by Lind » Thu Aug 31, 2006 3:04 pm
Sam, this is such a great question it’s taken me two weeks to answer and even now, I have to say it’s too overwhelming. The only answer I can give you is: “Uh . . . gosh. I don’t know.”
The deal is this: There are so many great songs out there – songs I wish I’d written – that I could compile a 12-song album right now and do another one in 20 minutes and there might not be a single duplicate.
Those who have seen me in person know I always do at least one cover every show.
One I’ve been doing lately is Tom Paxton’s “Bottle of Wine.” There must be more than 50 covers of that tune by everyone from Fireball to Judy Collins to the Kingston Trio.
But everyone who does it – including Paxton himself – treats it like a rollicky, good-time, fun-lovin’ drinkin’ song.
Maybe I have no sense of humor. But I feel it and sing it in a much different way.
I see no sense in covering a song unless I can give it something that others haven’t.
So, all this said, here in this exact time (Thursday Aug. 31, 2006 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) is a baker’s dozen tunes I would do if I were recording right now with the band rehearsed and the mic on.
(Bear in mind things might be different at 3:20):
1. Blue Skies
2. I Can’t Make You Love Me (If You Don’t)
3. Mama Said (There’d Be Days Like This)
4. Easy To Be Hard (From HAIR)
5. You Belong To Me (Chilton Price’s not Carly Simon’s)
6. In My Life
7. Smile (Charlie Chaplain)
8. Like Strangers (Boudleaux Bryant)
9. Begin the Beguine
10. Cottage For Sale
11. Nadine
12. New York Minute (Henley)
and
13. Stardust (the world’s most perfect song)
A lot of songs I love haven’t been listed. Several reasons for that.
Some aren’t listed because I can’t imagine giving them anything they haven’t had from other artists. For instance “At Last” rips my insides out every time I hear it. But Etta does the whole job for me. I can’t find any room for me after she’s pushed her soulful two cents into it. Same with “On My Own.” Beautiful song, but – come on – Patty LaBelle and Michael McDonald don’t need any help from me.
Other songs are beautiful too but they’re beautiful because they’re so personal to the writer. For instance, “Fountain of Sorrow” and “Shape of a Heart” (both by Jackson Browne) are so deeply honest and personal that singing them would feel, to me, like going through someone’s personal belongings.
End of long-winded response.
Sam, this is such a great question it’s taken me two weeks to answer and even now, I have to say it’s too overwhelming. The only answer I can give you is: “Uh . . . gosh. I don’t know.”
The deal is this: There are so many great songs out there – songs I wish I’d written – that I could compile a 12-song album right now and do another one in 20 minutes and there might not be a single duplicate.
Those who have seen me in person know I always do at least one cover every show.
One I’ve been doing lately is Tom Paxton’s “Bottle of Wine.” There must be more than 50 covers of that tune by everyone from Fireball to Judy Collins to the Kingston Trio.
But everyone who does it – including Paxton himself – treats it like a rollicky, good-time, fun-lovin’ drinkin’ song.
Maybe I have no sense of humor. But I feel it and sing it in a much different way.
I see no sense in covering a song unless I can give it something that others haven’t.
So, all this said, here in this exact time (Thursday Aug. 31, 2006 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) is a baker’s dozen tunes I would do if I were recording right now with the band rehearsed and the mic on.
(Bear in mind things might be different at 3:20):
[b]1. Blue Skies
2. I Can’t Make You Love Me (If You Don’t)
3. Mama Said (There’d Be Days Like This)
4. Easy To Be Hard (From HAIR)
5. You Belong To Me (Chilton Price’s not Carly Simon’s)
6. In My Life
7. Smile (Charlie Chaplain)
8. Like Strangers (Boudleaux Bryant)
9. Begin the Beguine
10. Cottage For Sale
11. Nadine
12. New York Minute (Henley)
and
13. Stardust (the world’s most perfect song)[/b]
A lot of songs I love haven’t been listed. Several reasons for that.
Some aren’t listed because I can’t imagine giving them anything they haven’t had from other artists. For instance “At Last” rips my insides out every time I hear it. But Etta does the whole job for me. I can’t find any room for me after she’s pushed her soulful two cents into it. Same with “On My Own.” Beautiful song, but – come on – Patty LaBelle and Michael McDonald don’t need any help from me.
Other songs are beautiful too but they’re beautiful because they’re so personal to the writer. For instance, “Fountain of Sorrow” and “Shape of a Heart” (both by Jackson Browne) are so deeply honest and personal that singing them would feel, to me, like going through someone’s personal belongings.
End of long-winded response.