Suggestions for great songs to play live

[2ndStringer]

Originally Posted by Ken C

Oh gee! You gotta' have some funny songs. A lot of familiar covers or wrist-slashing music gets old without a funny song for contrast. (Only funny songs do not get old.)

Haven't heard them, huh?

Have I got a deal for you! <g>

Go to http://www.sounds.windmillpro.com/lib1.htm

and click on any song title there. This is my SoundClipJoint which I use to share songs. Please note that there are four "shelves" of songs there. For silly, try the "Folk/Ethnic" shelf. (Though "Angelina" is always a hoot.)

Any song you would like to learn, e-mail me and I will send you a pdf of the words; the tune is already there on the site. I would doubt you would need a chord sheet...you already know more chords than I do.

Have fun...let your listeners have a chuckle.

And I say again (and again)..."It isn't about me; it is about sharing songs."

Enjoy...

Ken C.

Thanks for the tips. After your suggestion I went looking for amusing stuff and got myself some sheets for a few Monty Python songs. Will go through your stuff and let you know if I need anything.

[Matximus]

Originally Posted by Ken C

Oh gee! You gotta' have some funny songs. A lot of familiar covers or wrist-slashing music gets old without a funny song for contrast. (Only funny songs do not get old.)

Haven't heard them, huh?

Have I got a deal for you! <g>

Go to http://www.sounds.windmillpro.com/lib1.htm

and click on any song title there. This is my SoundClipJoint which I use to share songs. Please note that there are four "shelves" of songs there. For silly, try the "Folk/Ethnic" shelf. (Though "Angelina" is always a hoot.)

Any song you would like to learn, e-mail me and I will send you a pdf of the words; the tune is already there on the site. I would doubt you would need a chord sheet...you already know more chords than I do.

Have fun...let your listeners have a chuckle.

And I say again (and again)..."It isn't about me; it is about sharing songs."

Enjoy...

Ken C.

Re: funny songs. I saw some old dude cover "Because I got High" by Afro Man at a college bar a few years ago. The crowd went nuts. Don't know if it would work today, as the song may have fallen into obscurity. Real simple though: G, C, D7, B7...

"I was gonna go to class, then I got high; I coulda cheated and I coulda passed, but i got high...."

[Ken C]

Originally Posted by Matximus

Re: funny songs. I saw some old dude cover "Because I got High" by Afro Man at a college bar a few years ago. The crowd went nuts. Don't know if it would work today, as the song may have fallen into obscurity. Real simple though: G, C, D7, B7...

"I was gonna go to class, then I got high; I coulda cheated and I coulda passed, but i got high...."

That is funny and since I will be 74 in a few days, that sounds like a good song for me! But I remember that I have an LP of Burl Ives doing Bob Dylan songs...it isn't funny. And it isn't very good. <g>

Ken C.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by 2ndStringer

Thanks for the tips. After your suggestion I went looking for amusing stuff and got myself some sheets for a few Monty Python songs. Will go through your stuff and let you know if I need anything.

"I'm my own Grandpa" BY Shel Silverstein always gets en laughing..

[2ndStringer]

But I remember that I have an LP of Burl Ives doing Bob Dylan songs...it isn't funny.

It sure sounds hilarious....

Re: funny songs. I saw some old dude cover "Because I got High" by Afro Man at a college bar a few years ago. The crowd went nuts. Don't know if it would work today, as the song may have fallen into obscurity. Real simple though: G, C, D7, B7...

Forgot about that song... will check it out. Thanks!

[anthonyd5189]

Not completely up the alley of the same type of music...but I always have fun playing this song(as long as you have the right effects).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VneH2gYxNtw

[Ken C]

Originally Posted by 2ndStringer

It sure sounds hilarious....

Re Burl Ives singing Dylan.

It wasn't hilarious, exactly. Burl Ives was so intense...as much as he could be and still be civilized and controlled and restrained. I have had a lot to say about singing with affectations but this is the one that I always remember as being contrary to what I generally think.

Ken C.

[FLDavid]

A few Lyle Lovett songs have some pretty ironic lyrics
"I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You"
"Good Intentions"
Can't recall the title, but the chorus is "God will, but I won't; God does, but I don't" (or in reverse order--maybe someone will chime in with the correct version)
"If I had a Boat"
"Give Back My Heart"
"That's Right" (You're not from Texas)"
"My First Mistake" (I think it's from The Road to Ensenada)
"L.A. County" is not funny, but it's clever and ironic to the extreme (one of my favorite LL tunes)

. . .there must be others--browse his discography at this link

you want to get some fun going, try the Flight of the Conchords

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmDTSQtK20c

[Guyute]

Originally Posted by Taylor007

Ah, great point. I play solo acoustic rock.
I cover artists like:
Dylan, Beatles, Stones, Hendrix, Cash, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, John Prime, Neil Young, Muddy Waters, and other similar artists.

If you can be more specific about which songs from these guys you already play, perhaps people could give you suggestions on other songs from these artists.

[Ken C]

Originally Posted by FLDavid

Can't recall the title, but the chorus is "God will, but I won't; God does, but I don't" (or in reverse order--maybe someone will chime in with the correct version]

This sounds like the cute Iris Dement song about her guy leaving and him finding religion and he tells her that he is born again and her reply is "Jesus may love you, but I don't. God may forgive you, but I won't...and I won't even try."

The song is "God May Forgive You (But I Won't)."

A good man's version of such a theme is Loudin Wainright III's "Call Me Mr. Guilty." The song must be done with dripping sarcasm.

Call me Mr Guilty, Mr Guilty that's my name
Without a doubt it's all my fault, I'm the one to blame
You say that you're unhappy I do believe it's true
Cause I'm the one, the no good bum
That did it all to you.

I'm so sorry, sorry as a man can be
I'm so guilty, this is my apology
You have been a victim, a pawn in my cruel game
I done you wrong, and I strung you along
And now I'm full of shame
To compensate for damage done
Well there's not much I can do
So I sit and drink and I sit and think
Of all I done to you
You're a martyr, taking all this time
I'm a villan, guilty of a dreadful crime, cry me a river
All your tears and logic, you know they
Finally made me see
I deserve the shame, I deserve the blame
The guilt belongs to me. Yes you're innocent
You're as pure as driven snow
You've been had, I'm a cad, at least at last I know

Ken C.