Tag Archives: Jim Fusco Songs

“America” (Simon & Garfunkel Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

Welcome, welcome to yet another edition of the Laptop Sessions here with me, Jim Fusco!

Oh, yeah, keeping the dream alive tonight with yet ANOTHER “new” band to the Laptop Sessions.  This one is probably the biggest shame left that we haven’t covered because…they’re ACOUSTIC!  Simon and Garfunkel stand as one of the most influential and popular acts of all time.  I was just talking to my father about them the other day.  He pointed out that they’re the best of friends, but just can’t seem to work together.  That’s the way it’s always been with my brother Mike and I.  We get along so well…as long as we’re not working on anything together.  I ‘m always so steadfast in realizing this fact, but Mike tends to either forget or just disregard it.  Thus, we end up working together again and the whole cycle begins.

Anyway, even though Paul Simon went on to some more, let’s say, interesting works in his later career (still waiting for his big rock comeback album), he did some pop classics with Art Garfunkel, also known as the luckiest man in the music business.  I mean, the man not only didn’t write any of S&G’s songs, he didn’t even play the guitar in the band!

I heard this song again while listening the WCJM Free Internet Radio show, “The All-American Show”.  I realized how great this tune really is.  And, especially because we’re on the brink of the most important presidential election in many years, this song is all the more important to play now.  “America” takes us on a journey of a couple going on a cross-country trip to “find” the real America.  I think the man realizes that everyone is out on their own trips, finding America…even on the bleak New Jersey Turnpike.

I think this video stands as one of my favorites now because it just works so well with one person and a guitar.  The tune is great.  The guitar part is cool (I love that walking down C chord), too.  I hope you’ll enjoy it and come back for more.

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“Disney Girls (1957)” (Beach Boys Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

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!

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Jim Fusco Reaches 400 YouTube Subscribers!

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Gotta love a milestone day.  I just predicted it would happen yesterday, as I had 397 subscribers.  Even as I write this now, I’m already up to 404!  Talk about progress- that’s 404 people that took the time to watch one of my videos and decided they needed to be updated every time I post one!  It’s so exciting to think about that, because I’m sure I don’t know anywhere close to 404 people…let alone 404 that ever gave our music the time of day here in CT.  So, I’m very proud of our worldwide success.

I’m looking forward to more milestones in the near future, as these things seem to happen exponentially.  So, we’ll look forward to the next great milestone very soon!

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“Tuesday Afternoon” (Moody Blues Cover)

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By Jim Fusco:

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)”!

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