My cover of “Promises” by Eric Clapton. A bit of my own interpretation, I end it with an improvised solo. The video consists of two tracks. For the first track, I recorded the rhythm and vocals in a single take. Then I laid down a second track over the first for the solo.
** EDITOR’S NOTE: **
Eric Clapton is arguably one of the greatest electric guitar players of all time. Over the first ten years or so of his career, he played in a number of influential rock bands, not the least of which was Cream. Once he formed Derek and the Dominoes, he went on to release perhaps his most famous song, “Layla.” As he proved with his famous acoustic rendition of “Layla” during an MTV Unplugged performance, he also has a knack for acoustic performances.
“Promises,” a track from the 1978 Eric Clapton album Backless, is an excellent choice for an acoustic cover. As you’ll hear, Jeremy has brought another great addition to the Laptop Sessions storehouse of cover song music videos, adding to the woefully meager portion of Clapton that we currently offer. Admittedly, the solo at the end strays from the Laptop Sessions format, but for those of you purists out there, simply hit stop at the three minute mark. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy a great improv at the end to top off this excellent performance!
We’re looking for more Guest Sessions submissions! So, sit down, pull up your acoustic guitar and camera, post the video on YouTube, and CLICK HERE!
As I always say, it’s never too soon for another Bob Dylan cover video! Personally, I’ve attempted to restrain myself from recording a comfortable, enjoyable Dylan cover this year. However, tonight’s installment of the Guest Sessions is a Dylan cover song music video with an interesting twist.
First of all, this is a song from Dylan’s 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. This is perhaps one of his best albums, and it was a transition point for him, half of the album being full band renditions and the other half being classic acoustic-only compositions. (For his next album, Highway 61 Revisited, he would dive deeply into the world of electric rock…)
So far, I’ve recorded two covers from this album — “Subterranean Homesick Blues” for the members-only area of the site and “Love Minus Zero/No Limit.” No one here has yet dared to take on the more noteworthy songs, such as “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)” or the song that the Byrds launched to chart success, “Mr. Tambourine Man.” This being said, I was truly impressed with the apparent ease with which Stan Denski, our guest tonight, played “She Belongs to Me.” Granted, this is a fairly straightforward song, but he changed the tuning and plays in an interesting fashion. His version is true to the original, yet very much his own and sung well.
Thank you, Stan, for sending this very entertaining video!
I’ll let him introduce the video — Stan writes,
This is a cover of Bob Dylan’s “She Belongs To Me.” It is played on an old Guild 12-string tuned to an open D and played by barring chords from the top of the neck which allows the highest strings to ring open and create diminished chords. It also uses a lot of harmonics struck at the 12th fret.
I was showing a friend how to play this version and he videotaped it and, later, stuck it up on YouTube.
Welcome, welcome to another edition of The Laptop Sessions with me, Jim Fusco!
I have a big announcement that will come very shortly after this post, so I hope you’ll stay tuned and check it out. It’s quite a milestone!
First, let me say that I had a GREAT weekend. We had my best college friends over for the first time on Saturday night and ate, talked, played a Family Guy DVD trivia game, and watched “The Hangover”, which I loved even more the second time around.
Then on Sunday, I went to my favorite little Mexican restaurant in Wallingford with my father, then we both hiked up to Danbury for the TNA Wrestling show at WCSU. IT WAS AWESOME!! They had great matches, there were a ton of stars there, and I got to meet many of the wrestlers. Turns out that Velvet Sky and Madison Rayne are two of the nicest ones–and they play the meanest ones on TV! I also got to meet Jeff Jarrett and got my photo taken with The Phenomenal AJ Styles. I even got to hold the Championship belt!!
It was quite a weekend, so I knew it would be a tough week to make up for it. Things are very busy at work and I’ve been keeping a steady pace on my nighttime work, as well. It’s a new strategy I’m trying that’s working well so far. Thankfully I recorded this video last week- my mood would’ve been much different if not.
Which finally brings me to tonight’s video:
“Iris” is one of those songs that I kind of knew, but never knew who did it. I was surprised to find out what a big hit it was. In fact, it holds the record for consecutive weeks as the Number One played song on the radio (13) according to Billboard. It made it to the Top 10 on the charts and stands as Goo Goo Dolls’ biggest hit.
After Laptop Sessions alumnus Jeff Copperthite introduced me to this band on WCJM Free Internet Radio shows many years ago, it took me about ten years to actually break down and buy an album. I purchased “Dizzy Up the Girl”, which was their biggest album (probably because it had “Iris” on it). Actually, I didn’t realize this song was on it- not exactly the best name for a song when it doesn’t even mention that word in the lyrics. I bet it would’ve gotten to #1 if people knew the stinkin’ title!
Actually, Jeff played many tracks (especially on our personal BSYNHO shows for our wives) from the Goo Goo Dolls that were album cuts and lesser hits. So, I knew a few others, including a couple Jeff’s already posted here on the music blog. I really, really enjoyed “Dizzy Up the Girl”, so I went out and bought two more of their albums (for like four bucks apiece, too): “A Boy Named Goo” and “Superstar Car Wash”. But, I haven’t listened to them yet because I’m currently in a phase from another band we haven’t covered yet on the blog. Let’s just say I’m “dying” to record a video from them! You’ll find out soon.
Anyway, like I said, “Iris” isn’t my favorite tune from Goo Goo Dolls so far, but I couldn’t believe Jeff hadn’t done their biggest hit (I’m assuming it’s because of the high range in the chorus), so I wanted to snatch it up. It’s always great to claim a video you know will be popular.
Well, I’m running lean on time tonight, but am really enjoying the amount of sleep I’ve been getting. I mean, I worked today, cooked dinner, worked again tonight, and posted a Laptop Session. Now, I’m off to watch some more “Arrested Development” with my wife and brother, then it’s off to bed for 8 hours of sleep. Now THAT’S some Operations Planning if I do say so myself! 🙂 Anyone from work would be cracking-up at that one…
And a Happy New Year to you- I’m Jim Fusco back for another year of the Laptop Sessions. I’m also back with Number 200! That’s right, tonight’s video is my 200th and it kicks off a brand new year of great acoustic cover song music videos here on the most popular music blog that isn’t corporately-owned…well, I can’t substantiate that claim… 🙂
Anyway, I figured I’d kick the New Year and new decade off right with a New Year’s song in “Ding Dong Ding Dong”, a hit single off of George Harrison’s Dark Horse album. If you’ve heard the original version of this song, you probably wondered why George’s voice sounded so raw and raspy. No, he wasn’t taking vocal cues from his pal (and future Traveling Wilburys member) Bob Dylan. He was actually suffering from a terrible break-up when his wife ran off with his best friend, Eric Clapton. It forced the two friends to not speak for a long time (yes, significant others can change people and break friends apart, that’s for sure), but eventually they reconciled…once she and Eric broke up, too! That’s a fairytale friendship story if I ever heard one.
The title track from Dark Horse also features George’s gravelly vocals and it’s actually a nice tool he uses well on these somewhat bitter songs. I mean, George was always one to write songs against the “establishment” (like “Taxman”, “Not Guilty”, and “Devil’s Radio”), but this time, it was a more personal fight. One can only think that “ringing out the old and bringing in the new” has to be correlated to his estranged wife leaving the picture.
And, in the end, George ended up finding his real soulmate in Olivia Harrison, whom he was with until the end and continues to preserve George’s legacy to this day. Now there’s a woman who really appreciated and “got” him. So, it all worked out. I guess sometimes a broken heart is just an opportunity to find something (or someone) better!
I’ve always considered this a Christmas song- remember my post from a few weeks ago about my father’s famed Christmas Compilation tapes? Well, this song was on it. And even though it’s loosely based on the New Year and it’s idea of “starting anew”, it’s really not a Christmas song at all. But, you’ll still never find me listening to “Ding Dong Ding Dong” from January through October!
I’ve already recorded a video for next week- I was on a bit of a roll tonight. I could’ve done more, but work is really driving me into the ground lately. So, hopefully I’ll get more gusto in two weeks to record some more videos. My list is ever-growing. I have a great forgotten 60’s song lined-up, but next week’s video is a late-90’s Top 10 Billboard hit that is officially the song played most on the radio- it spent 18 weeks at Number One on the Billboard Airplay charts. That’s the most for any song- ever!
And I can’t believe we haven’t covered it. My only thought is that I’m the only one here that can sing the chorus, so I’m glad I finally got around to it. Look for some new bands to come in the near future, as well- it’s going to be another productive year of great cover song music videos…if I can find the time and energy to keep up with it week after week. Until next week, enjoy “Ding Dong Ding Dong” in LSHD (Laptop Sessions High Definition)!
