BS: The Definitive Version

Subject: The Definitive Version
From:
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 11:23 PM

As fans of traditional and folk music, we've all been exposed to different versions of the same song. For you, is there a definitive version of some of these songs?

Tonight, I heard two versions of the same song---Cold Missouri Waters. I first bought the Richard Shindell version on CRY CRY CRY's CD. Found the James Keelaghan tape and just got to listen tonight.

Interestingly enough, when I played Shindell's version for my spouse, he didn't like the song. Different story with Keelaghan. He said he thought the song worked best without the backing harmony. On the other hand, I liked Shindell's version better. (Good thing, it saves us fighting over the same CD)

Here are a couple more songs and names of the artist who do the 'definitive' version in my book.

HIGHWAYMAN----Jimmy Webb GREEN FIELDS OF FRANCE---June Tabor CRYING IN MY SLEEP---Art Garfunkel CHOLESTROL---Ed Miller WHITE SQUALL---Stan Rogers (Okay, Stan's the exceptional artist---I like all his work better than anyone I've ever heard covering)

So what do y'all think out there?

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 12:30 AM

What there is traditional?

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: Mr Red
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 08:35 AM

Is Greenfields of France - Eric Bogle's title or the one he gave up and accepted after The Furies recorded it and re-named it? They weren't the same either way.

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 10:27 AM

In my case, with the musical ability I have, the difinitive version tends to be the first way I heard it. All variations then tend to sound "wrong" to me, so I rarely like the same version as anyone else... for instance (not trad but hey) I like the studio version of Lola (Kinks) better than any live version...

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 12:47 PM

A friend and I have an ongoing "dialogue" about Dylan. I think he did the definitive version of everything he ever wrote. She usually prefers the various covers (Byrds, etc.)

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: Bert
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 01:04 PM

Lonnie Donnegan's versions were always definitive for me and many other Limeys of my age.

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: radriano
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 01:38 PM

The term "definitive version" is one that I have a problem with. One person's definitive version may be another's worst version. What's the point? Some people are going to like guitar backup on everything. Others are going to like a cappella singing. Is one version better than another? No!

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: GUEST,Againanon
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 02:04 PM

Cheers for radiano!

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 05:31 AM

But, Bert,Lonnie's versions are continually evolving, which is one reason he's kept going so long!
Confuses the hell out of me deciding which version I'm singing! Just wallowing in some of the LD reissues at the moment, a few clunkers probably best forgotten (remember "Ding Ding" a George Formby cover about a bus driver trying to cash in on the success of "Dustman"?)but some long unheard gems there as well.
In general I enjoy having lots of versions of songs I enjoy. I was listening to Broonzy's American Folkways recordings last night, for example, his versions of Frankie and Johnny, Worried Life Blues (Poor Bill's blues)different again to the many other versions I've got.
RtS

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 03:21 PM

There's also the question of the song lyrics themselves, rather than their presentation. For some the original lyrics, or the first way they were heard, are inviolate. For others, a song is viewed as something to continue working on until they are more satisfied with the poetry and the story.

I tend to tinker with almost any song I come across, whether it be new or "traditional." At some point I'm done with the tinkering and hopefully that's because there has been a significant improvement. I'm convinced that most of our new songs need to go through this kind of processing,and that the true test of a good song is that some day in the future someone will still be interested in working on it.

It would be nice if everyone would acknowledge (or be acknowledged for) their contributions.

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: John P
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 11:23 AM

Definitive version of a traditional song is a contradiction in terms.

John

Subject: RE: BS: The Definitive Version
From: Mr Red
Date: 16 Mar 01 - 07:21 PM

Stan Hugill often gave many versions of most shanties in his book, his comment was to the effect "but the one I sang/heard/remember".

Song tinkering was a tradition - for memory, political and political correctness reasons, not to mention the Chinese Whispers effect.