"Bus Stop" by Graham Gouldman (cover)

Glennwillow · #1 04-19-2019, 03:12 PM

The song, "Bus Stop" performed by the Hollies became a hit in the USA in 1966 when I was a senior in high school. I remember this song very well because I liked it so much. It's really rewarding for me to be able to play this song now that I loved so much way back then.

Graham Gouldman was not a member of the Hollies, which I find interesting.

I played the song here on my acoustic Guild F512 12-string and then used my electric Rickenbacker 360 12-string for the solo part. I also added vocal harmony, electric bass, and drums I programmed from EasyDrummer.

Thanks for listening!

- Glenn

PS: This song was originally recorded in the key of Am. The lead vocal hits a bunch of high G notes, which I can do, but then the harmony is even higher. I never could sing like Graham Nash! So I ended up lowering the song two half steps so that I played it in Gm (actually capo 3 in Em).

In case anyone is looking for a new song to do, here are the chords and lyrics.

BUS STOP (The Hollies, by Graham Gouldman)
(Capo 3)
INTRO:
/ /Em / D / Em / D

/Em.........D......../.. Em..........D
Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say
/Em..............D......../.. Em.....D
Please share my umbrella
/Em.........D.........../ Em.........D
Bus stop, bus goes, she stays, love grows
/Em.....D......../Em..........D
Under my umbrella

/G..........D......./..Em
All that summer we enjoyed it
/Am...................../ Bm
Wind and rain and shine
/Em.........D...../Em......D
That umbrella, we employed it
...../.Em.....D........../ Em.....D
By August, she was mine

G................../F#7................../Bm....Bm/A....G
Every morning I would see her waiting at the / stop
.........F#7.........../ Em
Sometimes she'd shopped and she
........./..F#7.................../Bm..../ Bm7/A
would show me what she bought
/ G............../..F#7.............../ Bm
Other people stared as if we were both
.. A......./ G
quite insane
.........F#7....../ Em...................../ F#7
Someday my name and hers are going to
.........../Bm../ Bm7/A
be the same

/Em..........D........../Em...........D
That's the way the whole thing started
/Em...D......../Em...D
Silly but it's true
/Em.......D...../Em........D
Thinkin' of a sweet romance
..../Em.....D...../Em......D
Beginning in a queue
/G............D........./Em
Came the sun the ice was melting
/Am......................./ Bm
No more sheltering now
/Em......D.........../Em.......D
Nice to think that that umbrella
/Em......D...../Em..........D
Led me to a vow
[Interlude]
/G................../F#7................/ Bm....Bm/A
Every morning I would see her waiting at
....../G
the stop
........F#7............/Em
Sometimes she'd shopped and she
........../ F#7..................../Bm..../ Bm7/A
would show me what she bought
/G................./ F#7.............Bm....Bm/A......... G
Other people stared as if we were both quite in / sane
........F#7......./ Em..................../ F#7
Someday my name and hers are going to
........../ Bm / Bm7/A
be the same

/Em.........D.........../Em..........D
Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say
/Em.............D......./ Em.....D
Please share my umbrella
/Em..........D............/ Em.........D
Bus stop, bus goes, she stays, love grows
/Em.....D..... / Em....D
Under my umbrella

/G...........D......../Em
All that summer we enjoyed it
/Am...................../Bm
Wind and rain and shine
/Em.........D.... / Em.......D
That umbrella, we employed it
... / Em......D........./ Em.....D
By August, she was mine

Bimmer · #2 04-19-2019, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

The song, "Bus Stop" performed by the Hollies became a hit in the USA in 1966 when I was a senior in high school. I remember this song very well because I liked it so much. It's really rewarding for me to be able to play this song now that I loved so much way back then.

Graham Gouldman was not a member of the Hollies, which I find interesting.

I played the song here on my acoustic Guild F512 12-string and then used my electric Rickenbacker 360 12-string for the solo part. I also added vocal harmony, electric bass, and drums I programmed from EasyDrummer.

Thanks for listening!

- Glenn

PS: This song was originally recorded in the key of Am. The lead vocal hits a bunch of high G notes, which I can do, but then the harmony is even higher. I never could sing like Graham Nash! So I ended up lowering the song two half steps so that I played it in Gm (actually capo 3 in Em).

In case anyone is looking for a new song to do, here are the chords and lyrics.

BUS STOP (The Hollies, by Graham Gouldman)

(Capo 3)

INTRO:

/ /Em / D / Em / D

/Em.........D......../.. Em..........D

Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say

/Em..............D......../.. Em.....D

Please share my umbrella

/Em.........D.........../ Em.........D

Bus stop, bus goes, she stays, love grows

/Em.....D......../Em..........D

Under my umbrella

/G..........D......./..Em

All that summer we enjoyed it

/Am...................../ Bm

Wind and rain and shine

/Em.........D...../Em......D

That umbrella, we employed it

...../.Em.....D........../ Em.....D

By August, she was mine

G................../F#7................../Bm....Bm/A....G

Every morning I would see her waiting at the / stop

.........F#7.........../ Em

Sometimes she'd shopped and she

........./..F#7.................../Bm..../ Bm7/A

would show me what she bought

/ G............../..F#7.............../ Bm

Other people stared as if we were both

.. A......./ G

quite insane

.........F#7....../ Em...................../ F#7

Someday my name and hers are going to

.........../Bm../ Bm7/A

be the same

/Em..........D........../Em...........D

That's the way the whole thing started

/Em...D......../Em...D

Silly but it's true

/Em.......D...../Em........D

Thinkin' of a sweet romance

..../Em.....D...../Em......D

Beginning in a queue

/G............D........./Em

Came the sun the ice was melting

/Am......................./ Bm

No more sheltering now

/Em......D.........../Em.......D

Nice to think that that umbrella

/Em......D...../Em..........D

Led me to a vow

[Interlude]

/G................../F#7................/ Bm....Bm/A

Every morning I would see her waiting at

....../G

the stop

........F#7............/Em

Sometimes she'd shopped and she

........../ F#7..................../Bm..../ Bm7/A

would show me what she bought

/G................./ F#7.............Bm....Bm/A......... G

Other people stared as if we were both quite in / sane

........F#7......./ Em..................../ F#7

Someday my name and hers are going to

........../ Bm / Bm7/A

be the same

/Em.........D.........../Em..........D

Bus stop, wet day, she's there, I say

/Em.............D......./ Em.....D

Please share my umbrella

/Em..........D............/ Em.........D

Bus stop, bus goes, she stays, love grows

/Em.....D..... / Em....D

Under my umbrella

/G...........D......../Em

All that summer we enjoyed it

/Am...................../Bm

Wind and rain and shine

/Em.........D.... / Em.......D

That umbrella, we employed it

... / Em......D........./ Em.....D

By August, she was mine

Awesome!!!

Carmel Cedar · #3 04-19-2019, 03:20 PM

Wow, Glenn - another excellent cover. Really like the addition of drums, adds to the completeness of the sound. Your vocals were spot-on (love how you build out the chorus)...and that Rick 12 string is such a perfect instrument in this song, really helps give it its signature sound.

Great job with a true 60's classic!!!

Glennwillow · #4 04-19-2019, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bimmer

Awesome!!!

Thanks so much for your enthusiasm Bimmer! I hope you are well! Have a great Easter!

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #5 04-19-2019, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmel Cedar

Wow, Glenn - another excellent cover. Really like the addition of drums, adds to the completeness of the sound. Your vocals were spot-on (love how you build out the chorus)...and that Rick 12 string is such a perfect instrument in this song, really helps give it its signature sound.

Great job with a true 60's classic!!!

Hi Carmel Cedar!

Thank you for your comments! I was hoping you would like this!

Yes, that Rick 360 12-string really does give the song a signature sound! It was a little interesting doing the song with the Guild 12-string with a capo on the 3rd fret in Em and then doing the bass in Gm and the Rick 12-string solo in Gm. It was a bit of a math puzzle but undoubtedly good for my aging brain!

The vocal harmony was also a challenge because I really had trouble hearing the harmony notes on the recording on YouTube from the Hollies on the Bus Stop song. I was able to pick out some notes but others seemed impossible. I ended up grabbing a guitar with a capo on the 3rd fret and playing the chords for the song while I figured out, note by note what would fit with the melody line and also what sort of sounded like the recording. I think I ended up with something fairly close, but for a while I was worried that my old brain just wasn't up to this challenge. Slowly I got there, however!

I did also spend a fair amount of time on programming the drum track. I used the original recording as a guide so that I was coming up with drum patterns that sounded pretty close to what was played on the 1966 recording. Not being a drummer, I hate to make up stuff that doesn't sound authentic.

Thanks so much for your support Carmel Cedar! It is so very much appreciated!

- Glenn

FrankHudson · #6 04-20-2019, 08:40 AM

Ah! A song from one of my favorite songwriters from that era. As usual you do such a nice job of capturing the original recordings arrangement. As always, I admire your voice and ability to hit those notes!

MrEd · #7 04-20-2019, 09:25 AM

One of my favorites too. Well done Glenn.

Thanks

Mike

Glennwillow · #8 04-20-2019, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankHudson

Ah! A song from one of my favorite songwriters from that era. As usual you do such a nice job of capturing the original recordings arrangement. As always, I admire your voice and ability to hit those notes!

Thank you Frank!

It's wonderful to hear from you! Thanks very much for the kind words!

The thing about this song that I tend to react to, over and over, is the innocence of the lyrics. This songwriter wants to marry this girl, "Someday my name and hers are going to be the same." And apparently he does. "Nice to think that that umbrella led me to a vow." Few people write stuff like that into songs these days; it was, at least from my viewpoint, a different time. Or maybe it was just a different songwriter. I know that I identified with the song lyrics when I first heard them.

Thanks for your thoughts and comments Frank!

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #9 04-20-2019, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrEd

One of my favorites too. Well done Glenn.

Thanks

Mike

Thank you Mike!

Nice of you to take time to listen and comment here! I appreciate your thoughts! I'm glad you thought this came out well!

- Glenn

Imbler · #10 04-20-2019, 10:33 AM

My wife and I stopped what we were doing to listen to this. Fabulous! I'm always amazed at how you pull all the parts together for a one man band

I also enjoyed googling and learning about Graham. He wrote a lot of songs I enjoy that I did not know he did.

islandguitar · #11 04-20-2019, 11:21 AM

Another classic! Wonderful job, Glenn!! The electric riffs are really a great blend in there!!
Best,
Fred

Glennwillow · #12 04-20-2019, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imbler

My wife and I stopped what we were doing to listen to this. Fabulous! I'm always amazed at how you pull all the parts together for a one man band

I also enjoyed googling and learning about Graham. He wrote a lot of songs I enjoy that I did not know he did.

Well, thank you!

I am so glad to learn that both you and your wife could enjoy this cover!

Regarding the one man band thing, I guess I tend to go with my instincts about how elaborate to make these performances. If I can do a song with just me and a guitar and feel that it does a good job of representing the song, then that's what I will do -- keep it simple.

But some songs, and I thought this was one of them, need more. When I hear "Bus Stop" in my head, I hear that lead electric guitar and I hear the high harmonies being sung. Without those sounds the song just does not sound like the song to me. So, that's what I decided to do.

I also googled Graham Gouldman and found out, just as you did, that he did a lot of song writing that turned out to be quite successful. Kind of England's version of Jimmy Webb, I'm thinking...

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Imbler!

- Glenn

Glennwillow · #13 04-20-2019, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Another classic! Wonderful job, Glenn!! The electric riffs are really a great blend in there!!
Best,
Fred

Thank you Fred!

I'm really glad you thought this came out okay and that you liked the sound of the electric 12-string in there. To me, that was a real signature part of the song, and lucky for me, I have this hardly used Rickenbacker 360 12-string that I could use!

I have always loved this song and was really pleased that I could put this together. I'm glad you liked this Fred!

- Glenn

KevWind · #14 04-22-2019, 06:56 AM

Love this tune

So I'm guessing you are monitoring thru speakers and just letting the bleed be part of the sound ?

Glennwillow · #15 04-22-2019, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KevWind

Love this tune

So I'm guessing you are monitoring thru speakers and just letting the bleed be part of the sound ?

Hi Kev!

Yes, in general I have found that I prefer to monitor through the room speakers rather than wear headphones. The only time that I typically wear headphones is when I am singing harmony with my lead vocal, and even then, I have to have one ear listening in the room to be sure that I stay on pitch. In this particular song, I did actually sing harmony without headphones and with the load vocal coming over the room speaker but at a fairly low level. I really needed to hear myself in the room on this particular harmony.

For the bass and electric guitar, there is no bleed because no microphones are involved. I lay out the drum track first and then I use that drum track at low levels over the room speakers to play along with on the first guitar and vocal live recording. I turn off the subwoofer in the room to avoid too much bass coloration and that helps. The subwoofer has a very convenient foot switch to cut it out for quick comparison purposes. The recording microphones are all fairly directional, all cardioid or cardioid settings, and that helps, too. The actual amount of drum sound in the first guitar and vocal is actually very little when I listen to those tracks solo.

I'm glad you thought this came out okay. Thanks for commenting here Kev!

- Glenn