1961 The Everly Brothers: Temptation

After The Marcels reconstruction of 'Blue Moon' comes this no less radical cover from The Everly Brothers. 'Temptation' was first recorded by Bing Crosby in 1933, but put his croon up against this then you'd be hard pressed to peg them as the same song. From the drum beat of intent and the opening "Yay yay yay yeah"'s, the Everly's present a tightly wound cacophony of sound that makes the "You were born to be kissed, I can't resist, you are temptation" lyric drip with a force and violence that would have Bing choking on his pipe while a female chorus howl their approval in the background. This is temptation in the raw, Spector's 'wall of sound' two years early and a short, sharp burst of lust fuelled energy that burns itself out after just two minutes; if it was any longer then the brothers would surely have snapped themselves in two with the tension.