Songs to Learn

This picture has NOTHING to do with what follows... but I just couldn't help myself.
The pic takes you to the site of some of my future purchases, I am sure.

Okay, I think I may be going senile. I come back to this log time and again and I recall things I write here ... some of the time. WIth that in mind, AND, knowing that I have a long list of songs to learn, I'm going to be Senor Slackamundo and write that list here - this will serve multiple purposes, so this should make any efficiency experts happy:

1. I will have my list of "to learn" songs typed out in a format that will allow repeated printings - I have been using paper to make these lists in times past. The simple fact is that I often misplace these lists or flat out lose them. This, in turn, requires me to write the list down again. I swear - I have written about 20 "to learn" lists in the past month or two. Sad. Very sad. But now, I can just come to my blog and print them off.
2. It will give you adoring (and not so adoring) readers out there a small glimpse into what I play... and feel free to make suggestions to add to the list - when I get famous (yeah, right), you just might get to hear me play it JUST FOR YOU. Nice, yeah?
3. Since I keep coming back here all the damned time, I'll have to read the list again and again, thus prompting me to actually go about learning them.
4. It doubles as my blog entry. This is a good one. A major one really - I had nothing else when I started it.

So, here you go - feel free to make comments and complaints as desired - I'm open to all kinds of input... musically, at least:

• Dave Matthews : Say Goodbye - this one really requires a percussionist and would do well with a band... and there are very few people who can make a song about a one night affair between friends, friends who have significant others, and make it sound like a REALLY good idea.
  
• Ben Harper : Walk Away - simple tune... only he makes it hard to play and sing with his offbeat vocals. Or maybe I'm just not that good. Hmm... could be. Played it last night and it came out... okay. Not great. Needs work. The little hottie girl that requested I learned it gave me big hugs and a kiss... hmm, maybe there really IS something to this being a musician thing. Girl had ghetto-booty, for real... mm.. where was I? oh yes...
  
• Ben Harper : Burn One Down - a band. I need a band... really, this means I need a drummer, bass player, and a percussionist... a keyboard player would be just too sweet, but who am I kidding? It's hard enough finding a bass player who can play funky AND rockin'.
  
• Jack Johnson : Taylor - you know, Taylor WAS a good girl... last time I checked, anyway.
  
• Simon & Garfunkel : Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover - I can already envision this funked up version of it... dammit, I REALLY need a percussion section and funk bass master.
  
• Simon & Garfunkel : American Tune - I just like that song. So sue me. Well, first go get high, then listen to the song, THEN see if you still WANT to sue me.
• Jimi Hendrix : All Along the Watchtower - Well, yeah. I know it's a Dylan song... but Jimi's version is the sh1t!
• Kenny Wayne Shepherd : Blue on Black - and why not? Oh, that's right... we need that drummer thing..
  
• Gram Parsons : 1000 Dollar Wedding - come to think of it, when he wrote it, a thousand dollar wedding was a BIG to-do. Nowadays it gets you a justice of the peace, some finger sammiches, a dj with an iPod, and beer - unless you KNOW people who can give you the hookup.. for real. Weddings are DANG expensive.
• Extreme : More Than Words - hey, the chicks LOVE this song. It's really not THAT difficult a song, so long as you have the vocals for it
  
• Elton John : Funeral For a Friend - did I mention needing a keyboardist?
  
• Led Zeppelin : Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You - of course... who the hell could actually SING it like my man, Robert Plant? Damn. Guess I'll just stick to the Paul Simon and Ben Harper type material
• Led Zeppelin : Immigrant Song - that song always gets the blood pumping. Can't help it. Even I feel like I am descended of Vikings when I hear it.
• Tenacious D : Tribute - I can play it. I can sing Jack's part. I can even do that scat bit in the middle... I just need someone else to play it with so we can do that harmony and the scat thing in the middle of the song - it really makes the song. That, plus drums... and bass... You're getting tired of hearing me bitch and moan about not having a bass player or a drummer by now, aren't you? Well, imagine how tired I am of not having one. What Would Jesus Do without a bass player? He'd bitch about it to... only then he could split the heavens and make one, right? Dammit. Wish I were Jesus. He had 12 dudes backing HIM up... that's like a whole rhythm section PLUS he's got a whole horn section and, hell, a whole choir to do backup vocals for HIM...
  
• Blake Shelton : Rednecks of the Free World ( or something like that) - It's some medley like song someone asked me to learn. That's definitely not the right title... it's a country song. That's why I don't know the title - I usually don't do country...
  
• Sublime : Santeria - no problem. Been bugged by too many people to learn some Sublime... so I might as well learn one, right?
  
• Sublime : other stuff - well if I only had a horn section to go with that bass, percussionist, drummer, and keyboard... man, I'd be SET. And I've really, REALLY been hit up for Sublime... so people like 'em, right?
  
• 311 : Beautiful Disaster - yeah. Again with the drummer thing. Dammit.
  
• Prince : Alphabet Street - my sister, Ant-i, would DEFINITELY appreciate this.
• Prince : Let's Go Crazy - "... dearly beloved... we are gathered here today to get through this thing called LIFE.... electric word life, it means forever and that's a mighty long time, but I'm HERE TO TELL YOU... there's something else.. (keyboard roll) .. the Afterworld... a world of never-ending happines... You can always see the sun... day... or night... so if you call up that shrink in Beverly Hills, you know the one, Dr. Everything'll-Be-All-Right,... instead of asking him how much of you time is left... ask him how much of your mind, baby... Cause in this life, things are much HARDER than in the afterworld... in this life...? You're on your own!!! . . . And if the elevator tries to bring you, go CRAZY. Punch to a higher floor" ... Need I say more?
• Bob Dylan : lots of stuff - people keep asking for it. Who am I to argue with them? Besides, the man could plain f**kin write some lyrics and music.
• Phish : Y.E.M. - If I can play this song at anywhere NEAR the speed Trey does, then I will consider myself to finally be a GOOD guitarist. Until then, I consider myself lucky that I have a decent voice and can play a middling guitar. Yeah, most musicians I know always talk down on their abilities and always talk about this cat or that dude who can "flat out play". We are usually our own worst critics. But I promise to consider myself "GOOD", as opposed to just "DECENT" when I can play this song. Promise.
• Grateful Dead : Sugar Magnolia - always a good song for dancing
• Black Crowes : Remedy - if we only had some "Blackup singers". Hey, I think that's an industry term, so back off...
  
• something by Matchbox 20 - again, it's all for the wimmins...
  
• something by Three Doors Down - "the chicks dig it"
  
• Johnny Cash : Ring of Fire - You just can't do without the Man in Black... albeit I pictured a very, VERY funked up version of this song
• The Gourds : Gin & Juice - A lot of people seem to think Phish did this cover of the Snoop Dogg tune. I'm here to testify to you that, FOR A FACT, it was NOT Phish. It was this not well known group, the Gourds. I have the CD. I won a 100 dollar bet that it was NOT Phish. Well, 100 bucks worth of drinks. Collecting it all was a lot of fun, if messy, and painful in the morning after...
• Doug Powell : Your Mom - comedian out of Baltimore, methinks. Funny cat... always meant to write a 'yo mama' song but he beat me to the punch... and did a find job of it. Click the link and check it out. If you live in the area, go check him out live. Tell him Wop sent you.... he will then look at you and say, "Who the hell is Wop?" as if he doesn't know me.... well, it's cause he really doesn't... whatever. Go check it out. That's a Wopter's orders.
  
• Bloodhound Gang : some song about a Lap Dance or other - dunno the title... I'll ask Kirk
• and, of course, I guess I should really learn to play all the songs I wrote, eh? Well... there are dozens there... dammit.
  

And while we speak, there is RECORDING happening... CD to come within the next few months, we hope... at least a demo version...

Will keep you posted... get it, posted... aw hell.. never mind.
.
.
3.16 update:

• Santana : Smooth - this song is exactly what the title says it is. Santana. That man can "flat out play"
• Santana : Black Magic Woman - suuuure, it's so "done". It's also so very Santana

3.21 update:

• John Prine : not sure which song - but people keep asking for some Prine... there must be something out there, right?
• Rolling Stones : Sympathy For the Devil - we can already hear the arrangement in our minds... unfortunately, it includes a funky bass and a mad percussionist... dammit, can a brother get a rhythm section PLEASE?
• Grateful Dead : Scarlet Begonias - yet another crowd favorite. You can hate the Dead all you want, but some of their stuff is just good.
• The Wallflowers : 6th Avenue Heartache - the same black line that was drawn on you, was drawn on me, and not it's drawn me in... just like this damned song.

.
.