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The Saturday Western

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 11:59 am
by royclough
I have always enjoyed western movie themes or TV western themes and over the years have acquired a number of such themes but with a twangy guitar feel.

I have therefore uploaded a Clough Classics Western theme album, some of the tracks you will know but may never have heard of the artists.

File is quite large but for those who choose to download, if you like guitar instrumentals I believe you will enjoy it.

Before anyone corrects me I know Midnight Cowboy was not a western but I just love this version.

A couple of the tracks were not film or TV themes but evoke memories of that era.

Hope some of you decide to listen.

So get out out the stetsons and go back to those days.


http://www.MegaShare.com/137267

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2007 1:44 pm
by dedicated_follower
I love the music for The Good The Bad and The Ugly. The part where the musical watch was playing prior to the shoot out was and is haunting.

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:02 am
by sowhat
Cool! Thanks for sharing!

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:32 am
by royclough
Hope you liked it Sheena

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:45 am
by sowhat
Yeah. I haven't checked all the compositions yet, but i liked what i've heard!

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 11:31 am
by einar
Roy (Rogers?!)
This is not my can of beans, but I put a guess that the Bonanza Theme is included..?

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:13 pm
by kenposurf
Not Western by design, but I always thought that Sukiyaki by Kyu Sakamoto really has that Western Movie feel....

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:25 pm
by royclough
No Einar it's not actually.

George Sukiyaki - Western? As John McEnroe would say "You Cannot Be Serious"

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:53 pm
by kenposurf
Yep Pardner (Roy) serious I am..If you listen to the chord structure and bridge, it is very much like "Do Not Forsake Me" from the western High Noon....add a few hoof beats in the mix and you're there!

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:13 pm
by admin
Roy: I worked out a bit of a country version of Sukiyaki, this evening and George's comments ring true.

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 5:57 pm
by kenposurf
Also the Stones Have You Seen Your Mother Baby is kinda Western-like....NOT! :0)

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 4:41 am
by admin
Roy: I listened with great interest to the Saturday Western, mostly instrumentals, that formed the basis of this thread. Thanks for presenting us with this opportunity to reflect upon these movies and the role they have played in our lives.

It must be said that there is great talent in these offerings and I am sure that as background instrumentals to a movie they would all have much to offer. As a "stand alone" audio track that grabs my attention, however, I consider that there is one that would have me tie up my horse on the hitching post outside the saloon in which it is playing.

I consider that the Spotnicks recording of the Theme from "For a Few Dollars More" is the shining light on this western trail through rough territory.

This song has a strong theme and the Spotnicks version is a solid guitar based instrumental, that relies on the voicing of guitars and not numerous other sound effects. The rhythm and drum tracks and interesting bass lines keep the song moving along nicely.

These slingers risk losing the attention of most folk at the two minute mark as they indulge their desires for a 30 second shootout which nearly ruins the number. But they get out of town quickly and return to the well-ridden path that captured our interest in the first place, their reputation intact.

Overall, my "tender-foot" talk would be that, for most western movie themes, outside of pure gold, less is more. A simple melody that the listener can hum to, followed by a raw and novel presentation is more memorable. In the group of instrumentals offered in your link, the heavy use of reverb, too many sound effects and orchestras that detract from the melodies, leave me parched.

I am confident, however, that as I spend more time in the saloon, I will embrace more of these songs, and at some point they will be wanted in the future!

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 4:56 am
by kenposurf
Seems like Western themes along with Spy and Sci-Fi instrumentals, lend themselves to interesting musical interpertations...with a lot of reverb added!

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 4:57 am
by royclough
Brilliantly put though I would have to shoot out with you over your choice of standout track, good though it is.

Instrumentals are not to everyone's liking I accept but such themes can evoke memories of those bygone days when playing "Cowboys and Indians" were innocent games played in one's streets rather than sat in front of a TV screen with graphics which make one shudder.

Those days of innocence when someone got shot but yet not a scratch appeared have long gone.

Perhaps Sam Pecinpah's Wild Bunch set a standard in screen violence which film makers have felt the need to make every more graphic since.


Another mystery of life is did anyone know what Eastwood's characters name was in the Sergio Leonne trilogy's.

Hope others if they listened will comment

Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:03 am
by kenposurf
Think Clint's character was "The man with no name"? I agree Roy..the thing with instrumental music is that we use our mind to create images and with film st's from the images seen on the screen rather then from the lyrics presented in a vocal..