New gems in old gold

Post by **axordil** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:26 am

You're So Vain--Heard in three times in the past three weeks on a oldies station that doesn't repeat within a week. Go figure. Realized what a perfectly crafted pop song it is...and that it was indeed Mick Jagger doing backing vocals.

Anyone else rediscover an old favorite lately?

Post by **Alatar** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 10:36 am

I've started relistening to Led Zeppelin Remasters again. Got it when it came out cause I felt anyone who professed to like music needed to at least check these guys out. I did my best to love them but aside from Stairway I found the rest of the album mind-bogglingly ordinary. I enjoyed a few tracks like Ramble On, Babe I'm Gonna Leave You and Since I been loving you. For the most part though I couldn't see what the fuss was.

Well, with all the Zepp talk these days, a new Double CD and the reunion concert I dug it out for another listen. My opinion hasn't really changed, but I had forgotten just how good Stairway to Heaven is. I mean we all know it, most guitarists learn the intro riff as a rite of passage. But the whole song? How often do you ever get to hear the complete Stairway on radio?

Its fantastic. Its so inordinately better than the rest of their material one wonders if it was written by someone else.

(Sorry to any major fans, feel free to say the same about Layla)

Post by **axordil** » Tue Dec 11, 2007 3:53 pm

The most interesting thing about Layla for me is how successfully Clapton reinvented it for the acoustic version he did on Unplugged. That and the whole serendipitous way it came together--especially the piano improv the producer added during the initial sessions, which the rest of the musicians started jamming to...and which is now half the song.

And of course it's a magnificent song no matter how you slice it. Like Stairway, its anthemic qualities have eclipsed its actual value as a song.

To my ear, both LZ and Clapton usually do their best performing work on other people's songs. Given their shared blues redux heritage I guess it's not surprising that trait is there for both.

Post by **Northerner** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 1:32 am

Somehow I never noticed before that Sting sings with Dire Straits in Money for Nothing. How I never noticed, I'll never know.

Post by **vison** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:08 am

Dire Straits is god.

Well, you know what I mean. A better album than their first one would be hard to find.

The LZ reunion concert had our local Golden Oldies station in a tizzy. I wasn't a LZ fan and still am not, much. But I gather the concert was good.

Post by **Holbytla** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 2:54 am

Well I am on the other end of the Led Zeppelin spectrum. Not quite in the Tinwë range but close.

They have always been rough around the edges and never had much of the shine and polish other acts have, but in some ways that is also their charm.

For the record, most of their stuff was taken from old blues music and rewrapped. Though the same could be said for Clapton I suppose.

I bought a most of their albums on release. I know that makes me old but... and there are many songs that still seem fresh to me.
To this day I sit in awe while watching Zeppelin do the Rain Song from the Song Remains the Same. CLIP

And yes I bought the new version with the unreleased stuff and love it to pieces.

More on topic, I love listening for background vocals or musicians in other group's songs. Some guitar styles are unmistakable and some vocals are very unique.

It isn't credited, but I will bet anything that Cat Stevens sings background on Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl. Listen to the end of the song and you will hear it.

I also credit today's technology for revealing a lot of this. Listening to music on a tiny transistor radio just pales in comparison.

eta:
lololol

Alatar may enjoy this.

Ramble On The Hobbit

Post by **yovargas** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 3:42 am

Alatar wrote:Its fantastic. Its so inordinately better than the rest of their material one wonders if it was written by someone else.

Funny how I like probably a dozen LZ songs more than Stairway. To my ears, it is merely an average LZ song. (An average LZ song still being better than most other band's best works.)

Post by **Lalaith** » Wed Dec 12, 2007 6:05 am

I just bought Information Society's CD off of iTunes.

I love the blend of Star Trek quotes in the middle of the songs and the cool, techno-punk sound.

Led Zeppelin has never done anything for me.

Sorry!

Lali

Post by **Athrabeth** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:06 am

A couple of weeks ago, I was talking to my oldest, dearest "best friend". We've known each other since Grade Five......became BFF's when we were about 14. Somehow, we started talking about the first "big name" concert that we went to together.....Donovan. Sheesh....talk about walking down memory lane.

It was 1968.

I had just turned 16.

Anyway, our conversation inspired me to look up and play some old favourites.

And I've discovered that I still shamelessly adore "Catch the Wind."

Post by **Holbytla** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:20 am

Hey that reminds me. Donovan sang back up on an Alice Cooper song.
Billion Dollar Babies.

And I have a few Donovan albums kicking around here somewhere.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 7:29 am

Led Zeppelin is one of the fundamental bands for me. They're one I recognize from even a snatch of music, as I'd recognize the voice of a friend from half a word. I love 'em.

Old Rolling Stones (Brown Sugar!).

Dire Straits.

Chicago (yeah, I know, but I saw them in concert three times as a kid).

Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young in whatever combination. I went to a Neil Young concert as a teenager, and who should show up completely unbilled but Crosby and Stills. It was very cool. I've always been bemused by how three or four voices so different, and not traditionally "good" voices on their own, could combine into magic.

Post by **Northerner** » Sat Dec 15, 2007 2:52 am

It isn't credited, but I will bet anything that Cat Stevens sings background on Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl. Listen to the end of the song and you will hear it.

I will listen for it. Cat Stevens has such an incredible, distinctive voice.

And...topic.... sorry, not an LZ fan.

Post by **Athrabeth** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 2:55 am

With our daughter staying with us over Christmas, her music is floating upwards from her (old) room just like "the old days". A while ago, it was the soundtrack from "Across the Universe", a movie that she has fallen madly in love with. This isn't the first time I've heard it. Over the past few months, it's become very familiar, since every time I pop in for a visit with her it seems to be playing. Anyway, I really like the covers of pretty much all the songs (except for Mr. Kite, which is annoyingly weird). It's so interesting to hear the various interpretations of the music. I particularly like "I Want to Hold Your Hand", which is done much more slowly as a gently yearning love song. It makes me realize how each song has such excellent "bones" at its centre, strong enough to still sound "right" even though the voices, tempo, and arrangement is changed.

Great, great songs.

Post by **Primula Baggins** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 3:30 am

I loved the movie too, Ath. Did you see it? "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is beautifully done—touching and wistful. The effect of all the unusual takes on the songs is to make clear how strong they are—not at all dependent on a particular version or a particular group of musicians. They'll endure.

Post by **Athrabeth** » Wed Dec 26, 2007 8:29 pm

I haven't seen the movie yet, Prim. It actually had two separate runs at our little local theatre (a run being four days), and although Mr. Ath and I swore that we'd find time to go, alas, it could not be so.

Thank heaven for DVD's and a wide-screen TV!

There really are some delightful surprises on the extended soundtrack. I couldn't believe it when "Flying" started to play!

And that voice of Dana Fuchs!

Wow......just WOW!