Thursday, September 12, 2013

Good Morning Heartache - Gretchen Wilson

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77-pOOY5D2I]


Update: The live version I had in this post has been removed from YouTube. The studio recording has replaced it.


At the beginning of the studio recording of this song, Wilson introduces by explaining that it was recorded in one take, by one voice and four players, using one microphone. I think it's amazing that a sound like this can be accomplished with that simplistic of a setup. Of course, I posted a song, at least one, that has dealt with this topic before.


I'm not such a purist that I think all recordings need to be done this way, but I'm not a fan of a recording where the players never meet. The bass line might be recorded in LA and the vocals and drums in Nashville and the guitar parts in NYC. I don't think you build the same feel and groove if you don't have some chance for the group to perform together. I can get on board with solos and vocals being recorded later (so long as there's a vocal scratch track), but I like to see the foundation recorded together.


This song was originally recorded by Billie Holiday in '46, and I think Wilson does a great job with it. I love the feel and the sound of these smokey jazz tunes. That smooth brush on the snare and the vocals just killing it are right where it's at for me. Ballads, in general, are some of my favorite tunes, and I've posted one other great one by Wilson.

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