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Brown Eyed Girl

#41
Hi,

nashvillebill said:
I found out how much fun it is to allow other people to have fun, so I play what they want to hear. Then when I get in my car, I play what I want to listen to.
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Great attitude! Yes, I strive for this even when I'm playing "Proud Mary". I would rather NOT play it, but you gotta make the people, and the band leader, happy. I'm there to do a job. If I have fun while I'm doing it, then that's just gravy. Being a "professional" means doing a good job whether you feel like it or not. :p

Thank you, Mr. nashvillebill, for that bit common sense. :)


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
#43
I don't think I have ever played B.E.G. twice the same way. That makes it OK, especially when it makes people dance. The solo is something the BL wants pretty much like it is on the record, but I even mess around with that a little.

I get completely bored, fall asleep, and screw things up playing certain CCR songs, because you can only play eighth note As so many times in a row before you pass out. My limit is about three.
 
#47
I've played that song as much as anybody who's been doing covers for over 20 yrs, and found that the drummer yer playing with can make all the difference in the world. Especially on that tune, for some reason. It's real simple stuff and sounds great when locked in. Is even fun to play. But do it with a drummer who's also bored and wants to show off, or is all over the place, and it can have all the fun sucked right out of it.

Ndrameda81 said:
Yes, please any hints on making the solo more interesting would be appreciated.
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I never really had any desire to embellish the solo in BEG. Used to cover a ska version with some cool slap stuff, but was never inclined to do that in the standard version. I get off on giving simple lines everything I've got to make them sing like the most beautiful lines in the world. When I'm focused, anyway :). There's a big difference for me between playing notes and making music. Solos like that are opportunities for me to practice really making music.
 
#48
Ndrameda81 said:
Does anyone else hate playing this song as much as I do?
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Our new singer brought it up at last night.
I just hung my head and went 'Ugghhhh'.

If I had a dollar for every time I played that song (and Sweet Caroline) I'd buy my place of employment, burn it down, rebuild it, and burn it down again just so I could watch it burn twice. ;)

People love them songs, though...what can ya do?
I've tried to make the 'solo' section a little more interesting, but people don't get it, so I just give up and play it pretty much as recorded.

I totally get the fact that we're not there to play what we want, but still, that song just bugs me.
I don't mind Mustang Sally a bit, it grooves and that's fun.
 
#50
:confused:I NEVER get to play it! I actually like the song, and offer to sing it, but, nobody else will do it.
We get more requests for "The Gambler" (weird for an Aussie classic rock band)....Once agin, I printed large print charts... removed the key change .. and offered to sing it...same result!
 
#57
Worth repeating because the same happened to me:
nashvillebill said:
I tell you, it was a shocking realization to discover that some people actually didn't like some of the songs that I liked. What's more, some folks actually somehow like songs I can't stand! Go figure, people actually don't have the same excellent musical tastes that I have :)

A huge breakthrough however was when I discovered that it was actually possible to perform songs that I personally didn't care for--and still find a way to enjoy playing them! The first example that comes to mind: when they told me one of the songs that went over well was Baby Got Back. What? No way?? Trust us, they said, just do it. And when the singer broke into "I like Big Butts ..." suddenly every girl in the joint was on the dance floor shaking it. At that point a light bulb came on for me. Eventually we went on to throw in "Word Up" and "Wild Thang" (Tone Loc, not Troggs). Of course we kept on playing all the other songs folks can't seem to stand playing: Brown Eyed Girl, Sweet Home, Mustang Sally, Proud Mary, etc. We smiled and tried to put on a show even though we had all played those songs hundreds of times; the dance floor was packed and people were having fun listening to us play. So hey, Margaritaville? Sure! 867-5309? Sure!

I found out how much fun it is to allow other people to have fun, so I play what they want to hear. Then when I get in my car, I play what I want to listen to.
Click to expand...
My drive home is about 1-1/2 hour long trek(aka I love my mp3 player & car stereo).

Ndrameda81 said:
Yes, please any hints on making the solo more interesting would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Have your lead singer introduce you by name right after the last sung word before the "solo" and then KEEP THE SAME TEMPO as the song and work something out on bass and drums that is fun. That's what we do.

Our version of that section sort-of happened because I also found the original solo lacking so I played what came out one night and the drummer played what fit that line. We kept it.

OFF TOPIC: when you play a song folks dance to, ALWAYS put a line down that will make it easy for them to feel the timing and dance. If the drummer or guitarist think it's amusing and entertaining TO THEMSELVES to play strange-timed stuff in a dance song(or popular song), it is most unimpressive and a huge distraction for the audience. End rant.
 

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