We’re just itching to tell you about them!
It’s a dark, depressing, possum eat possum world out there… or so the news likes to remind us. But that’s why blogs like The Nest exist… no, not to just waste bandwidth that could better be spent streaming more cat memes or squirrel selfies, but to help you drown out your troubles in life with the help of bad Monday earworms. Welcome to the next installment of my Top 30 Cover Songs of All Time Countdown! DJ Scratchy and her Sponkies One and Two are here with the next great song that was done better the second time. Well, it looks like we can’t avoid the pessimistic social commentary this time around, but our DJ’s will play on anyway…
#6. “Ball of Confusion” – Love and Rockets
The Temptations are one of the most successful acts to ever come out of Motown, and not just because they sang a classic song about “My Squirrel.” The quintet that helped define the Motown sound got a little trippy towards the end of the 60’s, changing lead singers and recording a few songs written at the psychadelic shack. One of these more groovy, harder edged tunes was a funky critique on the fucked up state of the world in the late 60’s called “Ball of Confusion,” which made it up to #3 on the Billboard pop charts. Rap on, brother, rap on…
Stop it! Love thy squirrel!
Meanwhile, two decades later, the world hadn’t changed all that much. So when a start-up new wave trio that went by the name of Love and Rockets decided to introduce themselves to the world, they thought it would be a good idea to give the Temps’ classic indictment against the people of Earth a fresh, 80’s makeover in 1985. Holy crap, I have no idea how this wasn’t actually a hit!
I love the drums! I love the wah-wah! I love the video! I love everything about this (broken record alert!) much more upbeat update of the original!
Love and Rockets did have a new tale to tell 15 years after the Temptations signed off on their broadcast, so they tweaked the lyrics a bit to add a few more modern references to the cover…
Eddie Kendricks never sang about Reaganomics, even though Rowan and Martin predicted in 1968 he would be President in the 80’s.
And you probably thought L&R had earned its title of one hit wonders, which gets thrown about like expired candy at a Shriners parade. OK, sure, their only charting song came four years later when they finally crossed over into the mainstream with the #3 hit “So Alive“… but even that song can’t touch this golden slice of cover song sweetness that seems to have been inexplicably buried in the litter box of music history. Hey, no problem, that’s what The Nest is here for… to unearth these little lost treasures and rub your noses in them!
Next week’s song should be ready in just a few seconds…
Are you ready for the TOP FIVE cover songs of all time!?!? Hold your nose, the real ripe ones hit the open air next Monday…
Evil Squirrel's Nest 
LMAO…I thought it was going to be AC\DC. This was just as good.
That would be a song that would be impossible to cover better than AC/DC made it originally. I’m not much of a Bon Scott fan, but he totally nailed Big Balls!
Boy, that squiggly red crap really makes this video awesome. The mention of RR was enough, did we really need to SEE him? I’m trying to forget that era.
I have been loving these cover songs. Can’t wait to see/hear the top 5!
Yes, I love the effects in the video as well!
And LOL on Ronnie. Did you ever hear this back in the 80’s?
Dude! I almost went into shock with all those pics of Ronnie! But the song is hilarious. I had never heard that one!
I’m sorry, how are you not a Bon Scott fan? Geez…
There was a time when I didn’t even realize AC/DC had gone through two different lead singers. When I first discovered that fact (I believe at the time they were inducted into the R&RHoF), it turns out most of my AC/DC favorites were from the Brian Johnson era. Big Balls being a very notable exception…
I would say most people only know the Brian Johnston era or are oblivious to it. 🙂
This is pretty stellar, Bill, but I can’t say it tops the Temps going out of their comfort zone to rant and rock in the 60s. I betcha the Temptations would have come up with a good video with great dance moves, too, if that was all the rage back then. Maybe Ronnie Reagan from California might have made a cameo. Sock it to Me!
If they could get Goldie Hawn to go go dance in body paint during the video, I would totally overrule my love of new wave 80’s and go for the old school version. That would be verrrrrry interesting….
… but stupid. Yeah, that was one helluva show, Laugh In was.
The title had me prepared for the shock of learning that some recorded Big Balls before AC/DC did! I’m glad it didn’t turn out to be that. I can’t imagine anyone other than Bon Scott singing that one.
I’m sure it has been covered before, but I couldn’t listen to any other version with an open mind. The AC/DC version is perfect… maybe the best wordplay song EVER, and it still cracks me up no matter how many times I hear it…
Really! I can hardly wait. Tell little kitty to not hold back. The time has come! We are ripe for ripeness.
Get the super sized litter scoops ready!
Well Paul Williams had the biggest voice of them all. I LOVE some baritone. God must love me because my son is not only a gifted baritone but he isn’t shy to show it off. A great song.
Squirrels had a date by the squirrel feeder. It would appear it went well. ❤
I can’t understand why it wasn’t a hit either! Ahem.
🙂