OK, we will post at my site, thanks to Kevin Guiney, to whom I will forever remain in debt for all his hard work on my and BT’s behalf. We are working on integrating a music player so you won’t have to leave Le Blogge. We will also be re-posting the back catalog of CotW, as Randy puts it. By the way, Kevin his own self covers a snippet of Buff Tom’s “Wiser” for a music box.
Cover of the Week this week:
There are some good New Years songs. Auld Lang Syne is a beautiful melody. None is more beautiful than the Frank Loesser song, “What Are You Doing New Years Eve?” So I’m doing it. Some might recall a version I did a few years back at WMBR. This is a revamped and expanded version. I take the version by the Orioles as a template. It is a goshdarn romantic song. Loesser could really say it. He captured that sophisticated repartee, layers of irony and sincerity all piled in some delicious cake. This is the man who brought us “Baby It’s Cold Outside” for chrissake. Aching melodies like “The Inch Worm” and joie de vivre make songs like “Luck Be a Lady” pop.
We shall return to our non-holiday tunes next week. I am looking forward to a couple of collaborations. So far, I’ve been doing all the lifting, heavy and otherwise. It will be nice to feature some other voices and perhaps instrumentalists.
You can listen and or download here (right click or Apple click)
Happy 2009. What are you doing New Year’s Eve?
Very nice. Was that you doing your own John ‘Bowser’ Bauman backup oohs?
happy new year…speaking of duets,any chance of covering shane mcgowan’s “fairytale of new york”?or “winter” by the stones?(get phill on organ).listening to my 6 year old daughter, frances run around the house singing stevie wonder’s “everyone’s a kid at christmas time”(with head phones on/ipod shuffle/kids today…jeez) makes it all worth while.
Winter was on my list as well. The Pogues, not so much. Christmas is past. Maybe next year. Session Americana killed with it last week, btw.
That is me doing all the Sha Na Na sheet. Next week starts the collaborations. Thus far it has been only me; no real musicians have been harmed during this exercise.
Bill, this was an educational CotW for me. I wasn’t aware of Frank Loesser; or I probably was, but wasn’t aware when I heard one of his tunes that he was the composer. A list of his songs is here:
http://www.frankloesser.com/work/songs/
Talk about prolific!
Thanks again for #8, what a sweet tune, and a warm arrangement. Great nostalgic feel to the song, as well as romantic, as you highlight. How many tracks did you use? Love the Auld Lang Syne tag.
New Year’s Eve? Friends of mine, young marrieds, bought their first condo recently, and it’s only a couple blocks away. They’re having an NYE party, so I’ll be able to walk to their place and not worry about having to drive. I’ll also be celebrating my Mother’s 76th from afar, her birthday is Dec 31.
Collaborations? I’m intrigued and definitely looking forward to hearing what you’ve got planned. And naturally envious of those who get to collaborate. 🙂
Happy 2009 to you, Bill.
Thanks Kevin. Thanks again Bill.
NYE? Slinging drinks.
I have certainly enjoyed the singer-songwriter aspect coupled with you doing your own back-ups. Some of the best parts of BT was you doing the back-ups for Chris Colbourn lead songs. Darl was a terrific one- you had like a hallway screaming echo effect; or Kitchen door- I defy you to find someone who can resist singing along to your part; or rachel- another sing along to the background song; perhaps three easy pieces, and the list goes on. Nothing like a super “lead” backing vocal.
And although there is a great dynamic with newly added musicians, its great to hear the personal flavor, the intimacy of lead singer doing backing vocals as well.
But on the subject of the Pogues and more directly the Stones, Don’t you just love Harriet from the Sundays talcum-powder covered angel voice on their cover of Wild Horses?
Can’t wait to hear more…
NYE: TT Roadhouse, a dive bar in PHX with a great jukebox. If this song were on the box, I’d put a few quarters in for it. Thanks for all the music.
Harriet Wheeler. Goose bump voice.
added this song to close out our little NYE playlist on a chilly night in NJ last night. It’s perfrct and thanks