Cover songs

[gurdonark]

Last night on the late night talk show Adam Durvitz was singing Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi", which simultaneously makes me wonder if Amy Grant, who did her own version, should have joined Counting Crows instead of marrying Vince Gill, and also wonder if we can now look forward to the RuPaul cover of Ms. Mitchell's "Ladies of the Canyon". Today I found myself praising Elvis Costello at lunch, only I remember twenty five years ago when that was a bold new thing to do, and not the sort of thing they spend NPR fund-raisers doing. Friday night is my wife's company's Christmas party, and I find myself actually hoping that this year, like last, they have karaoke. Don't get me wrong--I don't sing very well. But I just love the participatory silliness of the whole idea. I actually thought on the way home that I should brush up on the lyrics of "Jealous Guy", but then I realized any karaoke mix would be the frenetic original John Lennon version and not the slow, hip, so-sheer-so-chic deathly sad Bryan Ferry cover. For those who have not figured it out from my idiom, I speak with a mild Arkansas accent, which time in Los Angeles did not quite deaden. This suggests to me that I should be singing Eagles songs or "China Grove" or some Charlie Daniels Band song. The problem, though, is that "I Can't Tell You Why", my favorite Eagles song, requires my falsetto to be almost Sparks-quality, and I am not sure my falsetto is any longer quite ready for prime time. Charlie Daniels Band songs lately all seem to be about blowing up other people real good while draping oneself in the American flag, and "Devil went down to Georgia" is not quite me. Now "China Grove" has possibilities, because any song about a San Antonio suburb cannot be all bad. Undoubtedly, should they have karaoke and should I elect to sing, I'll do something easy for my flat, toneless voice, like Talking Heads or Cheap Trick. Last year's Xmas party was my stunningly on-key version of "Alison" and a very Ferryesque "Love is the Drug". Overweight men in business suits were born to sing "Love is the Drug". My very best karaoke experience of all time, though, was a law firm retreat in 1992, when during the yacht ride off Marina del Rey in Los Angeles, I did my first-ever karaoke performance, Prince's "Little Red Corvette". The lyrics were arguably a bit risque for law firm retreat use, particularly if one assesses that I am personally in general more boring than sliced bread, but the rousing ovation was nonetheless sincere. So I'm pretty psyched to sing karaoke again--maybe they'll have "Young Americans" or "Blinded by the Light". I wonder if I can still do "Blinded by the Light" from memory.
Ever since I saw The Last Waltz I've had a yearning to sing Neil Young's "Helpless", but in order to karaoke something, one should really pretty much know all the words, and my storehouse of knowledge of "Helpless" runs out at "There is a town in north Ontario". Well, if I lose courage, I'll just belt out "Surrender", as I've done before, or perhaps "Burning Down the House".

We decorated our Christmas tree tonight. I don't apologize for the fact that I utterly love Christmas. I don't make much of a hoopla about it anymore, but it still is a warm, good time for me. But that's all week after next. This week I'll be content to meet my deadlines. Somehow the Christmas spirit makes me want to karaoke "Greensleeves", but I really don't see the connection.

Comments

[auntiesiannan.livejournal.com]

Maire Brennan of Clannad did a version of Big Yellow Taxi on her second solo album that is superior to that of Amy Grant's, unfortunately they were released at about the same time and she who had the bigger name got the lion's share of airplay.

China Grove would be my choice. You could do a double feature with Bowie's China Girl.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I like China Girl, a song which says to me that Iggy should always just write songs, but there are so many Bowie songs I like, it would be hard to pick.
Fortunately, karaoke machines usually have only "Let's Dance" and "Changes", neither of which I would pick. Maybe I'll just listen this time :).

[http://users.livejournal.com/_riomaggiore/]

this brought back memories--i attended the Last Waltz, have the vinyls, cassettes and the cds. (all are wear worn, except the cd's) the playing of any of them brings back memories of the experience of being there which are not given justice, for me, in just listening. it was an amazing time to behold. thank you for the reminder.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I would have loved to see that show!

[rose-queen.livejournal.com]

You are a lucky man to have seen The Last Waltz in person.:)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_riomaggiore/]

as a devoted fan of the performers and their ethos, i wouldn't have missed it. when i listen to the music, the experience comes back.
an ironic fact is that the tickets were around $25 and now the box sets sell for twice that (at least)!
i was lucky--still believe that i am. thanks.

[chaptal.livejournal.com]

The chorus to Helpless is fairly easy. Surrender is a no-brainer. My safe karaoke song is Secret Agent Man.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Yes, I think I can manage the chorus to "Helpless".
"Secret Agent Man" sounds like a fun karaoke song!

3 chords and an attitude

[scott-m.livejournal.com]

I'll be at the Christmas party as well. Rest assured that they'll have
karaoke again, so start gargling, singing arpeggios, doing whatever's
appropriate to prepare. And I know all the words to Helpless, so you're
covered in that area.

Ever thought about playing Helpless on the autoharp? It's C, G, and F.
Specifically ...
Play C
Start singing
When you get to the word "town", start playing G
When you get to the word "Ontario" (second syllable, maybe?) start playing F

If you swap the F and G and change the rhythm up a bit you'll be playing the
chorus to "Like a Rolling Stone." Now, how does that feel

Re: 3 chords and an attitude

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I looked up the words to helpless, and could probably mangle my way through it, provided Joni Mitchell is not singing back-up offkey offstage. What a great song. one of the few times I pull out my autoharp is xmas time, what with all the great CFGBflat xmas hymns, so now I must "helpless" as well on the autoharp. If only my autoharp had all the minor chords in "Can We Still be Friends?".

which all reminds me to mail out those recordings to make CDs, which I keep postponing until I can name the songs....

[coollibrarian.livejournal.com]

Would Amy have to get dreadlocks if she joined the Crows?

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Amy would look very hot in dreadlocks.

[rose-queen.livejournal.com]

Helpless is also one of my faves from Neil Young. It reminds me of the years I lived in New Hampshire. The Last Waltz is an amazing movie compared to most other films of it's type. You can feel a true comraderie and happiness as you watch the people interact with each other. And although it is Robbie Robertson's shining moment, he defers to the other guitar gods with grace.