An idiosyncratic blog dedicated to the precursors, the practioners, and the descendants of power pop.
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012
My Absolutely Last Swear-to-God-I-Really-Mean-It Post About "Waterloo Sunset"
Fast forward through the brief interview footage and go directly to the performance.
Words fail me.
Seriously -- why haven't the Brits knighted Ray Davies already? Screw that, why haven't they nationalized him?
One of the Greatest Things I've Ever Seen: Ray was promoting his book a few years back, and played an acoustic set at the Old South Meeting House, a small, revolution-era church in downtown Beantown. He told stories, and TOOK REQUESTS, and was only a few feet away! (I totally swooned when he played this...)And then laternhe gave me a thumbs-up, but that's another story... = bill buckner
I don't mind if this isn't your last Waterloo Sunset post. It's an amazing song; thanks for sharing this killer arrangement.
Out of interest, have you heard the Def Leppard version? It lacks the understated beauty of the original, but I like it. I think they managed to give the song a completely different take.
Nice contrast BG. I spent a few on you tube looking for a rival, and the one with the choir is still my favorite. Peter Gabriel's is OK, but the jaunty melody is somewhat missing, and that contrast with the lonely lyrics is key for me.
Bowie's version sucks! And the Jam try to turn it into a power pop song and the song suffers IMO.
The little stop time at the end, followed by the acoustic break, followed by the sublimity of the massed coda:
ReplyDeleteI am in paradise.
Thanks for this, Steve.
Seriously, there is no need to ever stop posting about "Waterloo Sunset." Ever! You hear me?!
ReplyDeleteWow, I would not have dreamed that this version would be so lovely. Wow, way to go Ray!!!!
ReplyDeleteTrey
One of the Greatest Things I've Ever Seen: Ray was promoting his book a few years back, and played an acoustic set at the Old South Meeting House, a small, revolution-era church in downtown Beantown. He told stories, and TOOK REQUESTS, and was only a few feet away! (I totally swooned when he played this...)And then laternhe gave me a thumbs-up, but that's another story... = bill buckner
ReplyDeleteStill rocking. Saw him a couple of months ago in Madison.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind if this isn't your last Waterloo Sunset post. It's an amazing song; thanks for sharing this killer arrangement.
ReplyDeleteOut of interest, have you heard the Def Leppard version? It lacks the understated beauty of the original, but I like it. I think they managed to give the song a completely different take.
Who gets tired of talking about "Waterloo Sunset" or the Kinks?
ReplyDeleteJust for comparison's sake:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyh__QQD2js
Nice contrast BG. I spent a few on you tube looking for a rival, and the one with the choir is still my favorite. Peter Gabriel's is OK, but the jaunty melody is somewhat missing, and that contrast with the lonely lyrics is key for me.
ReplyDeleteBowie's version sucks! And the Jam try to turn it into a power pop song and the song suffers IMO.
Trey
Tough to tire of anything Rad Davies does. Keep this stuff coming.
ReplyDeleteThat son-of-a-bitch can still break my heart every time he sings that song!
ReplyDeleteROTP(lumber)