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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2019 6:46:51 GMT -5
Your ratings for Anna Lee, The Healer (A Cappella): 1-0 vote 2-2 votes 3-0 vote 4-5 votes 5-10 votes
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2019 6:47:55 GMT -5
Today's track is Little Bird (Back Track):
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Post by tomtomplayboy on Jan 17, 2019 10:47:11 GMT -5
5/5
Along with Be Here in the Mornin', the best of the Friends backing tracks. The musical invention on display is incredible, especially considering this was Dennis's first officially released song. Sure, Brian helped him out, but even so, it's an amazing achievement.
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Post by craigslowinski on Jan 17, 2019 11:01:14 GMT -5
I have always loved "Ana Lee": music, lyrics, everything. 5 out of 5. With you all the way Craig. This one had me right from when I first heard it in about 1978 or 79 (I’m guessing) on a twofer LP set paired with Wild Honey, which I still have, downstairs somewhere. The lyrics are fine to my ears, no more oddball than Busy Doin’ Nothing or, perhaps closer in theme, Marcella - if Brian can write about his masseuse, then why not some hippy healer?! And the harmonies are just exquisite. The voices blend beautifully, and many of the vowels and consonants of the lyrics seem ideally placed to showcase that blend off to perfection. Love the Rishikesh reference too. Anyone know how the songwriting credits are split with this one? Rishikesh would have been on Mike’s radar for sure but the healing hands of Anna Lee just might have had more appeal for Brian. Me, too...first heard it on the twofer LP in the summer of '78! As for the songwriter's royalty split, it's 50/50 for this one (guessing Mike wrote all the lyrics and Brian all the music), whereas "Meant For You" is 70/30 in Brian's favor (probably because he wrote the puppy and pony lyrics).
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Post by filledeplage on Jan 17, 2019 11:05:20 GMT -5
Today's track is Little Bird (Back Track): Loved this from the get-go! 5!
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Post by John Manning on Jan 17, 2019 13:44:02 GMT -5
Back in 1978 when I was listening to my vinyl two-fer I kinda dismissed Little Bird as “a song about a bird”.
Even when I became a little Dennis-obsessed a while later, this wasn’t one of my fave Dennis tracks; maybe the mix was a little muddy too, I dunno; I’d have to take it off the shelf and give it a spin to check. And compared to so much of his other material, I still don’t think it sounds that “Dennisy”. Beyond that I didn’t give it much thought.
This backing track, however, clear as a bell and all those layers revealed, has brought me belatedly to the conclusion that it’s one of the most important post-Smile efforts the band put together and I’m thinking it must be 80% Brian at least.
In fact, it seems to me to be a direct descendant of the Surf’s Up sessions, far beyond that “Child…” horn wail. The bass pattern in the verse - the single note under the words “up,” looked”, “a”, “of” instead of where you’d expect it on “bird “on” “tree” “down “sang” etc … so like the SU verses. There’s probably a technical term for it, I dunno…
There are other similarities I’d only describe just as badly, including a tinkling, high-pitched, triangle-like instrument at about 60 seconds in – maybe a glockenspiel? - very brief but reminiscent of that in the SU verses, though it’s lower in the mix and until I can hear it through headphones I can’t be sure whether it’s playing a similarly shimmering descending melody or just a single repeated note. Beautiful either way.
Love the horns too, real beefy despite them being understated.
And man, that banjo is delectable!
6 out of 5.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2019 14:07:07 GMT -5
I gave the Little Bird backing track a 5, it's marvelous.
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Post by catbirdman on Jan 17, 2019 14:49:33 GMT -5
In fact, it seems to me to be a direct descendant of the Surf’s Up sessions, far beyond that “Child…” horn wail. The bass pattern in the verse - the single note under the words “up,” looked”, “a”, “of” instead of where you’d expect it on “bird “on” “tree” “down “sang” etc … so like the SU verses. There’s probably a technical term for it, I dunno… Yes, there is, it's called sync-o-pation!! Come on dears, syncopate it! The bass plays on the "and" of the beat, instead of the downbeat, which I suppose could be considered syncopation as it's an unexpected emphasis. And a wonderful one. Yes, the same thing happens on the Surf's Up verse. Another similar example (not as effective I would say) is the "You Are My Sunshine" verse. I'm sure we could cite many others.
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Post by Vale on Jan 17, 2019 17:01:17 GMT -5
5. This track is outstanding. I like it very very much, probably my favorite in these copyright extension releases.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2019 17:11:45 GMT -5
5 for little bird backing track. The song progresses in an unusual way...it feels a bit Smile-esque with the varying instrumentation in each section. And the muted trumpet of course.
Favorite section is when the cello comes in following the “what a day” lines
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Post by John Manning on Jan 18, 2019 1:49:57 GMT -5
In fact, it seems to me to be a direct descendant of the Surf’s Up sessions, far beyond that “Child…” horn wail. The bass pattern in the verse - the single note under the words “up,” looked”, “a”, “of” instead of where you’d expect it on “bird “on” “tree” “down “sang” etc … so like the SU verses. There’s probably a technical term for it, I dunno… I never even noticed that! The horn flourish in the "where's my pretty bird" bridge always sounded very Surf's Up to me too. So much to love about this arrangement. Yes! That was another similarity I’d meant to point out!
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Post by monolithic on Jan 18, 2019 4:25:55 GMT -5
I think that this (and the later Be With Me) are certainly superior as backing tracks to the completed versions.
A 4.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2019 10:31:18 GMT -5
Your ratings for Little Bird (Back Track): 1-0 vote 2-0 vote 3-0 vote 4-3 votes 5-14 votes
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2019 10:32:39 GMT -5
Today's track is Little Bird (A Cappella):
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Post by filledeplage on Jan 18, 2019 10:40:24 GMT -5
F-I-V-E!
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Post by John Manning on Jan 18, 2019 11:10:41 GMT -5
The highest five in Fivesville.
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Post by Vale on Jan 18, 2019 15:39:50 GMT -5
Another 5 for me! If you mix the two tracks together you’ll find out a very unique version of Little Bird.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2019 15:56:04 GMT -5
5 - I absolutely love hearing the a capella and backing tracks separately, makes me appreciate the whole that much more.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2019 5:09:12 GMT -5
I gave both a cappella and instrumental versions of Little Bird 5/5.
This is another song where I strongly recommend you all to mix the vocal-only track with the backing track. With additional trumpet, the song sounds even more fantastic and clear.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2019 5:10:09 GMT -5
Your ratings for Little Bird (A Cappella): 1-0 vote 2-0 vote 3-0 vote 4-3 votes 5-10 votes
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2019 5:13:39 GMT -5
Today's song is Be Still (Alternate Take with Session Excerpt):
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Post by g00dvibrations on Jan 19, 2019 7:10:14 GMT -5
I've never thought that much of Be Still, in that its nice but there isn't much happening. Still, I quite like how the organ is a bit quieter here.
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Post by monolithic on Jan 19, 2019 8:03:01 GMT -5
A 2.
The official version is possibly the weakest song on the album and this is one of the lesser outtakes.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2019 10:32:30 GMT -5
Sorry but honestly, I've got to give this a 1. It's a boring song that goes nowhere.
I appreciate Dennis' "sensitive" side, but I like his rockers even better.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2019 5:09:46 GMT -5
Your Be Still (Alternate Take with Session Excerpt): 1-1 vote 2-2 votes 3-2 votes 4-2 votes 5-4 votes
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