Ted Nugent: Stranglehold

Number 17.

Ted Nugent - Stranglehold.

Current Knowledge: I don't know much about Ted Nugent's music. I do know that the first time I was on the radio, I played my segment and then the host interviewed Ted Nugent over the phone afterwards, so I basically opened for him. Also, a friend of mine plays bass with Derek St. Holmes all the time (he gets theses all expenses paid trips to Vegas and LA and Denver.... I hate him). I have a sneaking suspicion I know this song.... But I'm not 100% sure, and I know I've never heard the original, so here goes.


First Thoughts: Yep. I know this song. Dylan, the bass player referenced above, does this song all the time at bars. I had no idea this was a Ted Nugent song! And though Dylan is one of the best bassists I've ever met EVER, Nugent sings this waaaay better. He's actually got a cool voice. And I don't know who's playing guitar here (Nugent maybe?) but it's really, REALLY good. This is basically straight up rock 'n roll. Not surprisingly, the original version is far better than anything that's been done in any bar I've ever been to. The solos are way longer, more drawn out, and all around better. Yeah, this is awesome.


Verdict: I was pretty sure I knew this song, and I'm not surprised I liked this better than the bar covers I've grown used to. It's a badass rock and roll song with a ripping guitar solo that I will forever appreciate and never duplicate. I'm really diggin' it.


(And by the way, these headphones are making ALL the difference; best $25 I ever spent.)

Johnny Cash: Hurt

Number 16!

Johnny Cash - Hurt.

Current Knowledge: I know a few Johnny Cash songs; my grandpa is quite the fan (and, in fact, the only person in my extended family who plays guitar). Ring of Fire is probably his favorite, and I know that one like the back of my hand. However, I was at a party over the weekend, and on the TV/radio station that was playing, the Nine Inch Nails song Hurt came on. I genuinely didn't believe the person who told me that Johnny Cash had covered this, or how it possibly could have sounded. So, here I am, about to find out.


First Thoughts: Maybe it's my headphone upgrade, but the guitar in this sounds really awesome. It's really clear and bright and right on the top of the mix....yeah, this is probably thanks to the headphones, actually. In regards to the song itself: it's actually a really weird version of this, honestly. This song seems to be written with a really strong vocal melody, and Johnny Cash was by no means young when he recorded this; his voice is distinct but not particularly striking in this. I think it's actually the lack of emotion in his voice that is the issue for me. The lyrics say that the speaker is more or less dying, and Cash's vocal seems a bit apathetic. Though I think I can see why he chose to cover it, there's a good story and a nice acoustic guitar part, which are Johnny Cash staples.


Verdict: I'm not really sure what to make of this. It's a really weird convergence between two distinctly different types of music. I wouldn't say I'd put this on again, but I can certainly commend Johnny Cash for picking a song that is so far outside of his usual genre and making it his own. That's something I try to do a lot of the time, so I can definitely relate, at least.

Jimi Hendrix: All Along the Watchtower

Number 14!


A revisit to All Along The Watchtower- this time, the Jimi Hendrix version.

Current Knowledge: It was suggested that I revisit this one and take a look at the Hendrix version. It's supposedly superior to Dylan's, which wouldn't surprise me, because Jimi Hendrix is kind of the man. I like the song and I know it quite well at this point, so I'm pretty excited to hear this from a totally different artist.


First Thoughts: Oh, there's no contest here. This is WAY better. I can't emphasize that enough though text on the internet. This is the version I've heard covered in bars so many times, but like a thousand times better, cause, ya know, it's Jimi Hendrix. And not that it even needs to be said, because it's totally a given, but the guitar solo is just so damn good. It's like the kind of good that makes you want to stop playing guitar because that kind of skill is practically unachievable.


Verdict: I am so glad I listened to this. I liked the song before, but after hearing this version, I love it. This is one of the best songs that I've written about in quite some time on here. And I'd write more, but I have to go put this on in my car, crank the volume, and drive down the highway at 80 miles an hour.

A Belated Update: Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz by Janis Joplin was like the second song on my list. Since listening to it, I have very much taken a liking to it. So much so that I've added it to my regular set list (Since it's a cappella, all I had to do was learn the words!)


A couple weeks ago I played an open mic downtown at a bar called Buffalo Iron Works. It's one of my favorite venues downtown and the open mic is relatively new; I was ecstatic about it's debut, to be honest. Attendance was lacking though, simply because the word hasn't gotten out yet about it. The host, who I'm good friends with, told me I could play as long as I wanted (probably because he knew he was getting out of playing himself). People always get on my case about playing for free and how it's hurting me in the long run, but I love it too much to ever turn down an opportunity. Mercedes Benz was like the fourth song I did.


Now, performing is kind of like a drug. It's not for everyone, but the few that get hooked on it are insatiable. I am one of the (lucky?) few. The catch to this is that you can feel pretty vulnerable up on a stage with a room full of people staring at you, critiquing you whether you like it or not. To play with a guitar is one thing; the guitar can be altered to cover a missing word, and vocals can fill in for a forgotten guitar line - I've done both. It provides a sense of security in a lot of ways. But to take away the guitar altogether is a very different experience. You're totally exposed. If you make a mistake, there is absolutely no hiding it. It's you, your voice, and a room full of potential critics - like American Idol auditions, except these people lose nothing by being totally honest in their thoughts. The point I'm trying to make is that singing totally a cappella in an environment like a bar is a risky and intimidating thing to do, and is something I would usually avoid.


But alas, someone requested I do some Joplin, and I figured now was the time to test this out.


There were maybe twelve people in the bar but they managed to give me a standing ovation anyways. I must've done an okay job. :) Honestly it was my best received song of the night, which was pretty surprising to me. Plus one for doing my homework and actually looking up this song, finally.


In conclusion - Mercedes Benz has earned a permanent spot on the set list, and I've played it at every gig since. Sometimes it pays to be a little risky, I guess.

Robert Palmer: Addicted to Love

Number five!

Robert Palmer: Addicted to Love

Current Knowledge: I know nothing about Robert Palmer. Nothing. Which is probably because I generally don't like eighties music much. People tell me I should listen to him pretty often (people in bars here LOVE 80's music), but I have yet to do so. Nobody has ever given me a specific song, so I honestly just googled "Robert Palmer best song" and this is what came up. Fingers crossed it's a good one!

First Thoughts: First off, it appears I found the music video for this song. I highly recommend you watch it.. This is literally the most uncomfortable looking piece of cinematography I have ever seen in my entire life. Robert Palmer looks like someone my Dad works with deciding to try out some karaoke for the first time. And none of the girls are even trying to play their instruments, which really adds to the fact that they look terrifying. It's pretty rough. But! I like the song! The vocals are really really great, and it's actually quite catchy. It definitely has the 80's vibe that usually turns me off of this kind of music, but it's actually very well written, lyrically and musically. And the driving rock beat helps a lot in my opinion. I'd definitely listen to this again.

Verdict: If you want to actually appreciate this song, by all means do not watch the music video. It seriously takes away from the music, and the music is great. At this point I've listened to this song like four times and I actually really like it, which is not something I can say about most songs written in this time period. I might have to look into some more stuff from this guy. A brief glance at the sidebar of YouTube tells me this weird ugly-girls-and-a-karaoke-singer thing is a theme with some of Robert Palmer's music videos, so I don't have a lot of great things to say about his cinematic choices. But I can say that, for once, the crazy people from the bars have made a good suggestion here. This is a pretty cool tune.