Cover to Cover: Head On

Hello faithful (and unfaithful) readers! Ready for another stab at this Cover to Cover thing?

This week, I’m going to talk about the song “Head On.”

The Original:

The original was recorded by The Jesus and Mary Chain. TJAMC are a Scottish indie rock band that formed in 1983 by brothers William and Jim Reid. Their debut album Psychocandy was released in November 1985 by Blanco y Negro Records. Their most recent release was the 2024 LP Glasgow Eyes. That one was released in March by Fuzz Club. To date, the band has released 8 full length albums, 2 live albums, 8 compilation albums, and 6 EPs.

The song “Head On” was recorded for their 1989 LP Automatic which was released in November by Blanco y Negro. Automatic reached #11 on the UK Albums chart and #105 on the US Billboard 200. The song was released as a single from the album and reached #57 on the UK singles chart. It also reached #2 on the US Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.

I can’t remember when I first started listening to The Jesus and Mary Chain. I feel like the first album of theirs I heard was 1987s Darklands. In any case, I am a fan of theirs.

The Cover:

The song was covered by the Pixies. They are an indie rock band that started in 1986 and were formed in Boston, Massachusetts. Their recording debut was the 1987 EP Come On Pilgrim, released in March by 4AD Records. Most recently, they released an full length album titled The Night the Zombies Came. It was released in October 2025 by BMG. To date, the band has released 10 LPs, 7 compilation albums, and 5 EPs.

Their version of “Head On” was recorded for the 1991 full length album Trompe Le Monde, which was released in September by 4AD. It was released as a single from the album and reached #6 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks. The album itself reached #92 on the US Billboard 200 and #7 on the UK Albums Chart.

Full disclosure, this band is one of my all time favorite bands.

The Verdict:

I honestly can’t remember which version I heard first. I am pretty sure that I knew who The Jesus and Mary Chain were when I first heard the Pixies do their version but I can’t remember if I had heard the original version before the Pixies version. I do like them both very much though.

One of the things about the original that really stands out to me is the drums. They are very simple but very powerful at the same time. Also, the guitars are great. Another thing I really like about the song is the vocal delivery. Plus there is that breakdown in the middle. Overall, I just really enjoy the 80s nostalgic feel that i get from TJAMC’s version. I guess I don’t have anything bad to say about the original. I just like the song. It is probably one of my favorites from the band.

Then, there is the Pixies version. A lot more, I dunno, dynamic I guess? It starts off more abrupt. I mean, to be honest, it has everything that TJAMC version has but….Pixies. I prefer the guitar playing. I mean, it’s Joey Santiago. I prefer the drums in this version but, again it’s David Lovering who is one of the better drummers in rock music. However, the drums are not as pronounced or noticeable as in the original.

So which do I prefer? Well, this might come as a shock to those that know me well but when it comes down to it, I prefer the original version. While I like the Pixies version a lot, I just think that The Jesus and Mary Chain did it better. For one, I prefer the vocal style of Jim Reid for the song over Black Francis. Also, like I mentioned, I prefer the drum style on the original. And, while I do like the Pixies version, it is not one of my favorite songs of theirs, unlike with TJAMC.

So which version do you prefer?

That’s it for this edition of cover to cover. Thanks for reading. Comments are encouraged and appreciated. See you next time.