Eddie writesTake Two: “I Wanna Be Adored” (The Stone Roses vs. The Raveonettes)

There is a chance that you have come across a song (or two, or so many more) that you enjoy and did not realize that it's either been covered by someone else or is a cover itself. We hope that this series allows you to appreciate both the original and the covers they have inspired, and to seek out and enjoy new music in the process.

We take a look at The Stone Roses’ signature song and how another band from across the sea from them made it their own decades later while sorta plugging some English footwear.

The Original: The Stone Roses
From the album: The Stone Roses (Silvertone, 1989)

“I Wanna Be Adored” is the opening track from The Stone Roses’ 1989 self-titled debut album, and it is the perfect introduction for this English rock band. One of the most memorable bass lines in rock ‘n’ roll history, the buildup to the first verse is nothing short of pure joy. The lyrics are simple and to the point, with “I don't have to sell my soul/He's already in me” comprising half the lyrics. 

The Stone Roses is a prime example of when a band’s spotlight shines a bit too bright very quickly and fades away almost as fast, either by circumstance or the band’s own undoing. By the end of 1989, they were on top of the charts, performing sold out shows at large theaters, and allowed numerous other neo-psychedelic rock bands to exist like the Charlatans UK and Happy Mondays.

By the end of 1990, they were fighting with their record label, Silvertone (which ended up in court, with the band winning) and taking their sweet time on their second (and final) studio album to follow-up their impressive debut.

The band split up in 1996 and though they have since reunited and toured (and split up again), sometimes it’s for the best when a band and its lead singer have reached their prime and remain in the past, like 8-tracks and MTV’s 120 Minutes.

The Cover: The Raveonettes
From the album: DM50: The Album (Dr. Martens, 2010)

In 2010, Dr. Martens commissioned Danish duo The Raveonettes to record a cover of “I Wanna Be Adored” for the British footwear’s 50th anniversary. The compilation, which was available to download for free on Dr. Martens’ site for a while, is an eclectic mix of what was considered “cool indie” of the late 2000s, with Black Motorcycle Rebel Club, Noisettes, and The Grand Duke recording covers of English punk rockers The Pogues, Buzzcocks, and Sham 69, respectively.

Similar to The Stone Roses, The Raveoenettes burst onto the scene and made an instant impact in 2003 with their single “That Great Love Song” and their debut album, Chain Gang of Love, a fusion of '60s surfer-pop, punk, and soul wrapped in biker attire and cool attitudes. They followed up in quick succession with numerous singles and albums throughout the 2000s and 2010s.

Despite their retro sounds, they don’t consider themselves to be revivalists. “I think our music has always been combining all the decades,” said Sharin Foo in a 2012 NPR interview. “We’ve always been a band that embraced technology.”

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