“Times Like These” (Foo Fighters Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Welcome to your Thumpin’ Thursday edition of The Laptop Sessions. Today I bring you a song by request. It’s one of the Foo Fighters most well known songs, and most agree that the acoustic version of this song is better than the original, full-band version.

Well, the song is “Times Like These”, of which there is a terrific video of Dave Grohl playing the song on the acoustic, with piano and string accompaniment on Youtube.

I had just purchased new guitar strings and this is the 2nd video I recorded with them. I had recorded this song in the same session as my previous video, but the new strings make this song sound a heck of a lot better, so I did it again.

The song is off their great album “One By One”. I’ve always been a Foo Fighters fan since their original self-titled release.

I hope this translates well to the acoustic version, although you may notice that I do not do the “screaming” chorus, because my voice…well, it just isn’t suited for screaming.

I hope you enjoy today’s edition, and keep checking https://guitarbucketlist.com/ for more from FMP, and for pictures/video from our live performances!

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 original 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!

“A Rush of Blood to the Head” (Coldplay Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Good evening!  Welcome to your Friday edition of The Laptop Sessions, and to make up for the short (but thumpin’) song yesterday, I have a song that is more than double the length of yesterday’s song.  And it’s from a familiar band that I have enjoyed covering a lot.

Coldplay returns tonight with the title track of their album “A Rush of Blood to the Head”.  This album has a lot of songs similar to this – a soft, mellow acoustic style with interjections of drive guitars and distorted solos.  This is probably the longest song by them that doesn’t involve some of Chris Martin’s trademark falsetto (with exception of the opening, but that part isn’t all that difficult).

It was fun covering this song.  It is based on acoustic, so covering it was easy.  I nearly had it in one take but I played the Bb chord in the chorus too soon.  So on take #2, I was happy with it.  The timing of some of the verse lines and post-chorus lines are different than the studio recording, but this cover version works just fine with that.

I hope you enjoy today’s cover – be sure to come back tomorrow for a brand new cover song by Chris Moore himself, and then i’ll be back Sunday for another familiar band – heck, we’ve already seen the band this week, but it’ll be the first time i’m covering that band.  Who is it?  Be sure to come back all weekend to find out!

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 original 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!

“Man in Black” (Johnny Cash Cover)

By Chris Moore:

I had such fun playing “Folsom Prison Blues” that it was only a matter of time before I chose another Johnny Cash song! This is one of my father’s favorites and my grandfather is also a big fan, so I’d like to send this one out to them!

Well, I recorded this one in one perfect take… except for the very end, when I accidentally sang “I’ll try to carry off a little COLOR on my back…” instead of “darkness.” I obviously couldn’t let that go, so I re-recorded it. Again. And again. And again…

You get the point. But, I’m really happy I learned it (and anyone in hearing range the other night must’ve learned it, too). Thanks for coming back to guitarbucketlist.com; check back tomorrow for an all-new session from none other than Jeff Copperthite!

“Jingle Bell Rock” (Bobby Helms Christmas Cover)

By Jim Fusco:

Part 4 of this four part Laptop Sessions extravaganza comes to you with another Christmas song!

This classic tune by Bobby Helms has been covered by almost every artist since the song came out. But, I figured the Laptop Sessions could use a jolt of a song everyone knows and can sing to.  But, you rarely hear an acoustic cover version of “Jingle Bell Rock”, though.  Most of the time, you’ll hear a country artist sing it or someone will try to turn it into a slow, crooning song.  Not me, though- I stay pretty true to the original song.  But, who says that you can’t rock out on acoustic guitar?  Of course, I’m using my nylon-stringed (or “gut” stringed) classical guitar that I bought while on vacation in Italy with one of my dearest friends.  I don’t think many people would associate a classical guitar with “Jingle Bell Rock”, but I like to make my acoustic cover videos have an intimate setting.  It allows me to sing at a nicer volume without having to worry about getting drowned out by my steel-stringed acoustic guitar.

As far as Christmas songs go, you can’t get more popular than “Jingle Bell Rock”.  Sure, some Christmas songs may be AS popular as this classic Bobby Helms tune, but this song is instantly recognizable.  Well, that’s kind of a given, seeing that you’ll probably hear it about a hundred times each Christmas.  A few years back, my free internet radio station, WCJM Internet Radio, did a Christmas show where we wanted to find out what the best original Christmas song was.  I chose the term “original song” because so many classic standards like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town are simply untouchable.  We at WCJM Internet Radio wanted to find out which Christmas song other than those standards was the best.  And, whatever song won would be “retired” as a classic itself.  Well, “Jingle Bell Rock” was very close to the top of the list.  Oh, you didn’t think I would just give the list of the Best Original Christmas Songs away here on the music blog, right?  You’re going to have to head over to WCJM Radio by clicking here to find out for yourself!  Remember, all WCJM Internet Radio programs are absolutely free to listen to online.  They’re hilarious and I know you’ll become an instant fan.

So, sit back and sing along to this Bobby Helms Christmas cover song music video- it’s another step on my journey to make your holiday season great!