The trailer for the Footloose redux is enjoyably skanky, sweaty and hot with plasticized SYTYCD charisma — but with The Voice‘s Blake Shelton‘s cover of the bitchin’ Kenny Loggins title track, something doesn’t quite make sense.

It sounds so…so…so…artificially cool — and there’s really nothing wrong with that. It’s like when I performed a rendition of the song in high school during our chorale pop show. I was front and center with a chorus of dancers wearing flannel and a doo-rag because we were “working so hard” and “punching our cards”. Stay tuned for a video…you won’t be disappointed.

Until then, everybody can cut loose by listening to the song at The Boot.

In the meantime, there is one song in the film that echoes my head: “On My Own”. Not only have I made a mental note to put this in my karaoke song, but it has also sparked a side-by-side comparison of the original version sung by Irene Cara and the new one by Naturi Naughton.

Here’s Naturi singing the full version on GMA:

Hmmmm. Do I prefer the stylings of a girl in a totally hot straight-cut bang permed haircut or a gal in a preppie Lacoste pink V-neck sweater?

Cara’s version has a raw clarity to it – there’s a casual and natural sparkle. It’s honest. Naughton sings with bellowing emotion and stinky face vocal acrobatics. There’s an urgent tenderness to Cara’s and there’s more of an “in-your-face-you-go-girl-you-ain’t-gonna-stop-me” empowerment to Naughton’s – but it does seem a tad bit manufactured.

I should stay loyal to the original because of its iconic status, but the new version has a modern gravitas about it.

This is a tough call. This is an important issue plaguing the general public. It’s crucial to our existence. So please, share your thoughts.

This hot joint has been on repeat when I am pumpin’ iron and lookin’ like a sweaty mess at the gymnasia. I am so tempted to C-walk on the treadmill whilst listening to it. Zaid says it is not C-walk worthy, but I think it might be appropriate for a smoother and calmer C-walk. Thoughts?