Playlists

[fortyearspickn]

In another thread, Hogeye invited a member to post the songs he plays - to help us get to know him a little better.

I thought that might not be a bad idea - as we are in the 'slow' period here in between Christmas and New Years.

So - whether you play at Shea Stadium or in your garage - post a list of the songs you currently enjoy playing most on your Gibson acoustic.

I'll go first. In no particular order:

1. Jamaica Farewell

2. Mercedes Benz

3. It Only Hurts When I Cry

4. Seven Spanish Angels

5. Carmelita

6. Before The Next Teardrop Falls

7. Act Naturally

8 Bad, Bad Leroy Brown

9. Fine Time For Leaving, Lucille

10. I Can't Stop Loving You

Tnx. Jim

[E-minor7]

I'll play -

 

Lanena - Donovan :::: Very good as a warm up flatpicker/strummer. Simple but nice chords.

 

Mr Bojangles J.J. Walker :::: Fate has it we once in a while meet in some penitentiary and exchange-update experiences in the cell.

 

Kathy's Song - Simon & Garfunkel :::: Can't let her go - must be a love affair, , , , , not uncomplicated as I also flirt with April. . .

 

Girlfriend - Julia Fordham :::: A fine British artist no one knows. The song is far too female-point-of-view for a guy to sing.

Thus it'll probably never be sung for others, but still a clean musical trip. . .

 

Hickory Wind - Gram Parsons :::: Play that one in the morning. Like Lanena fit for picking/strumming.

 

America - Simon & Garfunkel :::: Just an excellent song to sing and travel through.

 

Things We Said Today - The Fabs :::: A joy w. a Herco Flex 50 pick. Conjures a certain energy, especially when turning into the B-part.

 

As I Come of Age and You Don't Have to Cry - Stephen Stills :::: First flatpicked, latter finger-ditto in dropped D. Both mucho entertaining.

 

Man of The World - Peter Green/Fleetwood Mac :::: Splendid song with a challenging mood-jump. Contains 1 line I don't sing for superstitious reasons.

 

The Angie-intro hahehe - Stones :::: As a Bird-keeper this must be under control. The plan is to be able to play it while sleep-walking.

(Yet no serious attempts at Anji)

 

 

Ok, this was between 10 and 12. There are many more in the juke-box, but these stand out right now.

 

Cheers

[AnneS]

Over the years, I find these near the top (who knew Em7 and I might overlap so?):

1. Return of the Grievous Angel (oh, but I remember something you once told me...)

2. Kathy's Song (and a song I was writing is left undone...)

3. Far From Me (a question ain't really a question if you know the answer, too)

4. Hickory Wind (it's a hard way to find out that trouble is real, in a far-away city with a far-away feel...)

5. Across the Great Divide (the finest hour I have seen is the one that comes between the edge of night and the break of day...)

6. Tulsa Queen (tell me how a train from Tulsa has got a right to know?...)

7. Mr. Bojangles (after twenty years he still grieves...)

8. Mexican Home (I feel a storm all wet and warm, not ten miles away...)

9. Born to Run (Kennerly) (I put on my traveling shoes, if I want to win I just can't lose the time...)

10. I Knew This Place (day is done, the lights are low, the wheels of life are turning slow...)

 

I'll try and stop here.

[blindboygrunt]

Return of the grevious angel !

Some chords to remember there !

[Lars68]

I'm not good at doing covers, since my singing is not that good. However, these are the songs I would like to be able to play/sing.

 

1. Springsteen: Wreck on the Highway

2. Neil Young: Ohio

3. Son Volt: Tear Stained Eye

4. Townes van Zandt: Tecumseh Valley

5. The Clash: White Man in Hammersmith Palais

6. Ryan Adams: Oh My Sweet Carolina

7. Johnny Cash: Give My Love to Rose

8. The Smiths: I Know It's Over

9. Anna Ternheim: Black Light Shines

10. Magnolia Electric Co.: Lost Horizon

 

And about 8000 others great songs...

 

Lars

[MissouriPicker]

My list varies at times, but these are always somewhere in the mix. I typically do a cover, followed by one of my own. These songs are really at the top of my list of all-time favorites to sing.

 

I Walk the Line---because Cash never did. He was kind of like a sinner wanting to be a saint.

 

All the Lonely People---started doing this because of all the people I see sitting alone in coffeehouses.

 

City of New Orleans---maybe the best train song ever.

 

You Are My Sunshine---always liked it. It's one of my few uptempo songs. Sounds upbeat, but the lyrics are pretty sad.

 

Poncho and Lefty---I love story songs and this one is great, even though Townes said it wasn't about anyone. Said he just made it up.

 

Abilene---one of my childhood favorites.

 

Mr. Bojangles---another great story. Bill Robinson was a real "Bojangles." He danced with Shirley Temple, but he said he knew dozens of them when he was a young man.

 

Don't Think Twice---loved Dylan's own version, but Peter Yarrow sold me on the fingerpicking version of it.

 

Puff the Magic Dragon---Great tune and literally everyone knows at least some of the lyrics.

 

Me and Bobby McGee---just a great song to sing that everyone has heard of.

 

Like most of you, one particular list can't come near including all the songs I like to sing, but these are among my most frequent.

[Lars68]

Oh, how on earth could I forget Dylan's The Ballad of Hollis Brown. It just doesn't get much better than that...

 

Lars

[flatbaroque]

Enjoying this insight into others choices

Me currently playing / mucking around with this week - and played for family on Christmas day

 

Stuck inside of mobile with the Memphis Blues Again - Bob Dylan (I usually leave out a few verses to keep it under 5 minutes)

 

Dublin Blues - Guy Clarke

 

Baby don't you grieve - Roy Harper

 

Down that Dirt Road blues - Charlie Patton

 

Bojangles - JJ Walker (seems popular!)..been listening to the album it came off too - Has a song on it called The Ballad of the Hulk where he seems to be having a It's all right ma I'm only bleeding momemt.

 

All along the watchtower - Dylan

 

Young at Heart - Sinatra cover

 

Bowie Knife - Frankie Laine cover

 

Itchycoo park - The Small Faces

 

Who killed Davey Moore - Dylan

 

Not a setlist as such, just what I've amused myself with lately.

[tpbiii]

Basically, I have no idea. We have a band that performs, but much less than historically -- maybe 12 times a year. But we also play with a lot of pickup groups. The band is bluegrass, but we (wife and I) also do traditional folk, folk revival, and post folk revival stuff. I saved many of the set lists over the past 20 years (400+) -- ever since I started printing them and put a printer in the RV in 1998. We keep a spreadsheet (wife and I) of vocal songs -- about 400. We mark every song as to: (1) the types of gigs it is appropriate to (Bluegrass, Gospel, Folk, Civil War, and jam); (2) speed (slow, medium, fast); type (love, train, spirit, death, home, rambling, war, animal, black, mill, murder, outlaw, prison, rural, sea, whiskey, work); and genre (bluegrass, folk, general, Irish, popular, religious, western).

 

Then you do a set list based on a theme (if important), genre, expected audience, sound system, band members (vocal and instrumental abilities), and many other issues.

 

After we get a list, we run through it -- generally once, but until the band members feel ok about it. Then when we get there, and everything is different, we adapt.

 

As you can see, as a geek, I love to over-plan .

 

I am intrigued to see if I can automate a count and actually give an answer -- every way that seems obvious right now seems like a lot of work.

 

We have certain categories of songs which come up, if not often, at least over and over.

 

a Capella

 

These songs are very utilitarian for us, because they will usually quite the audience so you can hear a pin drop, and they will cut through almost any sound environment because of their simplicity. Never more than once per set unless requested however.

 

 

Our go to list is

 

Shenandoah

On Shiloh Hill

The Wagoner's Lad

Glory Land (Ralph Stanley)

Nova Scotia Farewell (we also do this with instruments)

 

My wife show off songs include

 

Lorena

Who Will Watch the Home Place (Lory(sp?) Lewis)

Out Among the Stars

Dream of a Miner's Child

(lately) Red Clay Halo (Gillian Welsh)

 

Some duets that also warm us up on stage are

 

Canaan Land

Old County Church

Heaven's Light is Shinning

Bye and Bye I'm Going to see the King,

I Feel Like Traveling on, ....

 

Some that I have been using lately just because I like them this year. Last year there were others, next year there will be others.

 

Orphan Train (Utah Philips)

Take Me Back to Tulsa

East Bound Freight Train (Grandpa Jones)

Cannon Ball Blues

Hand Me Down My Walking Cane

 

We have some comedy stuff. Our favorite is Ghost Chickens in the Sky -- but it only works if the sound system and audience are both conducive to hearing lyrics clearly. As lyrics people, we wish it was always so -- but when it isn't, we switch to standards in the hope that at least the song will be recognizable.

 

Let's pick,

 

-Tom

[aliasphobias]

Not getting much time to pick lately but these are my "working on" list. Some are getting pretty close others will require much more time.

Spirit On The Water - Dylan

I Like Trains - Fred Eaglesmith has a good train song too.

Answering Bell - catchy little riff if I get it right.

If It Hadn't Been For Love - ala Steeldrivers not Adele.

Don't Think Twice - usually run through a litle bit of this just to keep it close.

Come Back Baby - D.V.R. style.

The Welcome - Barenbergs' crosspicking is tough to imitate but it sure is fun to try.

Gone Wandering - just a fun, easy song to sing and play. The harmonica solo needs a lot of work!

Harvest Moon - same as above.

These Days - a fun fingerpicker.

[MorrisrownSal]

One of the best threads I have read here...

Cover Me UpGracefully FacedownSong For a Winters NightAmericaVentura HighwayMy ManCarmelitaShame On The MoonSoftlyOnce is EnoughShe's No Lady She's My WifeWild Horses (bluegrass style)

 

Damn iPad... I'll retype it later... Sorry guys

[flatbaroque]

One of the best threads I have read here...

Cover Me UpGracefully FacedownSong For a Winters NightAmericaVentura HighwayMy ManCarmelitaShame On The MoonSoftlyOnce is EnoughShe's No Lady She's My WifeWild Horses (bluegrass style)

 

Damn iPad... I'll retype it later... Sorry guys

 

 

Sal, that's a mean medley!!

[zombywoof]

Hmmm, some stuff I seem to play a whole lot (in no particular order)

 

1. Hesitation Blues - Rev. Gary Davis

2. Cocaine Blues - Mostly lifted from Dave Van Ronk

3. Death Letter Blues - Son House

4. Mann's Fate - Hot Tuna

5. The Promised Land - Chuck Berry

6. Shake, Shake Mama - Mance Lipscomb

7. Big Road Blues - Tommy Johnson

8. I'll Keep Sitting On It (Before I Give It Away) - Georgia White (obviously only works when I have a lady singer along)

9. Prodigal Son - Rolling Stones.

10. Police Dog Blues - Blind Blake

[DenverSteve]

When performing covers I play some of my favorite songs. Some from friends of mine who have passed on.

 

Sweet Baby James, Tears In Heaven, I won't back down. Fire and Rain, Mary Did You Know, Leader Of The Band, Rocky Mountain High, Ain't No Sunshine, Vincent, Drift Away, Dock Of The Bay, Mr. Bojangles, Ain't No Sunshine, Wonderful Tonight, Heart Of Gold. - There's a set.

[blindboygrunt]

Carolina in my mind

My old friend the blues

Fire and rain

Mexican home

Sweet carolina

Pancho n lefty

Tecumsah valley

Me and julio

Tenessee stud

If i should fall behind

Thunder road

Dancin in the dark

Girl from the north country

Dublin blues

Let it ride

Hometown blues

Wayfarin stranger

Hallelujah

Colorado girl

Tangled up in blue

The weight

All i have to do is dream

Layla

Dont think twice

If not for you

Youre gonna make me lonesome

Folsom prison

 

 

 

Umm...

 

Theres more , but im struggling to remember whats in my book.

 

Its all very miserable stuff.

[jt]

A fun thread!

 

I play mainly instrumentals and swap out instruments every few songs. In addition to originals, these are some songs that I often play at gigs:

 

On National resonator:

 

Sweet Home Chicago

Old Joe Clark

 

6 String acoustic:

 

Peter Gunn

Entertainer (Scott Joplin)

Silver Swan (Scott Joplin)

Cocaine Blues

Shuckin' Sugar/Pride & Joy

Windy & Warm/Chet’s Tune

Everyday

Freight Train

Water is Wide

Blue Moon/Look of Love

Yesterday

Strawberry Fields

 

Harp Guitar:

 

Over the Rainbow

In My Life

 

I also usually play a tune or two on mandolin and charango.

[Rambler]

I saved many of the set lists over the past 20 years (400+) -- ever since I started printing them and put a printer in the RV in 1998. We keep a spreadsheet (wife and I) of vocal songs -- about 400. We mark every song as to: (1) the types of gigs it is appropriate to (Bluegrass, Gospel, Folk, Civil War, and jam); (2) speed (slow, medium, fast); type

 

Your inner engineer, coming to the fore, Tom (heh). Actually, I could use that spreadsheet (!).

 

Country blues & bottleneck numbers (my mainstay inside around 05)

• Cocaine Blues
  
• Canned Heat
  
• Hard Time Killing Floor
  
• Come On in My Kitchen
  
• Jesus on the Mainline
  
• Skin Game Blues
  
• Vigilante Man (Ry)
  

Rootsy r&b numbers (just to shake things up)

• Rainy Night in Ga
  
• Drown in My Own Tears
  
• Dock of the Bay
  

Gary Davis spirituals (mostly at home

• Light of the World
  
• I Belong to the Bend
  
• Oh Glory
  

Instrumental music for yoga/meditation

• Astral Weeks
  Light of the World (Hunter/Garcia
  
• Davis's Children of Zion
   
  

The Hunter-Garcia catalog and roots (an offshoot form playing model jams (see above), which is also creeping into the coffee house set.

• Sugaree
  
• BrownEyed Women
  
• Cold Rain and Snow
  
• Dont Ease me In
  
• Down the Line)
  

[tpbiii]

The inner engineer, coming to the fore (heh).

 

You never outgrow geekiness.

 

Best,

-Tom