“Far, Far Away” (Wilco Cover)

For Wilco chords & lyrics, CLICK HERE!

By Chris Moore:

Hello and welcome to the final Monday post of 2009!  It’s been quite a year, and certainly a year of changes and improvements here at the best cover song music video blog in the universe.  For starters, we came up with a weekly schedule of new material that did NOT involve each of us recording a video once every three days.

The “session-a-day” concept may not have been the brightest idea I ever had…

I started the year playing a simple, pretty little Big Star song called “Thirteen,” covers of which I had heard performed by Elliott Smith and Wilco.  In much the same way, I wanted to end the year with another simple but catchy song.  I chose the Wilco track “Far, Far Away,” an acoustic song that incorporates harmonica — another definite plus!  Over the past year and a third, I’ve recorded Wilco songs from all of their studio albums (including both Mermaid Avenue releases) except for two.  Since this song was originally on the 1996 double album Being There, I now only have one uncovered album to select from in the future.

Thanks to the Christmas break, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to sit back and play this song over the past five days.  By the time I hit “Record with iSight” on my iMovie earlier today, this song felt like second nature.  It’s one of those songs that is deceptively simple, and I respect the original Wilco version even more now, especially the way Tweedy’s vocals resonate throughout.  I was also fortunate enough to be in the right groove and managed to arrange and record my session for next week.  Because it will be my first session of the new year, I wanted to pick a thematically relevant song.  The track I picked is fairly simple, but I initially had difficulty translating it to an acoustic performance.  Overall, I am very pleased with my recording, and I can’t wait to post it next year.

Um, I mean next week.

Outside of these songs, I’ve been thinking a lot about my top thirty rock albums of the decade list.  I’m due to post it in less than a week now, so the pressure’s on.  I’ve had the list ready for weeks, but I keep listening to more of the albums again and, consequently, the positions of many of them have been fluctuating.  For instance, I’ve been agonizing over my decision to make Maroon number five instead of number four.  So, especially after conversations with Nicole and with Mike and Alb tonight, I’ve decided I need to spend some more time reconsidering my options, and then finalize this thing.  After all, the reason I’m doing this in the first place is to (a) have a reason to revisit some of my favorite albums of the past ten years and think about them all over again, and (b) spark conversation with my friends and share opinions, engage in debates, and explain justifications for the rankings.  Just tonight, Mike made a great argument for Snacktime being one of the best albums of the decade.

One more to consider…

Outside of music, I haven’t been getting any grading done yet this break, but I have been reading.  I’m one chapter into The Wilco Book, a book I’ve been excited about reading since I first got into Wilco over a year ago.  It was the perfect gift, as I could never bring myself to buy it.  I’ve also been reading Revolution in the Air, a book by my favorite “Dylanologist,” Clinton Heylin.  Heylin has somehow managed to compile a list of 600 original Dylan compositions written between 1957 and 2006 and organized them by when they were written (that’s right — when they were written, not recorded).  The story behind each song is explained, and even though I’m only forty pages in, it’s a fascinating read.  Just when I thought I had read all there was of interest about Bob Dylan, this book comes along…

Finally, I went to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie last night.  Because I teach several Holmes stories to my Mystery class, I was hesitant about enjoying the action-packed previews.  Fortunately, the movie is excellent: Robert Downey, Jr. and Jude Law perfectly play their parts as Holmes and Watson, and the film manages to balance action and an interesting mystery.  It was so much fun, that I’ve finally set off on a goal I’ve had for some time but never followed through with: to read all 56 Holmes stories penned by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.  Nicole and I have taken turns reading the first seven “Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” to each other, the most recent being “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.”  If you know what a carbuncle is, then you are probably just as confused by the title as I originally was.  Let’s just say that the story centers around a different kind of carbuncle than the common meaning of the word.

And, on that side note, I’m about ready to get some sleep.  Before I go to bed, I’m going to finish watching Live Free or Die Hard, sort through the rest of my old bills and records (shredding whatever I can before moving), and continue to write and organize the poems I’m compiling for an upcoming poetry collection.  In fact, there’s one poem I’ve had nearly finished in my head since I was washing my hands before dinner yesterday, so I better write that one down before I lose it…

See you next year for my next session!

“Dam Would Break” (Toad the Wet Sprocket Cover)

By Jeff:

There’s a saying i’ve been hearing lately – “mush brain”.

Because I feel like I have that.

Let me preface with this.  I was rendering the video last night to prepare it to upload.  My wife says “Can you help me with the laundry?”, and because i’m such a chivalrous gentleman, I let the laptop continue to render the video and went upstairs to help with the laundry.  3 loads of laundry later, I say “Wow I’m bushed.  I better head to bed.”  And off I go to sleep.

And then I wake up this morning and say “Holy crap I didn’t upload the video and post about it.”  Needless to say, I feel like a total dbag.

So while i’d technically like to call this “Fail Friday”, but i’d rather call it “Thumpin’ Thursday which is too cool to be posted on time.”

Anyway, on with the video.  Tonight I am covering a song from Toad the Wet Sprocket called “Dam Would Break”.  It’s from one of my favorite albums.  The song is “Dam Would Break” and it’s the 4th track from the album “Coil”.  I remember trying to figure out how to play this song 10 years ago before I knew what a capo was.  Naturally I didn’t know enough chords at the time to figure out this song without a capo.  It’s a wonderful tool for sure.

You’ll also notice the new guitar strings.  Sound good don’t they?  I wish I could say the same about the forgetful person playing the song.

I’m began my semester last week, so if any of my current students are reading this, I hope you did your homework!  (It could easily be any of the 80+ students I have)

Ok i’ll see you in 6 days for a (hopefully on time) new video!

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 original 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!

“R U Ready?” by Ringo Starr – Chords, Tabs, & How to Play

“R U Ready?”
Ringo Starr

D
Are you ready to cross over?
Are you ready to let go,
D  G                                                               D
To face the final curtain in the land of I don’t know?
D                  Bm                    G                   D
Jesus was a wise man, and everyone’s a saint.
D           Em                  A
Are you ready to cross over?
A           G              D
Are you ready?

You can read the good or bad books,
Read them fast or slow.
But is it fact or fiction?
There’s just one way to know.
Buddha was dancing underneath the Bodhi tree;
He was ready to cross over.  He was ready.

D           G           D
So, why hold on, hold on?
D   G
It’s good that you believe,
G         F#
But it’s better if you know.
F#     G           D – Bm – G
Don’t hold on, h   o   l   d       on;
G                             Bm                                A                D
Someone’s there to catch you when you’re ready to let go.

I was sitting by the Ganges looking for another way.
But all roads lead to heaven,
No matter what they say.
Krishna was a good man.
Why was he so blue?
He was ready to cross over; he was ready.

So, why hold on, hold on?
It’s good that you believe,
But it’s better if you know.
Don’t hold on, hold on;
Someone’s there to catch you when you’re ready to let go.

(Play me to heaven…)

SOLO

Are you ready to cross over?
Are you ready to let go,
To face the final curtain in the land of I don’t know?
Everyone can get there, ’cause we all have a soul.
Are you ready to cross over?
Are you ready?

So, why hold on, hold on?
It’s good that you believe,
But it’s better if you know.
Don’t hold on, hold on;
Someone’s there to catch you when you’re ready to let go.
Someone’s there to catch you when you’re ready to let go.
Someone’s there to catch you when you’re ready to let go.

** These chords and lyrics are interpretations and transcriptions, respectively, and are the sole property of the copyright holder(s). They are posted on this website free of charge for no profit for the purpose of study and commentary, as allowed for under the “fair use” provision of U.S. copyright law, and should only be used for such personal and/or academic work. **

“Wherever You Will Go” (The Calling Pop Cover)

By Mike Fusco

Hey all!  Well, it’s been such a big week for me and for news in my world, and I guess people cope in different ways.  Much like comfort food, there are certain songs and albums that act as “comfort music”, and take me back to a time or place.  My acoustic cover song selection for today is a song by “The Calling” that almost everyone knows (and usually likes).  I discovered it and the album (Camino Palmero) in high school, and it was one of the first I listened to when I first got my license.  That time of life and love and discovery and loss all seem to give me answers for things that happen modern day.  This is a song about believing in something and maybe knowing when to let go, and when to hold on.

Im just troubled by a lot of stuff in the news- new war in Georgia from Russia (without love, apparently)… Bernie Macs death, a kid in my town at my middle school who died in a fight, and the brutal destruction of Jim, Chris, and our friend Alberto in Monopoly this evening (in which I won!)  We did our home run derby radio show the other day, and that resulted in a major win for yours truly as well… What do you know!   I’m trading in some accumulated good karma, and I will buy myself a lottery ticket tomorrow (and if I win, I’ll be posting from my own mac laptop, instead of Jim’s like today!)

I really love this song and I hope my quick take on it is enjoyable, and reminds you that you only have to answer to one person every night- Your heart.  So you better live each day right so you don’t have any ‘splainin to do! (Luuuucy!)

Later all!