View Single Post
  #13  
Old 07-20-2012, 09:41 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Chugiak, Alaska
Posts: 31,164
Default

There was an article in a recent Fretboard Jourmal, I believe, where they tracked down the guy who played mandolin on "Maggie May." He's still playing with a group and performing.

One of the points that the article made is that it truly is the mandolin overdubs that really make that song work. I learned that the hard when when I worked up a version of the song on guitar, and tried singing it in bars back when it was still well-remembered.

It never went over. I have a "three strikes and you're out" policy, meaning that if I try a song three times onstage on three different occasions and it doesn't go over, it gets retired. Unless I come up with a totally different arrangement, which gets another three chances.

But if it still doesn't make it, it's done. This includes my own songs as well as those written by others: if a song doesn't work, I don't keep inflicting it on people.

So it's really the mandolin parts on "Maggie May" that are so captivating. I can remember that the very first time I heard the song I was in high school, and was shopping in a counter-culture blue jean store (remember those?) when the song came on.

The music was up pretty loud, and I was entranced by the whole thing, especially the multi-track mandolin parts at the very end. I just stood stock still and focused totally on the song until it was over.

Then I went and paid for my blue jeans!


whm
Reply With Quote