Sunshine Of Your Love (Cream Cover)

[Zoltan]

I think Rev. Ted hits the nail on the head. This is totally irreverent take on the original. When i first saw the title i thought "Yuck! A song i once thought was good covered by the Mighty Mushroom man himself... What can be done to a song that's clearly a garbage(* song?".

Turns out a lot can be done to a such a pile of dung. First you take a one fearless player. Then you just roll with it. The end results are way more psychedelic and fun than the stuck up original. The original is quite constipated whereas Stephens take is all about the release. The Sunshine of the Cream.

(* As one can notice i'm having one of my positive moods. I must say i'm happy as a lark at the moment. I'm just trying to embrace my inner a-hole

[Ted]

BTW: When I was younger a friend of mine and I idolized keyboardist David Sancious (usually a sideman, but his solo albums are incredible). I had no interest in Cream or the constituent members of the band. But in 1981 when we heard that Sancious was touring with Jack Bruce, we had to go see him when the tour passed through Arizona. The band also included Billy Cobham and Clem Clemson. But we would have clawed our way in to see Sancious if he were playing a private polka party within 200 miles.

Anyway... "Sunshine of Your Love: is the only song I remember from that show – and I remember it fondly. It's the only Cream song I sort-of like. If I were to sit down and defile a Cream song, this would be the one.

[StephenM]

This is a very irreverent take on the song - in the sense that you don't seem to be handling a with great care a classic artifact forged by the Gods themselves. Listening to it there's a real sense that it's just some chords, a rhythm, some words, and a melody, that you half remember. And you play with those ingredients as though you have the freedom to do with them whatever you please. And that should always be the case. Super cool.

first off to all who listened and/or commented.  Ted you got me thinking about this idea a bit... I realize I look at things alot different than most people so I filter this through that lens a bit...
usually I don't like cover songs that I have heard.  As in one's that get redone... but sometimes they are way better.  For example "Blinded by the Light".  Manfred Mann's Earth Band did an amazing job to bring forth a song that imo sucked and almost no one would ever have heard Bruce Springsteens original because it sucked... the kicker was, even though that song was a smash hit in the US when asked about it Springsteen poo poo d it away like he didn't know it existed...

If I were an artist I would be honored to have anyone take any of my music and shape it as there hearts see fit... to me that would be the ultimate tribute to my work.  In fact there is a man who comes to listen at open mic and he never spoke to me until the other night.  He told me he though my "Fire Hydrant" song was brilliant and wants to cover it....  turns out this guy gigs 4 or 5 nights a week and is very good... so I was honored and humbled by that...

Ted, you are right though about this fact... I didn't go back and closely listen to the song ... I did have to look up the words but I chose to not do the chourus arrangement or order on purpose to kind of make the song a bit different... and it was a very loose music arrangement based on memory (if you want to call it that)...

I talk to alot of people and quite a few musicians and many try and do cover songs perfect as possible.  I respect that.  But to me if I want to hear the original I will just listen to that.  So the few covers that i actually play live I put my own spin on... because I cannot do say a Pat Benatar song like her anyway... so I could totally stay away or just say well... I am going to do it because I want to... and no other reason...

I have actually written this down before... if someone wants to do crazy things to any of my songs... or even uncrazy things... go right ahead... have some fun!

[chapperz66]

Such a cool cover of a true classic, Stephen.  All the parts work fabulously for me but the vocal really channels Mr Bruce.

Great listen, mate.

Paul

[Ted]

Digression...

"Sunshine of Your Love: is the only song I remember from that show – and I remember it fondly.

Actually, I remember something else from that show.

Sancious played guitar on a couple of songs, and on one song he went into full-on Hendrix mode. (My friend and I shit our pants.) In retrospect, knowing how shaken and threatened Clapton was by Hendrix, it must have been really delicious for Jack Bruce to play with a surrogate Hendrix; a legit black American musical genius; the thing that Clapton impossibly aspired to be.

/digression

[StephenM]

Digression...

"Sunshine of Your Love: is the only song I remember from that show – and I remember it fondly.

Actually, I remember something else from that show.

Sancious played guitar on a couple of songs, and on one song he went into full-on Hendrix mode. (My friend and I shit our pants.) In retrospect, knowing how shaken and threatened Clapton was by Hendrix, it must have been really delicious for Jack Bruce to play with a surrogate Hendrix; a legit black American musical genius; the thing that Clapton impossibly aspired to be.

/digression

Great info I did not know... and great remembrances! 

[des0free]

Really great work on this all around - drums, guitars, vocals.  I like this song a lot and like your approach - just try a cover going by vague memories, maybe a chord and lyric sheet and see what you come up with! Agree that the drums sound great - and tight playing too!  Some tasty improvised guitar licks in there also!  Sweet!

[Rene Asologuitar]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Truly, a challenging song to cover, and you did it full justice, Stephen!
Love the vibe you haver created, and I am digging the guitars!!!
Lovely guitar solo, indeed!
Your vocals is perfectly laid on this recording!
Superb work!