Broken-hearted banjo (covers)

Covers of sixties songs - on the banjo

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Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell 

(written by Jimmy Webb, performed by Broken-Hearted Banjo).

I love Glen Campbell’s music. He was a genius of a guitarist and singer, and seemed like a good guy too. I recorded the basics of this track way back about 3 years ago, but wasn’t completely satisfied with it, so let it sit a while. When I heard the devastating news that Glen died, I remembered about the track, and recorded a few new parts and decided to release it as a small tribute to Glen.

One of my favourite parts of the original song is Glen’s bass solo (or was it a baritone guitar? Anyhow, I played it on bass), so I decided to start my version with the bass solo. If you don’t like bass solos, I’d probably skip the first 20 seconds.  

Here’s Wichita Lineman, Broken-Hearted Banjo’s tribute to Glen Campbell. 

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Goin’ Back - The Byrds (banjo cover)

A great Goffin and King song that the Byrds and Dusty Springfield both recorded in the mid-to-late sixties. Appropriately, since it’s about revisiting the past, I think I recorded this about four years ago(?), making it the first ‘banjo cover’ that I ever did. 

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Midnight Confessions by The Grass Roots

My banjo cover of one of my favourite tracks, a great piece of blue-eyed soul. From the late sixties, this was on the soundtrack of Tarantino's Jackie Brown.

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To Live is To Fly by Townes Van Zandt

My banjo cover of my favourite song by the Late Great Townes Van Zandt

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A Very Hers and His Christmas Pt. 2 Once again my friend Philippa and I have recorded a Christmas single. It's free to download. Hope you enjoy it. http://widowswalk.bandcamp.com/album/a-very-hers-and-his-christmas-pt-2

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Girl From The North Country by Bob Dylan 

Back from a little break with: Bob Dylan. 1963. Girl From The North Country. Also check out the version by The Blue Things, a great 60s band that you might not have heard.

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Satisfied Mind by Red Hayes and Jack Rhodes

As I friend of mine reminded me last night, money isn't everything. Although this song was actually written in the fifties, a lot of people covered it in the sixties (including the Byrds of course).

Yesterday I bought a blue vintage Globite suitcase. Needless to say, it makes its first cameo appearance here, as bass drum. Hope you like this track.

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I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better by The Byrds

The Byrds are often my favourite band.  This track, written by the late great Gene Clark, was on their debut album Mr Tambourine Man (1965), and has been covered by Tom Petty, The Flaming Groovies et al.  I recorded my version last year.  Life is pretty busy right now, what with starting a new job and moving house in the next week, so I'll probably take a short break from banjo covers.  But no doubt I'll be back soon.

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Days by The Kinks

Back to the other side of the Atlantic to cover one of Britain's finest, that most 'English' of sixties bands, The Kinks. Days, a single from 1968.

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She May Call You Up Tonight by The Left Banke

The Left Banke: one of my favourite sixties bands. 

She May Call You Up Tonight is one of their best songs, kinda bittersweet like most of their stuff. The original was recorded in 1966; I recorded the bulk of my version in 2011, but finally added some banjo today.

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Trains and Boats and Planes by Burt Bacharach

A Burt Bacharach tune, which I dedicate to various friends of mine who've moved overseas in recent years. 

If you look closely at the picture of the Broken-Hearted Banjo, you'll see this LP cover up on the wall, to the right of the posters of Bullitt and Dylan. Just a bit of trivia really. 

This version is based on Burt Bacharach's own version. Might have missed a verse or two, but I'm sure you get the gist!

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A Very Hers and His Christmas

Merry Christmas!  Here are a couple of Christmas tracks my friend Philippa and I recorded.

Click through to Bandcamp to download them (they're free)!

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Five O'Clock World by The Vogues

1965. I never really watched Drew Carey Show, but apparently this was the theme tune, originally sung by The Vogues. You might be able to tell from the photo that they were not a particularly hip band...

There is a raga solo on the banjo in the coda. And my Rickenbacker 12 string is featured - can't believe I was gonna sell that guitar!

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Don't Ever Let Me Know by The Bobby Fuller Four

A bit of rock'n'roll. The original version has the Best Use of Handclaps in a song, ever.

Written by Bobby Fuller and originally performed by the Bobby Fuller Four.  Another guy who died way too young; he was only 23. 

Anyway, I recorded it a few months ago, but was trying to get the vocals right; it's a bit too high for me.

Please enjoy this song, originally recorded way back in '66...

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Northern Sky by Nick Drake

Probably my favourite song by the late great Nick Drake. This track just scrapes into the '60s (...I think).

I realised that last week's track didn't actually contain any banjo.  Not that I didn't record banjo for it; it just didn't sound right, so I mixed it out.  There is, however, banjo on this one :)  A few timing issues aside, I think it came out ok.  A very reverent version.

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Bleecker Street by Simon and Garfunkel

A great little Simon and Garfunkel tune from 1964.  Featuring the trademark melodion and guitarchestra at the end. 

And more than a little help from my friend, the for some time absent Casio Covers on harmony vocals.

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Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) by The Beatles

Now a book and a movie.

Or 'Broken Hearted Banjo (covers) does the obligatory Beatles song'. 

One of those songs that seems to seep into the unconsciousness from birth; the first time I listened to it properly, it was already familiarity itself.