' cover performed quite well. It appeared on five separate Billboard charts alone (#49 on the Hot 100,) and charted in a total of nine countries, reaching the Top 20 in five of those. The single also won a Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Performance. On You Tube, you can find a hilarious video of Muppet character Sam the Eagle performing a Karaoke version of the Guess Who original, in which Kermit the Frog, and Statler and Waldorf also appear. Just look up "American Woman Sam the Eagle." It's well worth a minute and a half of your time. (Info verified by Wikipedia)
Official video of Lenny Kravitz performing American Woman from the album 5. Buy It Here: http://smarturl.it/s9t86y Originally by Canadian rock band The Guess...
7 people like this
7 responses
@snowy22315 (169576)
• United States
21 Jun 18
THe only American Woman I know is by the Guess Who.
2 people like this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
Yes, that is the original, and best, version. Lenny Kravitz, the Butthole Surfers, and Krokus have all covered it. Kravitz' is the best known cover of the song.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
21 Jun 18
Pretty much figured you would choose this one.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
It was the logical choice.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Jun 18
@teamfreak16 There was criticism of this cover but I liked it.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
23 Jun 18
@JohnRoberts - I always liked it. I thought he did a good job on it.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36392)
• Toccoa, Georgia
22 Jun 18
I need to listen to his version.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
22 Jun 18
It's pretty cool. Rocks kind of hard, and no guitar solo, but not a whole lot different. A bit more soulful, if anything.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (205216)
• Walnut Creek, California
27 Jun 18
I always liked this song. I think The Guess Who was Canadian. Not sure about that, though.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
27 Jun 18
Oh yes, they were most definitely Canadian, eh?
@andriaperry (116860)
• Anniston, Alabama
21 Jun 18
I know this one too. WTH? them cops checking you out? Someone may have called not knowing you were waiting. Hmmm, you said wife?!
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
We are common law married, so I might as well start calling her my wife. She has been referring to me as her husband for awhile now, so I'm way behind.
21 Jun 18
This is not so much bad as it is unnecessary. Not different enough to be exciting, not blistering enough to beat the original. A thousand bar bands will do just as competent a version as this.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
I see your point. It is possible that since it was recorded for a movie, it was done according to the specifications of the producer/director. Something to think about.
@crossbones27 (48395)
• Mojave, California
21 Jun 18
They looking for you, Love me some Lenny. Funny how he sneaks into music. Did a lot of cool stuff but we all forget about him
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
21 Jun 18
Our old neighbor in Manitou swears he saw Lenny hanging out in Downtown Manitou one day. Swears up and down that it was him!