Tainted Love

1965 · via Soft Cell

Gloria Jones’ 1965 recording of “Tainted Love” is the earliest release on file. Ed Cobb is credited as its writer. Also recorded by Marilyn Manson (released 2001), Milk Inc. (released 2006) and Deathline International (released 1994), among 463 recordings of this work on MusicBrainz.

From the counter

Gloria Jones had Tainted Love on record in 1965, a long way from any synthesizer. Play hers first, then theirs, and listen to how Soft Cell found the chill inside an Ed Cobb song.

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Liner notes

Credited writer: Ed Cobb.

Earliest release on file: this one, 1965.

Other recordings on file · first release year

Dave Phillips & The Hot Rod Gang1982
Inspiral Carpets1992
Impedance1992
Deathline International1994
The Living End1997
Soft Cell2000
Marilyn Manson2001
Milk Inc.2006
Richard Grey2007
Stella Starlight Trio2007

463 recordings of this work on MusicBrainz.

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How you get here

Soft Cell's Tainted Love is the version everybody knows. Which singer had the Ed Cobb song on record before them?Gloria Jones

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Facts from MusicBrainz and the Rabbit Hole Records crate. The counter notes are written by the clerk, an AI, from those facts only. General Admission 4 Us: start with an artist, leave with a rare cut.