Song a Day #1
I joined a cover band a little over a year ago. Covers have never been my thing, preferring to stick to poorly attended originals shows only.
First thing I figured out was that I didn't really know how to learn songs. I knew enough and had enough skill to get the job technically done, but that was it!
To learn-learn each was some huge amount of work. Lotta time. So I naturally read articles etc., and I found the answer, which is the same answer for everything: the more you do it the easier it gets/ learn by doing.
The stuff I was doing was the same stuff the folks who seemed right did, so I kept at all that, now righteously. I aslo asked a friend of mine who performs cover gigs professionally what chart system he uses, since there are apps and systems out there. He uses pdf's via Word. This simplicity spoke to me, so I adapted his form a bit and was off.
So what does 50+ songs charted look like (after I got asked to fill-in with another cover band)? What a difference!
Today's song is "Gettin' By" by Jerry Jeff Walker. It's off his live album, Viva Terlingua, but it does not sound all that live. It does sound like they cut it live in the studio, though.
Interestingly it's in 2/2, which means everything comes at you really quickly. It's fun to play once you have the chords outlined. The whole thing just kind of guides you from one part to the next, until you're done. The lyrics are brilliant, fitting the feel and the intent of the song. It's about being a lucky idiot, and this is something that touches me deeply.
Why should you learn this song?
It will help you with a bunch of other songs. A friend wrote a song in this form called "(These Things Remind Me of) Houston." I loved it, and since I was in his band/ learned it, I own the basic form, including all the bass runs. I've used it a lot in the last 12 years.
Makes you think. Years later you can just spit it all right back out. Crazy.
In addition to "Houston," and "Gettin' By," parts of the form and runs are also kin to the huge hit off this same record, "London Homesick Blues." Incidentally, if you live in Austin, Texas, and you do not love this song deeply, just don't say anything. Keep it to yourself.
Happy to share the chart if you're interested.