Country Blues > The Back Porch
Covering the Song, Not the Arrangement
Vermonter:
Thanks again, John! I'll try it.
RobBob:
One thing I got from listening to observing closely the old masters was that it was not slavish imitation but the realized essence that makes for great blues. While I have arrangements close to the source, I have revamped, fine tuned and adapted the music to my personal abilities. Listen to Booker White's version of Going Down Slow to know that it is not like the original by St Louis Jimmy but it is his filtered version. This is my take on it, one who after 50 years, still only plays in his local community. Keeping the blues alive.
harriet:
It might be of interest that Fred Mcdowell did two versions of Lay Down your Cool Iron related to this topic- one in standard that John Miller has posted in the lyrics and then Mcdowell also did an electric version of the song in Spanish on the I Do Not Play No Rock and Roll (Complete Sessions) - somewhat with the "That's Allright" guitar vocabulary . For comparison:
Standard Tuning:
Spanish:
Johnm:
Hi all,
Apropos of Harriet's posting of Fred McDowell playing "Let Me Lay Down In Your Cool Iron Bed" out of two different playing positions/tunings, here is a link to a thread in the Main Forum entitled, "Instances of Musicians Playing the Same Song out of Different Playing Positions/Tunings: https://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=11137.msg98227#msg98227 .
All best,
Johnm
harriet:
I don't do this myself but in open tunings you can transpose from Spanish to Vestapol by moving it over on the fretboard - but I've forgotten how.
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