Topic: covers 1.0 - Don't Fish In My Sea

[frankie]

I'm just starting this topic as a header for weenies to post their respective takes on this song, once they get something together.? If you've got a version of this song you'd like to share, post it as a followup to this thread.? I'd like to restrict postings in this thread to sound files only.? If you'd like to discuss one of the songs, please start another topic in either the Weenie Main Forum or Lyrics and Licks.

[frankie]

Prof. Scratchy's excellent Blind Blake-inspired version.

[frankie]

Here's my take on it, such as it is...

[uncle bud]

Well, I'm smilin' ear to ear, Frank. Very tasty. Lemon in C (as you damn well know ) is a current obsession of mine. This is a really great application of it, totally believable, nicely executed. Between you and Prof. Scratchy, we may not see a lot more of versions of this!  I will need to apply myself and butcher it appropriately to give others hope...

[Slack]

Outstanding Frank!

Wow, two outstanding flavors!

I'm rooting and hoping for you Uncle Bud! 

[Johnm]

Great job, Frank!  It's exciting to hear how far inside Lemon's sound you are.  It sounds great.
All best,
Johnm

[frankie]

I guess it's pretty much cheating, since musically it's not a cover of a Ma Rainey tune at all.? I'd never really tried to play & sing any of Lemon's blues in C (31 of 'em that fall into this family), so it was a real effort to put everything together and then to have to kludge up the words to make 'em fit.? Almost got the best of me a couple of times!? I'm amazed at the guy's endless stream of ideas inside this basic format.

One thing I wish I'd worked on more was figuring out a way to preserve something of MR's melody - but I'd have to be a real musician to do that...? admittedly, I've always been intrigued by Lemon's singing, so it was fun and instructive (and wildly depressing) to try and sing like that.? He's a giant.

I hope a couple more weenies will try and post something - I sure would like to hear another take on it!

[Prof Scratchy]

Absolutely wonderful, Frankie! Ma Rainey meets BLJ!! You really have got that style down to a 'T'...On the lyrics side of things, I'm a bit worried that Blind Lemon had a sea to fish in, but if he and Ma Rainey were both consenting adults, I suppose it's allowed?

[frankie]

Absolutely wonderful, Frankie! Ma Rainey meets BLJ!! You really have got that style down to a 'T'...

Thanks, Professor!

On the lyrics side of things, I'm a bit worried that Blind Lemon had a sea to fish in, but if he and Ma Rainey were both consenting adults, I suppose it's allowed?

Yeah - dopey me...  I had initially thought of following up the line with "let the tadpoles and minnows argue over me", which would have made the sea more clearly a metaphor than the double entendre in the original, but it never really stuck in my head as I sang it.  That's the way the imagery crumbles, I guess.  I like your take on the words much better than mine!

[Rivers]

What Bud said, outstanding, the great lost Lemon track. That one's  keeper. Guess I'd better see what I can do.

[a2tom]

Wow - great stuff Frankie.  It'll be a bit before I'm up to posting anything at that level!  I love the freshness of it, built on the backbone of that great style.  Truly inspiring.

tom

[frankie]

Thanks guys - I'm glad you like the tune and I appreciate the feedback.? I can never tell whether what I like translates into stuff other people like.

Tom - I wouldn't fuss over "levels" or whatever.? The original intent of the Back Porch was to have a place to post what you're working on or interested in - not necessarily to post full blown "arrangements" or whatever (not that the BP can't support that kind of material).? Many of the things I've posted are kind of half-baked or learned just recently.? I think this is the only one that I spent a lot of time trying to get smooth by recording myself and listening to what I was doing.? This is also the only one where I consciously tried to do something "original" relative to the source recording (seems like it's not really original to me since all I did was mimic somebody else's style) - most of the time I'm interested in trying to get a handle on a performance that I particularly like.

I really do appreciate constructive criticism - not much of it seems to go on in the forum proper, but I get emails now & then!

Rivers - I sure would like to hear some of the jazzy stuff you've been posting about!

[Cambio]

Fantastic.  My hat's off to da both a ya's.
Prof Scratchty,  great job  translating the piano work into guitar and pulling it off in the Rainey vein.  Frank, way to turn it on it's head with the Lemon treatment.  Really great singing and playing by both of you.  Thanks.
The rest of us had better get busy.

[a2tom]

Yeah, that didn't end up sounding right did it?  Sorry about that.  I didn't mean it to evoke any notion of competiveness, or judging or what have you.  I absolutely want the BP to be a truly open forum for all pickers to feel comfortable posting whatever they've been doing.  I simply meant that it is great to listen to something that makes me say - "THAT's what I'm after."  And probably more importantly, that makes me think "and I can get there!"

I am working toward posting some things here, and they will end up being more on the "half-baked" side of things (I'm not sure I've ever baked anything all the way) especially when I start trying to record the voice with the guitar.  Gotta figure out how to make my computer do it though (and find the time...).

tom