For this review (as it seems to be turned into a double review) I've listened to Jim's and Meat's version back to back... since the lyrics are (almost) the same, all I can say is that they are fab. Jealousy and desperation. As for the music (arrangement):
JIM:
Great spoken intro, soft piano intro, and Jim starts singing. After a while the orchestra slowly starts, and the drummer joins in. Song goes on, nice interlude after the first chorus... the orchestration is faboulous.
MEAT:
No spoken intro, and the song goes starts much the same way as Jim's version. The after-chorus interlude is dominated by synthesized strings and guitars. I have the overall feeling that Meat's version is a bit 'heavier' than Jim's. The spoken question at the end "who made the very first move?" seems completly out of place...
I'd have to say that I prefer Jim's version, mainly because of the orchestra. It gives more 'depth' and 'richness' to the sound.... Note that in Jim's version there is no guitar to be heared, while Meat's version sometimes seem to drown in them.
As for the singing: obviously Meat is quite a different singer than Jim. It would be ridiculous to compare them to each other. I find it hard to decide which does it better.
I've seen Meat do "Left in the Dark" in Rotterdam in '96, and until that moment, I didn't really like the song (hadn't heard Jim's version yet), but that performance changed my opinion of the song. The whole setting, Meat singing, siting on a chair, lamp next to him, seemed to capture the emotion of the song better than the album version.
Jim's performance is more raw, not as polished as Meat's, and maybe therefore the desperation and jealousy is better displayed.
Anyhow, musically and lyrically there's nothing wrong with Left in the Dark. You can argue who performs it better -- but for me, it's a tie. So score:
Meat: 8/10
Jim: 8/10
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