Headed to bed yesterday evening, I remembered I had nothing on deck for today’s Sunday Cover Story. So I had the brilliant brainstorm of turning on my clock radio and choosing a cover of whatever song was on. It didn’t occur to me that the tune might not have been redone, but no matter, as Indeep’s “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” was the first tune I heard.

Recalling that Mariah Carey had recorded the song on the Glitter soundtrack, I happily drifted off to dreamland. Cueing up her cover in the light of day, however, I realized just how terrible the take is. Pulled from Carey’s lamentable phase when nearly everything she recorded was chockablock with hip-hop guests, this trainwreck basically reduces her to third-tier billing by barely featuring her vocals.

I do actually sort of like Fabolous’ rap at the start, but then Busta Rhymes comes along and refuses to go away, with producer DJ Clue inanely shouting his name on the track a gazillion times (as well as “Desert Storm” and “Wilma,” Carey’s rap nickname). We do get some fleetingly moments of Carey letting loose toward the end, but it’s all too little too late. If this was the only version of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” on record, I’d hope my next of kin would just let me flatline.

Thankfully all was not lost with last night’s plan, as I recalled another cover by Sylk 130, the dance collective formed by Phildelphia DJ King Britt. “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” was featured on 1998’s When The Funk Hits The Fan (which served as Britt’s debut album), and I’ve got a promo single featuring a radio edit and a pair of mixes.

This stomping re-rub from Francois K (aka Francois Kevorkian) is my fave:

Unfortunately, this particular mix of “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” isn’t available for download. Sylk 130 reissues are expected next year, so hopefully it’ll be included. For now you’ll have to make do with the original album version, on which Britt adds a more muscular funk to what Indeep first served up in 1982.

Purchase King Britt presents Sylk 130 – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” via Masterbeat.