Evolution of a performance... and cycles

[Bob Womack]

I'm going to discuss a song, "Tell Me Why," by the prolific and talented singer/songwriter Karla Bonoff. Karla wrote some whoppers and collaborated with Linda Rontsadt, Wendy Waldman, a bunch of others. This song came out on her 1988 album, New World. and is a modern, upbeat take on the classic "Torch Song" genre. Listening to the video you can tell that her guitar was tuned down a whole step, which is a typical singer/songwriter practice. Mark Goldenberg produced the album and played keyboards, guitars, bass, and did programming. Though it is the tiniest bit spare, all the elements are really good. The song reach #3 on Billboard Charts.


The studio version.


The music video featured old pal Linda Ronstadt on BGVs and Karla with both a Yamaha and the Alvarez Is that Jeff Porcaro or Kenny Aronoff on the drums?

In 1993 Wynonna Judd and producer Tony Brown chose to cover this song on her second album. In a beautiful nod, their version featured Karla Bonoff on acoustic guitar and background vocals. The lead and electric rhythm guitars on the song were played by Steuart Smith, now producer and guitarist for the Eagles.



What is interesting is how closely this cover follows the original. There is a touch of either better vocal coaching or maybe a little better interpretation, but Wynonna picks up many of Karla's vocal licks. The recording shows a touch more sophistication as well, but once again it is the similarity rather than the difference that is noticeable here. This version made it to #1 on the country charts. It is played with the guitar tuned down a half step to suit Wynonna's voice. Now, here is a video with Wynonna singing it live at 5:03:




The main items of interest here are that she belts it, rather than singing with her vocal intricacies from the album. That, plus the fact that the studio version was Wynonna's second album is what makes me wonder whether all that lovely intricacy we hear on the stidio was excellent coaching from Tony. ALSO that the lead guitarist is a very young Tom Bukovac, already showing his stuff.

Now, here is a very recent version and the last in today's analysis, performed by the modern cover sensation, Foxes and Fossils featuring Sammie Purcell on lead vocals. This is what started the present little meditation. I knew it from Karla but the F&F gang attributed it to Wynonna. This version is in concert tuning, because Sammie is a soprano I:



Once again, many of Karla's vocal licks survive all the way through the twenty-five intervening years. Perhaps that can lead us to believe that the original vocal chops were pretty darned good, huh?

Bob

[H165]

It's an interesting progression, but to me there's more sameness than difference.

Though it is the tiniest bit spare, all the elements are really good.

I guess I like it spare, because Karla's chorus has plenty of (if not too much) backing.

It's fun and educational to me, hearing and seeing the comparative takes on this song.

I'd like to see Sammie do it in concert in front of about 50,000 fans. I bet she'd pick up some energy from the crowd.