The Go-Go’s “This Town” has been playing in my head for the past week. The gritty song about Los Angeles is a definite standout from the punk-pop group’s 1981 debut, Beauty And The Beat, an album that enjoyed a ridiculously long residence on my turntable as a kid. Actually, I don’t think there’s a single bum track on the set. (Ok, maybe the plodding “Automatic.”)

Well, the universe works in mysterious ways, because a bit of Interweb research this morning uncovered news that “This Town” has recently been re-done by Mexican singer-songwriter Ceci Bastida.

Bastida got her start at 15 in the ’90s punk/ska band Tijuana NO!, notorious for its uncompromising political views. Then she served as backup singer for Julieta Venegas (herself a former member of Tijuana NO!), a gig Bastida held for a decade. She did issue an EP of her own in 2007, but it was only last year that the L.A. transplant finally embarked on a full-fledged solo career, releasing her debut album, Veo La Marea (I See The Tide, which features her Go-Go’s cover.

“[This Town] is such a Los Angeles story, and I thought it only focused on a particular side of L.A.,” the singer recently told NPR’s Scott Simon. “I wanted to add the Latino presence — all these people that are here doing these jobs that people sometimes don’t pay attention to.” Bastida sings a new verse to that effect in Spanish, while bringing in a banda feel and some ska horns, plus a rap from Tim Armstrong of Rancid.

As someone who has the 30-year-old original “This Town” on repeat in his head, I’m not sure Bastida’s update totally works (it’s a little fregadero de la cocina for me), but her gutsy move is definitely worth a spin:

Ceci Bastida feat. Tim Armstrong – “This Town”

Eagle-eyed readers (with equally good memories) might have recognized Ceci Bastida as one of the artists who contributed to Target’s holiday soundtrack, The Christmas Gig.

Purchase Ceci Bastida – “This Town” via iTunes.