Strawberry Fields Forever

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

I sometimes collaborate with an online band we call Copperhead, and here's a cover of a Beatles classic we've been working on for quite awhile. There is most certainly a Burgundyglo '72 4001 involved in this one. Hope you like it!

Strawberry Fields Forever

[doctorwho]

Nice one, Mark!

[ram]

Hey where's Penny Lane....? oh yeah, this isn't the album.... I think you all have captured it Mark. Very faithful rendition!

[beatbyrd]

Wow! You guys paid a lot of attention to details on this and it shows in the final result. This song has a load of complexities and is not an easy song to cover well. When I listen to a song, I'm breaking it down to its various pieces in my head and playing producer, asking myself, "How did they do that? How would I do that?". This is one I'd never consider even trying. People have a lot of familiarity with this song and are expecting certain things to be there. It's a risky song to cover. You managed to include all of the essentials. Great job and I'm surprised that there are not a ton of raves (at least, so far). OK, next up........ "A Day in the Life". Tom

[shamustwin]

That is awesome.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Thanks a lot guys!

Tom, as far as raves, well, there is ALSO the aspect of "why the hell would you try to do it just like the Beatles did, when you KNOW it will always come up short"? And I totally get that...I mean, why listen to an alternate version when the Beatles did it so much better?

But for the four of us Beatles fanatics involved in the recording, this was like going on a pilgrimage. All the reward was in the doing!

Thanks again for listening. -mk

[beatbyrd]

Tom, as far as raves, well, there is ALSO the aspect of "why the hell would you try to do it just like the Beatles did, when you KNOW it will always come up short"? And I totally get that...I mean, why listen to an alternate version when the Beatles did it so much better?

But for the four of us Beatles fanatics involved in the recording, this was like going on a pilgrimage. All the reward was in the doing!
-mk

I understand and agree fully. A lot of folks may ask the question, "Why?", and there are a number of answers. For me, it comes down to four basic ones:
I want to pay my ultimate tribute to the artist and the original recording that affected me.
I want to see if I have the requisite skills (ears, chops, vocals, engineering) and equipment needed to provide a faithful cover of the song. I call this the "Rich Little" challenge.
I want to push the limits of my abilities in some manner (learn something).
I want to please and amaze my friends, family, and peers (and sometimes, myself).

Doing covers seems to be a real niche kind of thing, where most folks are pretty indifferent about it. I've had a lot of mine get very limited response on this forum. Just take a look at my Airplane cover post. Less than forty hits! It seems like most of the feedback comes from others who do covers themselves and know just what's involved. As far as the originals doing it so much better, I've had a few of my covers actually preferred over the original versions by some of my musician friends. But the fact is, the original artists did it FIRST and my versions, at best, are cheap plastic imitations. Please go on some more pilgimages soon. Your version of the song was top notch. Tom

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

I understand and agree fully. A lot of folks may ask the question, "Why?", and there are a number of answers. For me, it comes down to four basic ones:
I want to pay my ultimate tribute to the artist and the original recording that affected me.
I want to see if I have the requisite skills (ears, chops, vocals, engineering) and equipment needed to provide a faithful cover of the song. I call this the "Rich Little" challenge.
I want to push the limits of my abilities in some manner (learn something).
I want to please and amaze my friends, family, and peers (and sometimes, myself).

Doing covers seems to be a real niche kind of thing, where most folks are pretty indifferent about it. I've had a lot of mine get very limited response on this forum. Just take a look at my Airplane cover post. Less than forty hits! It seems like most of the feedback comes from others who do covers themselves and know just what's involved. As far as the originals doing it so much better, I've had a few of my covers actually preferred over the original versions by some of my musician friends. But the fact is, the original artists did it FIRST and my versions, at best, are cheap plastic imitations. Please go on some more pilgimages soon. Your version of the song was top notch. Tom

What a great thing to read...especially after just explaining this very thing to someone else, only not so succinctly. Thanks Tom!

[walker]

Wow... nice job duplicating the sound! The drums are especially impressive.

HA! And what was that at the end? "Cranberry Sauce"

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Wow... nice job duplicating the sound! The drums are especially impressive.

HA! And what was that at the end? "Cranberry Sauce"

I distinctly heard "I buried Ringo"!

Thanks Mark!

[miltric]

This beats the hell out of Todd Rundgren's cover on Faithful. Is that "raving" enough for ya?

But I'm not joking. This is totally awesome, as the kids used to say . . .

[vynesmusic]

WOW......this is very very well done........remarkable! I hear work of this quality and wish, yet again, that I knew how to play keyboards....

Loved the drums, bass and the guitar....dead on!

[bartyclue]

Mark, it just so happens that I am re-watching the beatles anthology this last few days. You have done a "fab" job of this. This was not an easy song for the beatles to record so kudos for your efforts. Thank god we now have the technology to do this, as the beatles themselves could never have played this live, back in the day without a tremendous logisitcal effort. I think thats what makes going to see tribute bands such a blast as they are able to reproduce those songs live and almost to a tee. Well done and please post more of your efforts. I appreciate them.

[kog]

Wow, outstanding. Me and a buddy have done this ourselves, but the drums on yours are incredible! Very nice job. Would love to hear more.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Thanks Mark, Gee and Brian! Yikes....don't tell Todd about this...!