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#1
08-02-2019, 09:04 AM
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Looking for additions to my setlist
I have a pretty big repertoire (493 songs at last count). Despite having plenty of material, I’m always looking for new stuff to learn. I get tired of what I already know and always feel the need to add something novel. Can I ask you guys to make some suggestions?
To add a couple qualifiers: I’m not looking to add the stuff that people expect to hear; I already have a pretty good list of songs that I never want to play again. It can be popular, just not something that can be heard at every open mic. Genre doesn’t really matter; it can be jazz, country, folk, classic rock, pop, bluegrass, blues... Surprise me!
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Mike 2018 Furch D31TSR 2008 Martin OMCRE 1992 Takamine EAN20C 1996 Fender Telecaster w/ Barden Nashville set 1986 Charvel Model 5 2005 Art & Lutherie Ami 1980ish Hohner copy of a 'burst 
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#3
08-03-2019, 08:24 AM
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 Seriously, this is an impossible question: "popular, just not something that can be heard at every open mic" - covers a whole lot of ground. And "popular" with who? Who are these people who are "expecting" to hear it? I go to a few open mics here in S.W. London, and the audiences are different at each one just around here. Different ages, different tastes. Some are just drinkers who haven't come for the music anyway.
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"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen.
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#4
08-03-2019, 08:31 AM
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A little-known song (deserving of being better known) that's stuck with me is "The Geese are Flying Westward" by Bill Fay.
The Geese Are Flying Westward Here's one that's been covered once or twice, but it fun to play: "My Name is Carnival" by Jackson C. Frank (who is known now solely for having written "Blues Run the Game"). Original with solo acoustic guitar My Name is Carnival (original recording) Rockin' cover with a full band from a few years back Erland and the Carnival do the tune that named the band Sparse cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ye1suKbctw
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----------------------------------- Creator of The Parlando Project Guitars: 20th Century Seagull S6-12, S6 Folk, Seagull M6; '00 Guild JF30-12, '01 Martin 00-15, '16 Martin 000-17, '07 Parkwood PW510, Epiphone Biscuit resonator, Merlin Dulcimer, and various electric guitars, basses....
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#5
08-03-2019, 10:12 AM
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The only notion of a popular aspect I can think of is now-obscure songs from (once) popular artists. Castles In The Air - Don McClean Sebastian or John Henry Bosworth - Noel Paul Stookey Those Were The Days - Mary Hopkin Suzanne - Judy Collins version (written by Leonard Cohen)
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#6
08-03-2019, 10:21 AM
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Thanks Jon, I have many songs on my list that most of my audiences have never heard before. I play in many different places, so the audience always changes, hence the big list. I guess “popular - just not too expected” could be described as NY’s “Tell Me Why”, but not “Heart of Gold”, VM’s “Astral Weeks”, but not “Brown Eyed Girl”. Also, I like to play songs that don’t immediately scream acoustic guitar arrangement (ex. H&O’s “Rich Girl”, Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” or Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes”). I try to insert a sense of humour, so I’ll do “It’s Not Easy Being Green” or a mashup of “Stairway to Heaven” and “Hit Me Baby, One More Time”. I like songs by great songwriters like Jimmy Webb, Leon Russell, Jesse Winchester, Jason Isbell and Guy Clark. I love when I see someone in the audience nod to acknowledge a song they haven’t heard in ages and have forgotten they loved. At various times in my life, I’ve been a metalhead, a new wave fan, a jazz snob, a grunge follower, a bluegrass student and an indie rock gem miner. I’m looking to satisfy myself first and I really hope the audience comes along for the ride. I always play a handful of originals and most of my audience will have never heard them at all. I guess my priorities are: 1. You love it 2. It’s an interesting song (lyrics and/or music) 3. It’s not too obvious or too obscure 4. At some point you’ve heard an audience respond Fire away, I’m not expecting every suggestion to hit the mark, but I’m sure some will. Hope I haven’t scared you off; I always find your contributions here quite valuable.
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Mike 2018 Furch D31TSR 2008 Martin OMCRE 1992 Takamine EAN20C 1996 Fender Telecaster w/ Barden Nashville set 1986 Charvel Model 5 2005 Art & Lutherie Ami 1980ish Hohner copy of a 'burst
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#7
08-03-2019, 10:26 AM
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Thank you. This is exactly what I’m looking for.
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Mike 2018 Furch D31TSR 2008 Martin OMCRE 1992 Takamine EAN20C 1996 Fender Telecaster w/ Barden Nashville set 1986 Charvel Model 5 2005 Art & Lutherie Ami 1980ish Hohner copy of a 'burst
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#8
08-03-2019, 10:37 AM
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I love these. My wife is going to be so happy that I’m learning new sad songs.
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Mike 2018 Furch D31TSR 2008 Martin OMCRE 1992 Takamine EAN20C 1996 Fender Telecaster w/ Barden Nashville set 1986 Charvel Model 5 2005 Art & Lutherie Ami 1980ish Hohner copy of a 'burst
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#9
08-03-2019, 10:46 AM
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It might be a difficult question, but you’ve done very well in your answer.
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Mike 2018 Furch D31TSR 2008 Martin OMCRE 1992 Takamine EAN20C 1996 Fender Telecaster w/ Barden Nashville set 1986 Charvel Model 5 2005 Art & Lutherie Ami 1980ish Hohner copy of a 'burst
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#10
08-03-2019, 11:24 AM
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Nope, I'm not getting sucked in to that particular rabbit-hole, either!
YOU know what you like and what style you play... so, play anything you want! I will say that I always like to to cover a song that is "outside the norm" of what folks might expect to hear from one guitarist/vocalist... I if roll into some place and hear a guy doing a credible version of a Steely Dan tune, that's gonna catch my ear, because I KNOW how difficult their stuff can be to play and sing at the same time! Be bold enough to be different while still maintaining whatever you feel is the integrity/point of the song for you... although "Shock Value" can be effective at times! I stopped playing stuff, decades ago, that I did not fully love and believe in... there's too much great music to waste it playing regurgitated uninspired versions of Popular hits... So I play songs that I REALLY like, that "speak to me" or say something that seems right... not all syrupy stuff at all... just great songs that I feel I do justice to...
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"Home is where I hang my hat, but home is so much more than that. Home is where the ones and the things I hold dear are near... And I always find my way back home." "Home" (working title) J.S, Sherman
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#11
08-03-2019, 12:24 PM
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Hi jseth, You have described my needs to a T. If you’re willing, add some examples of what YOU love to play - “great songs that you feel you do justice to...” I’ve already done this many times over and I’m sure I will again - just looking for some inspiration and maybe direction down a road I haven’t yet travelled. This rabbit hole isn’t that bad, I promise.
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Mike 2018 Furch D31TSR 2008 Martin OMCRE 1992 Takamine EAN20C 1996 Fender Telecaster w/ Barden Nashville set 1986 Charvel Model 5 2005 Art & Lutherie Ami 1980ish Hohner copy of a 'burst
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#12
08-03-2019, 02:32 PM
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If that were always the case,I'd have to stay at home be unable able to play out, which I really enjoy doing.Many of the "syruppy" tunes are beloved.And most audiences wish to hear them. I realize this has to do with one's talent level and proficiency as a musician.As my former guitar teacher stated eloquently:"Gabe,you do have talent, but don't quit your day job!" Gabe
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#13
08-03-2019, 07:06 PM
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Your Bright Baby Blues. J Browne
Long Walk Home. B Springsteen Long May You Run. N Young Deal. J Garcia Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season. J Buffet And it Stoned Me. V Morrison
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Bob https://on.soundcloud.com/ZaWP https://youtube.com/channel/UCqodryotxsHRaT5OfYy8Bdg
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#14
08-04-2019, 12:51 AM
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Less known songs by popular artists:
1. Bob Dylan - instead of yet another cover of Blowin' in the Wind or Knockin' on Heaven's Door, play Buckets of Rain or You're a Big Girl Now. 2. Skynyrd - instead of Freebird, Sweet Home or Gimme Three Steps play Ballad of Curtis Lowe. 3. Neil Young - really? Heart of Gold? Try Captain Kennedy or Pocahontas. To hear new music you need to explore new artists, or better yet old artists that are never played on commercial radio. Give a listen to Robert Earl Keen, James McMurtry, Slaid Cleaves, Greg Brown...Joe Pug, Jeffery Martin, Justin Townes Earle. Another great resource is good old Pandora. While listening to one artist you may get exposed to someone else you never would have heard otherwise like Kurt Fortmeyer or Chris Knight.
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#15
08-04-2019, 11:56 AM
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Okay...
One of the new tunes I've worked up is a solo-blues arrangement of "Trans-Island Skyway", from the Donald Fagen record, Kamakiriad... it's basically a very hip "car" song that translates to a nice blues groove (tricky vamp to keep going!) in E7; the chorus departs, of course (It IS Steely Dan harmony,after all!), but it's doable... and I'll segue from that into a couple of the verses from Chuck Berry's "You Can't Catch Me"... then either back to finish the first tune or into something else... I've always been proud of being able to "pull off" Stevie Wonder's song, "Another Star", on solo voice and 12 string guitar... the double courses of the 12 string give enough weight to the bottom end that I can achieve that opening latin bass groove... using "stop" chording, easy enough to play a few lines over the changes for a bit of a solo... and I ALWAYS love singing Stevie Wonder's songs; our vocal ranges "match up" kindasorta.... When I take on songs like these, it becomes a lot like "rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time"; take some concentration and repetitive effort to get the whole thing to be seamless and smooth, the way I want it... As I've gotten older, certain "classic" songs, whether jazz, folk, blues, rock, what-have-you, have taken on different meanings to me, and I'll adjust tempos or keys or grooves to fit "who I am" now... Good example, "Lodi", by John Fogarty (Creedence Clearwater Revival). When that tune came out in the early 70's, I was scuffling and struggling to find my own way as a songwriter and singer, tring to sell songs to various companies in LA... and, of course, everything Fogarty put out was instantly a "hit" (which was very much the point of the biz back then). So I heard Lodi, and thought, "Great... another hit for you guys, but I ain't playing that game...". Now, decades later, Lodi (a town with which I am familiar) represents more of my own life's journey with this thing called music and songwriting... I've been there, I've played rooms like that, towns like that... so it's a deeper meaning for me, and one that isn't truly represented by the "Pop-y" feel of the original. So I slowed it WAY DOWN, more of a slow gospel feel... check out Ry Cooder's version of "Dark End Of The Street" from a late 70's YT video... and the song really puts across the feel that it gives to me... of course, it makes it a bit dark to play for folks, so I make sure not to put two together that are similar! With artists/composers that I love, many times there will be a number of their tunes that seem to "fit"; that continue or extend a feeling or storyline. I'll merge one song with another into another... NOT a "medley" per se, but more full versions of the tunes. Both Van Morrison and Bob Dylan are easy ones to "connect", but there are many times when a song of mine works with another which works with another, and I'll bridge them to tell a fuller story. There you go! Be creative, expand your song/music listening base of operations, PAY ATTENTION to what you hear and what you're feeling... and keep having fun with it! If you ain't growing and having fun, you may as well pack it in...
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"Home is where I hang my hat, but home is so much more than that. Home is where the ones and the things I hold dear are near... And I always find my way back home." "Home" (working title) J.S, Sherman
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