["The Last Thing On My Mind" (Tom Paxton song)]

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with this rendition? It's only gotten one thumbs up on my YT channel and I'm wondering what it is that people don't like about it. Is it the non-traditional arrangement, the guitar, vocal or what? At this point I'm probably going to take it down. I seriously want to know. Thanks.

["Valerie" Mark Ronson ft Amy Winehouse]

Not my kind of music but you did it quite well and have great vocal range. (Wish I did!)

[Collab with Adi - Photograph, Ed Sheeran Cover by Clarissa]

A bit heavy on the reverb but otherwise nicely done!

[Angel, Jack Johnson 2008]

You did very well with it as usual Renee, but I'm not a Jack Johnson fan. "She gives me presents with her presence. . . ." is cringe inducing for me! 🤪

["Little Country Church"]

 

LITTLE COUNTRY CHURCH
by Fred Field & Chuck Girard 1971

 

Little country church on the edge of town
Doo-do-do-dn-do-do-do
People comin' everyday from miles around
For meetin's and for Sunday school

 

Chorus:

And it's very plain to see
It's not the way it used to be

 

Preacher isn't talkin' 'bout religion no more
He just wants to praise the Lord
People aren't as stuffy as they were before
They just want to praise the Lord

 

They're talkin' 'bout revival and the need for love
That little church has come alive
Workin' with each other for the common good
Puttin' all the past aside
Long hair, short hair, some coats and ties
People finally comin' around
Lookin' past the hair and straight into the eyes
People finally comin' around
~~~
We used to sing this song all the time when I was in high school during the Jesus Movement days in the mid 70's---the best days of my life and the only time I was ever truly happy. This was written by Fred Field and Chuck Girard when they were in the band, Love Song. It was on the group's first album in 1972.

["The Last Thing On My Mind" (Tom Paxton song)]

 

“THE LAST THING ON MY MIND”

 

There’s a lesson too late in the learnin’
Made of sand, made of sand
In the wink of an eye my soul was turnin’
In your hand, in your hand

 

Chorus:
Are you going away with no word of farewell?
Will there be not a trace left behind?
Well, I could have loved you better, didn’t mean to be unkind
You know that was the last thing on my mind

 

You’ve got reasons aplenty for goin’
This I know, this I know
For the weeds have been steadily growin’
Please don’t go, please don’t go

 

Chorus

 

As I lie here awake in the mornin’
And think of you, think of you
Each song in my breast dies a’bornin’
Without you, without you

 

Chorus
~~~
The guitar is tuned down a whole step but with a capo on at the 2nd fret so it is essentially in standard tuning.

[You've Got To Be Carefully Taught, 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein]

Boy, that was great Mister Asologuitar. As good as James' version.

[The most inspiring singers of all time?]

I think it's the singers who have interesting voices rather than those who can do vocal gymnastics that can make people sit up and take notice. David Clayton-Thomas, Paul Thorne, Noel Paul Stookey, even Chris Smither etc.

[What are you listening to in 2023?]

 

["Alone Again (Naturally)"]

 

Some people think of this as a suicide song but it's just a man probably exaggerating for effect to let us know how full of despair his life is. I can well relate though. At any rate it's a very well written song in every way.

 

For the guitar buffs, this is a baritone guitar tuned from A to A and I have a capo at the 2nd fret. Tuning it down puts more slack in the strings, making it easy to play because these strings are thick! Sorry I didn't get the guitar in the video frame very well. I kind of blew the solo anyway. I shouldn't have played off the cuff on it quite so much. Hopefully I'll have something more original for you in a couple of weeks.

 

"Alone Again (Naturally)"
by Gilbert O'Sullivan

 

In a little while from now
If I'm not feeling any less sour
I promise myself to treat myself
And visit a nearby tower
And climbing to the top
Will throw myself off
In an effort to
Make it clear to whoever
Wants to know what it's like when you're shattered
Left standing in the lurch at a church
Were people saying, My God, that's tough
She stood him up
No point in us remaining
We may as well go home
As I did on my own
Alone again, naturally
To think that only yesterday
I was cheerful, bright and gay
Looking forward to who wouldn't do
The role I was about to play
But as if to knock me down
Reality came around
And without so much as a mere touch
Cut me into little pieces
Leaving me to doubt
Talk about, God in His mercy
Oh, if he really does exist
Why did he desert me
In my hour of need
I truly am indeed
Alone again, naturally
It seems to me that
There are more hearts broken in the world
That can't be mended
Left unattended
What do we do
What do we do
Alone again, naturally
Looking back over the years
And whatever else that appears
I remember I cried when my father died
Never wishing to hide the tears
And at sixty-five years old
My mother, God rest her soul
Couldn't understand why the only man
She had ever loved had been taken
Leaving her to start
With a heart so badly broken
Despite encouragement from me
No words were ever spoken
And when she passed away
I cried and cried all day
Alone again, naturally
Alone again, naturally

[Ohio, Neil Young 1970]

Well these days I'd rather fight Neil Young!   

 

Nice to hear you sing anything Rene. Outstanding job my friend.

[Lonely People, America 1974]

Ha! I was just sitting, playing this song on my guitar this morning. I love it. You did a great job Rene, as usual.

[A Horse With No Name, America 1971]

Actually I heard a DJ talk about the song once as being about a drug trip, horse being the street name for heroin. A trip through the dessert where you're feeling no pain suddenly made great sense! 🙃

["Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her"]

 

"Leave Her, Johnny, Leave Her"
A nice, old sea shanty about sailors coming home from a long voyage and having to leave the ship (her)
~~~
Well, I thought I heard the old man say
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
It's a long, hard pull till your next pay day
And it's time for us to leave her

 

Chorus:
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh, leave her, Johnny, leave her
For the voyage is done and the winds don't blow
And it's time for us to leave her

 

Oh the skipper was bad, but the mate was worse
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
He would cut you down with a spike or a curse

And it's time for us to leave her

 

Chorus

 

Oh, pull you lubbers or you'll get no pay
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Oh, pull you lubbers and then be lay

And it's time for us to leave her

 

Chorus

 

Ah well, now it’s time for to say goodbye
Leave her, Johnny, leave her
Those pilings, they are drawing nigh

And it's time for us to leave her

 

Chorus

 

[Flowers Never Bend With The Rainfall, Paul Simon 1965]

Man Paul Simon was deep at a young age. He was really the only guy who could compete on equal footing with Bob Dylan back then. Well done again Rene. I like almost all the songs you pick and enjoy your performances of them.

["Shenandoah"]

 

This is the old folk song, "Shenandoah," arranged for solo guitar and vocal. Hopefully you'll get some ideas for your own arrangement of this great old tune.

 

Guitar is tuned 2-steps down from standard tuning:

C - F - Bb - Eb - G - C

 

Oh Shenandoah, she longs to see you
Away, this lonely river
Oh Shenandoah, she longs to see you
Away, we're borne away
Across the wide Missouri

 

Oh Shenandoah, I loved your daughter
Away, this rolling river
Oh Shenandoah, I loved your daughter
Away, we're borne away
Across the wide Missouri

 

Oh Shenandoah, We're bound to leave you
Away, this mighty river
Oh Shenandoah, We're bound to leave you
Away, we're borne away
Across the wide Missouri

[What are you listening to in 2023?]

Written by Phil Keaggy and with him on guitar.

 

 

[What is your favourite song to perform and why?]

"Wild Mountain Thyme," "Dixie Land," or "Wayfaring Stranger." I could never pick between them, but I probably lean toward WMT.

 

Who can say why about these things? "Dixie Land" because it reminds me of my mom and of grandpa's old farm in Tennessee, but I couldn't say why about the others.

[Visual accompaniment in songs]

I want to see concert videos--not music videos. I hate the MTV type stuff, lip syncing and prancing and all. Pick up a real instrument and SHOW me what you can do with it. I'd rather see a beginner doing his best in real-time than people pretending to play along with a prerecorded track.

[RIP Jeff Beck]

I didn't pay much attention to him until Blow by Blow came out. I was heavy into the fusion thing and he was suddenly leading the way. Best flat out rock player ever I think though. 

 

[That's What Friends Are For, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager 1982]

Man Burt B could write. And your rendition is better then the radio version. Honest.

[Sister Golden Hair, America 1975]

Great job Rene! Man you have such a great voice. I envy you. (Hopefully in a good way. 😀)

 

I don't live just to far from where Dan Peek was at in Missouri and used to go through his neck of the woods now and then on my way to Current River or Johnson's Shut-Ins.

["Don't You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me"]

 

 

"Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)"
by Hank Cochran

 

You make my eyes run over all the time
You're happy when I'm out of my mind
You don't love me, but you won't let me be
Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?

 

You must think I look bad with a smile
For you haven't let me wear one in such a long, long while
Still I keep running back
Why must this be?
Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?

 

Someone must have hurt you long ago
But why take revenge on one who loves you so
You don't need me, but you won't let me be
Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?

 

You must think I look bad with a smile
For you haven't let me wear one in such a long, long while
Still I keep running back
Why must this be?
Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?
Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?

Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?

[Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (cover)]

Same to you Rene. Go tell it on the mountain buddy.

[Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (cover)]

 

And now ladies and gentlemen, just in time for Christmas: the best breakup song ever! I was hoping I'd be posting the best song I ever wrote about now, but it ended up being something that nobody liked. Back to the drawing board. . . .

 

DON’T THINK TWICE, IT'S ALL RIGHT
(By Bob Dylan - 1963)

 

Well it ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe
If you don't know by now
And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why babe
It'll never do somehow
When the rooster crows at the break of dawn
Look out your window honey, I'll be gone
You're the reason that I'm traveling on
Don't think twice, it's all right

 

And it ain't no use turning on your light babe
The light I never know'd
And it ain't no use turning on your light babe
I'm on the dark side of the road
But I wish there was something you would do or say
To try and make me change my mind and stay
But we never did too much talking anyway
Don't think twice, it's all right

 

So, it ain't no use in calling out my name gal
Like you never done before
And it ain't no use in calling out my name gal
I can't hear you anymore
I'm thinking, and wondering, walking down the road
I once loved a woman, a child I'm told
I give her my heart, but she wanted my soul
Don't think twice, it's all right

 

So long honey babe,
Where I'm bound I can't tell
Goodbye is much too good a word babe
So I'll just say, "fair thee well"
Now I ain't saying you treated me unkind
You could've done better but, I don't mind
You just kinda wasted my precious time
Don't think twice, it's all right