THE CRAVATS “WORKING DOWN UNDERGROUND” (1983)
originally recorded as “Working in the Coal Mine” by Lee Dorsey and Allen Toussaint (1966)
cover version available on The Cravats’ Peel Sessions (11.6.1982) and The Colossal Tunes Out (Corpus Christi, 1983)
This version of work-death anthem “Working in the Coal Mine” by Redditch, England band The Cravats is titled otherwise, and blistering in comparison to the more famous cover done by Devo for the Heavy Metal soundtrack in 1981 (the B-side of that single, “Planet Earth”—the last track on Freedom of Choice—is far superior, IMO).
The Cravats figure high on my list of skronky post-punk—imagine a sonically fleshier Blurt, more aggressive than the Beakers (who I love and will feature here soon), and way less manic than the Cardiacs—but have been sorely overlooked. This song blows my mind each and every time I hear it. Enjoy.
Blogload: The Cravats’ The Colossal Tunes Out on mutant sounds
