Most headbangers are likely aware of British vocalist, songwriter, and record producer Robert Palmer, most likely thanks to the success of his mid-80s supergroup, The Power Station. The group's cover of the classic T-Rex track, "Get it On (Bang a Gong)" in 1985, was a worldwide smash. Palmer, whether a part of a group or on his own as a solo artist, had a rather eclectic collection of covers in his musical catalog. He did a funky version of The Kinks, "You Really Got Me" (1976, originally recorded by The Kinks in 1964); a brief live version of Hüsker Dü's "New Day Rising" (captured during a performance in Florida in 1987); and, as noted in the title of this post, a jam by the mighty Motörhead, "Eat the Rich." Yeah, that's right. The guy who didn't mean to turn you on covered the band's 1987 face-burning fuck-you-to-the-greedy-1% anthem live in front of what I'm sure was a very surprised crowd in Florida in 1988.
Palmer would perform the song from time to time live in the years preceding his all-to-early death in 2003 at the age of 54, but it appears he never got around to laying down a studio version of the song, which is a shame because the version you're about to hear it going to blow your mind. Not only does Palmer rip it up vocally, his band at the time included his frequent collaborator, guitar god Eddie Martinez, who laid down the jams for Run DMC's raucous track "Rock Box" and "King of Rock." You may also know Martinez's work with David Lee Roth on Roth's solo EP Crazy from the Heat. Percussion legend Brie Howard-Darling (credited as Brie Howard, the former lead vocalist for the all-girl group Fanny) provides the heartbeat for Palmer's take on "Eat the Rich." Crank up your speakers and take a listen below.
