Althouse: Listen to Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) sing a lot of Beatles songs.

May 10, 2020

Listen to Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie) sing a lot of Beatles songs.

It's one of these coronavirus at-home, live-stream things. It's quite nice:

22 comments:

Mark O said...: Way cool. For me, there is nothing better than a singer with an acoustic guitar. No frills.; 5/10/20, 9:23 AM
Heartless Aztec said...: First song I ever learned on a guitar was "For No One". Thanks for the lovely cover Ben.; 5/10/20, 9:28 AM
Howard said...: I don't know what the kind of like seeing a painting by Jeffrey koons trying to be fan cough Van Gogh; 5/10/20, 9:36 AM
Howard said...: Mark O: yes absolutely just an acoustic guitar and a good singer can be sublime. I recently found out about Noah Cyrus's hit "July" which is exactly that.; 5/10/20, 9:38 AM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Many sad mere freshman about 'round here:

When I was young I knew everything
And she a punk who rarely ever took advice
Now I'm guilt stricken,
Sobbing with my head on the floor
Stop a baby's breath and a shoe full of rice, no

I can't be held responsible
'Cause she was touching her face
I won't be held responsible
She fell in love in the first place

For the life of me I cannot remember
What made us think that we were wise and
We'd never compromise
For the life of me I cannot believe
We'd ever die for these sins
We were merely freshmen

My best friend took a week's
Vacation to forget her
His girl took a week's worth a
Valium and slept
Now he's guilt stricken sobbing with his
Head on the floor
Think somebody now and how he never really
Wept he says

I can't be held responsible
'Cause she was touching her face
I won't be held responsible
She fell in love in the first place

For the life of me I cannot remember
What made us think that we were wise and
We'd never compromise
For the life of me I cannot believe
We'd ever die for these sins
We were merely freshmen

We've tried to wash our hands of all of this
We never talk of our lacking relationships
And how we're guilt stricken sobbing with our
Heads on the floor
We fell through the ice when we tried not to
Slip, we'd say

I can't be held responsible
'Cause she was touching her face
And I won't be held responsible
She fell in love in the first place

For the life of me I cannot remember
What made us think that we were wise and
We'd never compromise
For the life of me I cannot believe
We'd ever die for these sins
We were merely freshmen

For the life of me I cannot remember
What made us think that we were wise and
We'd never compromise
For the life of me I cannot believe
We'd ever die for these sins
We were merely freshmen

We were merely freshmen
We were only freshmen; 5/10/20, 10:03 AM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Many a sad.; 5/10/20, 10:18 AM
bagoh20 said...: I love Beatles songs. Truly one of a kind talent. This was not the best covering though. I'm sure he's a fine artist in his own right, but a lot of people can really stick those songs, and bring them to life. This made me go look for them. And you can always listen to the originals which I think nobody ever really improves on. The Beatles worked very hard to get things just right, and I think they usually did, except for that god awful stuff Specter did to some of it.; 5/10/20, 11:26 AM
Lurker21 said...: Rock stars!

They're just like us!

Especially when they aren't really stars!; 5/10/20, 11:30 AM
Lurker21 said...: I can't be held responsible
'Cause she was touching her face
I won't be held responsible
She fell in love in the first place

Very covid-relevant. At first I thought you changed that second line. But no, that's what they sang. What was weird and poetic in the nineties became real-life reality.

What the song is about.; 5/10/20, 11:36 AM
john said...: I kind of started it off, then it kind of grew on me. Thanks, professor.; 5/10/20, 11:37 AM
I Have Misplaced My Pants said...: I was friends with his sister in high school. I remember their house. Met him once or twice. Don’t remember thinking he was cute which is unusual for how I usually regarded my friends’ older brothers. :); 5/10/20, 12:10 PM
Patrick said...: Steve Martin set a very high bar for the "musicians at home during the lockdown" genre.; 5/10/20, 12:14 PM
Carter Wood said...: Richard Thompsons in just a few hours in the Live in the Albert Home series. Donations requested.

https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/series/royal-albert-home/; 5/10/20, 12:25 PM
brylun said...: Nice! I broke out my guitar and played along... I love these old Beatles songs!; 5/10/20, 12:35 PM
eddie willers said...: This was not the best covering though.

Here's a very interesting concept by the same group who created one of the first viral videos I remember sharing. (the one called 5 peeps 1 guitar)

Walk Off The Earth doing "A History of The Beatles 1962-1970"

The Beatles worked very hard to get things just right, and I think they usually did

I learned that when "Anthology" was released in the nineties. The Beatles left nothing on the table. George Martin made sure of it. If it was good, he put it out. If not, it stayed in the vault.; 5/10/20, 1:44 PM
Danno said...: Ben Gibbard was also the guy behind the group, Postal Service.; 5/10/20, 2:10 PM
Danno said...: An acoustic version of "Such Great Heights"-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIOC0gsWaQI; 5/10/20, 2:12 PM
William said...: Death Cab for Cutie is an enigmatic name for a band. I read on Wiki that he regrets choosing that name. It was done haphazardly. He didn't realize the band was going to become famous. Same deal with Cherry Poppin' Daddies. After feminists protested naming their band after incestuous, child rapists, they felt morally obliged to stick with that name to emphasize their edginess.....With due respect to Little Richard's talent and genius, I have not played any of his music in years. I just don't have that energy level anymore. The Beatles had varying energy levels and some of their music is suitable for seniors. I don't think there's a mellow version of Tutti Frutti.; 5/10/20, 2:21 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: I imagine a drink party and someone saying - "hey call a death cab for cutie"; 5/10/20, 3:11 PM
eddie willers said...: Death Cab for Cutie is an enigmatic name for a band. I read on Wiki that he regrets choosing that name. It was done haphazardly.

Well there is a Beatles connection. The worst thing the Beatles ever did, Magical Mystery Tour (the film, NOT the stupendous [USA] album) had a part where our heros go in to listen to a band. The band was the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and the song they played was Death Cab For Cutie, a parody of 1950's teen-angel/doomed love type songs.

Band member and co-writer of the song was Neil Innes, who went on to perform as "Ron Nasty" in The Rutles, a parody version of the Beatles.

More than you ever wanted to know, I'm sure.; 5/10/20, 5:28 PM
320Busdriver said...: Death Cab is getting heavy rotation on my Spotify as of late..a lot of gems in their albums; 5/10/20, 9:47 PM
Mark Nielsen said...: Death Cab has some real talent, as this livestream shows. Maybe the songs aren't up to Beatles standards, but there are some excellent ones. "Marching Bands of Manhattan" and "I'll Follow You Into the Dark" (both on "Plans") are gems.; 5/11/20, 12:24 AM