Ignored             Obscured              Restored

“Bad Case of Loving You (Doctor Doctor)” became a Top 20 hit for Robert Palmer in 1979, a testament to Palmer’s talent for picking great songs.  With his powerful voice, excellent backing musicians, striking looks, and impeccable sartorial style, Palmer had all the ingredients for success.

However, today’s Song of the Week (SotW) focuses on the original version of the track, written by Oklahoman Moon Martin.

Martin released his rendition on his debut album Shots from a Cold Nightmare (1978), which concocted a new wave-infused rockabilly sound.  For this recording, Martin enlisted fellow Oklahoman Phil Seymour (known for his work with the Dwight Twilley Band) on drums, alongside Blondie bassist Gary Valentine.  The album’s production was handled by Craig Leon, whose credits include work with The Ramones, Blondie, Willie Alexander, and Richard Hell & The Voidoids.  The result was a unique and fresh —  introducing a distinctive style to the music scene.

So, why did I give the nod to Martin’s original over Palmer’s more widely recognized version?  While Palmer’s vocal performance is undeniably fantastic, he loses some points for staying so faithful to Martin’s arrangement.  In this case, I wanted to shine a light on the songwriter himself and give him the credit he deserves.

It’s also worth noting that Martin wasn’t done yet.  Shots from a Cold Nightmare also featured “Cadillac Walk,” which was later given a cool interpretation by Mink Deville, further showcasing Martin’s knack for crafting songs that others couldn’t resist covering.

Enjoy… until next week.