Monthly Archives: November 2008

“Jungle Love” (Steve Miller Band cover)

Posted on by
1

By Jim Fusco:

Oh yes, another Jim Fusco night, another acoustic cover song music video, and yet ANOTHER “new” band to the Laptop Sessions cover songs series!  I’m not even going out of my way to find these new bands to do- they just come to me.

If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out the new Cover Songs website yet, do yourself a favor and go see it!  It took me many hours to complete, but now it’s fully navigable and even has a really cool Flash logo.  I’m really proud of it, especially considering how many revisions it went through so I could make it perfect.  Hopefully Chris can help me finish making pages for the site in the next couple of days.

I’m so excited about Christmas time right now.  Today, Chris, Becky, and I went to breakfast at Bickford’s (which they both sorely needed after the thrashing they received in Trivial Pursuit last night), then went to the Eric Carle children’s book museum (which was a really nice place), and got to meet famous author Patricia MacLachlin (“Sarah, Plain and Tall”).  She even signed books for us!  After that, we went up to an amazing place: the Yankee Candle headquarters in South Deerfield, MA.  That place is HUGE and really gets you in the Christmas spirit.  Too bad the prices were so high, though.  For instance, I wanted to get this great Christmas village piece of a 50s diner…but it cost $110!  I don’t think I’m quite there yet, financially.

But, we had a great time and it was a perfect way to kick off my favorite time of the year.  I just hope Chris and Becky had a good time, too.  This week truly rules- there is simply no better week during the year.  Why?  Because you have EVERYTHING to look forward to!  Christmas is great, but after that, it’s all over.  Thanksgiving week offers plenty of fun and excitement.  Here’s what I’m looking forward to:

  1. Monday: Normal working day, but when I get home, I’m cooking a pre-Thanksgiving dinner for Chris, Becky, Dana, and myself.  Everyone always goes their separate ways on holidays, so I thought this would be my way of celebrating together.  Yes, I have to cook, but at least everyone will be there!  Not to mention my favorite shows are on: Boston Legal and Two and a Half Men.
  2. Tuesday: This day isn’t anything great, as it’s just a normal workday and I still have to go in on Wednesday.  But, Becky has the day off on Wednesday, so she’ll be able to stay later, at least.  Maybe we’ll go shopping!
  3. Wednesday: Excitement grows, as I go to work (possibly breakfast with Becky before?) and get ramped-up to leave.  This night, we’ll be staying up late and having some fun!
  4. Thursday: Of course, Thanksgiving.  I’m going to Becky’s family’s house first, then we’re both going to my parents’ house to eat.  I love this holiday- it’s really so laid-back.  I’ll watch some football (how about those Jets?), watch a movie, eat, sleep, and get ready for a Thanksgiving night TNA iMPACT!
  5. Friday: After going to bed early on Thursday (yeah, right), Chris and I will get up MASSIVELY early to go shopping on Black Friday.  Not because we need to- it’s just an excuse to leave the house at 4:30!  We’re meeting Alberto Distefano for our now three-year tradition.  I’ll shop and hopefully get good deals, then we’ll all go to McDonald’s for some delicious egg McMuffins.  After that, I’ll go to my parent’s house, where my father and I will put up lights outside until it’s lunchtime.  Then, I’ll eat more fast food with him, followed by a trip to my house, where I’ll start putting up Christmas decorations and listening to the Christmas WCJM radio shows.  This amazing and long day will end with my yearly tradition of watching “Christmas Vacation”- one of the best movies ever.
  6. Saturday: Doesn’t stop there!  I’ll probably do more shopping, but we’re hoping to get the gang back together to do another radio show.  I hope it works out, as it’s our last chance to do the 10th Anniversary show.  We’ll see.
  7. Sunday: Well, they don’t call it the “day of rest” for nothing!

Wow, that’s a week.  I’m so excited- I don’t know how I’m going to get to sleep tonight.

Now, FINALLY (after over 700 words), I’m onto tonight’s cover song music video:

The Steve Miller band is famous for many hit singles.  “Jungle Love” is no exception, and I’m proud to bring it to the music video blog.  When I first learned how to play it, I said to myself, “Man, that is really high-pitched.”  Then I learned that song was even HIGHER pitched than I originally thought (a half-step up on a first-fret capo), so I had to adjust.

The result?  One of my most vocal-chord-shredding, but most exciting videos ever.  It only took me a couple takes to get through this one and I can’t believe I kept my wits about me to remember that whistling part at the end.  I had to borrow Chris’ acoustic guitar for this one (not like he noticed anyway- he was passed out asleep in his street clothes on top of his bed) because I wanted it to be a little more “punchy” than my normal nylon-stringed videos.  I love how easy the riff to this song is (basically an E to E-suspended 4th and D to D-suspended 4th on first fret capo), as I’ve always loved it.  It’s funny how things work out like that.  I swear that most songs I play that sound easy are the hardest and vice versa.  This one always sounded so good- I couldn’t believe that it was so simple.

Well, I’ve written 1000 words for this Laptop Session post.  I think that might be a first!  So, sit back and enjoy the video for the 10th time now, because I’m sure it took about nine video plays to get through the reading of this post!  Hey, that’s not a bad way to increase views- write longer posts and set the video to “loop”!  I’ll be reaching my next YouTube video view milestone soon, so stay tuned!  Enjoy the start of your week and I’ll be back again on Original Wednesday!

“Teenager In Love” (Dion & The Belmonts cover)

Posted on by
1

By Jim Fusco:

Oh yeah, another Jim Fusco night and ANOTHER “new” band to the Laptop Sessions!  Incredible.  It’s almost hard to believe we haven’t done a song from a band starting with every letter in the alphabet.  I think we haven’t done Q yet…

I tell you, I have to do more songs from Dion.  He had some amazing hits and he was pretty prolific with them, too.  This song is a classic 4-chord doo-wop style number.  Even though the song was that “easy” to play, I still found myself doing take after take to get the inflection of the words right.  Plus, I play an “F” chord so much like a “C” chord, I was actually switching between the two accidentally!

But, practice made perfect and I got through the video without too much more trouble.  This is another one of my fading-out songs, as the single version of the original song is just a perfect recording and I wanted my video to reflect the same.  The way Dion sings with such youthfulness and the way the Belmonts give those great supporting vocals makes for a timeless single.

And hasn’t EVERYONE felt this way in the past?  Chris and I have had countless conversations on this topic, asking why we would even do this to ourselves in the first place.  The answer?  Because it made life interesting, which is a theme through many of my early songs.

Even though I’m not a teenager now (and incredibly surprised that it’s been five years SINCE I’ve been one!), I could still channel the sentiment in this song.  I don’t think Dion had that in mind when he recorded this number, but I think every time someone who was a teenager back when the song was released hears it again, it takes them right back.  That could be a scary thing, but any three minute song that can do that is more than just a four-chord song- it’s a classic.

Enjoy tonight’s video and I’ll be back with you on Sunday!

“San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)” (Scott McKenzie Cover)

Posted on by
1

By Jim Fusco:

And the winner, yet again, is Jim Fusco!!!  (AHHH, Jiiiiimmmm Fuscooooo, AHHHH, undefeated champion of the world, AHHHH)

What am I the winner of?  Well, the song with the LONGEST title ever on the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog!

“San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)” is a great tune that symbolized the Summer of Love in 1967.  The song was written by Scott McKenzie’s friend John Phillips of the Mamas and the Papas.  McKenzie was slated to form the band with Phillips earlier, but then decided to be a solo artist.  Well, McKenzie is the true definition of a “One Hit Wonder”, as this song reached the Top 10 and that was his only big hit.

Chris said to me, “I konw the song, but I’ve never even heard of Scott McKenzie!”  Well, he doesn’t realize it, but he has.

The classic Number 1 hit for the Beach Boys in 1987, “Kokomo”, was actually written by the following: Mike Love, Terry Melcher, John Phillips, and…Scott McKenzie!  I don’t know what hand he actually had in it, but it’s funny to learn of the connection.  That song became a hit a solid 20 years after he hit it big with his only well-known song…and it was a song he didn’t even write!  I’m sure McKenzie is still seeing royalties from “Kokomo”.

I came up with a big project that I call “The Cover Songs Initiative” today that outlines the progress I’d like to see this site make, along with the steps to get there.  I’ll be rolling it out tomorrow night, so I’m excited to see some great progress!  See you on Thursday night!

An All-New Cover Music Video added to the Members-Only Section!

Posted on by
Reply

By Chris Moore:

Hey there y’all!  So, I’m aware that this isn’t my night and all, but I have some good news…

One more video has arrived!

Yes, it’s true.  In addition to Jim’s regularly scheduled cover song music video, you can check out an all-new video in the members-only section.  If you’re not a member, you need to sign up!  If not, you’ll miss my recording of Wilco’s “How to Fight Loneliness.”  I didn’t feel right releasing this as a normal Laptop Session, as I already had recorded a Wilco song for my Tuesday 11/18/2008 video.  So, I figured there was no better way to handle it than to add it as a free video in the members-only section.

So, don’t wait around, get on over to the members-only section and kick back to my cover version of this great track off Wilco’s Summerteeth album.  I should also give a shout-out to Jim for helping me figure out the A6 and Bbdim chords I needed to learn in order to play this song.  It’s a fairly simple song, but I really enjoyed learning it.  I’ve been playing it a lot recently, so I figured I just had to share it.

Enough said.  Go to the members section!  Press play!  Enjoy, courtesy of the best acoustic cover song music blog in the universe…

See you for tomorrow’s session!