Tag Archives: laptop sessions

“Lost!” (Coldplay Cover)

Posted on by
Reply

By Jeff Copperthite:

Good evening, and welcome to your Tuesday edition of The Laptop Sessions. It’s Jeff today bringing you another great acoustic cover video. We’re continuing to roll along with session-a-day in the middle of August.

It feels weird to bring you an acoustic cover video that isn’t from Pink Floyd, after nearly two weeks of the Pink Floyd Hat Trick. I hope you enjoyed those, but I also hope you’re ready for another familiar band here at the Sessions.

The band today is Coldplay, and I am covering my first song from the album “Viva La Vida”. The song is “Lost!”, which isn’t really an acoustic song. It has a rock beat with an organ playing the main chords. There is a guitar solo (what song isn’t complete without one) and there are a couple of electric guitar riffs in the recording. I love this song because of its infectious chorus (“Oh and I’m just waiting ’till the shine wears off”) and its straightforward chord progression. It is cool to here this song with the acoustic treatment, because neither recording that I have heard of this song (the piano and album versions) has an acoustic guitar.

You’ll notice the unusual background – I recorded this song in our hotel room in Vermont. So if you’re in the VT area listening to this, it could’ve been recorded down the street from you. On that note, the acoustics are not that great, and I didn’t want to play louder than usual because I didn’t want to attract too much attention from the neighbors.

Well, i’ll see you again on Friday, and I know you’ll come back to hear another original song for Original Wednesday, here on guitarbucketlist.com – the best acoustic cover video blog on the internet!!!

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!

“Only Wanna Be With You” (Hootie & the Blowfish Cover, Lyrics, & Chords!)

Posted on by
1

By Chris Moore:

Welcome to today’s edition of the Laptop Sessions! I am proud to bring you “Only Wanna Be With You,” a song from an artist we haven’t covered yet, although we’ve played it many times in concert- Hootie and the Blowfish, starring Darius Rucker. In our MoU live shows, Mike and I shared the lead, and in our recent “Laptop Sessions Live” concert, Jim and I made it our own. Now, all we need is for Jeff to take a turn…

“Only Wanna Be With You” is a great 90’s tune that I’ve loved for a long time for several reasons. Aside from being catchy and acoustic-based, it includes the line “Ain’t Bobby so cool?…” — meaning, of course, Bob Dylan. The lyrics directly quote “Idiot Wind,” a 1970’s Dylan song that I hope to record soon, AND “Tangled Up in Blue,” another Blood On the Tracks alum that I have already recorded. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun to play! Plus, this song was just begging for an acoustic cover version of it, don’t you think?

I hope you’ll rate and/or comment once you’ve watched tonight’s acoustic cover song music video of “Only Wanna Be With You” by Hootie and the Blowfish, and don’t forget to check back tomorrow for an all-new Original Wednesday installment from Jeff at https://guitarbucketlist.com, where he’ll play a great original song on his trusty acoustic guitar.

See you next session!


CHORDS:
Only Wanna Be With You
Hootie & the Blowfish
Capo 2:


E	Asus2  E		   Asus2

You and me, we come from different worlds,
You like to laugh at me when I look at other girls.

Sometimes you’re crazy, and you wonder why
I’m such a baby, ‘cause the dolphins make me cry


               B	     Asus2				   E	    Asus2
Well, there’s nothing I can do; I’ve been looking for a girl like you.


You look at me, you’ve got nothing left to say,
I’ll only pout at you until I get my way.

I won’t dance, you won’t sing,
I just want to love you but you want to wear my ring.

Well there’s nothing I can do…  I only wanna be with you.
You can call me your fool…  Only wanna be with you.

Put on a little Dylan, sitting on a fence
I say that line is great, you ask me what I meant by

Said I shot a man named Gray, took his wife to Italy
She inherited a million bucks, and when she died it came to me

I cant help it if I’m lucky…  Only wanna be with you.
Ain’t Bobby so cool…  Only wanna be with you

(Solo)

Yeah I’m tangled up in blue…  Only wanna be with you.
You can call me your fool…  Only wanna be with you.
Sometimes I wonder if it will ever end

You get so mad at me when I go out with my friends
Sometimes you’re crazy, and you wonder why
I’m such a baby yeah, the dolphins make me cry…

Well there’s nothing I can do…  Only wanna be with you.
You can call me your fool…  Only wanna be with you.
Yeah I’m tangled up in blue…  Only wanna be with you.


** 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. **

					

		
		

	


				
					
	

		

						
Locksley’s “Don’t Make Me Wait” (2006, 2008) – The Weekend Review

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				Reply			

					


				

			


By Chris Moore:


RATING: 3.5 / 5 stars




Earning a spot on the 2007 edition of the Alternative Press’ “100 Bands You Need to Know” list didn’t bring Locksley any closer to recognition even from an independent music store regular such as myself.  In fact, for such an under-the-radar band, Locksley has accumulated quite the resume in their six years together.  Aside from being featured in magazines like SPIN and Elle, their music has appeared in conjunction with multiple retailers, they have played live for both Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel, they have opened for bands such as Hanson and Rooney, and they have the distinction of being the first unsigned band ever to have their music played on MtV.


I truly had no inkling of any of these accomplishments when I noticed a somewhat beat up copy of Don’t Make Me Wait in the used CD rack of my local Newbury Comics store.  Their very simple packaging and retro look caught my eye, and despite the fact that I could have produced this cover on a Windows 95 computer, I had a good feeling about the look of the band.


And, for $3.99, I figured, how could I go wrong?


Well, the answer is, you couldn’t with Locksley.


Theirs is a derivative sound, to be certain, and it rings strongly of early sixties Beatles.  Perhaps most prominently, there’s a “Twist and Shout” John Lennon-esque crackling lead vocal on “Let Me Know,” and the dual leads throughout many of the songs will lead any fan of Please Please Me-era Beatles to draw comparisons.


And yet, Locksley is not simply a Beatles rip-off, a band begging to be sent back to stagnation in cheap bars only interested in cover songs.  There’s an uncanny blending of garage rock with their roots-based sound.  In fact, for all the blunt distortion guitars and their practically punk rock mentality, there is no confusing this band for a sixties group.


Locksley's "Don't Make Me Wait" (2006, 2008)
Locksley's "Don't Make Me Wait" (2006, 2008)


Don’t Make Me Wait is probably best described as the best of both worlds, and it is clear that Locksley is playing around, experimenting with harmonies (which are subtle in some places, beautiful in others), lead guitar parts, and overall composition.  The title track leads off the album, and sets the tone for what is to be an upbeat, energetic collection of tracks.   The dual lead vocals are as interesting and excellent as ever on “All Over Again,” just as their vocals on “My Kind of Lover” hint at the potential for truly great vocal work on future releases.  Still, my favorite aspect of this album — and the reason I have listened repeatedly — is the tremendous lineup of catchy, quick tunes like “Into the Sun,” “Up the Stairs,” and “She Does,” to name only a few.  As soon as one ends, the next kicks in with just as much energy as the one preceding it.


In this sense, their greatest strength is also their greatest weakness.  Locksley’s Don’t Make Me Wait suffers from the shortfalls of a sophomore release.  It is energetic, fun, and brimming with potential, and yet there is nothing about this record that is so unique as to be outstanding in and of itself.  Even a track like “All of the Time,” simple as it may be, suffers from the “one-gear” mentality they generally embrace on this record.  I feel certain that they are poised to flex a considerable range, particularly from songs like the “For You” suite that closes the record, the bonus track “Safely From the City,” and even the alternate performance of “All of the Time” I’ve heard on YouTube.


Don’t Make Me Wait is an album that expresses considerable potential, and ironically, fans have had to wait since 2006 for a true follow-up to this record.  As recently as last week, the follow-up album Be in Love — originally scheduled for release this week — was pushed ahead to late February for digital and mid-March for physical.


Waiting appears to be the name of the game.


While we wait, Don’t Make Me Wait is a youthful, vibrant album that captures all the drive of an unsigned band, living from one gig to the next.  That somehow translates on this record, and it is that energy and sincerity that compels me to look past the derivative nature of their sound.  How their next album plays out will suggest a great deal about this band’s ability to evolve and make progress without losing all the rock and roll ground they’ve gained here.


The fact that we have to wait until March to reach a verdict only adds more anthemic meaning to this opening track, “Don’t Make Me Wait”!

					

		
		

	


				
					
	

		

						
“Thirteen” (Big Star Cover)

			
						

				Posted on   by  			

			
						

				Reply			

					


				

			
For Big Star chords, CLICK HERE!


By Chris Moore:


Hello and welcome to my first Laptop Sessions post of the new year!


Yes, 2009 will be even better than 2008.  I hope…


Seriously, though, I’m excited for all the improvements and updates that have already taken place, even in the brief five day period since New Year’s Day.  If you’re a regular visitor to this site, you should notice some of Jim’s handiwork on the front page of the site.  Go ahead, check again.  You’ll see the new scrolling pictures of our original albums (click and take a listen!!).  You’ll see the weekly calendar of sessions: Chris Moore Mondays, Jim Fusco Tuesdays, Original Wednesdays, Jeff Copperthite Thursdays, and Guest Sessions Fridays — learn ’em, love ’em!


And my personal favorite addition is our new Fusco-Moore original (well, technically, it’s just a Fusco original… :- ) loading bar with four squares.  There are some excellent features that we’ve built up over the past year, and I hope you’ll take the time to acquaint yourself with all the great material that’s available on the site.  Go ahead, explore…


For tonight’s session, I chose a pretty obscure one.  In fact, I haven’t even found a copy of the original version.  This is Big Star’s “Thirteen.”  I first heard this song when Elliott Smith’s acoustic version was released posthumously on New Moon.  This is an amazing song and Smith’s version, as far as I’m concerned, is the quintessential version.  The combination of his fingerpicking style and voice is a beautiful thing.


Just last night, I heard the Wilco cover of this song, recorded originally in 1997.  As Jeff Tweedy began to sing the lead, I instantly remembered the song.  Only, I didn’t know where I had heard it.  Thus, I rediscovered the beauty of the iPod.  I searched “Thirteen,” found my Elliott Smith version, and set out to learn the song myself.


It’s as simple as that.


That’s what we do around here.  So don’t go too far — hurry back for the very first Jim Fusco Tuesday of 2009 and I’ll see you again soon!