“You’re Sixteen” (Ringo Starr Cover)

By Jim Fusco:

Welcome to a slightly-belated Monday, Monday edition of the Laptop Sessions!  Due to Rosh Hashanna celebrations, Jeff asked if Mike could step in.  When that didn’t work out, it was left up to me to fill the space so the Laptop Session a day project can continue!  I’ll have tonight’s video and tomorrow’s, as well, so Jeff will replace my regularly-scheduled acoustic cover song on Friday.  Whippee- no video for me until Monday!

Tonight, you get Ringo Starr’s only Number One Billboard Hot 100 hit in “You’re Sixteen”.  This has to be one of the most fun videos I’ve ever done and if you watch it, you’ll know why.  My version even features the famous kazoo solo, originally played by one Sir Paul McCartney!

I love listening to random mode on my iPod (the “old” 80 gig model).  I heard this song again (I’ve known it for years- who hasn’t?) and then decided to listen to the entire “Ringo” album.  What a great one, including (no pun intended) the song “I’m The Greatest”, which I believe was written by John Lennon.  Ringo always did collaborations well.  Fans will hopefully remember “Never Without You” that he did for George Harrison with a guitar solo by the great Eric Clapton.

I suppose I should give Ringo songs a rest for a while, as I’ve done two recently.  Which one, you ask?  Well, the best way to find out these things is to visit the Laptop Sessions music video blog every single day, but if you missed it, you can just go to the Categories menu in the left bar and click on “Ringo Starr songs”.  Until tomorrow, have a great one!

“I Can’t Stand It” (Eric Clapton Cover)

By Jim Fusco:

Well, I had a day today.  That’s why I had to post so late- a combination of tiredness, emotions, victory, and forgetfulness…mostly forgetfulness.

Tonight, I bring you a song by Eric Clapton that I know little about, but just heard it in the car a couple times and decided that it was a good song to do for the Sessions.  It’s a new one I learned recently, so I hope that you’ll become a fan, too, if you haven’t heard it yet.

I do know that it’s from the early 1980s, but I’m willing to receive a full history lesson if anyone wishes to provide one for me.  I enjoy the tune of this song and the kind of laid-back way Clapton sings it.  I find that kind of funny considering how he’s proclaiming that he’s through putting-up with his significant other “runnin’ around” and “foolin’ around”.  You think he’d be a bit angrier…

On a separate note, as this is meant to be a blog and not just a place to post videos, I’d like to extend a heartfelt condolence to anyone who has recently lost someone in their lives.  The people who care about you won’t let you feel alone.  I personally have felt that I wasn’t able to be there for people during some important times, but I feel good knowing that I can be there for them now and won’t let them down.  I’m always available for hanging out, late-night Taco Bell, PS2 baseball, the movies, TV shows, baseball live on TV, or just general hanging-out at any time.  And I don’t mean that as a sympathy thing, either.  I mean it as that’s the way I’ve always wanted it to be, but haven’t had for a long time.  So, I hope that it’s the way it’ll become from now on and into the future, no matter who ends up coming into or leaving our lives.

Good night everyone and stay tuned for another great tune from Chris Moore kicking off this week on the video blog.  You know that a Sunday, Sunday, Sunday video means that person gets an Original Wednesday pick, so we’re all excited to see what he’ll come out with next!

Jim Fusco Reaches 110,000 YouTube music video views!

Definitely not meant to show up Chris Moore’s acoustic cover song tonight, but I just found out that I reached 110,000 YouTube video views.  I’m very excited about it and hope that this number continues to rise somewhat exponentially.  It’s only been about 20 days or so since my milestone of 100,000 acoustic cover song and original music video views on YouTube, so it’s exciting to get another 10,000 so quickly.

I’ve said it before that I won’t feel like the “big time” until I get to 1,000,000 views.  It’s going to take a while.  But, whereas it took me nine months to get 100,000, I don’t think it’s going to take 81 more months to get to a million.  I sincerely believe that I’ll be staring a half million in the face sometime next year.

Thanks to all who watch these videos and, to echo Jeff’s sentiment, come back on a daily basis to keep viewing more.  I’ll keep you posted on new milestones as they arrive!

“Space Between” (Dave Matthews Band Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Ok, the day has finally come…it’s a day that Chris and Jim have dreaded ever since they found out that Jeff “Is not impartial to listening to the Dave Matthews Band”…

…it’s here.

Jeff has finally garnered the courage to do a Dave Matthews Band acoustic cover video.

I tried my best to spray the highest quality can of “troll-b-gone” on this video.  Dave Matthews fans are going to come out of the woodwork telling me how much I don’t sound like him, or how far away from his guitar skills I am.

But, as you all know, we are dedicated to bringing you acoustic cover videos from all kinds of bands.  And let’s face it – DMB is one of the premier jam band acts of all time, and their fanbase is huge.  We want to show you what we can do.

The song I have chosen (and there are plenty to choose from) is a song from their 2001 album “Everyday” called “The Space Between”.  This song is easily picked out by it’s electric guitar riff that plays through most of the song (use a standard D fingering on the 9th fret and you’ll have that riff).  However, a solo acoustic cover playing just that riff is extremely difficult to play, let alone sing over.  I find this version good because it allows you to hear the chords that play under that riff.

Dave has a highly unstructured singing style, so remembering how to time each line was difficult.  Repeat takes were often due to the vocals – the guitar part got easier after the 24th take, which was just before I had to recharge the battery on my camera.  2 takes later, I got this version.

I hope you enjoy this video – we are nearing the end of September, which means we will be 75% done with session-a-day in 2008.  You’ll see me next on Monday, but i’m sure you will be coming back every day just like hundreds of fans to check out what we are bringing you for the new day.  Jim will be back to his library of covers tomorrow, and Chris is gonna dish out another great cover on Sunday.  Have a great weekend, and thank you again for being a regular visitor!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and origianal music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!