The original version features Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals. A pre-fame Madonna had auditioned for the vocal but was not used on the final release. In 1992, it was re-recorded and remixed by house music producer Steve "Silk" Hurley, and features actress Kim Basinger alongside a re-recorded Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. It appeared on the group's compilation album Hello Dad... I'm in Jail. The original plan was to restore Madonna's vocals to the track for the re-release, but she refused to grant permission, hence Basinger was approached instead. However, Madonna's restored vocals were accidentally released on two occasions. A full Madonna vocal appears on the two-LP and double-cassette formats of compilation release Now Dance 92, entitled 12" Mix. The CD format of this compilation includes the regular 7" Mix, however. Secondly, on the 12-inch and CD single formats of Was 's follow-up single, "Somewhere in America ", there is a Dub Mix of "Shake Your Head" which uses several of Madonna's vocals. Although the song did not chart in the US, it was the band's biggest commercial success across the Atlantic, reaching number 4 in the UK charts. There are several versions of the 1992 remake: The 3:48 single version starts with Osbourne singing "You can't feed the hungry, you can't talk Shakespeare to a monkey..." The 4:00 album version starts with female vocals singing "You can't argue with death. You can't break a burly sailor's neck. You can't drink lava from plastic glasses...". There is also a Steve "Silk" Hurley 12" Mix and a 12" Dub. The song's lyrics deal with things that cannot be done. After Basinger and Osbourne detail these things, the chorus comes in with the title hook.
Cover version
In 2003, C. C. Catch covered "Shake Your Head" and released as single, which peaked at #8 in Norway.
Official versions
"Shake Your Head" – 3:42
"Shake Your Head" – 6:49
"Shake Your Head" – 6:49
;Notes:
The Now Dance 92 version was a mistake and contained Madonna's vocals instead of Kim Basinger. This version did not appear on the CD edition which included the remix single version.
