Cover Me Impressed: 'Let Her Dance'

Marshall Crenshaw is quite the rock historian, and that knowledge has been evident in the great songs he has chosen to cover throughout his storied career. Here is a brief list of my five favorites. I tried to limit my selections to songs recorded in the studio, but that proved impossible because "Walk Away Renee" is just too good. Got a favorite Crenshaw cover? Let me know.

5. "Take Me With U" (Prince cover appears on
'What's in the Bag?')
4. "Crying, Waiting, Hoping" (Buddy Holly cover appears on the 'La Bamba' soundtrack)
3. "Walk Away Renee" (The Left Banke cover appears on
'I've Suffered For My Art... Now It's Your Turn')
2. "Soldier of Love" (Arthur Alexander cover appears on
'Marshall Crenshaw')
1. "Let Her Dance" (The Bobby Fuller Four cover appears on
'Good Evening')

The first time I heard Fuller's mid-'60s hit "Let Her Dance" was many years ago but before I owned 'Good Evening.' I did, however, already have Crenshaw's first two albums. I remember thinking the cat performing the song had a lot of explaining to do... ripping off Crenshaw like that. How embarrassing!

If you aren't familiar with the Bobby Fuller Four but think you have heard this song before, it might be because the tune was used by Wes Anderson to close his film 'Fantastic Mr. Fox.' The reason I thought of the song today was because I just finished watching Anderson's latest, Moonrise Kingdom,' for the second time. I highly recommend it. As a father of two young boys, this was the only "grownup" movie I made it into the theater to see in 2012.

The Bobby Fuller Four - Let Her Dance (mp3)
Marshall Crenshaw - Let Her Dance (mp3)