To see how it’s played in the cover song music video, CLICK HERE!
“All For You”
Sister Hazel
(Capo 1st fret)
Am D
Finally I figured out,
But it took a long, long time.
But now there’s a turnabout,
Maybe ’cause I’m trying.
Em Am
There’s been times, I’m so confused.
All my roads, they lead to you.
Em Am D
I just can’t turn and walk away…
G C(add 9) Am D G
It’s hard to say what it is I see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
G C(add 9) Am D G C(add9) – D – G
Enough to prove, it’s all for you.
I thought I’d seen it all,
‘Cause it’s been a long, long time.
But then we’ll trip and fall,
Wondering if I’m blind.
There’s been times, I’m so confused.
All my roads, they lead to you.
I just can’t turn and walk away…
It’s hard to say what it is I see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
Enough to prove, it’s all for you.
MIDDLE:
Am Em Am D
Rain comes pouring down, falling from blue skies.
Words without a sound, coming from your eyes…
SOLO: G – C(add 9) – Am – D (repeat)
Finally I figured out,
But it took a long, long time.
But now there’s a turnabout,
Maybe ’cause I’m trying.
There’s been times, I’m so confused.
All my roads, they lead to you.
I just can’t turn and walk away…
SING A CAPPELLA:
It’s hard to say what it is I see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
Enough to prove, it’s all for you.
GUITAR & VOCALS:
It’s hard to say what it is I see in you,
Wonder if I’ll always be with you.
But words can’t say, and I can’t do
Enough to prove, it’s all for you.
G C(add9) Am D
It’s hard to say…
It’s hard to say…
Am D G C(add 9) – D – G
It’s all for you.
** 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. **
Gm C
I’ve always been a creature of habit,
Am D Gm
But another way I’m addicted to you.
I’m predisposed to have it,
Happiest when I don’t know what to do.
I wanna settle down like my father;
I wanna run away like my mother ought to.
G F C D
Be prepared for indecision; it might make me disappear.
Then again, my addiction to indecision keeps me here.
Riff (x4)
I was born between the tracks.
I left home, I turned around and came back.
One day you and I will be intertwined,
If I can only make up my mind.
Be prepared for indecision; it might make me disappear.
Then again, my addiction to indecision keeps me here.
Riff (x2)
Eb F G
Leave decisions up to fate
Eb F D
Nothing comes to those who wait
Come see the view from on top of the fence.
We’ll watch the world unfold its events.
Some days when I am nearly awake,
I can almost hear the decisions I’ll make.
Be prepared for indecision; it might make me disappear.
Then again, my addiction to indecision keeps me here.
Be prepared for indecision; it might make me disappear.
Then again, my addiction to indecision keeps me here.
Riff (x2)
End on G
** 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. **
Good evening and welcome to another week of all-new Laptop Sessions posts! Today was busy, and although I had a lot of work to do around the condo, I was able to finally relax a bit and begin enjoying being here. Since tonight marks my first cover song music video since the move, you’ll notice a new backdrop. It’s a bit plain, since we’re still unpacking boxes and hanging up posters, etc. In fact, I’m not entirely sure where I want to play my sessions here. Although I miss having the “wall o’ CD’s” in the background as I did when I lived in the apartment, I do like the light and acoustics of the living room here at the condo.
Still, the visuals should come second to the song at hand. My session tonight is a cover of Elvis Costello’s “Alison” from his classic 1977 debut album My Aim is True. As for how I’ve never recorded this song before, I really don’t have an explanation. This is widely considered Costello’s best known and best loved recording, second only to “(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?” There are certainly other Costello songs that are more rocking, more complex, or simply better, but this heartbreaking tune is a wonderful little song. Although I’ve loved Elvis Costello and the Imposters since Delivery Man, I’ve only recently gotten into his older material (via Live at Hollywood High – CLICK HERE for the full review). Even still, I’ve always loved “Alison.”
I’ve been thinking recently about why it took me a while to warm to Costello’s material, and my best guess is the way his “best of” is compiled. The Very Best of Elvis Costello, the quintessential EC greatest hits that was released in April 2001, is a two-disc set with virtually no booklet to speak of. This, to me, is a cardinal sin — how could one, as an album designer, decide to disconnect a “best of” compilation from the appropriate context? Instead of liner notes, there is a series of the same photo of Costello colorized in different shades. And, really, I would have been happy with any type of text: brief notes about each song, an essay about Costello, or even a message/reflection from the man himself.
And what really surprised me years ago when I opened this CD on Christmas morning was that it was a Rhino release. Anyone who’s ever bought an album release from Rhino knows that they’re typically very generous with booklets and other packaging. At least, that’s the experience that I’ve had.
Regardless, I picked up Live at Hollywood High, an Elvis Costello and the Attractions concert from 1978, out of curiosity, and I actually felt a little guilty about spending money on it. After all, the last time I had listened to his early songs, I hadn’t been overly interested. But it has also been a good number of years since I had heard them.
The concert is fantastic.
I went back last week and listened to all 140 EC songs on my iPod and five-starred the songs I really liked. In the end, I was left with a 36 song playlist that I’ve been listening to in shuffle mode constantly for days. (And, since there’s no new music of interest coming out this week, it’ll have to sustain me for another seven days.) Not surprisingly, several of the live versions of his songs made the playlist over the studio versions. Typically, I opt for studio recordings, but this was one of those cases where the live versions are sometimes just better — more catchy, passionate, etc.
The studio recording of “Alison” is classic, though.
I’m posting late tonight because I had a faculty meeting today, followed by a trip to a fancy locale known as K-Mart (remember those??) to pick up a dinette set with the help of my parents, and I’ve been building the chairs ever since. You can’t believe how many nuts, bolts, washers, spring washers, screws, and other little pieces go into the assembly of these things.
It’s been so much work that I might record my session next week at the dining room table just to feel like it was for a purpose…
Seriously though, it’s actually been a lot of fun just building this set while watching season five of The Office. Of course, it wouldn’t be exciting without an issue. In this case, I unpacked the pieces to find that the table has a six-inch crack down the center of it. They’re getting more in on Friday, so I’ll be able to complete the building then, but I just have to wonder… why did it have to be the BIGGEST piece that’s broken? Couldn’t it have been something like one of the chair spindles?
Until next week, I want to remind you to stay tuned here all week for some great new posts. There are more Laptop Sessions to come, as well as music reviews and more. And the Guest Sessions submissions have been multiplying recently, which I couldn’t be more thrilled about, so once I review those videos, you can look forward to the cream of that particular crop over the next few weeks.
Welcome, welcome to another edition of the Laptop Sessions featuring myself and the Traveling Acai Berries! We’re continuing our month-long tribute to Beatles cover songs tonight (have you seen the great posts by Chris and Jeff these past two weeks?) with one of their finest early songs in “If I Fell”.
“A Hard Day’s Night” is an interesting film. If you haven’t seen it, it’s really worth your while. If you haven’t yet fallen in love with the Beatles, then this movie will seal the deal. If you’re someone who wasn’t fortunate enough to live through Beatlemania, then this movie will show you what it was really like. The fact that the boys could be so fun loving and charming during all that craziness proves why they were such a special group.
But, throughout the hype, they remained relevant and cool. You might write-off some of their early hits like “She Loves You” and “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” as early-sixties fluff (you’d be an idiot, by the way), but there were some really introspective gems throughout their first few albums. Go ahead and listen to “Things We Said Today” or “No Reply” and you’ll hear what I’m talking about. These guys were not only great musicians and songwriters, but they were “deep, man”. John Lennon and Paul McCartney (and even George Harrison on his early work like “Don’t Bother Me”) were ahead of their time in so many ways that I can think of 50 more songs I want to record for the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog.
“If I Fell” is one of those songs that just “gets you”. I, for one, cannot stop singing it in my head. The tune is one that goes back into itself constantly and is on permanent loop up there. Couple that amazing tune with the harmonies of John and Paul (with Paul’s amazingly high vocals that I think I nailed pretty well) and you’ve got a classic Beatles song, indeed. Both my father and my fellow Acai Berry Steve said that this song stood out to them when they watched “A Hard Day’s Night” and to me, that says it all. When you’re up against the heavyweight singles on that album (like the title track) and the response is, “If I Fell really stood out to me,” then you know it’s a great song.
We couldn’t get Steve on camera again this week and Chris C. was busy studying sheet music (you can finally hear him this week!), so he was off-camera. We had our fourth member, Bill, there for the session, but he had to leave early and we couldn’t get his guitar playing on the video. I’m hoping that Bill can coax Steve on camera, as four people on camera makes you stand-out much less as an individual than when there’s only two people. Anyway, I hope to record some more songs in two weeks, so maybe I’ll soften him up by then. Next week is the last of our Beatles quatrain (like that little music term there?) and we’ve got a whole bag of tricks that should keep things fresh and interesting here on the best music blog ever created!
That’s right, I said, “Best EVER!” Believe me? Then comment about it! We’d love to hear from you and, yes, each comment you leave brings Steve one more inch closer to appearing on camera! So, get commentin’ and we’ll see you next week for another installment of Jim Fusco Tuesdays. Stay-tuned for an all-new video by Jeff Copperthite, coming up Thursday!
