Welcome to Winning Hand:
FULLER HOUSE!
In this edition of the series I have four of a kind plus
an extra pair up my sleeve - a mix of originals and covers.
I am curious to know which version or versions you prefer.
an extra pair up my sleeve - a mix of originals and covers.
I am curious to know which version or versions you prefer.
I might be a wild card and
a joker... but I'm no poker.
Therefore, without further delay, I will introduce
the kings and queens of song in today's post.
the kings and queens of song in today's post.
Remember, ladies and gentlemen...
This is only an exhibition...
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.
BRENDA LEE
Nicknamed "Little Miss Dynamite,"
country, pop, rock & roll and rock-
abilly artist Brenda Lee was one of
the most successful female singers
of the 60s. In April, 1960, Brenda's
single "Sweet Nothin's," written by
Ronnie Self, reached the top 3 on
Cash Box and #4 on Billboard.
"Sweet Nothin's" - Brenda Lee
(Mar./Apr. 1960, highest chart pos.
#3 Cash Box/#4 Hot 100, perf. on
Dick Clark Saturday Night Beechnut Show)
CASI JOY
Now here's a delightful cover of "Sweet Nothin's" performed
by a country artist from Kanas City who appeared on season 12
of The Voice. Meet zesty zinger Casi Joy (and her dog)!
"Sweet Nothin's" - Brenda Lee cover by Casi Joy
(Mar. 2018)
WANDA JACKSON
The next "Sweet Nothin's" cover is by rock & roll pioneer Wanda Jackson,
nicknamed The Queen of Rockabilly and The First Lady of Rockabilly.
Wanda released her version on the 1982 album Let's Have A Party.
"Sweet Nothin's" - Wanda Jackson
(from 1982 album Let's Have A Party)
HELEN SHAPIRO
In 1962 English sparrow Helen Shapiro released her debut album
containing covers of hits made famous by other artists. One of
the songs is a more than capable cover of "Sweet Nothin's."
"Sweet Nothin's" - Helen Shapiro
(from 1962 album 'Tops' With Me)
FLEETWOOD MAC
Released as the second single from Fleetwood Mac's best-selling,
chart-topping 1977 album Rumours, the song "Dreams" also
reached the #1 spot on the U.S. chart, the only single
by the band to reach the top spot.
"Dreams" - Fleetwood Mac (May/June 1977, highest chart pos.
#1 Hot 100 & Cash Box, from Feb. 1977 album Rumours)
THE CLASSIC ROCK SHOW
Now enjoy this fine cover of "Dreams" by Jess Harwood
fronting the UK based tribute band The Classic Rock Show.
"Dreams" - Fleetwood Mac cover
by The Classic Rock Show (Feb. 2020)
I think these musical
kings and queens are aces!
kings and queens are aces!
Do you agree?
Have a Shady day!
Well I have to say- that Fleetwood Mac cover is fantastic! I don't usually like covers of favorite tunes, but they did an awesome job on this one.
ReplyDeleteHi, PFT!
DeleteI'm happy to see you again, my friend. Thanks for coming by to claim Early Bird honors this week!
It was around a year ago that I discovered the YouTube channel of The Classic Rock Show. They do some tremendous covers and I'll be bringing you the best of them in future posts. Unfortunately the band was sidelined by the pandemic last year. They went five months without uploading any new performances. Just before Christmas they reappeared doing a cover of John Lennon's "Happy Xmas War Is Over." I hope they can get their act back together this year and bring us more classic covers. I'm glad you enjoyed them.
Thanks again for dropping by, my good friend. Enjoy your day and your weekend up there in Asheville!
Hi Shady! Pretty good stuff here. The Classic Rock Show is really great! The band and back up vocals are so impressive, and Jess is fantastic! I love her voice, and sometimes you hear a slight Stevie Nicks, but most of her voice is her own and unique. This is a superb cover of "Dreams".
ReplyDelete"Sweet Nothins" just gets sweeter, doesn't it! I would have to kick out Helen Shapiro's cover of this one, I'm sad to say. It just didn't do much for me. You can't beat Brenda's recording, and I must give a big "Bravo" to her video, because she didn't just stand while she performed the song. Brenda danced, smiled and made all the right moves to pull her song off. Casi had an almost perfect cover of the song, and I would have a hard time choosing between her cover and Brenda's recording. Casi's energy and dance with her dog are perfect for that type of song. I know you love Wanda Jackson, Shady and she has the right voice for "Sweet Nothins", but it just didn't have the POP as Brenda and Casi's.
Well, I have to agree with you Shady! They are Aces for sure! I enjoyed this post, not realizing there are so many "Sweet Nothins".
I hope you are doing well, Shady! We've had a couple of rainy, muggy days. Scootie, dog Carly and I had to get into Scootie's closet for a little while last night. We had tornado sirens going off, but got lucky again, and nothing came our way. It always makes Shawn nauseous, and he got sick (thank goodness before we got into the closet). I am starting to come back around from the aftermath of my shot, and I hope you and Mrs. Shady are feeling well. Take care, dear Shady! Great Post!
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteThank you for coming, dear friend! I'm pleasantly surprised to see you and to find out that you are starting to feel better. You made it here in time to claim second place in the race to Shady's Place. The silver medal is all yours! :)
Thanks for checking out Fuller House, a winning hand consisting of four of a kind plus a pair to spare. I'm pleased that you give thumbs up to the "Dreams" cover by The Classic Rock Show featuring the lead vocals of Jess Harwood. Yessum, she doesn't try to do an impression of Stevie. Instead she interprets the song in her own style which nevertheless doesn't stray far from the original thanks in large part to the backing band.
I'm glad you liked a couple of the "Sweet Nothin's" in my winning hand. I agree that you can't beat the Brenda Lee original. As you noted, the little lady was super cute and endearing as she moved around on stage and sold the song. Brenda exhibited tremendous poise and showmanship at a very early age. I love this custom sync edit video that married remastered stereo sound of the original studio recording to footage of Brenda performing on Dick Clark's Beech-Nut Show. As you saw in those cutaways, the teens in the audience are all chewing their cud thanks to the makers of Beech-Nut Chewing Gum who handed out free samples as the young folks filed into the studio.
I'm delighted that you noted the quality of Casi Joy's cover. I think she's the real deal, and I too appreciated her antics as she danced with her pooch during the instrumental break of the song. Truth be told, I do love Wanda Jackson's cover and I also appreciate Helen Shapiro's version. I like the pickin' and sax on Wanda's recording, and on Helen's I like the wailin' sax, scat singing and backing vocals by (I think) The Breakaways, the famous girl group that lent their voices to hundreds of great UK recordings in the 60s. I admit that Helen's deep, husky, robust voice is an acquired taste.
I'm sure there are many more great covers of the hit song "Sweet Nothin's." I'm glad you liked two of these in my post along with the Fleetwood Mac cover.
Oh NO! On top of everything else, you needed to seek a safe room when a tornado alert sounded? What next? :) I'm sorry that Scootie became ill from the stress of it all. Tell him I get the same way when we are under the gun for hours or days on end sweating out an approaching hurricane. I am very relieved to learn that the adverse FX of your shot are wearing off. I'm always happy when I know you are happy and in the mood to have fun.
Thanks again for stopping in, dear friend Suzanne. Have a safe and happy weekend and join me next Wednesday if you can when another meeting of Debbie the Dellette's Top Hit Club of America is called to order!
Thankfully, I am here early and am happy to have listened to all of these. Fleetwood Mac is superb and you can tell that their song rendition, at different times was still spot on. Many bands or singers can't recreate it when live. The other song, "Sweet Nothins" starts off kind of creepy to be honest but boy does that little girl belt it out. I have to admit that my favourite rendition is by Casi Joy. She knows how to deliver that song in an innocent yet cheeky, sexy way. I hope you will enjoy your day. I just found out that our OHIP will no longer cover my infusions which really helped my pain management. The cost would be $1,000 every 2 months which I can't afford. I am quite upset by this and I have another reason why I hate our health minister and our provincial leader who is crooked as they come. His brother was Rob Ford.
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteThank you for hustling over so quickly, dear friend! You crossed the finish line third in the race to Shady's Place, earning you the bronze trophy with an engraved autograph by Shady himself. :)
Unless I am mistaken, you are giving thumbs up to the Fleetwood Mac original of "Dreams" and also to the cover performed by the UK tribute band The Classic Rock Show. I'm glad you likey.
Yessum, if you listen to the beginning of "Sweet Nothin's" through today's jaded ears, you can't help thinking it sounds creepy. I think the guy on the phone sounds like one of those "breathers." :) However, instead of seeking an injunction or a restraining order, Brenda takes her baby's phone whispering in stride. Yessum, Brenda Lee is a little lady with powerful pipes. She can really belt a song. I am thrilled that you also appreciate the cover by Kansas City zinger Casi Joy.
BB, I am terribly sorry that you received the bad news from your Ontario health care plan that they will no longer cover your infusions. Surely you can do what people do in the states, and that is to seek financial assistance directly from the pharma company that manufactures the drug. If you cannot afford the out-of-pocket expense you should qualify for a low co-pay program, perhaps as little as $5 per dose. I know what I am talking about because Mrs. Shady and I have done research into it. Best of luck to you, dear friend.
Thank you again for dropping by early and letting these musical performances cheer you up. Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend BB!
I'm going to jump right in there and give Brenda Lee 2 thumbs up and I liked Casi Joy but wasn't too crazy about the others. That little Brenda sure could belt it out! Not to be too boring but I liked the original version of Dreams. The cover was good but seemed to go too slow. I hope you're having a good Shady! It's been a rainy day at the Pines today but the weekend is looking good! Party at the Pines this weekend....Happy Greek Easter!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, dear friend! You finished 4th in the race to Shady's Place. Although you are not a medalist this time around, you do win a life-size cardboard cut-out of Shady Del Knight. Place it in your garden to scare off the coons and possums. :)
Thanks for tuning in Fuller House. If you were hoping to find Mary-Kate and Ashley, I apologize. :)
Looks like Brenda Lee is on her way to sweeping the virtual vote, but let me remind you that this is only an exhibition. It is not a competition. Please... no wagering! :) I am also happy to learn that you like Casi Joy's homemade cover accompanied by her dog.
It's never boring for you to reveal your likes and dislikes. Fleetwood Mac is a tough act to follow.
I hope you are well and in good spirits. I haven't forgotten about your spill and the need for surgeries. I'm thinking about you every day. I hope the weather is good for this weekend's party and observance of Greek Easter at The Pines. The Yeti is renting a tux. :)
Forgive all my silliness. Please stay safe and well and thank you again for your visit and comment, dear friend YaYa!
Good afternoon! I am sorry to say that I was not impressed with the cover of Fleetwood Mac's Dreams but then again Stevie Nicks is my muse and it is VERY hard to shake her from her position in my mind. On the other hand, I did like two of the three Brenda Lee covers. Wanda Jackson didn't quite do it for me. Interestingly, Dreams was a song I listened to a lot as I was going through a divorce shortly after it came out.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janet!
DeleteThanks for coming over, dear friend! How's Benny doing today?
I'm surprised The Classic Rock Show is getting so many dislike votes from my friends. Just today I saw the band listed as one of the top 5 cover bands on YouTube. I have to agree, though, that Stevie is the greatest. Perhaps we already discussed this but, in case you never saw her in American Horror Story: Coven, you should check her out in that season of the anthology series. She acts and sings. Thanks for sharing that "Dreams" holds special meaning for you, albeit bittersweet in nature.
So unless I am reading you wrong, you are the first person to tell me they like Helen Shapiro's cover of "Sweet 00000's." I'm happy to know you were able to tolerate her deep, rather masculine vocals. I think her recording has a lot to offer when you take into account the backing band and the session singers. It's interesting that Wanda Jackson, the much loved, greatly respected Queen of Rockabilly, isn't gong over very well today.
Thank you again for reporting in, dear friend Janet. Please pat Benny on the noggin for me and I'll Z you tomorrow at Janet's Smiles!
Hey Shady,
ReplyDeleteI love Fleetwood Mac and the Rock Show did an amazing job covering "Dreams." Her voice sounds just like Stevie Nicks.
I'm not too familiar with the other songs, but the covers did an amazing job covering. I'm usually not a fan of covers, but the ones you write about in your blog have been the best of the best! Bravo!
Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteWelcome back over to Shady's Place, dear friend!
I'm glad you approve of the cover of Stevie Nicks' "Dreams" as performed by Jess Harwood fronting the UK tribute band The Classic Rock Show. I'm also happy to know you enjoyed these three covers of Brenda Lee's top 3 charting hit from 1960. "Sweet Nothin's" is a song your dad should remember if you care to ask him.
I honestly don't think any of the covers in this post surpass the originals, but they are all worthy of a listen.
Happy TT to you as well, dear friend JM, and thanks again for dropping by!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI enjoyed these gems so much that this weekend during the Prevention Fun Run/Walk 5K, I gave these a listen. They really helped my 4.64 mile walk. :)
Happy Monday, dear friend!
Happy to hear it, dear friend JM. Have a super week!
DeleteI was going to make an obscene phone call wisecrack regarding "Sweet Nothings", but others beat me to it. So be it, I'll survive. In the meantime, I prefer Brenda Lee's version, but Casi Joy is a close second. And I liked her dancing with her dog. Or was it a cat? A stuffed animal? It happened so quickly, I couldn't tell. Wanda Jackson's is OK, too. Helen Shapiro's version just sounded kind of odd to me.
ReplyDeleteNothing beats Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" and Stevie Nick's otherworldly vocals. Nice try from The Classic Rock Show, though.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for returning to Shady's Place and checking into Fuller House, good buddy! If you were looking for Aunt Becky, she ain't here. She's vacationing at a lovely resort called FCI Dublin.
That obscene phone mumbler we hear at the beginning of "Sweet Nothin's" reminds me of Arte Johnson's Laugh-In character Tyrone F. Horneigh. (Ruth Buzzi will soon be 85.)
Your musical tastes are closely aligned with others who have commented. Most are picking Brenda Lee and Casi Joy as favorites, with Wanda and Helen trailing far behind. Good as they are, Jess Harwood and The Classic Rock Show band were no match for Stevie Nicks singing lead for Fleetwood Mac.
Thanks again for joining the fun, good buddy Kirk. I hope your week is off to a good start and I'll see you soon!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad this wasn't a competition because it would be a hard pick for me. Brenda Lee's "Sweet Nothins" is new-to-me. She was real cracker jack wasn't she? I mean, what a voice that once little gal had. We are fans of The Voice. All the judges are great but Blake is probably our favorite. I barely remember Casi Joy and although she got voted off I'm confident that platform launched her career in a big way. Wanda Jackson's singing style of this cover reminds me a lot of Brenda Lee with the exception her vocals don't carry quite the explosive charge as Little Miss Dynamite. Helen Shapiro does a nice job and has an interesting voice but I preferred her covered the least. I guess overall my fave lady here is Wanda. The UK front woman covering Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" did a nice job but know one does it like Stevie Nicks, though. What a great song tied with great memories - the year DH graduated high school! That seems like a lifetime ago. :) Thanks for visiting today and for your loyal support all month while I had neck deep in the A-Z Challenge. I can honestly say, this gal is glad that it's over. Have a lovely weekend, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for swinging over on "Z" day, dear friend. I'm happy to "Z" you! :) Welcome to Fuller House... four of a kind plus an extra pair up Shady's sleeve.
I'm happy to know you like most of what you heard in this post and that you vaguely recall country zinger Casi Joy appearing on S-12 of The Voice. You are the only person who chose Rockabilly Queen Wanda Jackson's version of "Sweet 000's" as your favorite. I'm not about to argue with you because I love Wanda. As you might recall, I devoted a two-part post to Wanda's recording career a few years ago on SDMM.
Looks like Stevie Nicks is the big winner of this exhibition bout. You can see her act as well as sing in the "Coven" season of American Horror Story. Thanks for letting me know that Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" was a biggie the year DH graduated high school. I was fortunate to find that nicely remastered video of the song to use in this edition of Winning Hand.
It's always a pleasure to support a great friend like you throughout the A to Z run, and I am also grateful for your friendship and support all these years. I hope you will continue to show off your art talent in future posts at CAAC. Get some rest now and bask in the afterglow of a job well done on this year's A to Z.
Thanks again for running through my mewsical selections today. Have a safe and happy weekend, dear friend Cathy!
I love Fleetwood Mac. My mom liked Brenda Lee, I remember her listening to her when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteHi, Mary!
DeleteThank you very much for taking a peek at my post!
My blog friends know that I especially appreciate when they share tidbits like you did in your comment. I love to find out which songs resonate with people and which ones their folks knew and loved in their younger years. As a member of the baby boom generation, I suspect that I am closer to your mother's age. Brenda Lee was making her hit records when I was growing up.
I am pleased to meet you, Mary, and thank you again for dropping by. I hope you will visit Shady's Place often. You are always welcome here, my friend!
Dreams by Fleetwood Mac ... Memories come flooding back, when listening to any of their songs, friend Shady. My son Paul left home age 16, doing every parent's night mare. Glad those times are over. He turned out to become a fine young man and husband to Leanne :) Still working on their plans to build a yurt on our South quarter. Cleared and staked out the area, fencing in for a garden area :) Sending love from Alberta. No green yet, no flowers, but soon :) https://youtu.be/CKG2LKYCb6g
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteHow are you and my buddy TT, dear friend? Thanks for coming down to take a peek at the post!
I'm pleased to learn that memories came flooding back when you listened to the original of "Dreams" by Stevie and Fleetwood Mac.
What a great story about your worries over son Paul when he was younger and how he turned into a fine young man and husband. I am excited over their plans to build a yurt. It was fascinating to watch the video you shared that takes us inside an off-grid yurt in the Gatineau Park region of Quebec. The yurt looks small from the outside but surprisingly spacious on the inside. I love the furnishings and natural light pouring in from above and the side windows. It looks like it would be loads of fun to live in a yurt, but there is plenty of work to be done keeping the fire going and the responsibility for melting snow, purifying the water and recharging batteries.
Thanks for showing me that vid and for your cheery visit and comment. Enjoy your week in Alberta, dear friend cat!