John Gorka - You're on your Way

Der Herr Kollege Sidekick hat ja neulich ein Stück über Coming-Of-Age und so gepostet. Dazu passt dieses wunderbare Lied von dem unterschätzten amerikanischen Singer/Songwriter Herrn John Gorka. Das Kind ist jetzt groß und verlässt recht bald Haus. Sein Koffer ist reichlich vollgepackt mit allen Versprechungen, die ein Leben bereithält, und seine Ausstrahlung ist helles Licht. Wir wünschen ihm alles Glück, bleiben zurück und hören das Lied bittersüß verklingen. John Gorka - You're on your Way by wamaser

Leo Sayer - Raining in my Heart

I know, I know Buddy Holly originally performed this song, but I much prefer Leo Sayer's version. When I was young, Sunday drives were obligatory for the whole family. We had a silver Austin Allegro like the one in the photo. A number of cassettes always stayed in the car and one of them was Leo Sayer's Stormy Weather. This is a great album albeit a bit corny in places.

Whenever I play this, I see Muckross House and its gardens on an overcast Sunday and remember the relief of getting back to a warm car and listening to Leo Sayer on the way home.
Buddy Holly - Raining in my heart by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

Gene Watson / Okra All Stars - 14 Carat Mind

Ich hatte mal einen Freund, der wollte - wenn er erwachsen ist - einen dicken Bauch haben und verschwitzt und unrasiert im Unterhemd in einer Country-Band spielen. Keine Ahnung, ob das geklappt hat. Jedenfalls haben wir hier einen Country-Song, deshalb komm' ich drauf. Das Original von Gene Watson ist eine schleimige Angelegenheit - man beachtet sie nicht, außer man war in seiner Jugend regelmäßig in der Grand ole Opry. Die Okra All Stars haben das Stück 20 Jahre später nachgespielt und dabei den Schleim entfernt. So soll es sein, wenn man ein Lied covered. 14-carat-mind by wamaser

Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game

At long last, Spring has arrived in Berlin.

Unfortunately the door to our balcony is broken and won't close properly making it difficult to record music due to noise from outside. All this inspired me to leave the door open, giving you the sound of Spring and do Joni Mitchell's great song about the circle of life. I'm playing this on a small guitar a Tanglewood TBBaby using open tunings (EBEG#BE).

I couldn't really relate to this song before I had children of my own but now I think it ranks among the best of the generation songs along with "Teach your Children" by Crosby, Stills and Nash.

Joni Mitchell - The Circle Game by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

Teenage Fanclub - Sometimes I don't need to believe in anything

Hör auf dieses schöne Lied
es hat nur einen schönen Ton.

Der ist einsam und allein
ich kriege nie genug davon.

Er muss einsam durch die ganze Welt
und genauso geht es mir.

Dieses Lied und dieser Ton und auch ich selbst
gehören Dir!

(Manne Krug)

Teenage Fanclub - Sometimes I dont need to believe in anything by wamaser

The Cure - In Between Days

I remember vividly the first time I heard The Cure. When I was 15, I spent 3 weeks in the Gaeltacht learning Irish. I shared a room with three other boys. One evening a girl –looking like an irish version of Siouxsie Sioux– appeared at the window and asked if she could come in. The houses were strictly separated amongst girls and boys so she had to climb in through the window to not get caught by the bean an tí.
She pulled a cassette out of the breast pocket of her leather jacket and asked if she could play it on one of the lad's ghettoblasters.
The song was Close to me and it was such a revelation. I asked her to play it again when the song finished but we heard someone coming so she grabbed her cassette and was bundled back out the window. It all seemed so surreal that I couldn't remember the name of the band or the song and I didn't get to talk to girl the rest of the time I was there (she was much too cool).

It would take another year at least before I finally got a copied tape of "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" and really got into The Cure although I never had the hair style.

Anyway, here's me singing In Between Days from the great "Head on the Door" album (which also contains "Close to Me"). Apologies for speed variations. I'm still a bit deaf and couldn't hear the metronome. My sidekick still managed (as ever) to provide a great drum and bass track.

Enjoy
The Cure - In Between Days by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

Crosby, Stills & Nash - Our House

I was inspired to try this song out on the piano a few weeks ago when I was alone at home with our two new cats Fred and George (named after the Weasley twins). This is a very enjoyable song to play but proved difficult to record in our virtual collaboration.

Graham Nash wrote this song during the time he lived with Joni Mitchell in Laurel Canyon, LA. I can remember vividly the first time I heard this song. I was eight years old - we were camping near Kenmare - it came on the radio and I've loved it ever since.
Enjoy
CSN - Our house by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

Reinhard Mey - Gute Nacht Freunde

Inga & Wolf performed this great song (written by Reinhard Mey) at the 1972 song for Edinburgh. They came fourth which goes to show, the songs chosen for the Eurovision are always the worst on offer, nobody wants to win as Father Ted found out.

Anyway here's our rendition in best Eurovision style.
enjoy
Reinhard Mey - Gute nacht freunde by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

Talking Heads - Heaven

Heaven is one of my all time favorites but it's just not much fun doing on my own. This version really adds so much more.
It's me on lead vocals and the first acoustic guitar and my trusty sidekick on bass, backing vocals, acoustic guitar as well as synth an drum tracks.

enjoy

Talking Heads - Heaven by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

The Beatles (again) - Please Please Me

I was the sidekick on this virtual collaboration. The instrument making the pling pling is a small child's xylophone which were popular in german schools 30 years ago.
enjoy
Please Please Me by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

The Beatles - You've gotta hide your love away

You gotta hide your love away by skinnymalinkmallogenlegs

This is a song I've played for years and never grow tired of. My virtual sidekick wasn't involved in this one. It's in the key of G and the chords I play are these. The second guitar track uses the same chords but with an added G and D held the whole time. Here's what the G-chord looks like.

I hope you enjoy my rendition and feel free to make a comment here or "inline" at soundcloud.