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“City of New Orleans” (Steve Goodman acoustic cover song) – The Guest Sessions
Friday, July 16th, 2010
Originally posted 2010-01-08 14:30:33.
By Jeremy Hammond:
My cover of “City of New Orleans” by Steve Goodman is influenced by Willie Nelson’s version of the song. The rhythm fittingly drives on like the wheels on a locomotive, and it has a fun chord progression.
** EDITOR’S NOTE **
This is one of those songs I feel like I’ve known forever. The more likely time frame is since I was about ten or twelve, listening to my father’s seventies music cassette tapes. Of course, I know the 1972 Arlo Guthrie version from his album, Hobo’s Lullaby. It turns out Steve Goodman played it for Guthrie at a bar called the Quiet Knight in Chicago, after which Guthrie recorded his cover.
If the quality of a song can be judged by the caliber of people who have recorded it, then this is an outstanding tune. It has been recorded by Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, John Denver, Judy Collins, and Jerry Reed, and has been performed most recently by Jimmy Buffett in 2005 and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante in 2006.
And now I’m thrilled to add Jeremy Hammond’s name to that long and prestigious list of cover song artists. Jeremy’s music video performance is an excellent, entertaining, faithful rendition that anyone who knows this song will enjoy. If this is your first time hearing the song, perhaps you’ll go out to a CD store (or at least YouTube) and check out the other versions. Jeremy continues to select songs that fit perfectly into the acoustic cover song format, so hurry back soon for another installment of the Guest Sessions at the Laptop Sessions music video blog!
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Jimi Hendrix’s “First Rays of the New Rising Sun” (1970/1, 1997) – Yes, No, or Maybe So, Retro
Friday, July 16th, 2010
Originally posted 2010-02-17 22:30:45.
First Rays of the New Rising Sun (Jimi Hendrix) – MAYBE
Jimi Hendrix's "First Rays of the New Rising Sun" (1970/1, 1997)
(intended for 1970/1, released April 22, 1997))
Review:
Listening to First Rays of the New Rising Sun — this composite of what Hendrix’s fourth studio album may have sounded like — is a bittersweet experience: it is clearly incomplete, but there is evidence here — tight, upbeat, brilliant evidence — that this could have approached the quality of Are You Experienced!
Top Two Tracks:
“Freedom” & “Night Bird Flying”
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“I Got You” (Stone Temple Pilots Acoustic Rock Cover Song) – The Laptop Sessions
Friday, July 16th, 2010
Originally posted 2008-03-15 11:27:05.
By Jeff Copperthite:
Hello all of you weekend warriors! It’s Jeff for today’s Saturday edition, and I bring another entry from one of my favorite bands STP, better known as Stone Temple Pilots.
I bring you a song from their album “No. 4″ called “I Got You”. This is not the first time you’re hearing a song from this album, as one of my previous sessions Atlanta was also from this album. Not only that, but Jim in the near future will be performing a song from this album as well. We’ve got a good handle on this album now, so I expect the next time I do a song from STP it’ll be off of one of their other 4 albums.
Anyway, this song is a very peppy and catchy song, which is a bit of a contrast to some of the other songs on the album which have a more dark and aggressive sound. The recording itself has a lot of country-slide guitar going on in the background as well as a clean electric guitar solo before the final chorus. Even a bit of piano is thrown in. But for me, you get my regular tenor voice and my acoustic guitar – complete with assorted open position and barre chords.
I felt ultra-productive this past Sunday recording this and three other videos. Now I have to sit down and record more. I’m always open to requests, and I will be working on a request from a student in my school. Until then, enjoy today’s entry into the Laptop Sessions!
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“Hey Love” (Better Than Ezra acoustic cover song) – The Guest Sessions
Friday, July 16th, 2010
By Michael Brading:
This is an acoustic cover of the song “Hey Love” by Better Than Ezra.
** EDITOR’S NOTE: **
It’s been nearly a year and a half now since Jeff posted our first — and only — Better Than Ezra acoustic cover, so I jumped at the chance to feature this version of “Hey Love,” a track from 2009′s Paper Empire. I was actually shocked to see that this song came from such a recent album, as this latest Better Than Ezra effort slipped past me entirely. And I’ve made it my business to be in “the know” on new music releases since January of 2008, so that’s saying something.
It is on this note that I am happy to welcome Michael Brading back to the Laptop Sessions blog for his second highlighted appearance. As you’ll see and hear, he has done an outstanding job here translating “Hey Love” to an entirely acoustic solo performance. He has “cheated” the LS formula a little with the subtly double-tracked lead vocal, but I have to admit that it’s to great effect.
Even as I write this, I’m still humming the song to myself, which is a sure sign that Michael not only picked out a great track, but also performed it well!
Here’s to a strong return to the blog for Michael, and to a relaxing Friday evening for us all. Stay tuned this weekend for more all-new material from the Laptop Sessions blog…
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Choose Cover Songs from over 100 Bands: Welcome to the Laptop Sessions music video blog! Here, you'll find cover songs, original music, & music reviews updated every weekday! We hope you enjoy the acoustic covers, free mp3s, chords, tabs, and music reviews here on the site! |
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