I like running and singing, but not at the same time…
My Apple Music year end statistics came back recently and apparently Joy Oladokun is my number one listened to artist. That was not surprising really.
I was very happy to see Joy in concert a couple of months back in Chapel Hill, NC – at Cat’s Cradle. That was an amazing night. She is a top-class human in every way.
Here’s a cover of “Look Up” that I had a lot of fun making.
This one came together better than I expected. It’s a cover of an old Irish (with even older Scottish origins) folk song called “Wild Mountain Thyme”.
My guitar part was already tracked when I thought about trying to add something else. Then I found a D whistle hiding in a drawer. I can’t even remember why I have it, or where it came from, but I’ve held on to it for years. Maybe for this very moment. 😉
One problem though — I’d recorded the guitars in Eb.
Fortunately, D is only a half-step down, so no major impact vocally. I recorded the guitar parts again in D, one with capo and one without.
It took quite a few takes to get the whistle sounding how I liked it, but I love how it turned out, especially when I added a little bit of reverb.
I have a few more Irish songs planned now, and I hope they are all in D.
This song is pure nostalgia for me. Growing up in the eighties, this is one song that never seems to grow old on me. Morten Harket’s vocal range is just phenomenal, and there’s not many who can hit those notes in the chorus of the original song.
This particular version of the song is one I first heard used in the movie, Deadpool 2. I later found out it was recorded as part of an MTV unplugged concert. If you’re an A-HA fan and haven’t checked out that album, go find it on any of the streaming platforms. Amazing.
Anyway, here’s my version of Take On Me. Enjoy!
I’ve having a lot of fun on the music front at the moment. If you want to follow along, my dedicated facebook page is the best option.
Alastair Vance 