Busking Roy Orbison

dennisg
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 1:58 pm

Want to know how to ruin your throat? Watch this video for all the details.

This is one of those cases where the execution didn't quite live up to the fantasy. At least, not up to the fantasy I had at 5:00 A.M. this morning as I was driving to the gym and heard this song come on the radio. I thought, Hey, that'd make a good busking video! What I discovered is that this song is impossible for me to sing in standard E-to-E tuning, and only slightly less impossible in D-to-D tuning.

Roy Orbison is known primarily for three things: 1) his dark, schmaltzy songs (of which this is a great example); 2) his presence in the supergroup The Traveling Wilburys (he died shortly after the release of their first album); and 3) his acting role in what has to be the worst movie ever made -- "The Fastest Guitar Alive." Get this storyline: a Confederate soldier travels around with his guitar that shoots bullets, and steals gold from the San Francisco mint in order to aid the Confederacy. Trust me, it's worse than it sounds.

Speaking of which, there's my video. You can hear that I was breezing along fairly competently, then started to lose my voice in the last verse. This is one of those cases where I simply couldn't do another take in order to fix my vocal crackup. I had nothing left. In fact, my throat surgeon would be shocked that I even attempted this.

This will not be on my open-mic set list.



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Music Junkie
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 2:51 pm

Dennis:

Nice job! You are a bit hard on yourself as far as the singing goes. But then we always notice those things more ourselves.... ;)

Nice picking and strumming mixes in there.

Out of curiosity, how are you set up for recording? I heard you say that you plugged the Taylor in, but Where does your vocal mic go? Are both plugged into the Roland amp, or do you go through a mixer of some sort and then mix down? I really enjoy the sound quality you get for both guitar and vocals.... :)

Thanks for sharing this classic, and also thanks for the warning about the movie..... :P

J


tovo
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:06 pm

When I'm asked my opinion on the finest voice I have ever heard, I answer Roy Orbison. What a gift. In covering such a tough song Den, you have done a cracking job. Nothing but admiration here. I actually thught you got better as it got tougher. Cindy was walking around the house and commented "gee he chose a tough song whoever it is". You sure did but you did it so very well as is usual.


michelew
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:18 pm

Ouch! But, you're professional to the end. You may have slaughtered your throat, but it was hardly noticeable and you didn't miss a beat. Your crying at the end was very funny. Showman! Oh that sounds terrible of me.

Roy has some great songs and this HAS to be one of his best. It demands a lot of emotion to do it justice and man you did. The cracking up could easily be mistaken do choking up. Very moving.

Great playing, nicely built up.. I was surprised to see a different Taylor in you hands. I figured that your new redwood didn't leave your hands much, well when playing...guitar ...that is.

You're the man den!

Now go and ice that throat. Ouch!

Great video.

Shel


suziko
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 4:53 pm

Dennis,

Nice job on Crying (and nice job crying at the end!)! I thought your vocals sounded much better than I was expecting, given your write up. It's a hard song to sing for anyone but Roy Orbison, I think. I also liked your arrangement, with the mixed picking and strumming.

Suzi


Chasplaya
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 5:09 pm

Very nicely arranged played and sung Dennis. Get in theme next time with the black clothes and shades... AND @ Shel how could you say he is a showman, it was the raw emotion coming through.. couldn't you tell ;)


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neverfoundthetime
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 5:44 pm

Given that you are completely out of your mind even attempting that Dennis, it was magnificent! So much in that song to be proud of. Wait a mo... have to open a new window and listen again while I type...

Yep, excellent job! You had me captivated the whole way through... I couldn't believe you'd up it another notch at the end! How tough must that be! Thoroughly enjoyed that, well done!


schm040
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:03 pm


Great tone and playing, thanks for this one!


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daryl
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:20 pm

neverfoundthetime wrote:
Given that you are completely out of your mind even attempting that Dennis, it was magnificent! So much in that song to be proud of.... I could believe you'd up it another notch at the end! How tough must that be! Thoroughly enjoyed that, well done!
Ditto.


pbraun
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Thu Mar 22, 2012 6:57 pm

Dennis, it did live up to the fantasy, I thought it was outstanding!
Pete


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