Tag Archives: acoustic

“Jungle Love” (Steve Miller Band cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Oh yes, another Jim Fusco night, another acoustic cover song music video, and yet ANOTHER “new” band to the Laptop Sessions cover songs series!  I’m not even going out of my way to find these new bands to do- they just come to me.

If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out the new Cover Songs website yet, do yourself a favor and go see it!  It took me many hours to complete, but now it’s fully navigable and even has a really cool Flash logo.  I’m really proud of it, especially considering how many revisions it went through so I could make it perfect.  Hopefully Chris can help me finish making pages for the site in the next couple of days.

I’m so excited about Christmas time right now.  Today, Chris, Becky, and I went to breakfast at Bickford’s (which they both sorely needed after the thrashing they received in Trivial Pursuit last night), then went to the Eric Carle children’s book museum (which was a really nice place), and got to meet famous author Patricia MacLachlin (“Sarah, Plain and Tall”).  She even signed books for us!  After that, we went up to an amazing place: the Yankee Candle headquarters in South Deerfield, MA.  That place is HUGE and really gets you in the Christmas spirit.  Too bad the prices were so high, though.  For instance, I wanted to get this great Christmas village piece of a 50s diner…but it cost $110!  I don’t think I’m quite there yet, financially.

But, we had a great time and it was a perfect way to kick off my favorite time of the year.  I just hope Chris and Becky had a good time, too.  This week truly rules- there is simply no better week during the year.  Why?  Because you have EVERYTHING to look forward to!  Christmas is great, but after that, it’s all over.  Thanksgiving week offers plenty of fun and excitement.  Here’s what I’m looking forward to:

  1. Monday: Normal working day, but when I get home, I’m cooking a pre-Thanksgiving dinner for Chris, Becky, Dana, and myself.  Everyone always goes their separate ways on holidays, so I thought this would be my way of celebrating together.  Yes, I have to cook, but at least everyone will be there!  Not to mention my favorite shows are on: Boston Legal and Two and a Half Men.
  2. Tuesday: This day isn’t anything great, as it’s just a normal workday and I still have to go in on Wednesday.  But, Becky has the day off on Wednesday, so she’ll be able to stay later, at least.  Maybe we’ll go shopping!
  3. Wednesday: Excitement grows, as I go to work (possibly breakfast with Becky before?) and get ramped-up to leave.  This night, we’ll be staying up late and having some fun!
  4. Thursday: Of course, Thanksgiving.  I’m going to Becky’s family’s house first, then we’re both going to my parents’ house to eat.  I love this holiday- it’s really so laid-back.  I’ll watch some football (how about those Jets?), watch a movie, eat, sleep, and get ready for a Thanksgiving night TNA iMPACT!
  5. Friday: After going to bed early on Thursday (yeah, right), Chris and I will get up MASSIVELY early to go shopping on Black Friday.  Not because we need to- it’s just an excuse to leave the house at 4:30!  We’re meeting Alberto Distefano for our now three-year tradition.  I’ll shop and hopefully get good deals, then we’ll all go to McDonald’s for some delicious egg McMuffins.  After that, I’ll go to my parent’s house, where my father and I will put up lights outside until it’s lunchtime.  Then, I’ll eat more fast food with him, followed by a trip to my house, where I’ll start putting up Christmas decorations and listening to the Christmas WCJM radio shows.  This amazing and long day will end with my yearly tradition of watching “Christmas Vacation”- one of the best movies ever.
  6. Saturday: Doesn’t stop there!  I’ll probably do more shopping, but we’re hoping to get the gang back together to do another radio show.  I hope it works out, as it’s our last chance to do the 10th Anniversary show.  We’ll see.
  7. Sunday: Well, they don’t call it the “day of rest” for nothing!

Wow, that’s a week.  I’m so excited- I don’t know how I’m going to get to sleep tonight.

Now, FINALLY (after over 700 words), I’m onto tonight’s cover song music video:

The Steve Miller band is famous for many hit singles.  “Jungle Love” is no exception, and I’m proud to bring it to the music video blog.  When I first learned how to play it, I said to myself, “Man, that is really high-pitched.”  Then I learned that song was even HIGHER pitched than I originally thought (a half-step up on a first-fret capo), so I had to adjust.

The result?  One of my most vocal-chord-shredding, but most exciting videos ever.  It only took me a couple takes to get through this one and I can’t believe I kept my wits about me to remember that whistling part at the end.  I had to borrow Chris’ acoustic guitar for this one (not like he noticed anyway- he was passed out asleep in his street clothes on top of his bed) because I wanted it to be a little more “punchy” than my normal nylon-stringed videos.  I love how easy the riff to this song is (basically an E to E-suspended 4th and D to D-suspended 4th on first fret capo), as I’ve always loved it.  It’s funny how things work out like that.  I swear that most songs I play that sound easy are the hardest and vice versa.  This one always sounded so good- I couldn’t believe that it was so simple.

Well, I’ve written 1000 words for this Laptop Session post.  I think that might be a first!  So, sit back and enjoy the video for the 10th time now, because I’m sure it took about nine video plays to get through the reading of this post!  Hey, that’s not a bad way to increase views- write longer posts and set the video to “loop”!  I’ll be reaching my next YouTube video view milestone soon, so stay tuned!  Enjoy the start of your week and I’ll be back again on Original Wednesday!

“Teenager In Love” (Dion & The Belmonts cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Oh yeah, another Jim Fusco night and ANOTHER “new” band to the Laptop Sessions!  Incredible.  It’s almost hard to believe we haven’t done a song from a band starting with every letter in the alphabet.  I think we haven’t done Q yet…

I tell you, I have to do more songs from Dion.  He had some amazing hits and he was pretty prolific with them, too.  This song is a classic 4-chord doo-wop style number.  Even though the song was that “easy” to play, I still found myself doing take after take to get the inflection of the words right.  Plus, I play an “F” chord so much like a “C” chord, I was actually switching between the two accidentally!

But, practice made perfect and I got through the video without too much more trouble.  This is another one of my fading-out songs, as the single version of the original song is just a perfect recording and I wanted my video to reflect the same.  The way Dion sings with such youthfulness and the way the Belmonts give those great supporting vocals makes for a timeless single.

And hasn’t EVERYONE felt this way in the past?  Chris and I have had countless conversations on this topic, asking why we would even do this to ourselves in the first place.  The answer?  Because it made life interesting, which is a theme through many of my early songs.

Even though I’m not a teenager now (and incredibly surprised that it’s been five years SINCE I’ve been one!), I could still channel the sentiment in this song.  I don’t think Dion had that in mind when he recorded this number, but I think every time someone who was a teenager back when the song was released hears it again, it takes them right back.  That could be a scary thing, but any three minute song that can do that is more than just a four-chord song- it’s a classic.

Enjoy tonight’s video and I’ll be back with you on Sunday!

“You Showed Me” (The Turtles cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Tuesday…what a day.  Not enough to be mid-week, and not far enough away from the past weekend to let you forget about it.  At least Chris got the day off today, so he texted me updates on his (nothing) day every half hour.  If only I didn’t only have 200 texts a month…and if only Chris were home every day.

Onto tonight’s video- actually posted before midnight for once!

I told you that you’d get a twin-spin with The Turtles, and here it is.  “You Showed Me” is a song I’ve known for most of my 24 years, hearing it on the oldies radio station 102.9 “Big D 103” here in Connecticut.  But I got to revisit the song after my family and I got into the Byrds.  We listened to every single released (and unreleased, for that matter) Byrds song and loved every minute…except for David Crosby’s “Mind Garden”, my vote for the ABSOLUTE worst song of all time.  Go ahead- go search for it and tell me it isn’t.  I dare you.

So, how do the Byrds fit in here?  Well, we came across this song again on the Byrds “Preflyte” sessions box set, which is awesome, by the way.  It’s a collection of all of their songs before they ever recorded their first album with Columbia Records.  It’s a great collection, especially because the band wrote most of the songs.  The lead singer and songwriter at that time was Gene Clark.  He wrote some of the world’s best songs and it’s been a pleasure to cover his songs on multiple occasions here on the best music video blog on the internet!

Gene Clark and Roger McGuinn (Jim at the time) of the Byrds wrote “You Showed Me”.  They recorded mutliple versions of this song with the Byrds during the “Preflyte” sessions, but the song never showed up on an official Byrds album.  Instead, they gave it (or maybe Columbia gave it- I’ll have to check that out) to The Turtles to turn into a HUGE hit.  Well, I’m glad it became a hit either way and it’s just another example of Gene Clark’s amazing songwriting abilities.  It makes it all the more sad that he barely ever got recognition for it.

I hope you enjoy tonight’s video, as I gear up for yet another “new” band to the Laptop Sessions on Friday.  Which one?  Well, let me give you a hint.  This man was (and I think may actually be getting back) with one of the most famous “stoner” bands of all time.  You know, ridiculously long concerts, etc.  Which band?  Which man?  You’ll just have to wait until Friday to find out!  Thankfully we have Chris and Jeff posting their great videos in between to tide us over!  See you then.

“Happy Together” (The Turtles Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Welcome, welcome to another edition of “You Bet Your Life”…oh wait, that’s Groucho Marx.  This here is another edition of the Laptop Sessions with me, Jim Fusco!

I don’t care what anyone says- I’m actually a big fan of my newest song, “Winning You Over”.  I know the subject matter is up for debate, but if you just listen to it as a song: the tune and the way the lyrics are written, even the chord progression- I think you’ll find that it’s pretty awesome.  Not to toot my own horn- I just can’t get the stinkin’ song out of my head!

I’d love to hear Jeff’s thoughts on the song- both in subject matter and how he likes the real tune.  This is a great chance to make sure Jeff is still paying attention to these posts! 🙂

Anyway, tonight I bring you a great and classic song by The Turtles, whom we haven’t covered yet here on the Laptop Sessions.  That’s the way it goes: another night, another “new” band to the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog from me, Jim Fusco!

Of course, I put “new” in quotations because the band was popular back in the sixties, so even though we haven’t done a cover song from them before, it’s still technically not a “new” band by any stretch of the imagination!

I couldn’t believe how well the opening guitar part came out- doesn’t it sound exactly like the original?

Well, I actually have a little game for you.  On my solo radio show (So-low that you can’t hear me?  That’s for Stuffy D. Bear) Jammin’ with Jim on WCJM Free Internet Radio, I’m “famous” for my twin-spins, which are two songs played by the same artist.  I even did an entire show of twin-spins…twice!

Well, Tuesday, I’ll be doing a second song from the Turtles.  To tell you the truth, I didn’t even realize that I was doing two songs by them until after I recorded the music videos!  I recorded both songs and went, “Huh- they’re both from the Turtles!”  So, I have a nice twin-spin setup for you.  Can you guess which song it’ll be?  BIG points to the winner of this competition.  Again, this will be a good litmus test to tell if Jeff is still reading these posts!

Okay- it’s been a long day and I can’t wait to kick back and relax to yet another Chris Moore acoustic cover song music video tomorrow.  I’m sure he’ll do Sunday proud.