Tag Archives: guest sessions

“City of New Orleans” (Steve Goodman Cover)

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By Jeremy Hammond:

My cover of “City of New Orleans” by Steve Goodman is influenced by Willie Nelson’s version of the song. The rhythm fittingly drives on like the wheels on a locomotive, and it has a fun chord progression.

** EDITOR’S NOTE **

This is one of those songs I feel like I’ve known forever.  The more likely time frame is since I was about ten or twelve, listening to my father’s seventies music cassette tapes.  Of course, I know the 1972 Arlo Guthrie version from his album, Hobo’s Lullaby.  It turns out Steve Goodman played it for Guthrie at a bar called the Quiet Knight in Chicago, after which Guthrie recorded his cover.

If the quality of a song can be judged by the caliber of people who have recorded it, then this is an outstanding tune.  It has been recorded by Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, John Denver, Judy Collins, and Jerry Reed, and has been performed most recently by Jimmy Buffett in 2005 and former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante in 2006.

And now I’m thrilled to add Jeremy Hammond’s name to that long and prestigious list of cover song artists.  Jeremy’s music video performance is an excellent, entertaining, faithful rendition that anyone who knows this song will enjoy.  If this is your first time hearing the song, perhaps you’ll go out to a CD store (or at least YouTube) and check out the other versions.  Jeremy continues to select songs that fit perfectly into the acoustic cover song format, so hurry back soon for another installment of the Guest Sessions at the Laptop Sessions music video blog!

Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

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“Every Grain of Sand” (Bob Dylan Cover)

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By Federico Borluzzi:

Unplugged cover of Bob Dylan’s “Every Grain Of Sand” (from the Shot Of Love album – 1981), with acoustic guitar and harmonica. I changed the two harmonica solos to fit my harmonica skills (I have a lot to learn before I can play exactly what Dylan plays) and the possibilities of my G tuned harmonica.

** EDITOR’S NOTE: **

In his first contribution to the Laptop Sessions acoustic cover song music video blog, Federico has chosen a beautiful little number. I wonder if he was aware of my love for Bob Dylan when he decided to submit this video…

He certainly couldn’t have been aware of how much I love this underrated gem of an album, Shot of Love. Often considered the third in his “born-again Christian trilogy” of studio albums, Shot of Love is actually more of a transition album. Critics tore this release apart, often with the exception of “Every Grain of Sand.” And, truly, Federico couldn’t have chosen a better song to translate into an acoustic cover. Although his harmonica is not spot-on, it is clearly because of the key the harmonica is in. He has a knack for matching the fingerpicking pattern as well as the harmonica tabs — any Dylan fan will be able to hear how close his solo is to the original, all except for the key, that is.

And, again, I’m thrilled at his choice of album. Shot of Love may have been panned by fans and critics alike, but there are some excellent tracks. Consider “Heart of Mine,” percussion by none other than Ringo Starr. Then, there’s the striking “Lenny Bruce.” “Property of Jesus” may be dismissed as just another “Christian song,” but it’s a catchy and effective one. And, although it wasn’t included on pressings until four years later, “The Groom’s Still Waiting at the Altar” is a phenomenal Dylan track.

So, listen to Federico’s first session, and get out there and listen to Shot of Love if you’ve been missing out all these years!

Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

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“Gangsta’s Paradise” (Coolio Cover) – The Guest Sessions

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Happy Valentine’s Day to all! Today’s Guest Sessions cover song video is a unique one- it’s Coolio’s classic song, “Gangsta’s Paradise”! Now, I’m sure I’ll get some flack for choosing this one, as it’s done by a trio of people that probably have no business singing a song like this. But, it just struck me as a good version (even though some commenters on YouTube don’t think so). The version presented here on the music blog by Christi, CJ, and Aaron is very melodic- I really enjoyed the feel of the video as a whole.

I’m also probably the last person that should be choosing a cover song version of “Gangsta’s Paradise” because my real familiarity with this song is from the great parody Weird Al Yankovic did called “Amish Paradise”. I can’t help but sing it to myself right now. When I first heard it, I almost died laughing at the line, “A local boy kicked me in the butt last week. I just smiled at him, then I turned the other cheek!” I guess that’s like a 12-year-old’s humor that doesn’t really seem to go away in later years (for men, at least).

Let me know what you think of this unique cover. Sure, it’s not exactly in the style of the Laptop Sessions cover song videos, but I seem to remember a few “trio” videos we did a while back. Maybe that’s why I watched this video with a rosy hue. I look forward to reading some comments!



Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

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“Mexican Hat Dance” (Traditional cover)

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By Jeremy Hammond:

I was just playing around and worked out a fun little arrangement for this traditional song that everyone will recognize.

** EDITOR’S NOTE: **

I couldn’t resist picking this as our Guest Sessions featured video of the week.  It’s a fun little song, and a fun little performance by one of our favorite contributors to the site.

We may know this popularly as the “Mexican Hat Dance,” but it is more formally known as “Jarabe tapatio.”  It was first compiled in Guadalajaran music professor Jesus Gonzalez Rubio as a medley of Mexican folk music.  It has since been honored by many as the national dance of Mexico.

This is your Guest Session electric cover song instrumental video.  We hope you’ll enjoy it!

Editor’s note: this post was originally published before December 2015; the exact original date is uncertain.

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