Following on from Sweet Virginia I thought I’d try another Stones acoustic country cover, this time Dead Flowers from the Sticky Fingers album.
I think my version is a bit strum a dum dum. The original of course has the wonderful lead guitar of MIck Taylor and Keef weaving throughout. The basic song has 3 chords, D, A and G, so there is no lovely chord progression to hide behind.
There has been a number of posts recently from people wondering about song choices and feeling they have no repertoire. This would make a good campfire song and if nothing else might give others an idea of what can be done with 3 chords.
I recorded this yesterday but didn’t add the titles and trim it until today, Thursday.
Really enjoyed that Gordon. I am toying with a track off Beggars Banquet for the next OM and after staying shy of the Stones for a long time, see an simple acoustic approach to some of their early work is in reach. This is a perfect example and I’ll offer no critique. You’ll know where the bumps are.
And yet again if this is a One Take Wednesday, it yet again proves you are OM ready. Time to step out of that shadow my friend !
Hi Gordon ,
From tomorrow I’m going to really look into what my sound problems are… (boxes are turned off) because I can’t hear a Stones song from you through my built-in computer speakers… again a Stones song for that you get a … better than the Beatles, right?
Greetings
Here comes another little gem from Gordon … a good, honest, down-to-earth one-take strum-song indeed. You’ll have Mr P clamouring for more of this I fancy as you’re landing goodies in his back yard.
I was quite looking forward to a bit of Larsen-esque straight-shooting (even with a pick) and there he goes picking out individual strings and throwing in walking lines… Sheesh!
All this Stones-talk has filled your head with rock!
If you’re going to indulge in video editing for our pleasure, could you at least throw in some pics of the missus draped on a tractor and maybe use some footage of when you were younger?
Seriously, in order of greatness:
Thanks for the listen and kind words Toby. Yes there’s a lot of potential for acoustic versions of some of the Stones’ stuff. The trick I think is to completely forget what the original sounds like and try to make them your own.
Ah the Shadows. Tell you what, I’ll do Cliff if you do John Denver.
I’m definetely in that group, my children songs repertoire is actually wide to tell the truth, but if I were at a party and there were a guitar I really need to work on this kind of 3 chords songs, thanks for the reminder…
Another good one Gordon. I had not heard the ‘Sticky Fingers’ version, mine was from the live set they did in Amsterdam and various other places with Ron Wood on lead.
Someone already mentioned the vocals not being quite loud enough. Thanks for sharing,
@R.F.W. Thanks Rob. Yes, you can play a version of pretty much anything with a 1,4,5 progression. @roger_holland. Thanks for trying to listen Rogier. I hope you get your sound system sorted out.
Despite what I said in my initial post, I think there’s always room for a strum along song. I never have an issue with your ‘learn songs’ mantra Richard. It amazes me however that so many people seem to have difficulty with learning songs despite the Beginners Course teaching D,E and A from the get go.
Thanks for the listen and kind words.
I put this to my good lady who replied that if I buy her a red sports car, make her look 50 years younger in the video and take her to LA on holiday, she’ll do her best.
Thanks as ever for the listen and support Brian. As for the walking note pick lines, I was really annoyed that I messed one up!
Enjoyed this a lot. I love this kind of Stones track, with the accoustic guitar and the picked bass notes. You’ve got it down to a fine art and your voice really suits this song. Brilliant
Thanks guys. The 3 chord thing really seems to have struck a chord(!) here. Thanks for the listen and support, always much appreciated.
Perhaps we should start a ‘what’s your favourite 3 chords song?’ section on the forum.
That’s because we get more than our fair share of rain here Sylvia.
Thanks Mal. I must have missed your version first time round so I did a search and found it. Really good, I liked the strum style you used. As I said to Toby earlier, you’ve got to make this type of song your own as you can’t hope to come even remotely close to the original.
… better than the Beatles, right? 
