“Everybody Out of the Water” (Wallflowers Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Good evening, and welcome to The Laptop Sessions for Monday, July 7th. Today’s song is dedicated to the youtube user who sent me a message simply asking “Why haven’t you done a Wallflowers song lately?”. Well, I aim to please, so here you go!

Today’s song is from The Wallflowers, from their album “Red Letter Days” (my personal favorite of thiers). We have covered songs from this album before, but given that each song is awesome, there’s no reason we can’t cover another! And the song is “Everybody Out of the Water”, which is unlike any other song on the album. It’s the 4th track, and the song before it is the soft piano medley “Closer to You”. That song and this song are the two extremes on the album. This is meant to be an angry song, and even though this song sounds best with the electric distorted guitar, I think the acoustic cover that I present to you is just as effective.

Stay tuned tomorrow for Jim’s next awesome song. I hope you enjoyed today’s session and continue to enjoy the sessions overall!

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!

“Immortality” (Pearl Jam Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Monday is always a tricky day for all that begin their workweek on that day of the week.  Weird things tend to happen on that day – I think it’s because people have just their weekends and are more prone to find unkind things weird and abnormal.

I’m certainly in the latter group.

On a morning where someone decided “Egg & Cheese” was the same as “Sausage Egg & Cheese”, I decided (well, against my will) to have a weird Monday.  And it’s just getting more abnormal.

Youtube is having maintenance tonight – on my night – again – for the umpteenth time.

It’s becoming weird when that doesn’t happen to me.

Ok well, the video you will soon get to enjoy is a Pearl Jam song called “Immortality” from their album “Vitalogy”.  This marks the 4th song I have covered from this album, as I have always enjoyed its awesome array of songs.  I think this album is one of their finer releases, and has many more acoustic cover worthy songs on it.  I also have a knack for something songs in a minor key.

Whenever you get to watch this video, I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you come back for an extra special Thumpin’ Thursday ®.  Of course, I know you’ll be coming back to enjoy Jim & Chris’ next offerings as well.

Until then… (quick, find the last time I closed a blog post with those words!)

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 origianal 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!

“American Girls” (Counting Crows Cover)

By Chris Moore:

Happy Labor Day to one and all!  I’ve always thought that it was interesting that there is very little “labor” accomplished on Labor day, but I suppose it’s more an appreciation and celebration of all the labor that is done on the other 364 days of the year.  Regardless, I’m not complaining that I don’t have to work on this beautiful, sunny day — what a magnificent first day of September it is, at least here in good ole Connecticut, USA!

And September 1st is not only Labor Day, but it’s also the birthday of my girlfriend, Nicole.  So, to help her celebrate it, I figured there’s no better way than choosing and recording a song for my music video today that she would love.  This is actually a song that I just played her for the first time a couple of days ago, and she immediately loved it.  “American Girls” is the second track on the Counting Crows’ Hard Candy album.  It’s notable for being one of two songs from this album to make the greatest hits.  Although it was a very mild hit, I think it’s a great song.  And I can’t believe that it took me years to figure out that Sheryl Crow contributes the background vocals!  I picked up this album used from FYE a couple weeks ago and figured that out as I read the liner notes.  It was definitely a “Duh” moment…

The album is one of those that starts extremely strong — the first four tracks are simply amazing.  “Hard Candy” starts off the album and the first couple lines are among my favorite that Duritz has ever written.  Then comes “American Girls.”  The third track, “Good Time,” is not anything special, I suppose, but I really like it.  And I love “Richard Manuel is Dead.”  Those first four tracks are a tour de force.  Then, the next few tracks slow it down, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but it never really picks back up to the quality of those first four tracks.  So, while I like the album, I can’t really fall in love with it.  It’s one of those albums that, by track eight, you’re fighting the temptation to skip back to track one.

But, if you buy this album, don’t flip back to the first track without hearing the last track, “Holiday in Spain”!  It’s one of my favorite songs from the Counting Crows.  It starts off with just piano and Duritz’s vocals, and gradually builds up to a triumphant final verse and chorus.  For those of you who don’t know me, I just love it when a song begins with no drums or minimal drums, then really kicks into high gear!  For instance, that’s probably why “Pretty (Ugly Before)” is my favorite Elliott Smith song on From a Basement on the Hill.

Well, that’s enough music commentary for one day.  I’m off to have some lunch, celebrate Nicole’s birthday, celebrate Jim’s groundbreaking new purchase (I’m sure he’ll tell you all about it in his next post!), and try to get some work done amidst all the excitement…

See you next session!



“Comfortably Numb” (Pink Floyd Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

What can I say – I just enjoy clicking the “add new category” button to the right of me when I write my posts every three days.

Jeff Copperthite introducing a new band to the sessions?  Again?

Yes! Yes! And yes!  Chris may kill me…

I am proud to introduce one of the greatest rock acts of all time to the Laptop Sessions.  I think they’re so great, that i’m going to be doing 2 more sessions from them for my next two.  In fact, if you request a song from them, I just might change the songs I have in mind!

Pink Floyd is the band today, and i am performing a song from their bestselling, multi-platinum 2-CD album “The Wall” called “Comfortably Numb”.  You may know that “The Wall” is considered a rock opera, and if you are a fan of any of Pink Floyd’s songs, or classic rock at all, you would do well to get your hands on this album.  This song is in the middle of the 2nd half of the album.  It is a slow song with two awesome guitar solos, and a spacy synthesizer.  None of those things are on this performance, however.  Just me and my acoustic, like usual.

I think I really did a good job on voice switching.  Roger Waters has many singing styles and uses two of them in this song – his evil, sneering voice, and his kind, smooth voice.  Not to mention the “scream” in the song.  I try to replicate that in this performance, but again – it’s one of me on the video, and its like 5 of him on the album.  That’s just how we roll here on the Laptop Sessions.

Remember, request a Pink Floyd song and I just might change my mind on my next two performances!

Come back tomorrow for (perhaps – I was wrong last Friday) a cover song by Jim Fusco.  By the way, congratulations to Mike on his first Laptop Session.  He really nailed that Elvis song – I suggest you look down the page a bit and watch for yourself if you haven’t done so already.

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 origianal 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!