Good evening and welcome to Sunday’s edition of The Laptop Sessions. Tonight is my first cover from this band, but 5th for the site.
The Travelling Wilburys were advertised to me as an “all star band” by Jim, and boy they sure are. There aren’t many songs by them (two albums worth) but the ones that I have heard are just awesome. This one included, and I had no idea this song was by them until I heard it again.
The song is “End of the Line” from their first album. Every member except Bob Dylan is featured on lead vocals at some point in the song.
You’ll notice some voice inflection at the seperate parts where each singer is singing the original song.
I hope you stay tuned for even more from guitarbucketlist.com!
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!
Welcome to the Laptop Sessions on your Friday night! It’s another late night for us here, as we’ve just completed a grand game of Trivial Pursuit Genus III, which I won, of course. But, just barely. I’d love to have them play with my father, “The Old Quizzmaster”, as he’d probably beat us in one turn.
Tonight’s song is from The Beach Boys, whom I haven’t done a song from in quite some time. Actually, tonight, I’ll be doing a song written by Bruce Johnston. It’s clearly the best song he’s ever written: “Disney Girls (1957)”. Yes, he did write “I Write The Songs” (one of the most famous songs of all time, sung by Barry Manilow), but I think this really is his best song.
I’ve always identified with this tune from the great “Surf’s Up” album. I’ve always wished for “better” or more pure times. I’ve always loved older music and even the vision of Christmastime in the 50s. Of course, now those values instantly are associated with political leanings, as Bruce has been vocal in the recent past about his political views. I never really made the connection between “the good old days” and the politics of those days. Personally, I believe that things were “simpler” back then only because that’s the way our memories work. Things probably weren’t as rosy as they seemed. But when you’re a kid, you don’t have to worry about money, taxes, property, family, etc. You just get to have a good time and experience life.
Anyway, I think I gave the video my best Bruce tenor, and I think it’ll stand as one of my more ambitious videos. I hope you enjoy my video tonight and I promise I’ll make up for this extremely short post next time! Stay tuned for more Beach Boys cover songs coming at you right here on the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog!
Because it’s Thumpin’ Thursday™! (Jim needs to learn how to insert special characters in the editor by the way)
And I always keep the solid beat songs in reserve for this day. Make you want to tap your feet if I can.
Well, I decided today to break out a really cool (and relatively recent) Bob Dylan song called “Things Have Changed”. The song itself is from a Soundtrack from the movie Wonder Boys. Originally, I thought it was released on a different album (Love & Theft, if you were wondering), but alas it was not to be.
I heard this song thanks to the Bob Dylan master Chris Moore. He also helped figure out that the song I had stuck in my head a few days back was this song. So if it weren’t for him, i’d have something else up here today.
I love the beat of this song, but as with all Dylan songs, he sometimes fits a lot of words into the same measure, or a few words. It can be tough to stay on top of that, and in this video you’ll notice me forgetting to change the chord for a beat. It happens to the best of us I guess.
And I managed to sing similarly to Dylan as well. The video works very nicely.
As with all Thumpin’ Thursday™ entries, I know you’ll enjoy this one.
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!
Wow, “Tuesday Afternoon” posted on a Tuesday afternoon! Okay, well, a Tuesday evening, but still. I swear I didn’t even plan it and even just realized as I was beginning to type my post. But, it fits so well!
I love this song and the Moody Blues, of course. “Tuesday Afternoon” is the afternoon section of the Moodies’ first album with their second lineup (after the addition of Justin Hayward and John Lodge and the subtraction of Denny Laine and Clint Warwick). The album is “Days of Future Passed” and stands as one of the classics. It has reached classic status because it’s one of the first true concept albums. It also is the first real fusion of a rock band with a classical orchestra. It’s almost surreal listening to the album. This album alone (not to mention the ten great albums they did AFTER this one) should’ve given them a one-way ticket into the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame. It’s so stupid that they’re not in. I heard that the Hall doesn’t consider them a “rock” group. Are you serious? Have they ever even heard “Story in Your Eyes”? Or, I don’t know, “I’m Just a Singer in A Rock’n’Roll Band”???? That doesn’t give it away? My God, and they’re discounting the fact that the Moody Blues had some of the best musicians ever in Justin Hayward on guitar, John Lodge on bass, Graeme Edge on drums, Mike Pinder on piano and mellotron (which he truly pioneered as an instrument rather than just an effects machine), and Ray Thomas, who played a brilliant flute. This issue always makes me so angry. The Hall of Fame uses the same argument for not letting Chicago in. Are you freakin’ serious? Those guys had more hits than Muhammed Ali! I just don’t get it.
Anyway, this song falls in the mid-point of the album, as the album takes the listener on a trip throughout an entire day. I love that concept. It’s so original. Of course, the album ends with one of the all-time great songs in “Nights in White Satin”, but “Tuesday Afternoon” was a big hit in its own right. In fact, I even heard it today while waiting in line at Subway for lunch.
By the way, in case anyone’s being keeping track, I got a new job. It’s great: a nice atmosphere, professional collegues (what a change from my last job), and I’m getting paid 33% more than I ever have. It took me three long months to land it, and I know I won’t let anything screw it up this time around. I have a nice outlook now, especially because it’s good to be a part of a company that’s actually hiring in these economic times. That’s a good sign for me…and for getting my loved ones Christmas presents, too! I’m looking forward to a nice holiday season now.
I hope you enjoy this video as another Tuesday afternoon passes us by. I was back on Friday with yet another acoustic cover song from the Beach Boys, whom I hadn’t covered in a very long time. That one was from a composer I hadn’t covered yet — “Disney Girls (1957)”!
