What never ceases to amaze me about this beautiful song is that Browne wrote it when he was only 16. I find that totally astounding.
walrus
Agreed - when I first heard it, I thought it was about his deceased wife.
What never ceases to amaze me about this beautiful song is that Browne wrote it when he was only 16. I find that totally astounding.
walrus
When I "learn" a song, it's in my own way, which sometimes is very similar if not exactly as it was recorded by whoever I'm using as a paradigm....or, quite different, adapted to my own style and guitar skills. So, the question is: what amounts to learning a song?
Drednaught, taking ownership is definitely the first step. If a song vibrates your feelings and emotions, it's almost impossible to ignore it, and not learn how to play it, at least in your own way. Through that experience, I am able to learn faster and enjoy longer, going back to the song over and over again. Also, when I perform it for friends and audiences at open mics, there is much more feeling I am able to put into it. I only perform a song in front of a listeners that I myself absolutely love.I agree Rich and walrus. In fact, I need to take ownership of a song before I can do it well. But, in order to say I've truly learned it, I also need to perfect the guitar parts and memorize the lyrics so I can just step up to the mic and belt it out without looking at a sheet of paper. However, I work at not trying to emulate the original artist or do a perfect facsimile of the song; it ends up being my interpretation of the song. For example, I'm never gonna sound just like John Prine, but if I can capture the essence of the song in my own style, that's the best I can hope for.
That's the kind of wife I would love. Mine is a bit more judgmental, and not so interested in my guitars and music. It has to do with her Indian cultural background. She's more in tune with Indian music, both classical and modern, like Bollywood film songs.In the past, whenever I would learn something new, I would ( as we all do ) learn something I liked. But just because I liked it, didn't mean I could do it justice. So when a new song would be worked up. The rest of the band would then tell me ( or others ) whether or not it was any good. Our feeling was no matter how much you might like it. If you don't sound good doing it, Don't.
Today I don't have that sounding board. Wife refuses saying "I like everything you do" No help there.
Drednaught, taking ownership is definitely the first step. If a song vibrates your feelings and emotions, it's almost impossible to ignore it, and not learn how to play it, at least in your own way. Through that experience, I am able to learn faster and enjoy longer, going back to the song over and over again. Also, when I perform it for friends and audiences at open mics, there is much more feeling I am able to put into it. I only perform a song in front of a listeners that I myself absolutely love.
I think even I used all 30 years to learn them, I still wouldn't be ready...
What never ceases to amaze me about this beautiful song is that Browne wrote it when he was only 16. I find that totally astounding.