Hunters and Collectors

Someone explain to me how this Ed Sheeran cover of Hunters and Collectors’ “Throw Your Arms Around Me” came to exist. It's on a new compilation tribute to 50 years of the Mushroom Records label in Australia which also includes covers of The Church and Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out of My Head," among other Australian favorites.

Probably because of Sheeran's friendship with Mushroom honcho, the late Michael Gudinski who was the subject of this year's doco Ego: The Michael Gudinski Story. First and foremost, it's been recorded by the band a number of times but the original 1984 version is the best. Interestingly, back then, Tina Turner wanted to cover it and the band knocked her back.

I would have never known that Sheeran was close to the founder of Mushroom Records! But I know the song originally from the many times that Crowded House covered it (Paul Seymour and Mark Seymour being brothers) and of course know the original as well. It has had quite a long lifespan.