Pony (Extended Version)
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Released in 1996

Timbaland is among the all-time great hip hop/R&B’s producers, and Ginuwine’s “Pony” was one of his first big hits. Like many Timbaland tracks, it’s held up flawlessly over the years.

Timbaland takes pride in fusing together unlikely elements in service of a slamming, unique beat. The most dominating sound on “Pony” is a deceptively simple three-note froglike bassline. But it’s the weirdness that takes the track to another level — the loopy slide whistle, the way he lets the beat breathe during the verses, the chugging percussive sound that lurks underneath.

The lyrics are ridiculous, but you have to admire the complete lack of shame:

If you’re horny, let’s do it
Ride it, my pony

Unbelievably, the lyrics go even further downhill from there, but I’ll refrain from calling attention to the specifics here; regardless, it’s impossible not to sing along.

Recently, Dancing Alone to Pony became a meme. Dozens of brave boogiers uploaded lo-fi video to show their genuine love for Ginuwine’s classic. This one is my current favorite:

The extended version doesn’t overextend itself. There’s an additional instrumental passage which introduces some vaguely ominous keyboard elements into the mix, but otherwise leaves the original intact.

Nostalgia 77 (w/Alice Russell)
Seven Nation Army
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Tender Forever
My Love
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B.Cause (w/The Whitefield Brothers & The Dazz Band)
Let It Whip
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I’m gonna switch things up on Musical Cousins. Usually, I do a modernish song that contains a sample from a slightly less modern song. Not this time. The tracks offered up in this post are all cover versions that sound as if they were released before the original. Allow me to demonstrate.

The first selection is a cover of The White Stripes’s “Seven Nation Army.” When I heard the original way back in 2003, I remember thinking that it could have been released decades earlier; an instant 5-star classic. A few years later, I heard this cover version by UK producer Benedic Lamdin (who records under the moniker Nostalgia 77) and I actually believed that The White Stripes covered an obscure 70s soul song. With fiery vocals by fellow Brit Alice Russell (who sounds like Irma Thomas but looks kinda like a young Courtney Love) and a slowed-down bluesy groove, this is one remake that is on par with the original.

Exhibit B is a novelty interpretation of the Justin Timberlake track “My Love,” recorded by the lo-fi French (by way of Portland, OR) act Tender Forever. Singer/ukulele player Melanie Valera changes my perception of this song with her childlike sweetness. Timbaland’s bold production on the original feels like it comes from the future, but this cover version hearkens back to 60s folk.

The final selection is not exactly a cover, but a radical remix of The Dazz Band’s 80s classic “Let It Whip” by San Francisco producer B.Cause. Clearly, B.Cause is a skilled technician, slowing down a track form German funkmeisters The Whitefield Brothers and blending it with what I believe to be the a cappella version of the original single; it’s an absolutely perfect fit.

By the way, check out this retro clip from Soul Train featuring the original version by The Dazz Band: