Author Archives: Chris Moore

“The Last Time” (Rolling Stones Cover)

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By Chris Moore:

Well, this just seems like deja vu too soon.  Even though I just posted a video on Tuesday, I’m back with not only another all-new acoustic cover song, but also to bring an all-new band to the Laptop Sessions!  And, by all-new, I guess I mean old…  That’s right: for once, Jim’s not the only person to dig out a classic from the sixties!

This is my first cover of a Rolling Stones song, “The Last Time.”  Today being Yom Kippur, I didn’t have to go to school, so I decided to sleep late, but record my cover video early.  As Jim mentioned in yesterday’s post, I had a late meeting on Tuesday, so I went back to my Dylan reserves.  Thus, I felt it was about time to bring in a new band.  So, I gathered all the necessary items from my room — my Rolling Stones greatest hits CD, my laptop, my iPod, a pick, and of course my acoustic guitar.  I sat downstairs and flipped through my iPod selections, reading along on the greatest hits CD.  Even though this is an early song, my iPod was on shuffle, so it took me about fifteen tracks before I got to “The Last Time.”  I immediately felt that this was the Stones song for me — simple, but catchy and right in my vocal range.  After all, I don’t want to embarrass myself on my first Stones video… I’ll save that for a later session!

And I learned a lot about this song that I didn’t know before.  I’ve always liked it, but I didn’t realize that it was the first single co-written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to reach #1 in England.  It was only a little less successful in America, reaching #9.  Reading through Wikipedia’s post about the song, I was interested to learn that the guitar riff (a Brian Jones contribution) running through the song was one of the earliest example of a song with a perpetually repeating riff.  Also, some say that the song is based on the traditional gospel song “This May Be The Last Time,” recorded in 1955 by the Staple Singers.

My recording of the song was easy to learn and fun to play.  I didn’t realize it at first, but following Jim’s mention of the three-chord song, I realized that this is also a three-chord song.  For any of you out there learning the guitar, this would be a great one to try — it’s written by the legendary Rolling Stones, it was a top ten hit in both the USA and Britain, and you need only know the chords E, D, and A!!

Now, if I understand correctly, I won’t be back until Monday to bring you another new song.  That will be Columbus Day, which is ironically another day that I will be off from school.  Maybe that’s a sign that I owe you loyal viewers and readers of the greatest acoustic cover song and original music blog on the web another all-new band.

Don’t be left wondering…  Hurry back to find out!

And you shouldn’t wait until Monday.  After all, you have two in a row to look forward to from Jeff Copperthite, and you can kick off your week with Jim Fusco’s Sunday cover song music video…

See you next session!

Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin'” (1963) – Yes, No, or Maybe So

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Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ (1963) – MAYBE

By Chris Moore:

Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (1963)

Bob Dylan's "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (1963)

(January 13, 1964)

Review:

There is no question that this is one of the all-time classic Dylan albums, its name giving a title to the general feeling shared by many in the sixties, but it is also an album that comes across as purposely topical, facts blurring in the name of poetic license at times; it may not be among his strongest albums, but it is an album that hosted several gems and made the great potential of this young singer/songwriter even clearer than before.

Top Two Tracks:

“With God on Our Side” & “Only a Pawn in Their Game”

Look forward to a jam-packed week!

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By Chris Moore:

This is a brief note to address a couple of issues.  First of all, I let time slip away from me this beautiful Sunday afternoon and evening, so your regularly scheduled Weekend Review will now become the Temporarily Monday Review.  In its place for now, I’m posting a “Yes, No, or Maybe So” review that I had originally planned to post later this week.

To further make up for the switch, I can promise you a full week here at the Laptop Sessions.  This will be our first week in a while where there is a new post each day.  This includes the Weekend Review, another one-sentence review, an Original Wednesday post, an article, a Guest Session, and next weekend’s usual festivities.

So, don’t blink, ’cause you’ll miss all the new material here at the blog.

See you soon!

“Younger Generation” (The Lovin’ Spoonful Cover)

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For Lovin’ Spoonful chords & lyrics, CLICK HERE!

By Chris Moore:

Hello and welcome to a mind-blowing edition of the Laptop Sessions.  You won’t believe that we haven’t recorded a cover song music video for this band’s category…

The Lovin’ Spoonful, best known for their early single “Do You Believe in Magic,” are an interesting sixties rock band that developed quite a history in less than a decade of work.  From their roots as a jug band, their connection to the folk movement genre, and their eventual electric sound, The Lovin’ Spoonful went on to release some great singles, such as the chart topper “Summer in the City.”

The song I’ve learned and recorded for tonight is from the 1968 album Everthing Playing.  I chose this song not because it was a favorite of mine, or even one that I’ve known for a long time.  I came across this song the other night, and it struck me as relevant to some life changes that one of my friends is going through.

You know who you are, and I wish you the best!

That being said, I spent a great deal of time researching and figuring out the chords to this song.  I compiled my chords post from two different sources, and I’m still not entirely happy with the final transcription.  I do think this is as close as I can come, and I think the chords sound good in the song.

“Younger Generation” was the final single of the John Sebastian-led incarnation of the Lovin’ Spoonful, and it is a compelling mediation on the relationships between parents and children, as well as the transition from youth to “maturity.”  Sebastian’s references to futuristic inventions are interesting, particularly the “videophone.”  We’re not too far off…

Well, it’s been a tremendously hectic day, so I’m off to sleep.  After getting up early, exercising, teaching, attending one meeting, rescheduling another, recording this session, and attending a football game at school to help at the concessions stand, I am happy to say that this day has been a very complete one.  I’ll be back again later this week with another music review, so check back tomorrow for an all-new Jim Fusco Laptop Sesssion and then later on when I return in a text-only post.

See you next session!