Can't help falling in love

TaySte_2000 · #1 01-02-2003, 05:09 PM

Last night I heard darren hayes perform this on a show called recovered all he had for accompyment was a guy on a keyboard and I just thought this would be an absolutly amazing tune on solo bass. BTW i'm talking about the elvis tune.

Would this be a good solo bass track?
Worth me having a go at to try and get a more vocal sound to my bass playing?

Have you ever covered peoples songs Steve in a solo bass fashion?

Thanks in advance

**Steve Lawson** · #2 01-02-2003, 05:37 PM

can't help falling in love would probably work very well as a chord melody thing...

I have done a couple of covers, most notably a very short chord-melody version of 'Fly Me To The Moon' which I played at the end of each of my sets on the Schizoid Band tour.. I've also got a version of 'People Get Ready' by Curtis Mayfield that I've never played live as I was working on it and recording it on Sept 11, 2001, just as the news came on to my computer screen... I've still got the recording, but haven't done anything with it. Maybe I'll play it live at some point.

I also did a dreaful version of Stairway to Heaven when I was at college - melody and guitar line at once, all tapping and everything. Hideous.

Steve
www.steve-lawson.co.uk

TaySte_2000 · #3 01-02-2003, 06:56 PM

Right well i'll have a go at it then see if I can find any other songs that would work would be quite cool to do a solo bass set with 12 songs people know.

You need to rerecord that stairway to heaven I think I need to hear the flashy over the top steve lawson.

**Steve Lawson** · #4 01-03-2003, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by TaySte_2000
You need to rerecord that stairway to heaven I think I need to hear the flashy over the top steve lawson.

Substitute flashy and over the top for tasteless and crass and you're just about there...

- believe me, it's SOOO not worth the week of practice it would take me to get it back up to speed - I was, despite my total lack of taste and subtlety, a bit of a bass-gymnast back then...

Steve
www.steve-lawson.co.uk

**Michael Manring** · #5 01-07-2003, 01:46 PM

Funny you should mention "Can't Help Falling in Love." I've been playing a solo version at my shows for the couple of of years! Great tune...

TaySte_2000 · #6 01-07-2003, 04:11 PM

Well I can't compete with that. *Sarcasm On* Oh yer have ago but the only known person to play this song is Michael Manring but i'm sure you can play it (YER) *Sarcasm Off*

MKS · #7 01-08-2003, 04:14 AM

If Alex Scolnick can get away with jazz trio versions of things like "War Pigs" then I'd like to request that somebody do a really lush, tranquil version of the Sex Pistols "Pretty Vacant". Apparently there was a New Wave version of "Anarchy in the UK".... "I wanna destroy... but I'll pay for the damage later."

I've just order the Scolnick Trio CD. The samples I heard were absolutely outrageous. In a good sense! Having heard Attention Deficit's "Idiot King" I just had to find out more... Great CD by the way, Michael.

Anyway. Must get on.

**Steve Lawson** · #8 01-08-2003, 07:31 AM

It ought to be said that working on solo arrangements of tunes in various styles is a great way of breaking out of a rut. If you're writing your own music, the tendency can be to write within the forms and ideas that you readily use anyway, whereas working on other peoples tunes can take things in another direction. Jazz standards are always a good place to start - Autumn Leaves is a fairly easy one, Fly Me To The Moon works well, Michael does a gorgeous version of Round Midnight - there are loads, grab a copy of the Standards Real Book from Chuck Sher and dive in!

Pop/soul/funk/whatever songs can also take things in a new direction - come on Mike, get on with that version of Pretty Vacant... why not make it a medley with 'Friggin' in The Rigging'?

Steve
www.steve-lawson.co.uk

Howard K · #9 01-10-2003, 08:30 AM

Quote:

I also did a dreaful version of Stairway to Heaven when I was at college - melody and guitar line at once, all tapping and everything. Hideous.

WOooo! HA-haaa, boohaaa,haaa hA!! hAAA!!!
Sheesh! that really is funny!!!! How aweful!!

I'm so sorry, I shouldnt laugh... it's just so darned funny! ...Oh that is good! You've really brightened up my afternoon with that!

I often find myself thinking about good songs to do as solo pieces with loops quite often since I've seen Steve doing his thang. Even tho I've little intention of even trying them... I know how darned hard it'd be!

I thought Live & Let Die, by Wings would be good... tacky (well.. relatively tacky, snigger, tee-hee!), but good - a strong vocal melody and strong 'riff'.

I've had other ideas, but I'm sure they'd be a) an insult to the original piece (If I did them) and b) nigh on impossible!

**Steve Lawson** · #10 01-10-2003, 01:47 PM

Howard,

I'll transcribe Stairway and show you how to play it next lesson...

...just you wait!

LOL

Steve
www.steve-lawson.co.uk

Howard K · #11 01-13-2003, 02:38 AM

Cooool!

I'd love to play that! nowadays it'd make a great tongue in cheek cover... only problem is that I'm certainly no bass gymnast!

I am sorry to take the pee so much. It is darned funny tho... I've done (should that really be in the past tense??!!) some equally tasteless things with my bass, but they involved far less skill