Tag Archives: acoustic

“Halfway There” (Jim Fusco Original Song)

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By Jim Fusco:

Yes, that’s right- a world premiere tonight here on the Laptop Sessions music video blog!

My first solo album in four years — “Halfway There” — was in the works.  I can’t believe it’s been that long.  And, with the production value and songwriting skills, you’ll realize that I’ve grown in many ways over that time.  I’ve seen a band come and (essentially) go in that time.  I’ve produced and written songs for two albums while in that band.  “Homestead’s Revenge” is truly a great album and I can only hope that “Halfway There” can top it.

I hope to create some sort of buzz for the new album.  I spent so long making it and I’m so proud of it that I wanted to wait until the Laptop Sessions got popular to release it.  Maybe now, my collegues here on the site will realize why I’ve been pushing them so hard to find better avenues for popularity here on the music video blog…

This song, “Halfway There”, is obviously the title track, but it doesn’t appear until track 10 on the 11 track album.  It’s funny- my last album was 13 tracks and this new album is longer with two fewer songs!  The songs on this album are well-thought-out and complete.  The songs on this album take their time and don’t sound too rushed.  The songs on this album are the songs I always knew I could make, but never really had the time or the resources to complete.  You can see why I’m so proud of it!

Of course, this album has a theme.  When you see the album cover, which is awesome, by the way, you’ll get more of the theme’s meaning.  I’m having a great painter named Ben Quesnel paint the cover.  In exchange, I’ll be making him a website for all of his artististic work.  It’s a great trade-off and I know we’ll both be very happy in the end.

Tonight’s song really sums-up the whole concept of feeling “Halfway There”, hence it’s place towards the end of the album.  I give examples of what I’m trying to say throughout the album and finally give it a nice summary towards the end.

The tune came to me while driving back home after our usual trip to my parents’ house on Thursday nights for TNA iMPACT! on Spike TV.  I knew the title of the album long before I wrote this song.  Thinking of the album and its title, I started to sing to myself in the car: “Halfway there…halfway there…halfway there…I’ll always be halfway there…”  I proceeded to drive home much faster than usual and fleshed-out the song a bit more.

Actually, I made a YouTube video of how I developed this song- here it is below.  Then, you can watch tonight’s Laptop Session Original Wednesday version and get a better feel for the finished product.

Of course, the REAL finished product has literally ten of my vocals on the chorus- it sounds so cool!  Again, I finally have the techniques and everything down to make productions like this possible…and sound good, too!  But, for now, I hope you’ll enjoy the first newly-released track off of my upcoming album, “Halfway There” on acoustic guitar for tonight’s Original Wednesday music video.

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“Second That Emotion” (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

I know you’ve been waiting for this all week…it’s Jim Fusco Tuesday here on the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog!  Yes, that’s right, your favorite place to get acoustic covers and rock music videos from three of the best indie songwriters you’ll find.

I’m having SO much fun playing with my new Mac Pro right now.  It just amazes me to be typing this on one 22″ Acer monitor and to have the other monitor rendering a video at a clip about 25 times faster than my old machine.  It makes me feel more productive without actually doing anything!

The computer’s setup is finally complete.  I’ve had it since last Friday and Becky helped me put together (and find) the great L-shaped desk, while Dana helped me to set everything up and give some sage advice.

Meanwhile, Chris was heeding my pleas to do some work on the music video blog here, as he’s decided (quite ambitiously) to post the chords to every single song he plays this year.  Here’s hoping that he’ll play a song I’ve actually heard of…

Now, if you haven’t heard of tonight’s song, you must’ve been living under a rock for the past forty years.  One of Motown’s greatest songwriters, Smokey Robinson, wrote this tune that he did with his group, the Miracles.  Smokey was, and still is, a writer for many other acts.  One song you just might have heard of was an incredibly huge hit for the Temptations, entitled “My Girl”.  Smokey truly is the man.

I also love tonight’s cover song, “Second That Emotion”, because Smokey sings in his classic falsetto throughout the song.  Now, this actually poses a bit of problem, believe it or not.  You see, everyone’s voice kind of hits falsetto at a different note.  Brian Wilson always went into falsetto at exactly the right times and I don’t believe I’ve really ever heard Carl Wilson use his falsetto voice.  That said, my falsetto range tends to be a bit on the high side.  Meaning that whenever I sing songs that are mostly in falsetto, I find it more comfortable to sing most of it in my regular voice.  That makes it hard to switch halfway through.  But, I practiced and practiced until it worked really well.  Here’s to you, Smokey!

Tonight, I’m happy I can bring you another great Motown hit from the sixties.  It’s so funny to see the breakdown of decades here on the video blog.  Chris and Jeff have the 90s and 200s locked solid.  Then there’s me bringing up the rear, taking the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s by a large margin.  And every I say or write “large margin”, I’m forced to think of “Large Marge” from Pee Wee’s Big Adventure.  My cousin, brother, and I watched that movie all the time when we were little.  Then, I watched it again recently and realized that it’s a freakin’ hilarious flick.  If you haven’t seen it for a while (or were scared of it when you were little, like I was), you really should give it another chance.

Okay, I’ve ranted long enough for one night. 

Why’s it such a milestone?  Well, I’m going to bring you the title track to my upcoming new album, “Halfway There” on Original Wednesday!  I know you’ll love the song, especially after the great reaction I got from “Only A Dream” last week.  Thanks to ilsy74 on YouTube for sending out the video and promoting our original work.  I’m very excited to get the reaction to my new material and I’ll be back soon enough to bring it to you!  Until then, have a great night and enjoy tonight’s Motown acoustic cover song music video!

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“Turn The Page” by Bob Seger – Chords, Tabs, and How to Play

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“Turn the Page”
Bob Seger

Em
On a long and lonesome highway east of Omaha,
D
You can listen to the engine moanin’ out his one note song.
A                                                                                                   Em
You can think about the woman or the girl you knew the night before.

But your thoughts will soon be wanderin’ the way they always do,
When you’re riding sixteen hours and there’s nothing much to do.
You don’t feel much like ridin’ – you just wish the trip was through.

D                 Em
Say, here I am, on the road again.
D                         Em
Here I am, up on the stage.
D                         A
Here I go, playing the star again.
C   D                Em
There I go,   turn the page…

You walk into a restaurant strung out from the road,
And you feel the eyes upon you as you’re shaking off the cold.
You pretend it doesn’t bother you, but you just want to explode.

Most times you can hear ’em talk, other times you can’t.
All the same old cliches – is that a woman or a man?
And you always seem outnumbered; you don’t dare make a stand…

CHORUS

Out there in the spotlight, you’re a million miles away.
Every ounce of energy you try to give away,
As the sweat pours from your body like the music that you play.

Later in the evening as you lie awake in bed
With the echoes from the amplifiers ringin’ in your head,
You smoke the day’s last cigarette, remembering what she said…

CHORUS

** 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. **

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“Thirteen” by Big Star – Chords, Tabs, and How to Play

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“Thirteen”
Big Star

(Capo III)

G               Cadd9   G              Cadd9        G
Won’t you let me  walk you home from school?
G               Cadd9  G            Cadd9    Am7
Won’t you let me meet you at the   pool?
Em        Am7      Em                   Am7
Maybe Friday I can get tickets for the dance,
Em – D           G
And I’ll take…   you.

Won’t you tell your dad, “Get off my back”?
Tell him what we said about “Paint it Black.”
Rock and roll is here to stay; come inside where it’s okay.
And I’ll shake you.

Won’t you tell me what you’re thinking of?
Would you be an outlaw for my love?
If it’s so, well, let me know.
If it’s no, well, I can go.
I won’t make 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. **

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