It was May 27th of the year of our Lord 1986. Cameo would finally give all pretty ladies around the world a song.
The funk group, first known as the New York City Players, released “Word Up!” as the lead single off of the album of the same name, and though they had eight gold albums before this, the album sales from their thirteenth album would be their most successful of their career. The band had found success on Billboard’s R&B chart, but “Word Up!” (the single) would be their highest charting hit on the critical Hot 100 chart (peaking at #6) and Word Up! (the album) would be the band’s first (and only) platinum album.
“Word Up!” is a great song, but it’s also a weird fucking song. It’s funk. It’s rap. It’s disco. It has a weird video that definitely makes a statement about law enforcement, even though I’m not entirely sure what that statement is.
And maybe because it’s so weird, so many artists have attempted to put their own spin on this. It’s, honestly, shocking how many artists have done their own version of this song. They’re all weird, though some have clearly tried to smooth the edges down a little. I found nine versions of this weird and wonderful song. So, I felt like I have no choice but to do a ranking.
Do your dance. Do your dance. Do your dance quick.
9. Gun
I listened to *A LOT* of covers of this song in making this list, and I listened to them a lot of times. This is the only version of this song I actively dislike, but yikes, is this bad. This song almost made me stop making the list just so I wouldn’t have to hear it again. It’s butt rock with a capital BUTT, with guitar solos and vocal screeches and all the stuff that I don’t like. I’m not even sure this band likes the song. Also, if you are starting a band, please don’t name yourself Gun, because my algorithm is going to be fucked for a good long while now.
8. Kathy Mahon
I had debated putting this version on my list. It’s clearly from someone recording from home, and with all due respect to Ms. Mahon, it shows. However, she gives it her all and really belts out some notes, and heart goes a very long way in my book. So, even though this video has a tiny amount of views, I say to Ms. Mahon: Keep making music. Good on you.
7. Jan Delay
Released under the name “Türlich türlich”, this live performance seems to be a mash-up, using Cameo’s music while taking the lyrics from… well, I’m not sure. The lead singer is German and I don’t quite know what he’s speaking because I talk AMERICAN, BABY! However, wikipedia included this in the section of “Word Up!” covers, it did chart internationally, and is a billion times better than the Gun version. So, for those reasons, it’s on the list!
6. The Auburn University Marching Band
I think it is becoming clear that, at some point, I just made the decision to put as many versions in front of that horrible Gun cover as possible. Still, you have to give it up to Auburn: these guys can flat out play. Go Tigers!
5. Little Mix
Showing my ignorance here, but I’m not sure I ever heard a Little Mix song before today. I guess I had just considered them a modern day version of the Spice Girls. What this song (and video) did was teach me two things. First off, that my guess was totally spot on. Second, that being a modern day Spice Girls is fun and cool and awesome.
4. The BossHoss
This is the second time that a band from Germany has made the list, but the first time that it stunned me. Listen to this song with it’s banjo and washboard and what not. It feels like it was recorded in a cave in Kentucky somewhere. And that’s what makes it so damn enjoyable.
3. Mel B
It always confused me why Mel B was known as Scary Spice, until I remembered that she is a vocal woman of color and that fucking terrifies a lot of people on the planet. Made for the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack, Mel (with production from Timbaland) brings soul and joy and fun into the song that just goes to remind me what a horrible cover that stupid Gun band gave us.
2. Korn
This is, by far, the most successful cover of this song, and I totally get that. Jonathan Davis and his bandmates rarely get to have fun in their music, and this song allows his to say silly things like, “All you sucka DJ’s who think you’re fly”. Davis must have fucking loved that. But this song also rocks in the way a Korn song rocks. Double kick drum. Pulsing bass. It’s kind of the best of all worlds for Korn, and they nail their moment perfectly.
1. Willis
Information on Ubiquity Records’ artist Willis is hard to find. Fortunately, this song was not. And it’s so special. It’s breezy and jazzy and the singer uses the “long a” vowel sound when she sings “Do your dahhhhhnce”. This was a gem to find and I’m gonna be listening to it all day. #1 with a bullet, just not a bullet fired by the band Gun, who sucks.
Fancy Boys Club 