WRAG Radio Raggedy

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Anacostia / David Ruffin -- On and Off


Falling in love is so very nice  -- even if only with a song. I just discovered this original version of On And Off . Up to now I only knew the David Ruffin cover which is one of my Ruffin favorites, btw. So, here I am in a true dilemma. On the one hand, I think the Anacostia interpretation is simply wonderful. On the other hand, David's version reflects, in my opinion, the frustration and irritation involved in the situation described, while Anacostia's approach is a little too sweet, too romantic to convey the actual message: you're  driving me crazy with your indecision. David turns the song into a living story; Anacostia transforms the story into a smooth song ...



The Anacostia version


David Ruffin's version

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