Tuesday, October 27, 2020

What's Up, Chuck?

 

 

My friend sent me a message regarding Chuck Prophet's song "High As Johnny Thunders." It said, "I like the one without the horns." 

Horns? Was there a dance remix?

Confused, I asked, "What horns?"

She sent me a link to Spotify of the version you see up top. 

It's gorgeous. There's no saxophone. As much as I love this song and this album, the sax solo on "High As Johnny Thunders" does remind me a bit of the ten second, "just back from a commercial before our musical guest" sax on SNL. But this version is beautiful and simple, with just acoustic guitars and strings. 

I now "like the one without the horns" better than the album version, which is below.

How does this happen? Was the strings version a demo? Why is it on YouTube and Spotify? Did it come out first? How did I miss it? Why didn't it make the record? Did no one else in the Chuck Prophet camp think the strings version was better for the album? Was it up to Chuck? Do you like the album version better? Who won Best Supporting Actor in 1967?

Answer any one of these questions if you can?



5 comments:

FD13NYC said...

Walter Matthau for The Fortune Cookie.

Anonymous said...

Sal, I found the following Youtube video which will explain where this version came from.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXXuoZtLl3Q

Randy

Sal Nunziato said...

You know Randy, I scrolled by this video and didn't bother checking it because I assumed that a live version would not be used as a standard for both YouTube and Spotify. Strange, no?
But thank you!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Randy, I’m the friend who “didn’t like the version with the horns.” For a few seconds there I thought Chelsea Handler had the answer. I missed that youtube video, now I’m going to rewatch it!
Lesley

pmac said...

That's odd. Thanks for letting us know Chuck had relased a new album, though. I measure his records by the older Age of Miracles - No Other Love barometer. Regardless, this new one is fantastic.