10-TRACK MIND: The real beauty of a live recording

POSTED: Wednesday, June 29, 2011, 12:00 PM

CP's Darren Ankrom put his iPod on shuffle. This is where it led him.

1. Coldplay featuring Jay-Z – “Lost!” Already a great song in its own right, “Lost” is made even better with the addition of Jay-Z. If you listen closely, Jay is making a strong point — he uses musical (Biggie and Pac) and conveniently rhyming historical (Jesus, Judas, Caesar, Brutus) examples to prove that, “If you succeed, prepare to be crucified.”

2. The Doors – “Alabama Song” In a 1970 performance taped in Detroit, The Doors take the audience on a brief, carnival-like jaunt. “Alabama Song” is actually a cover, first performed in a German opera from 1927. Given lead singer Jim Morrison’s extensive knowledge of performance history, it’s no surprise this song popped back up with The Doors.

3. Drake – “Best I Ever Had” His first hit, the one that single-handedly launched him into stardom, is surprisingly romantic given popular themes in today’s rap. I’m willing to bet it’s also synonymous with freshman year for most 2012 college graduates — I don’t think I attended a party that year without hearing this one.

4. Blink–182 “Dumpweed” From their live The Mark Tom and Travis Show album, Blink delivers a high-energy performance that manages to drown out the many screams of love-struck teenage girls. Not an easy feat. Judging by their dialogue with the crowd at the end of the track, it amazes me how much Tom in particular has grown up since then.

5. Railroad Earth – “Fire On The Mountain” New Jersey jam band Railroad Earth unleashes a wicked number on the fiddle in this fast-paced live performance. Lead singer Todd Sheaffer somehow manages to match the fiddle’s pace when he jumps in. Seconds into this song, I can promise a tapping foot and a spinning mind.

6. Bachman-Turner Overdrive – “Takin’ Care of Business” In arguably their most popular song, BTO gloats that their job is better than yours. “If you ever get annoyed/ Look at me I’m self-employed.” The live version is a must hear — they do a great job involving the audience, spurring on their clapping and yelling for Detroit to “make some noise!” If you ask me, that interaction is the real beauty of a live recording.

7. Jason Mraz – “No Stopping Us” If you’ve had the chance to see him live, it’s no surprise that this performance runs nearly double the length of the album version. Mraz concerts feel like a big party he invited the audience to, improvising and sometimes featuring surprise guests on stage — in this show, with Blues Traveler frontman John Popper on the harmonica, a little girl is invited to dance around with him on stage.

8. Grateful Dead – “Truckin” My parents played the Grateful Dead on their way home from the hospital when I was born (or so I’ve been told). Whether it started then or in the 20 years and counting since I’ve been hearing the Grateful Dead, my parents managed to pass that fandom along seamlessly. This 13-plus minute jam from their live Europe ’72 album rocks.

9. John Lennon – “Watching The Wheels” Given Lennon’s strong politics and idealism, there’s a number of ways this song could be interpreted. Commentary on his post-Beatles life seems most likely. Everyone’s asking “Don’t you miss the big time boy” or guessing that “Surely you’re not happy now you no longer play the game”… but Lennon’s content simply “watching the wheels go round and round.” A beautiful acoustic version that, unfortunately, was one of his last songs.

10. Richard Cheese – “Hey Ya (Outkast)” When a friend first introduced me to Richard Cheese, I was confused more than anything … but his lounge covers of popular songs are as catchy as they are hilarious. This album alone features “Milkshake” (as in bringing all the boys to the yard), “Beat It” from Michael Jackson, and Blink’s “Feeling This.” Wide variety — each one all lounged up.

(darren.ankrom@citypaper.net)

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