Topic: Strange Song Arrangements

I'm starting to work on re-arranging pop tunes in catchy, novel ways, eg Daughtry's version of "Poker Face." Do any of you have any interesting arrangements you'd like to share?

Re: Strange Song Arrangements

We tend to throw punked up versions of folk songs together when we need some covers.  John Denver's "Country Roads, Take Me Home" and Cookie Monster's "C is for Cookie" are our latest arrangements.

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Re: Strange Song Arrangements

After playing for five years in bars with the same five guys, our 600+ song list slowly took on serious songs that became not so serious.
Late night after hours crowds inspired us to add naughty lyrics to our standard songs. For example, "Green Grass of Home" had two arrangements, one for a sober dinner crowd and another for the late night drunks.
Our audiences very much enjoyed a medley of songs by one artist or group. We had medley song groupings by the Beatles, The Eagles, Elton John, Elvis Presley, Creedence etc... where we would play three or four songs by each group sliding from one well known song to the next seamlessly to keep the dancers on the dance floor.
After 25 years in bar bands I finally figured out that our prime function was to sell more booze. I began to experiment with song groupings that could inspire a crowd to drink more. After two years at a roadhouse on a busy highway with a mostly country music crowd, I found that alternating sexy country ballads with ten-minute-long southern rock boogie would have our crowd sweating during the fast song and then returning to their table to chug-a-lug their drinks before returning to the dance floor to rub bellies with the ballad. This music formula doubled liquor sales but the long fast songs sweated the audience out so they weren't any drunker that they normally would be.
Management loved it.
toots

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Re: Strange Song Arrangements

My guitar friends and I took "Folsom Prison Blues" and did it as a blues ballad, complete with Dobro and harmonica solos. We slowed the tempo down considerably, but it sounded great. The bar crowd went nuts. We did the same with "John Henry", which was origanally a blues number anyway, same effect.

"Little Red Riding Hood", we altered the lyrics somewhat, to reflect our personal perversions, did it in a blues style and had the crowd roaring with laughter and applause.

Hank's prosepctive gutiar player said: "Mr Williams, I'm not sure I can play for you, the onliest chords I know are C D & G"
Hank repleis, after a short pause: "Well, what else is there?"

Re: Strange Song Arrangements

I do "Crocodile Rock" as a fast fingerpick / bluegrass song.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Strange Song Arrangements

I heard a wierd version of the Eagles Desparodo,it went by Avacado,so it was strange,I do not rember the words. KPIG radio played it.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

Re: Strange Song Arrangements

Dirty Ed does a crop circle song to the tune of Will The Circle Be Unbroken.  It's a stinkin' riot. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Strange Song Arrangements

I sing the lyrics of Pinball Wizard over the tune to Folsom Prison Blues..  It helps to add the Johnny Cash twang as well..

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Re: Strange Song Arrangements

At the '82 Ocoee River Festival in east Tennessee there was a bluegrass band performing that had been playing at the worlds fair in Knoxville. They called themselves "Hiwassee Ridge" and did a whole set of Beatles songs played bluegrass style.  It was great - especially since so many adult beverages had been consumed during the evening.  Hard to beat a combo of suds and shit-kickin' music.

DE

I want to read my own water, choose my own path, write my own songs