Which is the best version of this song?

[Icy Gull]

or

 

[Guinness Boy]

St Etienne!

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Having just listened to the St Etienne version for the first time, it is a travesty - and I quite like them, usually. It seems a totally inappropriate arrangement, or is that the point. Is it post-modern ironic - whatever that may mean?

 

[symyjym]

Prefer Saint Etienne's version and it is how I remember it. Didn't know it was a Neil Young cover.

 

[Buzzer]

Having just listened to the St Etienne version for the first time, it is a travesty - and I quite like them, usually. It seems a totally inappropriate arrangement, or is that the point. Is it post-modern ironic - whatever that may mean?

Post-modern ironic? Have a word with yourself. How can you 'like' Saint Etienne 'usually' and never heard their version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart? It's their biggest ever hit and is over 20 years old now. It's THE track that their know for.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Post-modern ironic? Have a word with yourself. How can you 'like' Saint Etienne 'usually' and never heard their version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart? It's their biggest ever hit and is over 20 years old now. It's THE track that their know for.

Yes. All of that.

 

[Wozza]

Yes. All of that.

Including "their"?!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Including "their"?!

I'm too soft.

 

[Razzoo]

The Saint Etiene version is terrible. Does the keyboard player only know that one riff? It is just annoying and repetitive.

But you still prefer that version

 

[The Truth]

Neil Young sounds like a dying goat.
St Etienne for me.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

Post-modern ironic? Have a word with yourself. How can you 'like' Saint Etienne 'usually' and never heard their version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart? It's their biggest ever hit and is over 20 years old now. It's THE track that their know for.

Post-modern ironic was just something I made up.

I said I have usually liked things I have heard by St Etienne. I was not claiming to be a student of their work or the biggest expert on their oeuvre. I have on occasion heard things by them on the radio and such like. Before clicking on that link, I was not aware that they had ever covered the song.

If that gives you a problem, I'm sorry, but I bet I know more about the works of Cream than you do.

 

[brakespear]

Having just listened to the St Etienne version for the first time, it is a travesty - and I quite like them, usually. It seems a totally inappropriate arrangement, or is that the point.

This. For me, the Young version has a nice atmosphere the St Etienne version is sadly lacking.

 

[Surf's Up]

Tune v song lost in supposedly clever arrangement. Neil Young every time.

 

[Lord Bamber]

St Etienne all day long.

The Neil Young version sounds like someone who has happily drunk 6 pints of lager and is singing for his supper which happens to be a kebab.

 

[Buzzer]

Post-modern ironic was just something I made up.

I said I have usually liked things I have heard by St Etienne. I was not claiming to be a student of their work or the biggest expert on their oeuvre. I have on occasion heard things by them on the radio and such like. Before clicking on that link, I was not aware that they had ever covered the song.

If that gives you a problem, I'm sorry, but I bet I know more about the works of Cream than you do.

Fair play if you've managed to avoid listening to Only Love Can Break Your Heart although I do find it a little incredible that you could have never heard it - a bit like professing to like Cream but never hearing Crossroads. I guess it could happen. And I'm curious to know what Saint Etienne track you did hear because catchy synth pop is all they've ever done and their version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart is pure Saint Etienne. It's what they do so well. It's not like it's a huge departure from their usual sound.

Apologies for the 'their' mistake. Unforgiveable.

 

[Lord Bamber]

Fair play if you've managed to avoid listening to Only Love Can Break Your Heart although I do find it a little incredible that you could have never heard it - a bit like professing to like Cream but never hearing Crossroads. I guess it could happen. And I'm curious to know what Saint Etienne track you did hear because catchy synth pop is all they've ever done and their version of Only Love Can Break Your Heart is pure Saint Etienne. It's what they do so well. It's not like it's a huge departure from their usual sound.

Apologies for the 'their' mistake. Unforgiveable.

Most definitely this.