Category: Folk Song Covers

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The Unlikely Musical Ascent Of Leonard Cohen


Suzanne: The Lady Of The Harbor

In his thirties, Leonard Cohen wrote novels, poetry, and the occasional song. These were his passions, and he hoped to make a living at them. Unfortunately, at this early stage in his career, Cohen realized these passions couldn’t support him. Most people at this point would, with a heavy heart and great disappointment, turn to a more mundane and practical way to make a living. Not Leonard. He decided to earn his way with another one of his loves: Country Music. Along the way, Cohen had taught himself to play the acoustic guitar.

It should be noted that most successful singer-songwriters begin to hone their musical talents from the ages of somewhere between five and twelve. Again, not Leonard. It should also be noted that the decade-long eruption of folk music from the early sixties to the early seventies had passed Cohen by, largely unnoticed. In other words, Cohen’s chances of a successful music career were less than his chances in the literary arts. People laughed at his hubris.

Now, here’s the interesting part. I will refer to my experiences with my father to illustrate the point I’m going to make. My father was a very successful businessman. I once asked him, “What is the secret of your success?” In his typical manner, he gave me a short answer: “In my early thirties,” he said, “I found out that I had the goods.” Translated, that means my dad discovered that he had the talent in spades to build companies and make money.

Okay, let’s go back to Leonard Cohen. On his way to Nashville, Cohen stopped in New York. There, someone introduced him to Judy Collins. What are the odds of a no-name like Leonard Cohen meeting a rising star like Miss Collins? I’d say at least 28 million to one. Unless there is another factor at play. And here’s what I believe. Because Leonard Cohen inherently “had the goods,” he met Judy Collins, and they became good friends. Eventually, Collins brought her friend’s work to the attention of a record label. In time, Cohen became a household name and an internationally known recording artist. Leonard Cohen, whether he knew it or not, had a remarkable musical talent. He had what it took to be a star.

And what I’ve discovered is that you can’t force it. Yes, it takes hard work to hone your talent, but don’t expect to be the 1% unless you are the 1%.

At some point, one has to accept whether or not one has “the goods.” I dreamed of becoming a widely read author. It never happened, but I’ve mellowed about it. I enjoy writing my little books that are read by my little audience. I never dreamed of reaching a broad audience with my music. But that has happened. It takes an effort, and I enjoy it almost as much as writing. I guess the moral of the story is to enjoy what you do if you are following your heart, and most importantly, don’t worry about the results.

Please enjoy my covers of Leonard’s beautiful song, Suzanne.

Solo Version

Enhanced Version

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acoustic guitar artist profiles Arts & Entertainment folk guitar Folk Song Covers inspiration love songwriting

Cat Stevens and Alun Davies: A Musical Journey


In this song, Cat Stevens is singing to a woman he yearns for in a Human form. On another level, he may be singing, aware or unaware, to the Divine Feminine. In either case, the object of Stevens’ love is unattainable in the present. Yet, I believe, the admirer (Stevens) continues to yearn for his beloved in the hope that he will, one day, meet his perfect love, in either or both Human and Divine forms.

There are many interpretations of “How Can I Tell You.” In my view, the song is hopeful rather than despairing. However one interprets “How Can I Tell you,” I feel the song is filled with incredible beauty that cannot help but shine through.

Stevens first met Alun Davies as a backup musician in a recording session. He liked what he heard. After another session, Stevens recognized that Davies was an exceptional talent. In a following private session, Stevens played something like fifty of his original songs for Davies, whereupon Davies decided Cat was also an exceptional talent. He agreed to accompany Stevens on an upcoming tour. After the tour, Davies became Stevens’ permanent 2nd guitar until Stevens stopped playing music with his conversion to Islam in 1977. When Stevens began performing again in 2003, the two artists reunited.

Here is a new version of “How Can I Tell You” with me playing and singing Davies’ now famous second guitar part.

Solo Version

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Steve Gillette: Influential Folk Artist and Songwriter


Have you heard of Steve Gillette? If you were alive in the 1960s and liked folk music, there’s a chance the name rings a bell. Gillette never reached the top of the charts, but he’s a very talented singer/songwriter. Many of his songs have been performed by artists you have heard of, including John Denver, Gordon Lightfoot, Ian and Sylvia, Nanci Griffith, and Linda Ronstadt.

“The Bells in the Evening” appears on Gillette’s debut album, released in 1967. The album, simply titled “Steve Gillette,” stands as one of Steve’s finest recordings. “The Bells” is a bittersweet (actually sweet-bitter) song of love blossoming in the spring and fading away in the fall. I find the melody and lyrics deeply moving. Perhaps you will, too. The song is also replete with imagery. When you listen, what images come to your mind?

I’ve revisited “The Bells of the Evening,” adding a new background track by Giovanni Egusquista. Here’s my cover.

“Bells In The Evening” With Backup Instrumentation

“Bells In The Evening” Solo

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Environmental Concerns In The Song ‘Where Do the Children Play?’


Many of Yusuf/Cat Stevens’ songs convey underlying messages about childhood and the relationships between children and adults, such as ‘Father & Son’ and ‘Oh Very Young,’ to name a few. “Where Do the Children Play?” is no exception. It becomes increasingly timely with each passing day, given the environmental crisis we are facing.

The song refers to the destruction of natural spaces caused by overdevelopment and industrialization. It asks a fundamental question: What future awaits our children when the spaces where they play are increasingly paved over and polluted? 

“Where Do The Children Play” prompts us to consider the inherent features of the ‘progress’ we are making, as well as Humanity’s impact on planet Earth. Essentially, this beautiful and simple song begs for a balanced relationship between Human Beings and nature.

Typical of a Cat Stevens song, the rhythm is quite unique. Here’s my cover.
 

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Exploring Life’s Meaning in Cat Stevens’ Lyrics


Far from old age, Cat Stevens wrote “Oh Very Young” when he was twenty-five. The wisdom in the song surpasses Stevens’ chronology with lines like, “You’re only dancin’ on this Earth for a short while.” Stevens contracted tuberculosis when he was nineteen, and it almost killed him. After that experience, Stevens kept an eye on the Big Picture.

Always the explorer, Stevens sought the meaning and purpose of life, as illustrated in his songs like “On the Road to Find Out.” He eventually converted to Islam in 1977. Around the same time, he permanently left the world stage as a singer and songwriter. In his relatively short career, Cat Stevens left us with a body of music that is still relevant today and, to millions around the world, extremely enjoyable.

Originally, I played this song using a picking method, and then I switched to strumming. I watched a video of Stevens performing the song with a strumming method. I thought, I’ll never be able to play it that fast. To my amazement, I wound up playing the song as fast as Stevens when I strummed it. Interesting. Here’s my cover.

In case you’re interested, here’s the finger-picked version.

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An Insight Into Jackson Brown’s Unique Music


Jackson Browne’s guitar techniques, lyrics, and melodies stand apart from the crowd. What he says through his music is sometimes searing, sad, and occasionally, happy. However, all of Browne’s songs have something in common: an incredible sensitivity and beauty.

Browne wrote “These Days” when he was only sixteen years old. Despite his youth, Browne demonstrated a keen sense of heartbreak. I’m not sure how a sixteen-year-old could feel the depth of emotion and remorse expressed in this song. If we assume Jackson experienced and gave voice to the words and tone of “These Days,” then he was wise beyond his years and deeply rooted in himself from early on.

The song had its first release when a protégé of Andy Warhol named Nico picked it up on her “Chelsea Girl” album. Brown played acoustic guitar in the background. “These Days” gained wider recognition when several artists subsequently covered it.

Brown eventually released his version of the song in 1973 on the album “For Everyman.” He rewrote “These Days” to make it more optimistic. In his own words, Jackson remembers, “Over the rest of my teenage years and into my 20s, I developed a kind of optimism, a kind of resoluteness, so I changed [one verse] to: ‘I’ll keep on moving, keep improving.’ That’s more to me what life is made of, the idea that I’ll get through this, I’ll continue looking.”

I’ve always wanted to play this song the way Jackson Browne does. Thanks to my friend Jerry Lambert, I can now do it. Here’s my cover.

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The Magic of Moonshadow: Embracing Life’s Moments


In a 2009 interview, Cat Stevens (by then Yusuf Islam) is quoted as saying: “I was on holiday in Spain. I was a kid from the West End [of London]- bright lights, etc. I never got to see the moon on its own. In the dark, there were always streetlamps. So there I was on the edge of the water on a beautiful night with the moon glowing, and suddenly I looked down and saw my shadow. I thought that was so cool; I’d never seen it before.”

The song is about finding hope in any situation, of being present and joyful. With the simplicity and joy of a child, Stevens writes about seeing life as it is in the moment and not comparing it to others’ lives or other times in an individual’s life.

Moonshaw is a beautiful song expressing the idea that every moment in life is rich and unique. Whether we are aware of it or not, Stevens is saying, we are always “leaping and hopping on a Moonshadow” every second of our existence. He cautions against being too wrapped up in our worries and concerns about what could be or what has been, and consequently missing the richness of life as it is.

Here’s my cover played in the artist’s style.

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Tom Paxton: An Emergent Folk Music Icon


Tom Paxton released “The Last Thing On My Mind” in 1964 on his album, Ramblin’ Boy.” The inspiration for the song came from Dave Van Ronk and Bob Dylan’s versions of “He Was A Friend of Mine.” This lost love ballad became one of Paxton’s biggest hits. He is also known for his protest songs against the Vietnam War and other social injustices. (What Did You Learn In School Today?)

“The Last Thing On My Mind” was one of the first songs I learned some forty years ago when I started playing the guitar. This is the first time I’ve released my cover publicly. The themes of the song include friendship, loss, and the passage of time.

Here’s my cover.

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Nanci Griffith: A 1980s Singer/Songwriter Legacy


Nanci Griffith was a popular singer/songwriter who came to prominence in the 1980s. I bought one of her albums recorded in 1988 and then tracked back to discover more and more of her music. She wrote and performed her first song at the age of twelve.

Griffith was the daughter of musical parents, and she spent her childhood involved with theater and literature as well as music. She began playing clubs around Austin at the tender age of 14 and continued to perform during her college years at the University of Texas, as well as during her stint as a kindergarten teacher in the mid-’70s. Nanci finally decided to make music her full-time ambition in 1977.

One observer said of Nanci, “She found it easier to deal with the cowboys in bars at night than she did with her kindergarten students during the day.”

Nanci Griffith’s world tours are now the stuff of memories and YouTube videos, but her heart and soul will endure for years to come. She recorded and released more than twenty albums during her brilliant career. The video above features me playing one of Nanci’s rousing  songs titled “Say It Isn’t So.”

David Gittlin has written three feature-length screenplays, produced two short films, and published three novels. Before quitting his day job, he spent more than thirty years as a marketing director, building expertise in advertising, copywriting, corporate communications, collateral sales materials, website content/design, and online marketing. He plays guitar as a hobby.