Mark Ronson - Valerie
2007 will be remembered for a number of reasons; the year of washed up celebs (Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, Robbie Williams, Pete Doherty); the year of kiss and make-up (Blur, The Verve); the year of the resurrection of the dead (Led Zepp, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen) and along with which it'll be remembered as the year when two of the worlds most successful emerging producers went head to head to see, once and for all, who reigned supreme (Timbaland and Mark Ronson).
It was clear to see that Timbaland always would have a fair advantage, with the likes of Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake among his stock, poised against the more novel and in-experienced deck that Mr. Ronson brandished. With that said that could all change as along comes Ronson with one of his gems, his diamond in the ruff, if you excuse the pun, bad-girl-boozer Amy Winehouse armed with a cover song that will blow your socks off.
"Valerie" was originally an inevitable hit for the Zutons some two years ago. With that in mind, Amy Winehouse and Mark Ronson pluck it from its original Zuton-esque setting and jazz it up, put their own popular curb to it and ship it unto the airwaves from where it's bound to grace the top of the charts once more. Ronson would probably rather hear this coming from his bum-chums at NME but here it goes anyway...this is exactly how you do a cover song. Light-hearted, sugarcoated genius with a nicely perfected finish; music-lovers: eat your hearts out.
"Valerie" follows Mark Ronson's hit singles "Oh My God" and "Stop Me".