To Love Somebody
a cover recorded this evening when i was supposed to be working. the very first note is off, and it’s pretty messy.
To Love Somebody, by the Bee Gees circa 1967
a cover recorded this evening when i was supposed to be working. the very first note is off, and it’s pretty messy.
To Love Somebody, by the Bee Gees circa 1967
February 26th, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Great song. I worked on Thomas Dolby’s “Airwaves” last night. Still needs some work and a few of my chords are questionable. I re-learned “Sultans of Swing” which I want to record in a trio format eventually. Figured out “Always and Forever”, “Suicide is Painless” and “Ventura Highway” over the past few months. Some of these songs are easy to figure out by ear if you have a little time, and then it’s great — you have a new song. I’ve been trying to remember all the songs I’ve figured out over the past couple of years, but now I’m writing down the chords and other info about them so I’m not always re-inventing the wheel.
It’s amazing to think how many, could it be about a thousand or more tunes we have stored in our brains. I am amazed at how many are in the back of my mind — some I never think about until I hear it again, or something else triggers it. Then I am astounded at the details I have of the tune. Mostly sonic details — how the drum sounded or whatever, and, of all things, bass lines.
I guess part of what I’m enjoying about remembering tunes I love and heard years ago is I am realizing what a marvel I am — but I mean, just the marvel of being an ordinary person who grew up with music and sounds all around. That innocent experience of listening to whatever was at hand has provided me with a huge well to tap into. Which is nice after sort of thinking for a while that I had to reach into some exotic place to find what I need as a musician or something.
Any more Bee Gee’s on deck?
Bill
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February 27th, 2010 at 1:32 pm
yeah, i know what you mean as regards the well of music, and the sense of relief at realizing it’s there. that well, in general, is vitally important. have you ever read ‘The Field’? kind of a new age book, but important, i think.
i’d like to do their song “It’s only words” … not sure if that’s the proper title. i’m wary, though, because it’s easier for me at this point to sing a bit more up tempo – the relaxation thing previously mentioned. still, that’s a song i love, imprinted very young when my dad played his bee gees album.
anyway, i’ve got to run and get something to eat. talk to you later.
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February 27th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
oh, and yes, i love ‘airwaves’. that album was (at 20 yrs old or so) one of the most important to me… and that particular song just magical and mysterious.
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February 27th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Dolby is a great songwriter, even if he is most known for how he “clothes” his songs, so to speak, with the futuristic instrumentation. At base, they are incredible stripped down. The chords for the chorus of Airwaves are, I believe:
Bb Maj7, DbMaj7, AbMaj7, Bb7
GgMaj7, GbMaj7, Bb7
GbMaj7 ://
I’ve got it in vinyl, and own a reconditioned turntable from 1969 that Christy bought for me years ago. It’s great to bring out all my old records.
Other Dolby faves are Flying North, Radio Silence, and Cloudburst at Shingle Street. I have a fond memory of singing parts of this album with you in Hawai’i. We had hitched a ride on the back of a pickup truck, and it was raining, and we sang this album, including lots of the instrumental parts, and if I recall, some of the vocal effects Dolby uses. It was a joy.
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February 27th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
I haven’t hear of “The Field”. I’ll look for it.
I listened to some of your music last night much to my enjoyment. I loved hearing Jesus Blew My Mind again. The lyrics are fantastic. I think it is better to sing about Jesus than to argue about him. Even if the song is an argument.
I’m not sure I know the Bee Gee’s song you’re talking about. I’ll do a little googling.
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