The song I’d like to share with you today is a bit unusual. First, I’m not a great country player, but the song also isn’t 100% country I didn’t play the exact vocal line, concentrating more on improvisation, except in the chorus where I closely followed the tune the singer does.
Now, if you allow me, I’ll give you an outline of the song’s history (of course you don’t have to read this). The 1960s youth here in Poland breathed the rock’n’roll air as much as almost anywhere else in the world. Although we lived behind the ‘iron curtain’, the western music was by no means banned here (contrary to some common beliefs), only the music presenters (and probably the authorities) preferred the term ‘big beat’ instead of rock and roll. Big beat bands were many here at that time, and young people enjoyed their music so much that everyone eventually wanted to play! (including myself… ). Among those bands was one called ‘Red Guitars’ (not for the communism, but for the actual colour of their guitars) The band’s lead guitarist, Krzysztof Klenczon, was a talented instrumentalist and, had he lived in a western country, he could have had a brilliant career as a guitarist, singer and composer. The song I’m presenting here was written by him in 1969; it’s title in Polish was “Powiedz stary, gdzieś ty był…” (Tell Us, Old Chum, Where Have You Been?") and it made an instant hit. I liked it very much, but couldn’t play it back then; so now I’ve taken a new approach, whether successful - is not for me to judge; certainly tried to do my best, but, as I said, I’m not a born country guitarist
Congrats to all who have read my intro to the very end… So here’s the song:
@Prof_Thunder@DavidP : Ian, David - thanks so much, gents! I do appreciate your kind words.
As you can imagine, at that time our bands had enormous problems trying to acquire guitar gear suitable for recording and live performances. Guys who played Czechoslovak Jolana guitars could consider themselves lucky… Amps and cabs were typically made by our electronic engineers to an order. A Gibson + Marshall setup was a dream with little chance of realization. Of course such shortages seriously impeded the development, especially in the case of amateur bands who wished to turn professional. That notwithstanding, some of those bands were quite good in musical terms, even though nowadays its possible to make a home recording of a better quality than anything they could achieve back then.
Very well played and yes I could hear that part of it that sounded country. I would have liked to have heard the lyrics you mentioned in your intro though. But the performance sounded great.
Pamela - thanks a lot for listening and commenting, I do appreciate your kind words. The story the song tells is simple, really; a perennial wanderer finally returns to see the bunch of his old friends. Seeing that he obviously doesn’t look too well and must have been through a rough time, they try to make him talk. As it fails, they try to guess what might have been going on with him; finally they find a cure for his wanderlust, ‘there’s just one thing that can save you, buddy’, they say, ‘fall in love!..’
@Beatup6String@sairfingers Thanks a million, guys. I didn’t expect many positive comments, as the song is not an ‘international hit’ and practically nobody here knew it (unless we have some Polish members). Nonetheless, even the few mean a lot to me
Wow! Nice! But I certainly don’t deserve even remote comparison with the Country Gentleman you recall. I’m grateful, anyway.
Well done Tomek, a very nice performance of a song from Czerwone Gitary band, the song I have not heard before. To be fair the band is more of a band that my parents generation was listening to, so I am not very familiar with this specific tune. I am familiar with the tone band was using on their guitars, and a good piece of playing, and both of those are present in your recording.
Very catchy and fun song - no surprise it was a hit! Thank you for sharing the back story! And for your playing, as others have already said you definitly have a nice country twang going!
All of your songs, originals or cover’s, all sound complicated. This one I really like the tune and sound of it. I like the country feel in the song. Thanks for sharing!
@adi_mrok@MollyT@Justh33 Dear Friends, I wholeheartedly thank you for taking the time to listen and your kind words of appreciation; they mean a lot to me and help me in my endeavour to make better music, develop my skills as a guitar player and my recording technique.
Very grateful
Tomasz
Don’t be that sure about that. Even though the music is from before I was born and from my early childhood, I can remember Lato z Radiem, where songs by Czerwone Gitary were still often played. I actually like your modern instrumental version much better than the original, thank you!
Cheers Withold
Withold - thanks a million, I’m sooo glad you like my version. I heard the original on YT and loved the chord progression, which now I’m able to figure out immediately, then thought I’d record it and improvise on the theme in a country style.
Thanks again!
I didn’t play the exact vocal line, concentrating more on improvisation, except in the chorus where I closely followed the tune the singer does.
I do appreciate your kind words.
