Tag Archives: cover songs

“‘Til I Die” (Beach Boys Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Hello everyone and welcome to another Beach Boys edition of the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog! Tonight’s song, “Till I Die” by the Beach Boys, goes out to everyone on the Brian Wilson message board, especially those who contributed to that great post about the Laptop Sessions.

Tonight’s song is ‘Til I Die, one of Brian Wilson’s most introspective and personal songs. I love the harmonies (Bruce Johnston once said that he believes it’s the last true Beach Boys song, with all the counter-harmonizing), but I think this paired-down version translates well. This performance shows how singularly personal this song can be.

If you’re a big fan like me, then I’m sure you’ve heard the alternate version of “Till I Die” that a producer made while mixing and mastering the “Surf’s Up” album.  That version of this great Beach Boys song is very unique.  It features almost the whole song with just the instruments playing.  It’s pretty spooky to hear the cool vibes that Brian Wilson put into the original song.  But, the most fascinating part of the instrumental section is how few instruments are used.  The Beach Boys’ harmonies in “Till I Die” are wonderful and they fill up the whole song.  It’s incredible to hear how Brian Wilson put it all together.

Of course, when you start listening to the lyrics, you realize how alone Brian felt while writing this song.  As a songwriter, Brian Wilson usually had other people write the lyrics for him.  But, I’m sure he contributed to the meaning of the song and knew the sentiment he wanted to get across.  As you can tell, Brian was feeling lonely and realized that his life wasn’t going to change.  And, yes, that was true for quite some time.  Even when his other band members/family finally got him out of bed a few years later, it was embarrassing (remember the “Brian Is Back” campaign?) and short-lived.  Instead of being the songwriter he was for the Beach Boys back in the early-mid sixties, he only wanted to play old songs he loved.  Thus, the cover songs you hear on “15 Big Ones”.  And when he actually went back to writing again, he was writing about pedestrian things like watching TV (“Johnny Carson”) and his family (“I Wanna Pick You Up”).  I guess the good part was that Brian was finally living his life again, but somehow I doubt the PR image we’ve all been given really reflects his life at the time.  He was neglecting his family members and I think there are some clues to that in songs from “Love You”.  For instance, in “I Wanna Pick You Up” is about how he still thinks his children were “babies”, even though he had essentially missed those important years of their lives.

I hope you enjoy tonight’s music video and thanks for watching this Beach Boys cover song here on the music blog!

“Cowgirl in the Sand” (Neil Young & the Byrds Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Thanks for stopping by for your Tuesday edition of the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover songs music video blog!

Today, I bring you a song written by Neil Young, “Cowgirl in the Sand”. Not only is this song one of his most famous, but it’s also generally well-known among country-rock music fans.

The version I’m doing is derivative of the version the Byrds did on their reunion album from 1975. That album isn’t wonderful by any means, but Gene Clark’s contributions are, of course, superb. He sings a great lead on this song, too.  Gene Clark just had a great timbre to his voice.  He could sing rock’n’roll music and country/western music with the best of them.  Of course, Gene Clark was a great songwriter, too, both with the Byrds and on his own solo recordings.  While searching around here on the music blog, be sure to click on Gene Clark’s category to see the other cover songs I’ve done written by him.  If you’re not a fan now (or haven’t heard of him), I guarantee his original songs will get your attention.

This is one song that I never planned on doing, but came into my head one night, so I just sat down and did it! I think some people were a bit surprised that I busted this one out at our first live show as a trio the other day.  My favorite aspect of the Byrds’ version of “Cowgirl In The Sand” is the harmonies on the chorus.  I really hope that we can get those harmonies right in future performances, as I think that’s the flare the Byrds added to make the version their own.

Considering how the Byrds first started, it’s a bit surprising that they gravitated over to country rock like they did.  They were initially marketed as a folk group, electrifying Bob Dylan songs like “Chimes of Freedom” and “Mr. Tambourine Man”.  But, the band members of the Byrds, especially Chris Hillman, started out loving folk music in a different way- the classic, down-home country style.  Chris Hillman is actually an accomplished mandolin player, and there is no better country guitarist than Roger McGuinn.  Basically, they just threw an electric bass in Hillman’s hands and a 12-string electric Rickenbacker guitar in McGuinn’s hands, and they had a big hit band.  In later albums, the band members of the Byrds would write original songs that had a country flare to them, including Chris Hillman’s “The Girl With No Name”, which I’ve also done a cover song music video of here on the music blog.

You may also notice the “incredible fluctuating hairdo” of myself- I recorded this song before getting a haircut, as you saw in the “Aware” cover video (of an original song) from last week.

I hope to do more Neil Young songs in the future and I hope this cover song video attracts some new viewers and music lovers to the Laptop Sessions live acoustic music video series!

“Scare Easy” (Mudcrutch Cover)

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**CHORDS / TABS BELOW!!**

By Chris Moore:

I was on the Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Message Board yesterday, and I came across a newly released song from Mudcrutch. For those who haven’t heard, Tom Petty has reassembled his high school band, Mudcrutch, and they’re releasing a new album on April 29th. I knew this was coming, but I had no idea one of the songs was out yet! I listened to it, and I knew immediately it would be a lot of fun to record!

So, I proudly bring you “Scare Easy,” off the not-yet-released Mudcrutch album. I hope you enjoy my version of it. Since I was warmed up from last night’s four hour (8:30-12:30) “Laptop Sessions Live” show at Testa’s Bar, I threw in some harmonica to make up for the missing guitar solo. Speaking of the show last night, I want to thank everyone who came out for your support. I’m sure Jim and Jeff will be mentioning it in their posts over the next couple days, but I, for one, hope this isn’t the last show we do. I can’t wait to master new songs (and to brush up on old ones that I wish I had remembered easier…).

Finally, I am really excited to announce two milestones today — I just found out about my 150th subscriber and I am 6 video views away from 10,000 total views on YouTube! I realize these are just numbers, but it really gives me hope that the Laptop Sessions will become even more successful and that people will hear the good things that are happening at The Laptop Sessions Music Blog!

Thank you again to those on the Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers Message Board who posted the chords and lyrics for this song. See you next session!


“Scare Easy”
Mudcrutch

CHORDS!

Am           G          Em         D
My love’s an ocean, you better not cross it
I’ve been the distance and I need some rest
Yeah, I had somebody once, and damn if I lost her
I’ve been running like a man possessed

        C      G          D
I don’t scare easy
Don’t fall apart when I’m under the gun
You can break my heart and I ain’t gonna run

        Am                D
I don’t scare easy for no one

Yeah, I’m a loser at the top of my game
I should have known to keep an eye on you
I got a sky that ain’t never the same
Yeah, I got a dream that don’t ever come true

CHORUS

SOLO to verse chords

Sun going down on a canyon wall
I’ve got a soul that ain’t never been blessed
Yeah, I’m a shadow at the back of the hall
Yeah, I got a sin I ain’t never confessed…

CHORUS 

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. **

“How Good It Can Get” (Wallflowers Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Welcome to your Saturday edition of The Laptop Sessions with me, Jim Fusco!

Today, I join the Wallflowers group with Chris and Jeff (who’ve done quite a few already) and do one of my favorite tunes, “How Good It Can Get”.

This song has one of the best hooks I’ve ever heard, plus it was my “anthem” song during my trip to Italy last year. I remember one night, after an amazing Tuscan dinner, walking through the streets back to the hotel. I was singing this song at the top of my lungs. Clearly less-than-level-headed, I kept also yelling out that I was still on key!

Well, this was recorded long after that night and I was STILL on key! I hope you enjoy today’s Session and make sure to keep checking the blog at guitarbucketlist.com for exclusive videos from our first ever LIVE concert tonight!