THE DARKNESS – “Get Your Hands Off My Woman…Again” (2004 Atlantic mp3 single)
After the surprise hit Permission To Land (which was essentially just a released demo) The Darkness were determined to make a better sounding second album. At first it was announced they were going to be working with one Mutt Lange; that didn’t pan out. Up next was Roy Thomas Baker, of Queen fame.
Their first released collaboration was a re-recording of “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” re-titled “Get Your Hands Off My Woman…Again”. It differs only slightly from the original. Better sounding bass, better sounding drums, but almost identical otherwise. There are only two moments were the song deviates from the original: a 5 second piano break at 1:54, and a different, more abrupt ending.
This was released November 8 2004, for one month only, for 99p on the official Darkness site. Since then I understand it’s been very difficult to find online. I like when bands release stuff like this, even though for most people it’s fairly redundant. A lot of bands test the waters by re-recording older material, Axl’s done that and so have others. When they make it available for almost nothing for a limited time, sure, I’ll bite. It’s a kind of immediate release that didn’t exist 20 years ago.
Not to mention that this is just one of the Darkness’ best songs, ever. Gratuitous language, hot riffs, screeching high vocals, ripping solos, and hooks for miles. I was sold on the original song on first listen. As for this re-recorded update, I like the better quality sound, but I don’t like the piano break or the ending. Great tune, great sonics thanks to RTB, but I’ll stick with the original!
3.5/5 stars
Since you can’t take a picture of a non-physical product, here’s the CD single that I burned!
mikeladano.com 
Permission to Land is one of my favourites from the 21st Century – brilliant record!
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Me too. Actually I love all three records. Couldn’t pick a fave.
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That is a great album and their second album “One Way Ticket to Hell and Back” is better than what it’s given credit for. Still, I love that song “Get Your Hands Off of My Woman.”
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At our wedding, we had “I Believe in a Thing Called Love”. And I played air guitar to it!
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Good on you!
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I first heard this on the radio – it took months before I realised it had gratuitous language!
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I think here they played an edit version where he sings “mother mother”?
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I missed this one. Wasn’t much of an Internet surfer back then!
Great song, great band… saw them live pretty early on just as the first album was breaking.
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Right on. I’ve never seen them live. I was actually considering going to see them on the Lady Gaga tour.
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Whatever version by Darkness (or Ben Folds), this is one hilariously great blast of screamo hair rock. I bust out laughing every time I hear its audacity. Just love it. And I dug the rest of the record too – thanks to Mike for making me snag it for $3 in Taranna…
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Still trying to find Ben Folds’ ep…
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I have been looking for this version of the song forever. Any idea where or if I could get the mp3?
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Well I did some digging online, and it turns out there was a limited edition promo CD made for this song. Discogs doesn’t have a listing for it, but maybe eBay will be the way to go. I’m going to try there myself.
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I got this version, checkmate!
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