Songs We Know

[maxit]

This is the title of a wonderful album by Bill frisell and Fred hersh that made me think that I don't know anymore a song start to finish, that I could play at a party or by a campfire (not that much a problem at my age but you never know LoL).
Maybeeeee ... if I stir the few neurons remained I can sing 2 verses of "the boxer" by simon & garfunkel ... am I the only one? what/how many songs can you remember and play start to finish (included yours!) ?

[alfstone]

Bill Frisell is a genius. His "Beatles album" "All we are saying" is one of the albums I love more. It's fantastic the way he can transform each song.

This one is from 2020:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJxURT1NGro

Alfredo

[Hilary]

I used to sing Play Me before I went on stage to warm up because it's pretty and really easy to play and I didn't want to reveal any of my own stuff.

That's probably the only cover I can do.

[dasilvasings]

I don't even know how to play "happy birthday" by heart...

But on the other hand, I know the chord sequence C Am F G, so that allows me to play 78,7% of all pop rock songs...

Alfredo, that guitar sound from Bill Frisell is just gorgeous. I will try to listen more of his stuff tomorrow.

[Ferryman]

I can't play any songs from start to finish, and haven't been able to for many, many years. The only time I played other people's music was when I was learning, back in the late 60s/early 70s, because all we had in those days were records and a few chord shape books. You had to learn by copying what you could make out on records. My first band which I joined age 15 played covers but even in that we started to write a few original songs.

I never had much interest in playing other people's music. I found out pretty early on that playing the guitar at parties/campfires whatever is a recipe for disaster and embarrassment all round

Mind you, I can't play my own songs either. Once they are done they are done, I move on to the next one. As I don't play live, I have no need to remember them. Which probably explains why I keep using the same riffs over and over again......

[Mike_S]

A bit like Nigel, I can't play any single song from start to finish. It sometimes strikes me as a bit strange, having played guitar for many years, if anyone asked me to play something on the spot I actually couldn't, a bit embarrassing even. But on the other hand maybe this is the way many people are with modern technology etc. We complete a project, a cover song or original or whatever, save it as an MP3, post it and then on to the next one.

Another thing that lends itself to not being able to play a song start to finish for me is I get pretty bored even with my own stuff. So just as I am starting to be able to play a song after a bit of practice, I feel the need to just finish it / record it and move on. I've never performed live and am in awe really of people that can and do... it would be cool to build up a repetoire that you can just play for people.

[Ted]

In my life, it's been really rare when I've been on a camping trip or in a social setting where people wanted me to perform. But when it has happened, I have been completely stumped. My mind went blank. I couldn't think of a single song that people might know.

So I made a cheat sheet to keep in my guitar case for those rare occasions. It included covers originals that I considered "entertaining."

The cheat sheet turned up a year-and-a-half ago in a friend's garage.

(Some of these originals have made it here to Songcrafters as home recordings.)

But eventually I realized nobody wants you to bring your fucking guitar with you camping.

[maxit]

LoL, not that much of a party, excepting for Ted - but your stories are cool anyway.
Then, let's choose one and learn by august, we can have a campfire festival lol !
Alf are you sure you can't remember 'vitti na crozza' ;-) ?
 

[alfstone]

Only the first chorus, dear Max!

Vitti na crozza supra nu cannuni
Fui curiuso e ci vosi parrari
Idda m'arrispunniu cun gran duluri
Murivu senza toccu di campani

And maybe the second chorus...

 

BUT

I can remember completely Sant'Antonio Allu Disertu!!!

 

[Ferryman]

But eventually I realized nobody wants you to bring your fucking guitar with you camping.

You nailed it. I think Animal House summed up most people's feelings correctly:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V_hCqO6UQs