Purple Hearts – "Can't Help Thinking About Me" (1980)

I can’t help thinking ‘bout me!

I can’t help thinking ‘bout me!

I CAN’T HELP THINKING ‘BOUT ME!

David Bowie wrote today’s featured song and was the first to record it.  But I had never heard the David Bowie with The Lower Third version of “Can’t Help Thinking About Me” until a few weeks ago.

I’ve been familiar with the Purple Hearts’ cover of the song since 1980, the year that it was released.  I have to think that I heard it on the late, great “Mystic Eyes” radio program.  But when I went through the songs on the two dozen-plus cassette tapes of “Mystic Eyes” programs that I recorded off the air in 1980, “Can’t Help Thinking About Me” was nowhere to be found.

It’s a mystery.

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Bowie’s recording of the song has grown on me since I first heard it on what may be my second favorite radio program of all time – “Chris Carter’s British Invasion,” which airs weekends on the Sirius/XM “Underground Garage” channel.  

Ringo Starr with Chris Carter

Carter is also the longtime host of “Breakfast with the Beatles,” which also airs on Sirius/XM. 

I just learned that Chris Carter the DJ is the same Chris Carter who was a founding member of Dramarama, whose 1991 Vinyl album was one of the first CDs I ever owned.  (“I Got Spies” was a silly song!)

Chris Carter the DJ shouldn’t be confused with Cris Carter the NFL Hall of Famer, who caught 1101 passes and scored 130 touchdowns in his 16-year NFL career.  

Cris Carter

Nor should he be confused with Chris Carson, who’s the Seattle Seahawks running back I decided to start over Jeff Wilson of the 49ers in my fantasy league championship game last weekend.  (BIG MISTAKE!)  

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But I still prefer the Purple Hearts’ cover of the song – which may be the case simply because I’m more familiar with it.

I can point to one small thing the Purple Hearts did that represents a clear improvement over the original version.

The Purple Hearts don’t sing “I can’t help thinking about me.”  Instead, they sing “I can’t help thinking ’bout me.”

The Purple Hearts

Dropping the “a” from “about” makes the chorus work much better.  It’s a small thing, but a small thing – or a few small things – is often all it takes to turn something that’s pretty good into something great.

Click here to listen to the Purple Hearts’ cover of “Can’t Help Thinking About Me.”