Working on a new mixed set for a theme party, where I’m gonna play music, I (re)listen an old (80s) but “catchy” song called “Tainted Love” and I remember it performed by “Soft Cell” a British synth-pop duo consists of Marc Almond (vocals) and David Ball (synthesizers).

I didn’t knew this song had a big history and so many re-recordings (in fact the Soft Cell version is a re-recording) covering so many music genre.

Let’s remember the Soft Cell Version released as their third single in August 7, 1981. Produced by Barry Knodle the track was recorded in a day and a half with the run through vocal being used on the released version. Buoyed by the then dominant synthpop sound of the time and a memorable performance on Top of the Pops it rapidly reached number one on the UK singles chart, eventually repeating the feat in 17 territories. The following year it charted in the US eventually reaching number 8 in a record breaking 43 week chart run.

The original version of the song, composed by Ed Cobb, formerly of The Four Preps, it was originally recorded in 1964 by Gloria Jones. This version is played on the in-car radio station Master Sounds 98.3 in the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. The station’s track listing consists almost entirely of original versions of songs which were later covered by another musician/band and then popularly believed to be the original release of said musician/band, as with Soft Cell’s version of “Tainted Love”.

After this original version the song re-recorded by Ruth Swann (aka Diana Foster) in 1975 in a version which influenced, more closely than the original, the ‘feel’ of the subsequent electro-pop chart-topping cover version which brought the track to the attention of a wider audience.
In 1980 the song re-recorded by Blue Oyster Cult and a year later came the legendary version from Soft Cell.
In 1985, Coil, an Industrial (a loose term for a number of different styles of experimental music, especially but not necessarily electronic music) band rerecorded the song, for the CD and cassette release of their album “Skatology” (= coprology from the Greek word skato – σκατό = shit)!!

Many rerecordings followed. A rockabilly version in 1986 “Boppin’ Kids” album “Go Wild!”, a rave version by Tainted Cash in 1990s, Marc Almond with Soft Cell (again) in 1991, an a cappella version by “Flying Pickets” and an Indie Rock version by “Inspiral Carpets” in 1992, a rock version by “Spaceheads”, on the album “Spaceheads” in 1994, a punk rock version by “Shades Apart”, on the album “Save It” in 1995, another industrial version by “Deathline International” on the compilation “Industrial War” of 1997. Also in 1997 there are two more rerecordings by rock and roll band “Hi-Fives” on their album “And A Whole Lotta You” and a gothic metal version by “Atrocity” on their cover album titled Werk 80 and on their “Tainted love” single (two different versions).
At the following years the song have been rerecorded by “Country Teasers”, “The Living End”, “My Ruin” and “La Union” until 2001 when “Marilyn Manson” performed the song for the soundtrack of movie “Not Another Teen Movie”

The same year (2001), the song recorded by Slayer (a trash metal band), on their album God Hates Us All, followed in 2002 by “Prozak+” (Italian punk group), in 2003 by the “The Hormonauts” (Italian rockabilly group) and in 2004 by “Thomas Schumacher”

The next year (2005), “The Pussycats Dolls” rerecorded a pop/R&B version of the song, for the album “PCD”.

One year later (2006) “Rihanna” sampled “Tainted Love” for their song “S.O.S. (Rescue Me)”.

The same year the song rerecorded by Milk Inc. in a dance version.

The following years the song had 6 more rerecordings. The American visitors of this blog must remember this year’s performance of “Danny Noriega” on American Idol. After this performance the song recorded and sold on iTunes.

This song has been used in movies, TV shows, computer games and TV commercials. At the 1997 Levi’s jeans commercial the song matching the synthesized beat to an EKG machine.

Big History. Don’t you think so?