TalkAwhile - The Folk Corporation Forum

Just been browsing YouTube and astonished by the number of 1952 VBL covers there are. It seems to have become a bluegrass/CandW standard, with half of them changing Box Hill to something else (Knoxville in one case) to give it a more American feel. Worth a look - some fascinating versions - including some truly terrible ones. Be interested to know what peoples' views are. Start with this one - and it'll lead you on to all sorts of others.

http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=YW-w0KgE-8s&feature=related

If you didn't know the song was more recent, this could have been recorded somewhere in the 1960s.

Try this one by Reckless Kelly http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=hlylarCRayI

I really like when people do an interpretation of a song rather than a cover, y'know, take the song and make it personal to them.

There are some really good versions out there, and by some very very good singers, but I have to say that no one sings Richard Thompson like Richard Thompson.

When RT sings anything it sounds like the events in the song are happening as you listen, others sing the song,

if ye ken fit ah mean, likes.

Nice one!  Del's a legend (played with Bill Monroe once upon a time).  Maybe you knew that.  Funny thing, I met him in his kitchen once (somewhere near Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania) after his son ~ who was a buddy of a university friend, who'd just thrown a somewhat rowdy boys' sleepover the night before ~ trotted us all over to his house next day.  I hardly realized who I was meeting at the time.  The son, Ron McCoury, is now a pretty reknowned mandolinist in his own right (and also features in this clip, along with his younger brother on banjo, who was still a fresh-faced teenager on that morning long ago).

They really do make VBL sound like a natural fit for bluegrass, eh?

This is the only version I know, sung by my friend Zoe Mulford.  Mike Harding played it on his programme a few weeks ago, as it's on Zoe's latest album "Bonfires".  (recording quality not great on this clip)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85WwHHWktqQ

I could be strung up for posting this, but I like this version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qwxVOmv5_Q&feature=related

What this song always needed was an accent and a ukulele.

or the clawhammer banjo version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnFWKhULNTg&NR=1

< searching for string >

;D

I actually really like this version. The rhythm of the song completely suits clawhammer banjo.

(Not that I'm biased or anything.)

If you are going to give it an American feel, shouldn't you also change the Vincent to a Harley?  ;D

Paul

Absolutely not, it dont have a soul like a vincent 52  ;D

Rather like "Get your kicks on the A66" loses something in translation

Well this is the worst I have found

http://il.youtube.com/watch?v=1l5Kz-Um8gE

oh my life, i couldnt get to anywherenear the end!!  a masterpiece in awfullness

Good grief.