For the lyrics, chords, and cover song music video, CLICK HERE!
By Chris Moore:
Back in 2009, bobdylan.com briefly offered a free mp3 download of the then-new Dylan song “Beyond Here Lies Nothin.’” It’s track one on Together Through Life, released Tuesday, April 28th, 2009.
When I woke up this morning to an email from Bob Dylan’s official website, I was pretty excited. After all, this is a sneak peak at the album a full month before I thought I would hear any of the new songs. Of course, there are other ways to find previews, such as searching YouTube for live versions of the new songs.
But I’d rather wait and be surprised.
The best part of this track is that, as the first song on the album, “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’” will be the first song you hear on the new album when you put the CD in (or download the album), then the rest of the songs will be brand new. If it were track five, for instance, you would listen to several new songs and then come across a song you know before getting back to more new ones.
That 24-hour download window closed long ago, but the song lives on as the opening track of Together Through Life.
Hello and welcome to another all-new week of cover song music videos at the Laptop Sessions! This promises to be a good week, because not only will there be new Monday and Tuesday videos, but I will also be publishing my review of the new Weezer album.
And, trust me, that one will be a doozie…
For now, though, let’s focus on the present. Tonight’s video is a song that I came across quite randomly on my iTunes, intending to listen to it only to test out a theory I have about how the “skip count” works on the software. From the first few moments of the song, I was immediately interested in it. As the song continued to play out, I picked up my guitar and began working the chords out. Then, after listening to it a dozen times this weekend, I was ready to record my session tonight.
The song I am referring to is Beck’s “Canceled Check,” the fourth track from his 1998 album Mutations. I suppose you could say that this was dumb luck that I stumbled across this song, but I truly knew within the first thirty seconds of hearing this song for the first time that it would make a fun cover song music video. The album as a whole is actually very enjoyable, blending strong acoustic guitar and harmonica elements with more experimental sounds, such as the confusion that closes this track. For my session, I enlisted a little help and am excited to present an “experimental” ending of my own. (I hope you enjoy it!)
This music video also has the virtue of being one of the very few, if not the ONLY, Laptop Sessions that I’ve completed in one recorded take. Granted, I spent a good deal of time practicing, but still…
In other personal music news, I recently sent a reply email to the Fruit Bats, commenting about their excellent performance on the Craig Ferguson show (the Fruit Bats mailing sent out the link to view it) and their excellent album. I wrote, “I’ve been listening since “Spelled in Bones,” but the new album has me spellbound and officially a BIG fan. Again, thank you for what is easily one of the top 5 best albums of the year!!! (and I’ve bought almost 30 new albums this year already, so I feel like I have some perspective!)”
The reply? Well, I wasn’t so much expecting a reply as I was just simply compelled to write this feedback. I write so many music reviews here, and particularly for a band as under the radar as the Fruit Bats, I just had to try sending my words out to them.
I did get a reply, and I’m grateful to whoever decided to send it. However, it made me feel like I was in high school again. The response read, “Wow — thanks Chris!”
And, yup, this suddenly reminded me of the reply of several girls to whom I confessed my affection for. It’s kind of like that moment when someone says “I love you” to someone else, and that person replies by thanking them.
Anyway, I really was happy to get a reply. Most bands that I listen to wouldn’t take the time to do even that. Coming from someone who has been in a band that worked overtime for not so much return, though, I would have been compelled to say something more in reply…
Still love their album. 🙂
Without further ado, I hope that you enjoy my take on “Canceled Check.” I certainly enjoyed recording it — in fact, I had more fun learning and recording this song than I have had in a good long time.
Hello and welcome to a special Saturday edition of the Laptop Sessions! I finally passed the 90,000 mark on YouTube, so I figured, “What better way to celebrate than to post an all-new session?” The answer to that question is the video you’re about to view.
So, why this song? The truth is that I know very little about Pearl Jam. Binaural is the first Pearl Jam album that I’ve bought, and there’s a funny story behind that. I bought it along with two other discs that were marked down at Circuit City. The other two albums were ones that I’ve been waiting and waiting for a decent price to buy. I bought Binaural because it was $4. Brand new! Now, Circuit City going-out-of-business sale or not, that’s an outstanding price! My first response was to check the packaging over for signs of a compilation album. Was this all rarities and b-sides? Was this an EP? It appeared to be a full album. So, I did what anyone in my position would do…
I pulled out my iPhone and jumped onto the good ole World Wide Web!
Sure enough, Binaural was a full studio album. With that in mind, as well as my interest in the upcoming remastered release of their debut album, Ten, I bought it. At first, I wasn’t crazy about much of it. Then, at some point during the second listen, songs began to click. The booklet is really well done, so although Eddie Vedder’s lyrics are unclear at times, I was able to refer to the booklet. One by one, I fell in love with the tracks and couldn’t stop listening to it. Now, it turns out that this $4 CD has been my most worthwhile album purchase in a long time!
Before I say much more, I should stop and save my thoughts for the second installment in my “Deep Racks Report” series. After the response to last week’s report on Wilco’s A.M., I’m pumped up to finish writing this one. I was lucky last week that someone found my article and posted the link on an oft-frequented Jay Farrar message board. If only I knew how I could get my articles seen each week…
So, without further ado, I bring you my first Pearl Jam cover song music video, joining Jeff, who is already six songs strong! I hope that this holds up to Jeff’s standards for this 90’s alternative rock band that he knows far better than I do. Or, at least, for now. (I’m learning…)
C Am F Dm D
You all say the things you mean so you can see I’ve had enough of you.
Well, you want everything to seem like everything’s all right, but that’s not true.
So my friend, is this the end of everything you thought that you would be?
C Am F Dm G
Oh, all you love has come and gone, and now I know exactly what to do.
G F G
You’re gonna, gonna, gonna have to start all over again.
G F Dm
Well, if you wanna see this thing through to the end,
Dm G Dm
You need to, need to, need to find a friendly hand.
Dm C A G
You’re gonna, gonna, gonna have to start all over again…
What, do you think hiding all your feelings deep inside will get you through?
The time has come to snap my thumb behind the place you’re hiding your feelings.
You are just the sum of things; you feel it, all the memories you keep.
Well, you are young and dumb, but there’s still time to get that heart up off your sleeve.
You’re gonna, gonna, gonna have to start all over again.
Well, if you wanna see this thing through to the end,
You need to, need to, need to find a friendly hand.
You’re gonna, gonna, gonna have to start all over again…
SOLO (over verse chords)
C Am F Dm
Start over again… (repeat)
C Am F Dm (x2, fade)
** 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. **
