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I've played music for ages but only recently tried to start singing/playing guitar at the same time - it's addictive! 🙂
Songs I like singing/playing so far:
Harry McClintock - Big Rock Candy Mountain
Willy Mason - Strong
Willy Mason - Oxygen
The Band - The Night They Drove Dixie Down
Half Man Half Biscuit - Joy Division Oven Gloves
Half Man Half Biscuit - Lord Hereford's Nob
Jonny Cash - Fulsom Prison Blues
I'm yet to bust them out at an open mic night but I will do soon.
Anyone got any more suggestions in a similar vein (or even not that similar)?
Cheers
johnny flynn, laura marling and the avett brothers all have some stuff that is easyish to play and fun to sing especially if you have friends that can sing the harmonies.
In terms of stuff which is amazing to play = nick drake, no question! Only problem is you will be forever tuning your guitar and they arent at all easy!
Tom Waits. any of his really.
Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel
Jeffrey Foucault - Northbound 35
Redbird - You Are The Everything
Those are three of my favourites. That and slowed versions of things like Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' (a la Sparklehorse's version) often go down well.
slowed versions of things like Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here'
Jeez, how much slower can you make that song?! 😉
Try taking something reasonably modern* and adding your style to it. Or, as Northwind once suggested, try taking a song that has a major key and turn it minor just for an unusual twist. As he mused, beware the Jewish sound if you travel that road. I've experimented and it's quite easy to step into that territory...
*By that I mean something you wouldn't ordinarily think to use as a cover.
It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding
slowed versions of things like Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here'
Jeez, how much slower can you make that song?!
A bit!
'kin 'ell.
Almost passed out at 27 seconds...
Hah, I hope I credited that idea to Chilly Gonzales, I nicked it from him. Minor key Chariots of Fire is awesome.
Yeah, you did. With this...
Way over Yonder in a minor key - Billy Bragg & Wilco (but written by Woody Guthrie and never put to music - on the Mermaid Avenue album) - lots of scope for harmonies, but Natalie Merchant sounds great on the recorded version.
Steve Earle - Galway Girl
White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself
Smashing Pumpkins - Luna
grum - Member
I'm yet to bust them out at an open mic night but I will do soon.
Checks Hebden Diary for open mic nights. 😀
I'll take some photo's, Hora can charm the locals and Binners can do security.
Sounds like fun.
In a folky rather than country vein, if you don't mind a retune and a capo:
Solomon Browne - Seth Lakeman - bit of everything in there.
or John Lomas by the same, to work on a different time signature. I struggle to play and sing, too wedded to 4/4 🙂
Some ace suggestions here, thanks everyone.
Checks Hebden Diary for open mic nights.I'll take some photo's, Hora can charm the locals and Binners can do security.
Sounds like fun.
*shudder*
Not sure if I'll be inviting people along to my debut but at some point we could try it and see if STW explodes. 🙂
Ah, some Fleetwood Mac might be a good shout actually.
It's Alright Ma, I'm Only Bleeding
Great song, but how am I ever going to remember all those lyrics? 😯
Ah, you need something more simple? How about -
[i]Rape me
Rape me my friend
Rape me
Rape me again
I'm not the only one [x4]
Hate me
Do it and do it again
Waste me
Rape me my friend
I'm not the only one [x4]
My favorite inside source
I'll kiss your open sores
Appreciate your concern
You'll always stink and burn
Rape me
Rape me my friend
Rape me
Rape me again
I'm not the only one [x4]
Rape me! [x9] [/i]
** Warning ** it's a proper tear jerker, and it's country rather than country-ish
Ode to Billie Joe
Devil's Right Hand
Billy Austin
Big Yellow Taxi
Excellent - keep them coming.
However, bollocks to singing - I want to be able to do this!
A few songs I attempt/murder
Tom Waits. any of his really.
@ton - top tip ! Fumbling with the Blues
Angie - Rolling Stones
One more cup of coffee - Bob Dylan
The Boxer by Simon and Garfunkel works really well, my teacher plays it really well
Great song, but how am I ever going to remember all those lyrics
@grum - Aside from the good old A4 song sheet with chords above there are good PC/Tablet apps - I use MySongBook, has lyrics and chord sequence and it scrolls as you sing/murder the song. You have to search / loadup the songs but it does that from within the app
I feel compelled to post some Tom Waits lyrics - genius, I love this song
[i]Friday left me fumblin' with the blues
And it's hard to win when you always lose
Because the nightspots spend your spirit
Beat your head against the wall
Two dead ends and you've still got to choose
You know the bartenders, they all know my name
And they catch me when I'm pulling up lame
And I'm a pool-shooting-shimmy-shyster shaking my head
When I should be living clean instead
You know, the ladies I've been seeing off and on
Well they spend your love and then they're gone
You can't be lovin' someone who is savage and cruel
Take your love and then they leave on out of town, no they do
[/i]
Townes Van Zandt Live at the Old Quarter....end of thread
Townes Van Zandt .....end of thread
Difficult to argue with that. 🙂
I'm enjoying Hurray For The Riff-Raff at the moment. Their cover of Delta Momma Blues is good enough that their original writing deserves a listen.
Never thought of a scrolling app - thanks!
Hadn't heard Townes Van Zandt until now, lovely stuff.
Hurray For The Riff-Raff sounding good too.
Steve Earle - Galway Girl
Saw Steve in Leeds a couple of years ago, just after Galway Girl had been used on a Magners/Bulmers advert. He played it beautifully, then added at the end [i]"Just to let y'all know, even at my worst ebb as an alcoholic and junkie, not once did f---ing [b]cider[/b] pass my lips..."[/i]
Just realised Steve Earle was in The Wire! What a dude. 🙂
How about this (appropriate?)
If you can play like Neil I'll marry you 😉
Sixtoes - New album "The Morning After"
Read a review at www.forfolkssake.com/reviews/28496/album-sixtoes-the-morning-after
Steve Earle wrote the wire theme tune too. Him Townes and Guy Clarke live album bluebird cafe or something is good. Although Townes was shot by then, cant listen to his last two tracks.
Anything by Taylor Swift
NWA make a surprisingly good choice
Half Man Half Biscuit - Joy Division Oven Gloves
Half Man Half Biscuit - Lord Hereford's Nob
Good man! Joy Division Oven Gloves is an all-time favourite.
Christ though, there are [i]so[/i] many songs to choose from!
Far From Any Road, by The Handsome Family, which was used for True Detective is a great song.
Loads of Tom Waits, Small Change, Ol' 55, I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love..., Downtown Train, House Where Nobody Lives, Come On Up To The House, Bottom Of The World, Fannin Street, (also covered by Scarlett Johansson).
Pyro - Member
Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel
Jeffrey Foucault - Northbound 35
Redbird - You Are The Everything
If you're going to list Jeff Foucault and Redbird, then you [i]have[/i] to include Jeff's lovely wife, Kris Delmhorst!
Lullaby 101 is one of hers, then there's the beautiful You're No Train, from Songs For A Hurricane, Strange Conversation, Tavern, Blue Adeline, Birds Of Belfast, Oleander, Freediver, Bees, My Ohio...
Shawn Colvin has a huge back-catalogue, including various covers of the likes of Talking Heads, on Cover Girl.
She does a superb version of Gnarls Barkley's Crazy, hers was the first cover of it I heard, at Union Chapel.
First aid kit
That's the way-Zeppelin
If we are talking 'anything that works with one guitar and voice' crowded house is good but everyone does them, er... Can't think, but will come back to this when I have good ideas
John Denver is one of my guilty pleasures.
Just a lovely song
How about a bit of Ben Harper?
Loving Nina Gordon/NWA! 🙂
Blaze Foley?
Good thread, can I request a couple of ideas for slightly less complicated songs also, basicish guitar country like old crow medicine show wagon wheel.
Bit off track but how about this to play?
CountZero: Never managed to learn to play any of Kris's stuff, but I do love Songs for a Hurricane - Waiting Under The Waves is a brilliant opener for an album.
Listening to Dom Flemons and Martin Simpson on front row last night made me wish I had time to make one of their gigs this summer.
http://www.folkradio.co.uk/2014/03/martin-simpson-and-dom-flemons-carolina-chocolate-drops-collaboration/