“Love Is Stronger Than Pride” by Amber Mark

Jun 20

Shazam’d by T on June 20, 2022. “Very nice rendition…but it’s no Sade!” Overall rating: 3.25.

D: How did you feel about Amber Mark’s “love is stronger than pride” rendition?

T: Hmm…I liked it. Although comparative to the original, the instrumentation is kinda sparse. That’s weird to say, because you can’t get much sparser than the original Sade arrangement. In fact, the rhythm and percussion of this version are almost kinda bouncy and joyful—but still purposefully sparse. And even though it makes for a decidedly different vibe, and a cool, hip sound, it feels like it’s trying too hard to be different…but still similar. And here, you just can’t be both.

Going in the “more is more” direction, I would add a stronger bassline, for sure. It needs to be able to match the percussion in its liveliness—even if just here and there. I feel that might just make the song different enough to stand as its own unique thing—as opposed to being a song that doesn’t quite escape the shadow of the original.

Otherwise, I will find myself still wanting to hear it sung the way Sade sings it. Kudos to Amber for trying it a new way, trying to make it her own. But to be honest, I would love for this to have been a duet, with both Sade and Amber singing the same words, each in their own unique style. (Maybe Sade’s laidback delivery would be more “in the background,” with Amber’s more expressive vocal on top. That would be sweet!) My rating: 3.5.

D: Whaaaaat?! A 3.5?! 🤭 There are just a few artists and a few of their songs that I simply prefer to be left alone, untouched. There are times when a new rendition may work for me….. 🥴 This one? No. Sorry. I don’t dislike it, per se…. I just listen to it and keep NEEDING to hear the original, as is…. It’s not bad, just…. no. 😬 My rating: 3.0.

Mayyyyyyybeeee a duet………?……… 🥴 It’s like you’ve said about Sade before: “She does good lyrics…some of them downright special. But her greatness is dependent on several other factors as well: her sultry voice; her great backing band; her one-of-a-kind beauty.”

T: Ah! That’s why I was saying this rendition could make great use of a direct assist from Sade herself. Like you, I find myself listening to it and wanting it to sound more like the original—because that’s the version we both see as perfect. Now, if you do a rendition of a perfect song, and you don’t mess it up, you’re gonna get a 3.5, just by default. (That’s because, on the MediaJunkies scale, a 3.0 represents middle-of-the-road status, remember?) Although, the version in my mind, with the alterations I’m wanting to hear, would make it a 4.5. Which is still not perfect….but closer to what this should be—an homage to the Queen.