Topic: You'll like my loving- Otis Harris

[Norfolk Slim]

With thanks to Phil over on the lyrics and licks section for supplying the words....

And to John M for teaching the guitar part in Exeter last summer.

 

[Slack]

Nice job Slim!  I've foolin' around a bit with this myself - very fun tune to do.  You are doing a better job than I am at playing a I chord while singing a V chord (does htat make sense -  what is another way to put that?).  The only thing I think I'd like to hear a little better is then is the double bend (my favorite part), which would mean slowing the tempo a little bit I think -  but nice job - I need to go work on my version!

Cheers,
slack

[Duke]

Man, that is fine.  What an unusual song, I never heard it before.  Excellent, you were able to capture both an intense syncopation and a nicely liquid melody line at the same time.  What was the guitar used?

[waxwing]

Yeah, nice work, Slim. You are moving at a good clip. I think if you eased up a little you could relax the vocal some as well. I don't think it's out of your range, but it sounds a bit strained at that speed. Don't be tryin' to convince her that she like's your lovin', just let her know you know, uh-hunh. Know what I mean? Also, Otis seems to get just a little bit of a triplet feel in the treble while you seem to be square on the eighth notes. He gets more of a pulse on the beat that way, which really drives the tune. But it's not a full on shuffle feel. I found the same problem with Scrapper, not really triplets, but not square eighths either, sorta in between.

Sounds good so far, keep goin'!

All for now,
John C.

[a2tom]

Sounds great, NS.  Seems to me your getting comfortable with the singing bit?  I recall you were a bit uneasy about that when you first started posting tunes, but I'd say you're settling in real nice. 

The guitar is funky - I'm never afraid to admit my ignorance (I have too much to hide...).  Can you give me a bead on who Otis Harris is?  Also, what key etc is this in?

tom

[Johnm]

Nice job, Simon!  I look forward to hearing you do it in person at Northampton in August.
All best,
Johnm

[Norfolk Slim]

A2om- I confess to knowing little about Otis Harris beyond the fact he did this tune!  Its in A, but I've capoed to 2nd fret as I find it easier to sing there.  I do feel more comfortable with the singing.  I'll never be a 'singer' but I can hear moments in that recording where I feel like I actually sung rather than just getting some words out in tune...

Waxwing / Slack- interested to hear your suggestions about slowing it down a touch.  I think I'm going a fair bit slower than Harris does it and tend to the view that it needs to be quick as the guitar part is pretty simple and could sound a bit sparse otherwise.  Might give it a try though.

[Johnm]

Hi all,
I don't hear Otis Harris's eighths as being swung at all, seems a straight eighth feel all the way.  I'm missing any underlying triple feel there, John C., as opposed to Scrapper, where I think the eighth notes are just about always swung.  Slim seems right on it to me.
All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

Maybe it's more the accent on every beat that I'm "feeling" with Otis' version. Where Otis goes "Dah de Dah de Dah deeddle De dah" with a strong bass on the beat, I hear Slim accenting the treble more and sounding "Dah De De De De Deeddle De dah, with the bass more in the background. That could be choice, and that's fine. I think Slim is doing a great job and I don't mean to detract, just point out little dissimilarities. Partially I'm just trying to let my ears know that I trust them -G-. JohnM, listen to the second phrase in Otis' intro again and tell me if it doesn't swing just a little. It's almost like he's trying to slow himself down a little, too, 'cause he really gets cranking later, and loses the strong bass beat somewhat, as well. This is a really great song, JohnM, thanks for teaching it at PT, too. I'll attach an mp3 of Otis for others to hear.
All for now.
John C.

[Johnm]

Hi John C.,
I agree with your point about Otis's strong accenting of treble notes that fall on the beat.  So it makes for strong emphasis on the beat, and a relatively de-emphasized + of the beats.  I think the other thing he does at the front end of the tune is very slightly accelerate into the beat.  It's an odd effect, and seems almost to exist outside of the realm of swinging vs. non-swinging eighths.  I think what he's doing is pushing the beat when he does his rolled pick-ups from the 6th to the 5th string.  It's kind of like he can't wait to get to that 5th string.  It's a hell of a good song, isn't it?
All best,
Johnm

[waxwing]

It is, and I stupidly recorded over that class with you and Suzy doing the duet class. I'm gonna borrow Miller's MD and work on this one, too. I really wanna sing those lyrics.

I agree that "swing" is not the right word for what he's doin' there, just couldn't come up with a better one.

All for now.
John C.