"Needles and Pins" was a song written by Jack Nitzsche and Sonny Bono in the early ’60’s. The most popular version is by The Searchers in 1964, but it’s been done several times by other artists as well, inncluding these two…
Jackie DeShannon
Jackie DeShannon’s 1963 version was the original recording. It reached #1 in Canada but only #83 in the US.
The Ramones
The Ramones recorded "Needles and Pins" for their 1978 album Road To Ruin.
So, there are the contestants. Here are your instructions, if you’d like to join in the judging.
- Listen to the two songs.
- Decide which song you like the best.
- Vote for your favorite by leaving me a comment with your choice. If you feel like telling us why, feel free.
- Then, visit the other participants and vote in their Battles:
- Stephen at STMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
- Arlee at Tossing It Out
- Mike at Mike’s Ramblings
- Cathy at Curious As A Cathy
- Mary B at Jingle Jangle Jungle
- Ai at Ai Love Music
I’ll tally the votes and announce the winner next Friday, April 8 at noon Eastern, so be sure and get your votes in to me by then.
The lines are now open. Good luck to Jackie and the Ramones!
The Sound of One Hand Typing 
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Hope I’m not too late to the party! got a lot going on at the moment 🙂 Give my vote to Jackie
~Mary
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Hello Mary I have only just seen this and it’s John’s post you should be voting on at https://wp.me/p18YYd-9mV
Nice to meet you though Mary 😊
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We’re all sert! Thanks, Willow…
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Excellent ☺️
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Not keen on either if pushed I go with Jackie De Shannon I prefer the Searchers version.
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Can I go a la carte here? Take the Ramones’ version and overlay Jackie’s voice, that would be an easy winner for me. (Like the Petty/Nicks version Sharon posted in the comments!)
As it stands, my toes tapped way more with the Ramones, so they get my vote.
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Oh..give me Jackie any day with her unique voice and style of the music. The Ramones started to irritate me after a bit. The Canadians must love her.
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The Ramones version was better than I expected–they sounded more like a sixties band doing this and it’s better than what I’ve usually heard by them.
I’ve got a Jackie de Shannon CD with this song on it. Her version sticks with me better. I vote for Jackie.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out Battle of the Bands
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JOHN ~
Hokey-Smoke! DeShannon versus The Ramones — now there’s an unusual match-up!
Both of us are using early ’60s Pop songs in this round of BOTB.
Much to my surprise, I find myself voting for The Ramones. I guess I prefer the slightly faster pace and the slippin’ an’ a-slidin’, get-under-your-desk-in-4th-grade rhythm.
(Yeah, I know that last sentence seems nonsensical. But it took me a lot of years & drink to learn how to write stream-O’-consciousness, and I’ll be derned if I won’t keep up with it from time-to-time.)
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS
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My fave is The Searchers, but this version by Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks is right up there:
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John,
Give my vote to Jackie DeShannon.
Licence to Kill BOTB showdown
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It’s the Ramones for me, John. They sound more like the original, IMHO.
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