Guest Howard
GuestForum Replies Created
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Yes, the pizza analogy was wonderful Lisa. I’m a pizza lover and make one every week. As you state, the basics never change – pizza dough, tomato sauce and cheese. However, I’ve only made a ‘Mona’ pizza (Hawaiian) once!
Recording has become so much more sophisticated, and I guess easier since digitisation. I don’t think pizza making has changed much for centuries though!
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Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the video about your time in the States back in 2007. You may have reservations about showing your early public performances, but I can assure you that your club supporters wouldn’t see these performances through the same critical eyes that you and Mona would. We understand your tender age and the circumstances involved and are able to view the performances in this context. We still remember how awkward and self-conscious many of us would have been at the same age, and in comparison, you are already well ahead of the pack. Your transition from these early performances to your 2007 concert and then your ‘Californian Dreaming’ efforts is nothing short of stunning!
I am concerned that we may not get to see your first performance of ‘Alone’ because you may find it doesn’t meet your very strict publication standards. This would be a pity as I consider it to be a major event in your awesome musical career, especially as you are performing your own composition in public for the first time. I can assure you that we would appreciate the event for the important occasion it was and any perceived negatives would not detract from this very significant occasion for us.
It was really nice to see those glimpses of your singing performances as seven-year-olds that we were treated to in the Advent Calendar and I believe your first ‘Alone’ performance would be a similar treat.
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Well said, Mike. I’m pleased to be able to endorse everything you have stated, particularly, “MLT would include the twins, Papa Rudi, and Michaela…….all four of them are as nice as they can be.”
I also believe this is the best club on the planet and has the best members!
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Hi Stephen. That is correct about BB and Mr Berry. The issue of plagiarism was raised in the Forum Topic: “60’s Sound-Alike Songs”. You can easily do a search to find it.
The following was extracted from the web:
“Surfin’ U.S.A.” music was based on Chuck Berry’s 1958 hit “Sweet Little Sixteen.” The Beach Boys did it as a tribute to Berry, but didn’t get his permission first – maybe because Berry was in jail for transporting a minor across state lines. When Berry threatened to sue, The Beach Boys agreed to give him most of the royalties and list him as the song’s composer. The song also helped build Berry’s legend while he served his time.
David Marks, who was a guitarist in The Beach Boys from 1961-1963, explains on the DVD Brian Wilson Songwriter 1962 – 1969, that he and Carl Wilson would play guitars every day after school, and one day Carl brought home the album Chuck Berry Is On Top. They loved the album and introduced Berry’s sound to Brian Wilson, who loved the rhythm parts and put together “Surfin’ U.S.A.” based on that sound. Brian changed the lyrics and added a hook, but it is basically a rewrite of Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen.”
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I have to say that there’s a part of me that says ‘don’t do it’ but my darker side says ‘why not’! So, at the risk of outraging the many Beach Boys fanatics in this club and offending our favourite twins, here goes!
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Hi Dale. I enjoyed your rant too. It seems we both had similar MLT revelations via YouTube. I had to stay up all night watching their videos and wondered how on earth I had managed to miss them for ten years!
Yes, they have a wonderful sense of humour and are as grounded as any ‘pop stars’ possibly could be. Much credit to papa Rudi and Michaela there I think.
”If I Fell” has been a favourite Beatles song of mine and I never expected anyone (or wanted them) to cover it as it would invariably add nothing. Well I was wrong. MLT nailed it and made it their own for mine!
Again, welcome to the Club and thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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Well, you’re not alone there David. I also often find myself listening to music and thinking how much it reminds me of another song. As for Sedaka’s song, he only wrote the music. The lyrics were penned by Phil Cody.
Ray Davies’s song was written about seven years earlier. The following are the first verses of each song.
“Dirty old river, must you keep rolling, rolling into the night
People so busy, make me feel dizzy, taxi light shines so bright
But I don’t, need no friends
As long as I gaze on Waterloo Sunset, I am in paradise
Every day I look at the world from my window
Chilly chilly is the evening time, Waterloo sunset’s fine”“Strolling along country roads with my baby
It starts to rain, it begins to pour
Without an umbrella we’re soaked to the skin
I feel a shiver run up my spine
I feel the warmth of her hand in mine” -
Ahttps://www.jimcutler.com/three-song-clips-is-this-the-same-riff/
https://www.jimcutler.com/three-song-clips-is-this-the-same-riff/
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Well I must admit David, my immediate reaction was ‘what planet are you on’! However, having a new listen to the song I can see where you are coming from. Sedaka’s tune is fairly similar in parts. You can see there could be some inspiration there. Good call!
However, as far as plagiarism goes, I think it would be a very long bow for any plagiarism claims. Inspiration is a very tricky thing for music writers and has created issues for groups like Led Zeppelin. It’s amazing how the MLT are able to use various inspirations in their original work while making them totally all theirs!
As for another planet, Cody (‘Laughter in the Rain’ lyricist), reports writing the lyrics in about five minutes after smoking marijuana and falling asleep under a tree for a couple of hours.” Say no more!
One big difference between both songs is Sedaka’s tends to be on the uplifting side while Davies’ is more on the melancholic side! I’m sure Mona’s and Lisa’s ‘Waterloo Sunset’ cover would be on the uplifting side, in their inimitable, and unique ‘Bus Stop’ and ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ style (and without the substance influence),
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That’s All Right, Tomás!
And what a great party the MLT Club is. That’s a great video of the Twins’ live work, showing they can do Elvis while they also “balance their own style with respect for the original recording”, as David states!
There have been some great concerts I’ve seen and even more I’ve missed, but none more so than the MLT live at the Cavern Club!
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The Beach Boys cover of “Then I Kissed Her” was also a hit single in Australia in 1967 and I remember it well as it was a favourite Beach Boys number of mine, along with their cover of “Sloop John ‘B’”. As for the Kinks, they have always been a favourite, just after the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Favourites at the time were “Dedicated Follower of Fashion”, “A Well Respected Man” and “Sunny Afternoon”, but my all time favourite Kinks song is “Waterloo Sunset” and I live in hope that Mona and Lisa will one day cover it!
While Beatles poetry indicates friendship is everything, ‘Waterloo Sunset’ indicates loneliness is nothing to worry about.
Beatles: I get by with a little help from my friends.
Kinks: But I don’t, need no friends.
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Hmm! I’m worried I might be beginning a MLT mug addiction. Only they can save me. If they don’t make any more of their beautiful creations, I’m cured! Amazing how nothing they produce, whether it be music, art, film or writing, is ever less than first class quality.
Those Montblanc special edition pens look exquisite!
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Yes, you are correct Jacki. I knew there was something out there in the MLT video universe. “That’s All Right, Mama” – MonaLisa Twins (Elvis Cover) live, shows us just what they can do with a song from the “King”! Check out Mona’s rocking moves and Lisa’s fancy guitar picking!
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Well I do have an impressive collection of MLT pens too, but most probably not as many as you for sure! When did your addiction start Jung?
http://goldspotpens.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-does-pen-addiction-start.html
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Well, David, I have no doubt that MLT could come up with the appropriate arrangement if they chose to do a Presley song. They have shown in the past that they can improvise and change covers when required or preferred. Also, Elvis’s songs are usually backed by various singers and often a chorus of singers. “She’s Not You” has several backing singers and “Wooden Heart” has the option of including another singer for the German part or even a choir of singers like with the children in my video example. The MLT’s “Little Drummer Boy” is a good example of how they have multi-tracked their voices when required. “Please, Please, Me”, is another example (along with other songs) when three-part harmonies are required. They depend on the bass guitarist in their live bands for the third voice.
I know that soloists like Elvis aren’t their usual style, preferring the harmony group sound, but they have shown themselves to be very adventurous in the past. I only suggested “Wooden Heart” because it suited the Topic “Singing in German”, and I also think they could utilise their considerable acting skills to pull this one off!
