- "Looking at the stars for the answers, but all that I found was silence and a dirty ground, if only you could see me now, if only you could hear me out, if only it was only me now." In her first iTunes exclusive live EP ("Live Sessions") KT Tunstall shows her mastery of the loop pedal to simulate the sound of a full band. On her next iTunes exclusive live release ("Live from Soho") the singer/songwriter uses a loop pedal here and there but for the most part relies on her full band to create the sound of a full band. The studio version of "If Only" is featured on 2007's "Drastic Fantastic" album. Both the studio and live versions prominently feature the glockenspiel, which Tunstall refers to in the "Live from Soho" album as the "rockenspiel". "Live from Soho" focuses on material from "Drastic Fantastic" but also includes a handful of songs from the brilliant "Eye To The Telescope".
2. Happy Jack (Live at Leeds)- The Who
- "The kids would all sing, he would take the wrong key, so they rode on his head in their furry donkey.....but they couldn't stop Jack or the waters lapping, and they couldn't prevent Jack from being happy." This classic rock gem was first featured on The Who's 1966 sophomore album "A Quick One". In fact due to the somewhat risque title the album was distributed as "Happy Jack" in the states. This particular version comes from the landmark 1970 "Live at Leeds" album. "Happy Jack" allows The Who's rhythm section to shine. The bass and drum parts drive the song- the colorful lyrics and Beach Boys style backing harmonies just add to the enjoyment. The Who perform "Happy Jack" during the Leeds concert as one of "3 selected hit singles....the 3 easiest". Many many years later "Happy Jack" was used in an advertisement to help promote the eco-friendly Hummer.
3. Covered in Rain (live)- John Mayer
- "Tonight we're gonna order in, drinking wine and watching CNN, it's dark I know but then again, it's the brightest thing I've got, when I'm covered in rain." This is probably my favorite John Mayer song. If you listen to "City Love" on the album "Room For Squares" you'll hear a love song about New York City and a girl named Lydia. If you listen even closer to the bridge you'll hear the lyrics "and I can't remember life before the day, she called up and came to me covered in rain". "Covered in Rain" is not just a reference to "City Love", it's a continuation of the story. "City Love" is a love song to NYC written pre 9-11, while "Covered in Rain" is the post 9-11 postscript. We find that like the city, the relationship is damaged. "Come December Lydia left, she mentioned something about it being for the best." This live version of "Covered in Rain" comes from the 2004 "As/Is" collection of live concert recordings. Mayer normally plays this song on electric guitar (no studio version has been released). Perhaps the best version I've ever heard was in Chicago in the summer of 2007; Mayer performed it acoustically as an encore. In that performance he worked in lyrics to "Everything Is Not Broken"; the other song he wrote that reflects on 9-11. The circle was complete. It was amazing.
The first time that I recall hearing "Happy Jack" was in Ocean City New Jersey. During my high school days I had a friend who's parents were gracious enough to allow me to tag along on their family vacation for a week every summer (it was a great time). Anyway, this friend was really into The Who. He had a number of their less known songs in his collection and Happy Jack was one of those rare gems. I also recall a Who song about "little Billy" that in some way was tied to an anti-smoking or anti-drug message, but maybe I'm just crazy. Other features of those summer vacations included scaring off a whole beach full of people with James Taylor's "Steamroller". We would put that 'cassette tape' in the 'boombox' and turn that song way up and suddenly the beach wasn't crowded any more. Thanks JT (and DJ and JM).
ReplyDelete"Little Billy" is correct! Here are Pete Townshend's comments about the song from the "Odds and Sods" LP liner notes:
ReplyDelete"Now if I may take a little liberty here, this is a masterpiece. Written and recorded for the American Cancer Society in exchange for world-wide success and fame it ended up not saving lives, but mouldering unheard in some executive's office for six years. 'It's too long' he said, in a slimy East Coast accent of the nastiest possible kind. Actually he was quite nice- used to take me to lunch in the Russian Tea Room. Had baseball hats embroidered on his Y-fronts. I really hate him because he jilted me, the swine. But, as you can hear, Little Billy is doing fine, just fine."
Not everyone can handle the intensity of JT. 'Cassette tape' and 'boombox'...must have been another century.