Where once it was “a session-a-day,” it’s become more like “a session-a-month” for me.
I’m back today with another installment in my 2010 Project acoustic music video series. Today’s selection is one of the most recently written songs, “You Will Thank Me.” It’s an escapist song, one written from the point of view of someone who’s getting out of town, leaving it all behind. I sing “I’m sellin’ out, son,” but I think it’s less of a cop-out or giving up than it is of literally selling out — cashing in and walking away from a table that’s lost any possibility for good fortune.
I love singing and playing this one — it’s probably one of the simplest I wrote for this album — although I did have some trouble playing it, so I recruited Nicole to come sit on the couch and act as audience so that I felt some pressure, like there was something on the line in this performance.
Speaking of performance, I’ve been feeling the itch to play live recently. I’ll go on record here saying that I would be very disappointed if I didn’t play at least one show before December 31 comes and goes. I’ve been playing acoustic and electric, and even practicing bass, so that I’ll be ready to fit in wherever and however the gig calls for.
Have a happy “Hump Day” and hurry back for more soon. (Really: who ever thought of that nickname for Wednesday??)
It’s been a lot of fun this week to see what bands Jim and Jeff are choosing to do. If you haven’t heard, we decided this weekend that this week will be “New Band Week” at Laptop Sessions.com. Each day this week, we will be posting songs by artists that have yet to be covered by us.
My selection today, “Hey Julie,” is from Fountains of Wayne’s 2003 album Welcome Interstate Managers. I liked their previous albums, but this one is by far their best effort. Although it’s a very simple song, “Hey Julie” is one of my favorite tracks, and I thought it would be a perfect fit for the Laptop Sessions because it’s acoustic-based and incorporates harmonica.
Be sure to visit the site tomorrow because Jeff’s “Original Wednesday” selection will be a world-premiere performance of one of the songs from his soon-to-be-released album, Greenlight!!
My cover of “Is There Anybody Out There?” by Pink Floyd from The Wall album. I don’t have classical guitar, so I’m playing it on a steel-string.
** EDITOR’S NOTE: **
Is there a better way to close out a long week than to listen to Jeremy’s beautiful rendition of this simple tune from Pink Floyd’s classic album The Wall?
I can’t think of one.
As you listen, you may be thinking back to this legendary concept album, and the significance of this question being asked — is there anybody out there? As many critics and fans have pointed out, the decision to make this an instrumental clearly suggests that no answer is being given.
We thank Jeremy for highlighting another excellent album track for us, and wish you all a wonderful weekend. Hopefully, it won’t be spent alone. (And, if it is, then maybe it’s time to dust off your copy of The Wall!)
Mwa-ha-ha… And a good EVE to all joining me on this FRIGHTENING 31st of October, 2008. This is All Hollow’s…
EVE!
And I think that, tonight, the title pretty much says it all. What could be scarier, as Jim asked last night, than Chris Moore covering a Britney Spears song? Well, I can’t think of anything off the top of my head. In my defense, I’m not exactly doing a Britney Spears cover. Technically, this is a cover of the Fountains of Wayne arrangement of Britney’s hit single, first released on their “Out-of-State Plates” album, a collection of non-album tracks and previously unreleased material. Now, these collections are usually hit-and-miss, but this is actually a really good one. There’s a couple of new tracks (one of which, “The Girl I Can’t Forget,” is one of my favorites from them), some great live stuff (including a rare better-than-the-studio-album version of “She’s Got A Problem”), and crazy tracks like this, their arrangement of the classic “Hit me baby one more time!”
So, I know you can’t wait to listen, and I certainly want to rush back to the big Fusco-Moore Experience All Hallow’s Eve bash, with special guest (and Richard Simmons impersonator) Mike Fusco! He really went all out — I’m talking head-to-toes, red tank top labeled “PUMPkin’ and SWEATin,'” leggings to disguise leg hair, and amazingly 80’s-esque velcro sneakers. Thankfully, Jim and Becky have changed out of their terrifying, horrifying costumes… as Jim said, they wanted to be the scariest people he could think of… namely, John McCain and Sarah Palin. Meanwhile, I’ve had a sudden urge to manage a beet farm and shun my co-workers (if you’re not an Office fan, I was Dwight Schrute tonight). And, yes — it’s true: as part of his tip, I left our On the Border waiter a Schrute Buck. He earned it for actually ensuring that the chips and salsa were bottomless. With five hungry people at the table, this was no easy task!
In related news, we’re all too tired to record the Halloween WCJM show we had planned on doing, but I have the song list that I would have recommended to the boys (in reverse order):
6) “Long Black Veil” – the Band’s version; not a halloween song per say, but a creepy one;
5) “Heroes and Villains” – Brian Wilson’s SMiLE track; good for Halloween costumes;
4) “Reflective Smile” – a Moody Blues poem set to music that begins “Your painted smile hides you…”;
3) “Ninjas” – the Barenaked Ladies song from their new album that ends “If you take off their masks, they’ll be smiling”;
2) “Brilliant Disguise” – classic Bruce Springsteen; again, not a Halloween song, but speaks for itself;
and…
1) “Werewolves of London” – the quintessential Warren Zevon Halloween-worthy tune!!
For some reason, I’m filled with things I want to keep writing about, but we’re about to kick back and watch a flick — possibly North by Northwest. Not exactly a scary movie, but a classic nonetheless.
I’ll leave you with a challenge to Jeff that Jim initiated last night — come on, Jeff, joing us in lady land. And I’m not making a Jimi Hendrix reference. No, I’m referring to the fact that this is my third cover song in a row that was originally sung by a female singer, and Jim shared an incredible Diana Ross interpretation. Jump on the bandwagon!
Regardless of the gender of tomorrow’s session, I hope you’ll come back for some amaze-za-zing videos by Jeff and Jim.
