Eddie writesTake Two: “I’m So Excited” (The Pointer Sisters Vs. Le Tigre)

by Eddie Sayago

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.

The original: The Pointer Sisters “I’m So Excited”

From the album So Excited! (1982, Planet Records)

One of the most popular songs of the 1980s, The Pointer Sisters’ “I’m So Excited” appeared in two different albums, So Excited! (1982) and Break Out (1984). In 1982, the song peaked at #30 on the Billboard Hot 100; two years later, it was remixed and re-entered the chart, peaking at #9.

The song became a mainstay in pop culture after its two trips to the Hot 100, appearing in numerous movies from Working Girl (1988) to The Nutty Professor (1996). In a very special episode of “Saved By The Bell”, Jessie Spano sings “I’m So Excited” (just the song title on repeat) when she is having a nervous breakdown caused by too many caffeine pills. “I’m So Excited” is also the title of a Pedro Almodovar comedy released in 2013 that takes place entirely on an airplane.

The cover: Le Tigre “I’m So Excited”

From the album This Island (2004, Universal)

Oddly my introduction to Le Tigre was this cover of “I’m So Excited”, which appears on their third album, This Island. While typing in the song title in a search bar for a now defunct downloading site, I accidentally selected Le Tigre. After listening to it, I ended up checking out the rest of their music and became a fan.

Like the Pointer Sisters, Kathleen Hanna explored different styles and techniques in her music, trying out different things over the course of an album or song (there is a dancehall reggae break two-thirds into Le Tigre’s “I’m So Excited”). With the exception of recording and releasing “I’m With Her” to support Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign, Le Tigre have been on an indefinite hiatus since This Island.