I've Got The Blues From All The Bad "Folsom Prison Blues" Covers

I try not to get too mad about things I can't control in pop culture.  I realize that modern music has gone to crap.  I accept that.  However, as a musician I can't stand it when someone covers a song, and gets the whole concept of it wrong.

Case in point, "Folsom Prison Blues," by Johnny Cash.  For those who don't know the song, listen to this.

Just so you know that this song can be done differently, here it is live.

So you can hear it's a little more upbeat in it's live version.  However, the mood is still dark.

Then you get crap from American Idol like this:

Really asshole?  I mean, Johnny Cash would shoot you in Hollywood just to keep you from playing his song like that.  What the Hell man?  Instead of solemn and sad, it's completely upbeat and exciting.  This guy isn't the only one to do this.

It's not just men.  Women can screw it up too.  I mean, do you not know what it means to "shoot a man in Reno?"  It's nothing to get happy about!

So I know what you might be saying/thinking, "Well, after a few years I'm sure Johnny Cash changed it up so as to make it more upbeat or different.  Well check this out from Johnny Cash near the end of his career:

Still, 40 years later, it's not that different from his live version all those years later.

Still, I see it in local bands when playing out.  I don't want to name names of amateurs, but I've seen too many try to play "Folsom Prison" fast, upbeat, and all happy like.  It's just very irritating.  Actually, I saw one guy play it with so much gain, I thought he was trying to play something from Social Distortion.  In other words, these guys:

It actually reminds me of something someone did to R.E.M.'s "Losing my Religion."  The guy, I should call him a genius, never changed a lyric, a beat, or the instruments.  He only changed one note from a minor to a major, and completely changed the song.  Really, listen to this.

See what going from a minor key to a major key will do?  It changes everything!  And that's the point I am making with all these "artists" screwing up Johnny Cash's best known song.

The only band I've ever known to sing it upbeat, and get it right is the Gin Blossoms.

I think the reason they got it right is they have the Tempe, Az. sort of rock going on.  They also sing songs about being depressed so it kind of fits right in with what they're doing. 

In closing I want to say that I understand trying to make a song your own.  But just destroying it to force it in your style is just too much.  Better yet, if you are going to sing karaoke, just skip "Folsom Prison Blues."

Who The F--- Is This Guy!

The following story is absolutely true.  In fact, true stories are better than made up ones because you just can't make up the weirdness that is real life.  Right now I am writing this in the morning, and I haven't been to sleep all night.  I am too wired from the weirdness that has happened to me.  Since all this is true, I will use real names.  If anyone has a problem with it, I would like to say that telling the truth is not against the law.

It started out innocently enough.  A local singer that I like named Anna Gavin posted on Facebook that she was playing Sacred Grounds Coffee House tonight.  In fact, here is her exact post.

Anna Gavin: "So if your not doing anything tonight, you should come hear me pour my heart out on stage at Sacred Grounds Coffee shop. If you play guitar bring it and sing me a song!"

Sounds great huh?  No harm there.  Just an artist who wanted people to come out and see her perform right?  So I responded with this:

Adrian:  That's great Anna! You can do that song called "Suicide" that's not about suicide. I totally get what you mean about that "AWKWARD" feeling running into the "ex." You didn't say when you were going on. I'll definitely bring a guitar if requested. Big hugs.

She didn't get back to me, but then again I figured she was on her way to Sacred Grounds.  When I get there she is happy to see me, and gives me a hug. 

I want to say right now that Anna is an extremely kind person.  When I first started playing open mic nights, I was downright awful.  But Anna was really nice to me, and told me to keep on trying and I would get better.  She gave me great encouragement to keep playing.

Anyway, I told her that her song "Suicide" is great, and how I totally related to everything she said in that song.  It really isn't about suicide.  It's about showing up to a place where your Ex is, and how it's suicide if you go, or suicide if you stay.  In other words there's no good choice.  If you stay you will be miserable.  If you go you will have let your Ex dictate your life. 

I was hoping it would be on her reverbnation page, but I'm sure it's going to be on her new album.  That's why she doesn't have it posted yet.  But give her a listen.  She's amazing.

http://www.reverbnation.com/annagavin

Anyways, I get back to the house, flip on the computer, and see this comment under her post:

Gary Osbourne:  Who the fuck is this guy?

First I think, "He's not talking about me is he?"  Then I think, "Why would he be worried about me?"  Then I remember, that's Anna's boyfriend.  I check her regular Facebook page, and see something wrong.  She says she is single.  What?

On Thursday at 9:02PM she changed her status to "single."  As in two days ago.  This made me think, "Uh oh." 

I look at Gary's feed, and I see someone post this:

Jordan:  Hows your relationship counseling going? Lmao!

Gary's reply to that:  Suck it jordan

That conversation was on Feb. 19th.  I guess things hadn't been going so good for the not so happy couple.  So I guess what happened was this.  They broke up two days ago.  I then post that I'll be happy to come see her, bring my guitar, and that she should do her break-up song.  I can't blame Gary for being mad.  It does look rather odd even though nothing has gone on between Anna and I.  In fact, before last night, I hadn't even talked to her for months. 

I just picture Gary as an angry Jason Lee (as Brody) from Mallrats.

Any guy who does the "Who the fuck is this guy?" is great in my book.  Oh, and here's the strange thing.  Even though him and Anna are broken up, his picture on Facebook is of him and Anna together.  Awkward.

I'm Gonna Have To Step Up My Musicial Game

I had a "Dewey Cox" moment earlier this evening.  For those who don't know, I'm referring to the movie "Walk Hard, the Dewey Cox Story."  Early on in Dewey's career, he was on a tour that had a lot of musicians.  Think of it as a modern day mini Ozzfest.  Back then, they had the same format as they do today.  You would have the lesser known musicians open up, and the bigger stars would be the headliners.  And of course, the headliners go on last.  But in one weird night, Dewey Cox had something kind of strange happen to him.

Here's the youtube link.  Note: Go to the 50 second mark to see what I'm talking about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llGzo9fGcdk

Due to Elvis wanting to get out of there early, the line-up order changes from The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and then Dewey Cox.  Dewey then becomes the headliner, and it puts him in a very bad prediciment.  It's called getting upstaged, and it isn't a good thing for the headliner.

Here's an example.  Motley Crue were kicked off multiple tours because they upstaged the headliners early in their career.  Now, I should point out that the official reason they were kicked off tours was that The Crue were making too much trouble and being too rowdy.  However, they were putting on a better show than the headliners, and the headliners didn't like that.

So how does this relate to Dewey Cox you ask?  Well, tonight I went to open mic night at Sacred Grounds Coffee House.  I got there a little later than most, so the sign up sheet was mostly filled up.  The earlier you show up, the earlier you can sign up, and you get to choose when you play.  I showed up later than a lot of the musicians, so I signed up at the best available spot.  In this case, every spot from 9:00 PM to 11:30 was taken.  So I signed up at 11:45. 

This is where it got weird.  At 11:00, one of the most talented musicians at Sacred Grounds, James M. (I will protect his identity here on the Internet) when on.  Then at 11:15, a wonderful songstress named Jenna when on.  Then to top it off, one of the most popular (and talented) musicians, Jonny J. went on.  Jonny does make his profile public on Reverbnation.  Here is his band:

http://www.reverbnation.com/algorhythmsky

So here I am.  It's 11:45.  I am going on after three incredible musicians.  I am Dewey Cox in this moment.  But I did the only thing I could do.  I rocked.  When I played last week, I didn't perform that well.  While the songs I performed were my own and good for a coffee shop, they were tough on my limited vocal range.  So I decided to do three of my more rocking songs that are also easier on my vocal range. 

So I cranked up my amp, and cut loose.  I'm not bragging, but I think I held my own.  In fact, I still think out of the four of us that went on that hour, I came in fourth.  But, I can at least say not by much.  Again, I think I held my own.  But I will say, I really don't want to have that kind of Dewey Cox moment for a while.