Song ideas for a bluegrass band

[Crowder]

I'm in a band that likes to play songs from outside the standard bluegrass canon. I'm brainstorming some songs that will work really well in a bluegrass setting.

Yep, I've heard all those covers of Metallica and Pink Floyd songs, but that's not what I'm interested in. Many of those songs just don't work as bluegrass songs. On the other hand, I love covers like Del McCoury doing "I'll Be There" by JJ Cale or Dale Ann Bradley doing "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 or Dolly Parton doing "Train Train" because those songs really work.

We just picked up "Midnight Rider" by the Allman Bros., the same way AKUS did it on an early recording. That one gets the feet tapping for sure.

One idea I'm playing with right now is a really uptempo version of "You're The One That I Want" from Grease. Sounds crazy I know, but just play it a few times and you might see how well it works. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Anyhow, throw some ideas at me!

[Bitterbrush]

Though I'm more into traditional sounding BG music...I've heard some Beatles tunes grassed-up and they sounded pretty darn neat. I also think southern-rock type tunes can easily be done BG style. Johnny Cash liked to take non-country type songs and do 'em his way. Music is soooo versatile, really.

[Fred Keller]

The world is your oyster, my man. Almost everything with a melody works in bluegrass and sometimes you don't even need that. By "works" I merely mean that you can convert it over to bluegrass. Whether or not it works for an audience is something else.

For some reason Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg) is a fairly common bluegrassified pop hit around here. Recently at a jam I heard someone doing "Walk This Way" (Aerosmith). Sounded terrible, really. They gutted it of any and all edge and smoothed the rhythm into a sing-song polka style, but it "worked" in the sense of being able to play it with banjo, mando, etc.

My band has done Grateful Dead, Dylan, Beatles, and a couple others in a bluegrass setting. We don't do much of that because for us a little goes a long way, but audiences dig it.

[Dave Cowles]

My band has done "Bye Bye Love" - (Everly Bros.), "I've just Seen A Face" ,
"I Guess It Doesn't Matter Any More" (Holly), and dozens of others all grassed-up. Grab some non-bluegrass songs that you like, and arrange them with trad. BG instrumentation. It's a blast.

Dave

[AW Meyer]

JD Crowe and Tony Rice both recorded great versions of old Gordon Lightfoot songs, like "Cold on the Shoulder," and "Bitter Green." There are more examples, but they're not springing to mind right now. Listen to "Tony Rice Plays Gordon Lightfoot."

here (http://www.amazon.ca/Sings-Gordon-Lightfoot-Tony-Rice/dp/B0000002OE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1207496176&sr=8-1)

[Perry]

For some reason Gin and Juice (Snoop Dogg) is a fairly common bluegrassified pop hit around here.

No doubt influenced by the The Gourds excellent version of Gin and Juice.

In repsonse to the original post; my band does a few of these type of covers but hey you gotta come up with your own ideas. That's the point of doing a 'clever' cover bluegrass style; it becomes almost an original idea.

[mandolirius]

<JD Crowe and Tony Rice both recorded great versions of old Gordon Lightfoot songs, like "Cold on the Shoulder," and "Bitter Green." There are more examples, but they're not springing to mind right now. Listen to "Tony Rice Plays Gordon Lightfoot.">

Speaking of Lightfoot, one of his songs I think would sound good arranged by a bluegrass band is "Don Quixote".

[mandopete]

Well if we're talking about covers there two songs I've always wanted to do.

Here He Comes by Brian Eno. I can just hear a banjo playing a steady steam of notes behind that melody.

Heaven by The Talking Heads. I hear it as a country-bluegrass sort of tune. Really not that far from the original.

Go over to Utoob and check out some of those videos by Beatlegras - some really nice sounding Beatles covers without sounding hackneyed.

[mandroid]

J.S., Or better yet PDQ Bach ?

[mzuch]

Marty Stuart does a killer bluegrass version of the disco hit "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees.

[Wesley]

I'm a big fan of looking at old blues songs for inspiration. "That's Alright Mama", "Come on in my Kitchen", "Crossroads", "Walking Blues" - not to mention the Jimmie Rodgers songbook. "T for Texas"{ AKA Blue Yodel}, "Peach Picking Time in Georgia" ect. And my group used to do a version of "Me and Julio Down Bt The Schoolyard".

[Aran]

Cool Wesley,

We do "Thats Alright Mama" too.....

Love it and it's great fun to play.

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandopete]

Well if we're talking about covers there two songs I've always wanted to do.

Here He Comes by Brian Eno. #I can just hear a banjo #playing a steady steam of notes behind that melody.

Heaven by The Talking Heads. #I hear it as a country-bluegrass sort of tune. #Really not that far from the original.
Here's the original versions...

Here He Comes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j53FtRfwRZo)

Heaven (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19fOw17b58s)

[Clif Wayland]

I have recently been wondering how the tune "grazin in the grass" by trumpeter Hugh Masacala would sound all grassed up!
You just know people would dig the cowbell!
Clif

[mandopete]

Is that anything like Grazin' In The Grass by The Friends of Distinction?

[Dave Gumbart]

"With a Gun," by Steely Dan, from Pretzel Logic. Seriously, that tune is begging to be a bluegrass tune.

Dave

[Wesley]

Yeah Pete it's the same song. Masekala did the song first as an intrumental { he's a trumpet player from South Africa } and the Friends of Distinction added a vocal to the melody later.

[Bob Wiegers]

somebody did "Dont think twice" up at the Mtn Opry a while ago and I thought it went really well.

[Clif Wayland]

I have not heard "grazin" with vocals! Once that tune is in my skull it's stuck for a while!
I listen to "smooth jazz" on my way to work and since this thread started I've been converting tunes in my head. "take 5" has't converted to well...yet.
Clif

[Kevin Briggs]

I'm also a fan of doing old blues songs. Blind Willie McTell has lots of cool material that sounds good when he does it, but would sound great in a bluegrass setting. A lot of that stuff on Doc Watson's "Country Blues" CD works great too. That's my favorite Doc CD.

As far as other types of music, I really like the Greatful dead's "Reckoning" CD. Also, if you do a YouTube search of Phish and Bluegrass, you'll see a bunch of stuff where they experimented with a bluegrass lineup. it isn't great, but, as is usual with them, it has great character and is fun to watch. They do their "You Won't Steal My Poor Heart Again," and it works great for bluegrass.

Finally, I've been working up "Sweet Child of Mine." The intro lick works very well for mandolin, with some very minor modifications to make it physically possible to play the notes. A lot fo the G 'N' R Lies stuff has a cool acoustic flavor.

When i played in Tom's Kitchen Band e covered the Theme From the Pink Panther, which worked very well. We also did standard extensions like "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," "Long Black Veil," and some others.

The Vinegar Creek Constituency, a great bluegrass-type band in Lancaster, PA, has done well doing something as off the wall as Prince covers.

[Kevin Briggs]

I'd like to add that nothing replaces your ability to make some original songs. It's something that I personally struggle with, but value very highly. You can make the music that you hear in your mind. For better or worse, my songs usually end up like a mix between The Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, J.J. Cale, and Bob Dylan. The guys in my group don't dig it too much.

Even if you have one or two songs, it will change the whole identity of your band. You can then start matchign up cover songs based on the flavor of your orginal material.

[mcH]

somebody did "Dont think twice" up at the Mtn Opry a while ago and I thought it went really well.
That was probably our band: Old Mill Road...

[mdlorenz]

Rice brothers do Dont' think twice. Awesome tune. Here's a live version that is freely traded.

Don't Think Twice (http://mdlorenz.com/client/think.mp3)

[mandopete]

Hey Kevin - nice videos out on the tube!

[DannyB]

Workin man blues by haggard turns out quite well....Although it's not really non traditional.

[MandoVin]

We've been playing Neil Young's "Powderfinger" ever since I heard the Circuit Riders play it. #It's a great tune to bluegrassify. #We also play the Grateful Dead's "Morning Dew" and Tom Petty's "Mary Jane's Last Dance". #

Dave G - Thanks for reminding me about Steely Dan's "With A Gun". #I used to know that on guitar. #Might be cool to relearn it on mandolin.

Vin

[minnedolin]

AH Phish: Poor Heart, Sparkle, Glide, I think there were a few bluegrass tribute cds. My friend who is mostly a bass player transcribed to mandolin the arpeggiated monstrosity that is You Enjoy Myself. Fun, but who wants to listen to themselves playing Phish? Sheesh
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[ManjoMan]

<JD Crowe and Tony Rice both recorded great versions of old Gordon Lightfoot songs, like "Cold on the Shoulder," and "Bitter Green." There are more examples, but they're not springing to mind right now. Listen to "Tony Rice Plays Gordon Lightfoot.">

Speaking of Lightfoot, one of his songs I think would sound good arranged by a bluegrass band is "Don Quixote".
Been done. Country Gentlemen with Doyle Lawson and Bill Emerson around 1972 or 1973.

[mando bandage]

"With a Gun," by Steely Dan, from Pretzel Logic. Seriously, that tune is begging to be a bluegrass tune.


Amen, Dave. By sheer coincidence I had that conversation with my wife at lunch today. Even the vocal harmonies would work.

R

[Ivan Kelsall]

I've heard a few Buddy Holly (my all time favourite rocker )songs done well in a Bluegrass style. One that really kicked was "Blue Days Black Nights" & another was "Rock Around With Ollie Vee",both very Rockabilly style songs & they sound terrific done with a full Bluegrass band,
Saska

[mandopete]

One that really kicked was "Blue Days Black Nights"
We have a band right here in my neighboorhood called Back Burner (http://www.back-burner.net) that does this one.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Pete - Thanks a whole bunch for the link. I just had a listen to 'Back Burner'on CD Baby & they're good,
Saska

[Jonas]

The best bluegrassified popsong in my book is Toxic by Nickel Creek. And I don't even like Nickel Creek! But that song is great, I like Britneys version of it too (even better than the NC version acutally).

[MandoGordon]

"Speedway at Nazareth" by Mark Knopfler. Another one just begging for the BG treatment. It's all about nascar too which won't hurt. :>)
Gordon

[jim simpson]

Ah old band I was in worked up Ruby Tuesday by the Rolling Stones - it worked well as a bluegrass tune. We also did Happy Together by the Turtles and To Love Somebody by the Bee Gees.

[hattio]

I've always thought the covers that worked best were the ones that stuck to more traditional chords. I, IV, V and vi, work best. A couple I've thought about. AC/DC's You aint' got a hold on me....and one I'd really like to hear with a banjo intro on the "signature lick" Money for Nothin by Dire Straits. But people are right, there's a million out there that would work.

Somewhat off topic but funny. As I was reading through someone mentioned Gordon Lightfoot. My thought; some would really work like That's What You Get For Loving Me, but the folk-poppy #### like Don Quixote wouldn't work. I haven't heard the versions mentioned, but it kind of shows you...different strokes for different folks.

[hattio]

BTW, we do a bunch, but I don't know if we qualify as "straight" bluegrass. Workingman's blues, Dead Flowers, some CCR (which I can't remember right now...and we have a gig tonight???

[MikeEdgerton]

We did an arrangement that was a variation on the theme from the Godfather that started slow and got faster. We called it Don Corleone's Breakdown and billed it as the only bluegrass song ever written for New Jersey. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/blues.gif

[mandopete]

"I offered him a banjo he couldn't refuse."

[mrmando]

I love Seldom Scene's version of Bad Moon Rising.

[mando bandage]

The best bluegrassified popsong in my book is Toxic by Nickel Creek.

NC does a mean version of The Jackson Five's "I Want You Back" as well.

R http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Crowder]

At practice tonight we worked on two of these: "Every Breath You Take" by the Police, and "You're The One That I Want" from Grease.

Every Breath You Take is going to work great--we just need to let the singer play with it and decide what tempo to use.

I thought the Grease song was hilarious. It's in Am, a we were messing with playing Jerusalem Ridge then going into the Grease song and back to JR. I'm not sure I can sell them on doing it in public. I just know we'd get huge repsonse from our normal crowd but they are iffy on it.

[mandopete]

Yeah, my experience is that most bluegrass crowds will not appreciate mixing up with traditional material. #There was a band out here on the west coast that used to do that Police tune, it worked pretty well. #A couple of year's back a friend's band did "Fields Of Gold" by Sting at the Darrington Bluegass Festival. #This is a real traditional bluegrass festival and I don't think the audience even knew that it wasn't a bluegrass song (originally).

We have been fooling around with doing "Another Night" as a sort of calypso beat in F minor. #I think it works and the minor key is in keeping with mood of the song. #We haven't tried it in public yet.

[Rroyd]

"Last Time" by the Stones, and Don Gibson's "Blue, Blue Day" work well, and Gibson has some others that I've also heard done effectively Bluegrass style. I always thought that Skaggs' country tune "Hummingbird" had great potential, and wondered if they would ever redo it with the present KT.

[lespaul_79]

Do some Kinks. "Waterloo Sunset". Or some early Bruce.... Love to be able to pull off a "Kitty's Back" with a bluegrass band. Does anybody even know this stuff? Or Guy Clark's "Texas 1947".... If you're going to do some Allman Brothers, I always thought "Les Brers In A Minor" would be kickass on the Mando... Very Dawg type groove.....

[lespaul_79]

Or Dire Straits' "Down to the Waterline". And "Telegraph Road" or "Private Investigation" would be badddd ###....

[spinaker]

Here's a link (http://www.myspace.com/roughcutofficial) to my band' site. We do "Brown eyed girl" and "Dock of the bay" just to mention a couple. The younger crowd (under 35) likes them alot. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif