The original Hot Chocolate version is undoubtedly more famous. However, I definitely prefer Johnny Osbourne’s dancehall cover.
It has so much more fullness, and a lot more cheeky joy.
Johnny Osbourne was a very popular dancehall artist, for good reason. Nearly everything he touched turned to gold!
This song suits the reggae bounce anyway. The rhythm section has such a natural swing to it, from the piano skank, buoyant drums and the heavy bassline. There’s just a hint of the originally fuzzy guitar lick still present.
The “I believe in miracles” section sounds almost strangled on the original compared to this. Osbourne’s rich voice rings out very warmly, much more clearly than the original.
The Hot Chocolate version came out in 1975. I actually can’t find out exactly when this reggae cover came out, but it seems to have been 1988 or 1989.