Five Good Covers presents five cross-genre reinterpretations of an oft-covered song.

The original 1980 movie Fame was a gritty affair. British director Alan Parker wanted to produce a piece which warned against the folly of seeking validation for yourself from others alone, and how that impulse could be exploited. Having taken control of the project, he hardened up the script and themes, to the extent that New York’s High School for the Performing Arts withdrew co-operation.  The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) rating for the film is currently a “15” (equivalent to “R”) noting the use of strong language, nudity and drug use. Exploitative pornography, abortion, and repressed homosexuality are also themes. It is a warning as much as a celebration of Fame as a lifestyle choice.

The television show that followed took all of that, and subtracted all of the warnings and codas. Result: a show that is resolutely rated “PG”, except those episodes which are rated “U” (“Universal for All”).  Characters who were repressed and suffered from self-loathing, considering self-harm or worse, because of society’s attitudes towards homosexuality were spared that doubt by not being gay. The greatest jeopardy was an unsuccessful audition, and that risk could always be tempered by a spontaneous musical number which spills out into the streets of New York City, whose citizens were overjoyed to have the traffic regularly held up by a bunch of teenage dancers.

Stage shows are not rated by BBFC, but (from experience) the “Kids from Fame” stage show that toured the UK and Europe at the height of the series’ success would not have troubled the censors too much. The organizers realized that it was for the young audience of the TV show rather than for fans of the higher-rated film. Mismatched long socks might have caused the greatest offense. A “behind-the-scenes” release of the tour might have needed a higher rating. Debbie Allen, the star choreographer of the show and much since, won plaudits for her portrayal of a hard-nosed, disciplinarian dance tutor. She has not done as much acting since the series, but has continued to be a successful, multi-award winning choreographer. Her attempts to keep a bunch of kids on their first trip to see the joys of Europe under control were not appreciated by all, leading to some harsh words. Some of the Kids kept on not curbing their urges fully. Others departed in a huff.

A 2009 remake of the film merited only a PG rating from BBFC, which meant that all could attend. It was ignored and derided as a too-light depiction of the topic, derivative of High School Musical, and the BBFC had little to warn the potential viewer about.

Throughout all of the franchise’s iterations, the song “Fame” has been a deserved constant. Composed by Michael Gore, with lyrics by Dean Pitchford, it features in the most iconic scene of the film, where the exuberance of an improvised song and dance performance inside the School spills out (for the first time) onto the streets of New York City.  The performance by the late Irene Cara (born 66 years ago today) is exceptional and memorable.  The recording of the song got significant input from Luther Vandross, who added his own vocals to those of other stellar session musicians. The song was the Oscar for Best Song in 1981, and is one of the best-known songs of the period. If the BBFC rated the song, they would give it a U rating; as their website states, “Generally a U is unlikely to unsettle a four-year-old.” It is a celebration of the concept of Fame, without any of the caveats.

An Oscar-winning song about Fame, without the doubts, means that there have been dozens of officially-released versions of the track, and hundreds of other versions appear on YouTube. Every talent show and version of The Voice on five continents has done it at least once, and hundreds of those that wish to appear on those shows put their audition versions onto the web.  Some of those people are unlikely to ever become famous. There are some “diamonds in the rough” below, but it is possible that we have not chosen a favorite.  Feel free to share yours in the comments.

Eldissa – Fame (Irene Cara cover)

The fad for turning ’80s classics into Bossa Nova has thrown much flotsam and jetsam onto Copacabana Beach. Some of it consists of exquisite pieces of weathered wood, beautiful already but ready to be shaped into something even more striking. Some of it is like garbage that has fallen off a container ship. This version is very much of the former. Unusually for versions of the song, the singer seems willing to take or leave Fame, as a concept. I’m in Brazil at Mardi Gras time, what more do I need? Compared with the hundreds of people for whom Fame is the be-all and end-all, this is refreshing. So is the music.

Nana Hedin featuring Soydan Özyar – Fame (Irene Cara cover)

One route to Fame is through Heavy Metal, and Elliott Randall’s iconic guitar solo on the original is obviously tempting for metalheads. Here Swedish singer Hedin works with Soydan Özyar to produce a highly memorable version. Fame can be a dark place!

Bob Downe – Fame (Irene Cara cover)

There are few people as qualified to talk or sing knowledgeably about Fame than Australian megastar (or megastar-in-waiting) Bob Downe. With his hair woven from the same material as his safari suit, he has toured the world, or certainly the world’s comedy festivals, explaining in detail how he became so famous, and has provided extensive tips on those who wish to follow in his footsteps. Here he brings his voice and wisdom to a song about a topic on which he has a unique viewpoint.

Petra Janů – Fame (Irene Cara cover)

Fame is a universal desire. Not for every person, but for some people in every society. In 1984 Czechoslovakia declined, along with the rest of the Soviet Bloc, to participate in the Los Angeles Olympics. But that did not mean that they rejected all Western influence. In this version of “Fame” there is a dichotomy. There is a group of young people, who are clearly not choreographed by Debbie Allen, but are wearing versions of studio comfortwear, that could (from a distance) be purchased in New York. Janů, on the other hand, seems to pine for Weimar Germany, with her masculine-accented suit.

Eigentijdse Jeugd – Kies Kleur Voor Je Leven (Irene Cara cover)

Often the algorithm takes away, we know that.  Sometimes it gives, though. “You seem keen on covers of Irene Cara’s ‘Fame,’ have you heard this version?”  No, I had not.  This is a fully committed version of the song, which just brings a smile to my face. The version is Europop, the language is Flemish. The lyrics have been tweaked a little, so that the refrain is, according to Google Translate, Choose Color For Your Life.  That seems like a lovely message to end on.