Before you can fully appreciate the following audio gift, you must see this. And then this. Then listen to this draft of my own tribute.
I thought FF5’s version was way too upbeat and positive, of course. They missed the melancholy implied in the original, the sadness in the voice and heart of a salesman longing for the world’s approbation…and cash. I tried to remedy that in my own take. Sing it with me everybody, “Hey, hey. Hey hey. You heard me. Come shop.”
(Imagine with full blown crunchy guitars in the chorus, Radiohead-esque warbly piano, etc etc etc.)
You sir, are my hero. ‘Nuff said.
I’ve always thought Twilight was the best song you ever recorded…uh…now I’m not so sure…
taylor, my fave intern, insisted that I come check out the minimall~I am doubly impressed <wipes tear away…>.
awesome, shaun.
i’m still laughing.
any chance you could make that available to download or email it?
If just one person—just one—is reached by this song, your work is worthwhile.
I am very, very thankful to be alive right now.
That is one of the funniest things I have ever heard. And that IS a nice chord progression, actually. Reminded me of Keane.
that’s heart-breaking.
nice panning.
You almost topped your Smitty tribute.
Yeaheeyeah!
You should’ve done this earlier so it coulda been on the ONK cd.
Beth
Maybe it’ll make it on the “One Night in Montgomery” cd.
this is by far the funniest thing i’ve seen in a while… shaun, your version is classic, we need a downloadable version…
hey Shaun…my brother Brant turned me on to your blog…
FF5 has nothing on you man
it is right up there with Elton John’s Candle in the Wind and I think it will have that kind of global impact
Hey, hey. You sound so much like Radiohead there. Very funny.
Hey, hey, I’m curious what plug-in you use to stream audio like that.
Thanks.
-Jessica
LOL – BRILLIANT (that’s what we English people say!)
I imagine you and Brant in the same room would be side-splittingly funny.
next time you go on-the-air with him, I want to be there too !!!
Alice the Brit
P.S. I love your voice and how you did this, one could get lost in the melody alone without listening to the words at all – cos then it makes you laugh and smile!
Legendary, friend. Life changing. I had been thinking about giving my money to Bono, but now… I know where to go with my cash. And there’s a new bedroom suite with my name on it. You’ve moved me, sir.
LOL this is awesome Shaun.
Brilliant. Freakin’ brilliant.
(wipe tears) (sob) (sniff) (Wipe tears)…
…
(sniff)
Who knew a flea market that is just like a mini-mall could be so emotional? You really cut to the core on this version.
ummm, Brant is playing this on WayFM right now…and singing along, sort of.
That’s wrong.
Does this mean I’ll have to play it when I come to Florida now?