The theme for this week’s edition of American Idol is Disco, and I can’t wait to see which glitter-ball tunes will be dusted off and put on display for the occasion. But I’m even more curious to see whether any of the remaining Idol hopefuls will attempt to reinvent these solid-gold classics.

If any guy or gal in the Top 7 does indeed desire to put their special spin on a disco song, they must be mindful of the melody (so very key to the genre). In considering contenders for today’s Sunday Cover Story, most hewed quite closely to the original (think The Communards‘ version of Thelma Houston’s “Don’t Leave Me This Way” and both Tina Turner‘s and Cyndi Lauper‘s takes on The Trammps’ “Disco Inferno”). When re-doing disco, few attempt a complete renovation.

One that did so successfully is Tori Amos, who updated Anita Ward’s “Ring My Bell” in 1992 for Ruby Trax, a 3-CD set celebrating the 40th anniversary of the UK’s New Musical Express to benefit cerebral palsy. Current artists were asked to select their favorite (or favourite) number-one singles and “give them a fresh coat of paint.” Ward’s “Ring My Bell” not only reached #1 in the UK in 1979, but also reached the summit on the Billboard Hot 100, R&B, and Dance charts in the U.S., giving the former Memphis schoolteacher one-hit-wonder status.

“Ring My Bell” was first penned by singer-songwriter Frederick Knight for 11-year-old Stacy Lattislaw to record. That might seem a bit shocking, but Knight’s original lyrics were about kids talking on the telephone. Later presenting the tune to Ward, he instead re-wrote “Ring My Bell” to capture the attention of an adult audience.

Tori Amos rocks “Ring My Bell” with piano and electric guitar, transforming Ward’s classic disco come-on into something much more slinky, and even a tad insidious. While there’s no “pyoowee!” drum effect in Amos’ organic take, you’re still gonna find it hard to resist ringing her bell, boys and girls:

Purchase Tori Amos – “Ring My Bell,” available on Ruby Trax: The NME’s Roaring Forty, via Amazon.