As an audience member who loves going to hundreds of cover band performances, I truly appreciate it when I hear musicians stay true to the album and go that extra step to make it perfect. My wife and I call it "album perfect" and those are the bands we go back to over and over again. Our ears can definitely tell the difference.
I love that you are appreciative of the effort to play songs the "right" way. A great many cover bands - including the very popular ones - come close, but they don't hit it exactly. Musicians like me often struggle with listening because we're frustrated they didn't learn the song with the same effort many of us did. I appreciate audience members like you who notice.
@@RhymesWithCarbon I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "99% of the audience won't notice..." making excuses for not playing a song correctly. When you multiply that attitude x 5 members, then you just have 5 lazy people jamming.
Rick Richards(Georgia Satellites lead guitar player) is criminally overlooked and underrated as a guitar player. His work with Izzy Stradlin post GnR in the JuJu Hounds and all his solo stuff is some of Rick's best playing!
I love these series. Request: Friends in Low Places. Also, for those too young to know, Keep Your Hands to Yourself was a MASSIVE hit and was on the radio ALL the time in 1987.
this song was HUGE beyond its chart position in its day, and they're not over-stating how much of a sing along anthem it is. The fact that cover bands still spin it up nearly 35 years later is proof.
They had a follow-up hit with Battleship Chain. I thought they had staying power, but they disappeared pretty quickly. I lived in Nashville when they were exploding, and I saw them once at the Cannery. Great live band.
I used to get goosebumps and a boost of enthousiasm and a sense of proudness whenever I heard our main guitar player play all the memorable parts of songs exactly like the original bands did them. We were a cover band and so there's lots of room to improvise... but guys; KEEP those parts that make the song unique; listen closely and rehearse-rehearse-rehearse!
Some bands get preoccupied with wanting to put their unique spin on songs, it's an instinct for the musician to interpret songs with their own twist but one can go overboard.
Couldn't agree with you more. If you actually think you can improvise a better solo on the spot then you think to high of yourself or you should be in a studio recording your next album. Songs have hooks, thigs you remember. Signature solo's that actually MAKE the song. Or the dynamic flow of the song, rather than just jamming the entire song at the same volume. I quit cover bands 10 years ago because I couldn't take the laziness.
OMG, must've played this song 2,000 times. Thanks for this. Some of my bandmates would take issue when I asked them to play parts "like the record". "I want to play it my way." My reply was, they tried your way in the studio, and the recorded version worked better. Same thing with tempo changes.
Drums and bass make the groove. Period. They are the backdrop for the rest of the band. If the bass player is, "playing it his way" and the drummer is, "playing it his way", well, enjoy the trainwreck of medicrity.
Switching from Metal Band to Country Rock reminded me of the best/busiest working cover band I was in. I'm in So Cal not far from LA, white guy guitar player bit of a shredder back in the day. Some Hispanic dudes had a 'horn band' and played Chicago, Tower Of Power, Funky Disco stuff and some rock and roll. Their leader was a great chord rhythm guitar guy but not a string bender blues based guy like I was.Well I joined the Band and learned they had a secret weapon. They all spoke Spanish and knew all these Mexican hits and folk songs-- kind of like Mexican Country Western stuff. THIS meant they could play huge Mexican weddings. Large families would really spend some money (they passed the hat) on these weddings. See the Parents and Aunts and Uncles would pay for the Band and the Carpenter's Hall they rented for the night. So a typical 4 hour gig would be one hour of safe old rock and roll stuff combined with Mexican music. Then the old folks would go home and the rest if the gig got progressively hipper and rowdy. We'd end up doing ZZ Top and Queen for the youngsters and we worked at least 5-6 weddings a month, as well as some graduation and birthday parties. We were "Los Lobos" type band before "Los Lobos" existed..lol
Similar story for me. Played rock and metal all my life. My neighbor had an Alt Country band... and he convinced me to join. It was challenging and fun. We played mostly originals that were great songs but the covers were always great. Drive by truckers, Merle, Mel Tillis, uncle tupelo, Son Volt. The last gig we played together we worked up Rhinestone Cowboy and Wichita Lineman.....brought down the house. Good times.
I know the LatinX community can open so many doors! (My former lead singer is Argentine.) 5-6 weddings a month - now I know you didn't need a day job for that! I saw a quinceañera celebration in the private hall of an American Legion while my classic rock cover band was playing in the main room, and man I wished I played guitarron instead of electric bass that night!
After playing classic rock and blues, which I love, for years I decided to pay attention and get into some country guitar and came to believe that that is where the best guitar players lived. No one plays like the Nashville session guys and if you play and haven't really listened, you owe it to your self to listen to Keith Urban, Brent Mason, Vince Gill, Danny Gatton and dozens of others. I felt ,and still do feel, like a beginner trying to learn what they do. Sounds like you had the same experience getting into what seemed like a simple song and found real style and nuance that has so much to do with what makes country so challenging and so special.
This person needs to do about 4000 more of these videos. An old "road warrior" from a VERY successful cover band told me forty years ago, "Just learn the songs NOTE FOR NOTE LIKE THE RECORD."
Great video! I had the pleasure of treating Dan Baird and Homemade Sin band to dinner a few years ago (great guys!). Of course we talked about "Keep your Hands to Yourself" and he said that to him, the most surprising thing about the song was that no one had written it before. Also, he got to meet Chuck Berry backstage once. He said that all he did was walk over to Chuck, stick his hand out and say "Thank you" when Berry shook his hand. How cool is that?!?
I literally just played this song last night (on drums), at a jam. It's also a favourite of mine to sing, when I'm up front playing the bass. It's a great jam song, as it's relatively easy to play (and to teach others on the spot)
the great thing about this song... even if its better when all these authentic bits are kept in, it can still sound pretty good even when people are just playing it as a blue I-IV-V thing as a jam
Hey, Mike - I've been a working studio & live musician for over 50 years & I really appreciate your profoundly important video. God (not the Devil) is in the details! Taking the time to learn how parts are actually played, not only scores big- time with audiences, but makes you a much better musician! Ironically, the 'real' parts are often simpler than the 'assumed' ones. Thank you for pointing out how the right TONE is essential! 90% of cover-band guitarists play EVERYTHING w/too much distortion. If you get the SOUND of each song right ...watch people's faces light-up! I could play a whole set of the simplest songs ever written - & if I get the tones right; people come up & say "You're the best guitarist I've ever seen." Finally: of course you can stretch-out & make songs your own (Please do!) but learning them right, in the 1st place, is the best way to get there! ❤️😎🎸
I was like you and just jammed on it. While I still do I've added a lot of the signature elements you talk about and it just enhanced the sound and the fun of this song. Occasionally I play bass on this song and I appreciate your point about the bass lines. Love your channel! Tanx!
I'm a bass guitarist and played this song in a cover band that I was in for a hiccup of a time. After we jammed it, the lead guitarist looked at me and said.. "Whoa.. You're actually playing it right" lol.. In jackassery fashion, I retort "You know what you're paying for when you brought me in" The previous bass player did only the root notes and hung on them. Glad you're pointing out the correct bass lines. It's a really fun song to play when done right.
I had the hardest time hearing what the bass was doing on this track because the mix is muddy. That and he's all over the place. I recently found a 95% correct tab on TH-cam. The majority of them are shitty interpretations is the original. After getting the original EP, "keep the faith" I realized that the version on the 1986 record Is THAT version. They added some guitar parts, and really messed up the bass tone. It's much clearer on keep the faith. It's pretty obvious that this Dave Hewitt on this version. Not cutting Rick P here, but Dave's playing is superb in comparison which is why this original EP version was included on the record in 86. Now that I have found the actual tab I plan to learn the key elements, like especially where the bass is singing over the top of guitar solo. Crazy good bass playing.
Fun story…I proposed to my wife while singing this song at a karaoke night my friend hosted. She used to do karaoke all the time but I never had. I sang the verses and lead up, and then she would sing the “response”. Had my friend stop the play after the final response and popped the question. She had no idea, which considering the lyrics/subject is pretty crazy, but an older couple came up to me after and the wife said she turned to her husband mid song and said “He’s about to propose”. Great memories, love your channel, keep up the good work!
Have you done a video looking into all the little things folks get wrong with "Shook Me All Night Long" ? People seem to miss there's 2 guitars in the intro. They never get Malcoms part of the 1st verse exactly right, or they skip it all together. Folks often use the wrong voicing for the Angus lick in the intro. Folks never get the arpeggios in the chorus. And I think Cliff Williams is one of the most underrated and misunderstood bass players out there.
I love learning songs exactly the way they were written. I also love to put my own little pieces in them when I’m playing around so you’ll get no complaints from me on learning them exact.
I play bass and sing in a cover band. Rhythm guitar player likes to do (and sing lead on) this song, and because we usually just play for ourselves, we winged it. I knew there was more to the bass line, and started adding the walking up and down parts, but because I'm not singing, I'm definitely going to do some woodshedding and learn more of the actual bass line! Thanks for pointing that out. Really liking this series.
When GFTPM printed the TAB to this back in the 80s I read through and played every detail for both the lead and rhythm and found there was a lot more going on than a casual listen would have you think. The rhythm part during the solos has much more variety than the basic 5th to 6th rock pattern and gave me a lot of variations to use in similar songs that I use to this day. I certainly don't play this song note for note but I do paraphrase some of the original licks because they work so well. It never would occur to me that a band wouldn't play the lick in the middle of each solo chorus. To me it's what sets this song apart from any other basic rock and roll song. When I play this tune we usually dial the dynamics back during the last verse and pump it back up for the outro. A song like this needs the variety to keep it from sounding static. Keep these "details" videos coming.
Agree about that "doing it your way, not the original way". Well, one can do it ones own way, of course. But the original band made it a hit, playing it their way. A big hit. After playing it live many many times, and adjusting after how the audiences reacted. Maybe there is some hard-earned experience in there. 🙂
Thanks for this video - I think its great to play a song your own way, but at the same times its equally great to stay true to the original music even when you're doing that -- bringing in that lead/bass element, or keeping with the classic licks and double stops sounds much better than going all shred "just because you can"
That's the interesting thing about Bryan Adam's Summer of 69, it's a breakup song about a band that he made popular by using the timeless formula of a love song about a girl. Dudes in high school bands have two first loves they lose, double the heartbreak.
I played bass in country/rock cover bands for years and on one hand, I kinda loathe this song because I’ve heard it and played it so many times, but on the other hand, it’s a lot of fun to play as a bass player because you can go wild with your walking skills and all the flourishes you can throw in. The unison guitar and bass riff right before the V is one of the details that really makes this song. Another song I’d love to see you talk about is Mustang Sally. I’ve heard and played so many bad, lazy, half-assed covers of that song but one day recently the original Wilson Pickett recording came on the radio and I remembered what a tight, kick-ass song it actually is. It probably helps if your singer is Wilson Pickett but even so, I think there’s a lot of room for improvement in the other parts for your typical cover band to tighten it back up and get some energy in it.
Love this! I love " Keep your hands to yourself" such a great tune, I've been hearing it on the radio for years. Not kidding, i've had this set of lines "You got me tied down with battleship chains / Fifty foot long and a two ton anchor" from their song Battleship Chains stuck in my head for about a week haha. It's on a compilation CD I bought recently.
This is so great, Mike! Those details are so important. I love how you mention how this song grooves. It made me think of Pantera; they are called “groove metal”, but what makes songs like I’m Broken or Walk groove? idk, is that a dumb question?
I picked up guitar as a middle aged/old guy so this song was popular WAY before I started playing and I always turned the channel because I didn't care for that style of singing and it was SO overplayed IMO. But this video made me want to go learn these riffs. Love these style videos✌🏻
my kid did the same thing, he found out country was alot harder/cooler to play than he thought and now he can't stop adding some stuff to his metal writing.
That lick in the solo is so key. It would be like missing the bridge lead in Sweet Child or Comfortably Numb. Everyone knows that part musically and ties the music to the song. As someone who prefers to improvise over solos as much as possible, its those signature licks that mean you didn't just wank off and actually know the solo.
I just used the standard bass blues scale riff, but that's not too far off. I was not usually the bass player, but when the bass player wanted to sing, I played bass. When the drummer wanted to sing, I played drums. I was usually glad to get back behind my mic!
we played this song so much that we got tired of playing it and took it out of the rotation unless someone requested it, but we never approached any songs and told the band were gonna play this album right one reason is sure as we would what ever song we played the cover song would get played live different from there album and the other reason was no bar band can play it exact anyway.
That was right on. I try to hit all those licks when I play that song. Especially that little walk up that locks in with the bass. I play it even if the bass doesn't. And mean double stops like Blackmore paying keef.
Please do Gone Shootin’ by AC/DC, awesome groove, Bass is fantastic, rhythm playing is simple but rocking and Angus is so tasteful and dynamic along with the metronome drums, so much for a “simple” song?
I'm down with duplicating the studio version so I really love these detail videos. For the uninitiated check out Classic Albums Live. Note for note live performances of the great albums. It was a hit for a reason...
Another great video, dude! So many people do not play the song right in different places. My uncle was one the first people I know that would point it out while we were running FOH for shows. That being said, the bass line is awesome. Our bassist pretty much nails it too, which makes playing it fun. I believe there's a short clip of us playing it on one of the socials. Edit- I have also noticed a lot of drummers put to many snare hits in the beginning, which throws the song off a bit.
When I played this on guitar, I put all of Eric Clapton's licks in from Blue Suede Shoes. Matched up pretty well. When I did it on bass, I knew it moved around on the record. Instead of learning it note for note, I just copied the general pattern, made sure I did the lick with rhe guitar, and just let my fingers do the walking.
I saw Georgia satellites open for ZZ Top in 2016, and I felt so bad for them. Everyone knew ONLY this song, and of course they waited until the end to play it. I believe they even addressed it by basically saying "Sorry folks, we know why you are really hear and we only have a couple of songs left"... They were really good even in 2016
I've seen ZZ TOP every time they've come to Birmingham and if they didn't I went out of town. Never saw Satellites with them though. No biggie though. The band is only Rick Richards now, who is great, but it's never been the same without Dan's vocals and distinctive guitar playing. I saw them years and years ago without Dan and it was depressing. Lot the same.
I joined a trio as a guitar player and they were playing KYHTY. I tried to show the bass player Detail #10, the riff during the solo. He couldn't get it, never did, played I don't know what during that spot but it didn't mesh when I played the riff. I knew from that point on that the band would only stay at that level when I joined.
I think it’s really important, for a lot of musicians, to learn songs as close to note for note as possible, then they can break it down, arrange it for their voice/playing style or ability and just make a great cover, that isn’t a note for note rendition, one hears at sad bars in tourist cities. I learn the bass lines, keys(to my abilities), any other guitar parts(within reason, and depending on the song) and I try to even practice singing songs I have no vocal part on. I never learned to drum, or I’d have a kit, and practice that too. I’ve had to play bass, or do certain things on keys, that were integral to the songs, while I still played lead guitar. Never know.
that song is only played if requested and we never practice it. I'm guessing that many cover bands feel the same way.. I don't think I've ever listened to the original other than on the radio many years ago.. but we play it once in a while :) if we have to :) great channel !
I play bass and sing this song in just about every band I've been in, and I appreciate every one of these details. I know the bass is insane, and it needs a good blues-rock bass line. I play it straight while I'm singing (my voice has to be my priority - I'm not a great singer), but I keep it very busy when I'm not singing, and I improv most of it. It keeps the sound moving and the dance floor jumping. That lick during the solo always bothers me though! I play it all the time, sometimes the guys join me, sometimes not, and never on the same beat. It's just sloppy. This is not a throw-away song, and it's a big crowd-pleaser. The details aren't that difficult. You just have to care about making it sound good to the crowd. Improv the solos, sure, but jump on that lick! Jam it out, but learn the structure before deciding where to deviate.
Legit Ideas Here, 100% however: 7:10 ATL FM Radio ran this one into the ground back in the day. I’d use this tune to pound beers (on stage, open strings, right hand) & come alive when the guitars get jiggy. this upload features how good this tune really is…so, thanks, Mike. the guitar licks & tone on the record are for sure badass. I feel like a jerk/snob about young me devaluing this one now, but still refuse to play Mustang Sally/MargaritaVille unless there’s a $100 handed up.
I mean, if you just consider how many bands have bass players vs how many bands have a guitar player who also owns a bass, the number of bands where the bass just hangs around on the root starts to make a lot of sense.
I can do more than follow the root, but I’ve always been asked to play lead, or be the only guitarist, in every band I’ve joined. I’ve played bass at gigs, so others could play the other instruments, or so the bass player could show their guitar skills and have fun. What you say is true though. Too many naturally gifted players, will rely on winging it, for far too many songs. I remember embarrassing a friend, because I knew he hadn’t been practicing, and he couldn’t play the two four note verse parts, on Stir It Up, because he got aggravated and quit trying the night before. I played it in front of the band, with and without the drummer, showing him the same exercise I had the day before. Count! Know the notes! I can not deal with band members who don’t practice the songs.
I'm guilty of being one of those "guitar players who will grab a bass" but I learned enough to at least work in a walking bass or arpeggio out the chords when it fit the song.
I've been gigging for almost 30 years now play almost every style, rock, country, reggae, r&b, etc... and one thing I've learned is some songs are fun to listen to, some are fun to play but not all are both. You might not like to listen to a song that at the same time you find fun to play and vise versa which really sucks because sometimes a song is fun to listen to but a nightmare to play
The bass in this song, "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" is boring? Ha, not!!! I had fun playing bass on this song! And no, I didn't read the sheet music! All by ear, man! Really cool swinging bass runs! 😁
Wow very good video. I haven't played this song for many years but yeah I was doing it wrong. The lead parts with all the double stops, I pretty much got them. Some of the rhythm parts not so much. Never really had a bass player play it like that except for the parts where it doubles with the guitar. It's easy to listen to this song and say yeah I got it. I mean the first time I heard it I thought oh this is so straight forward and simple so we can learn it very fast and that was just riding in a car listening on the radio.
Great video, one of my favorite all-time songs. On your last point about band saying while I like to play at my own way. My answer to that is well then go write your own song. I like to hear it the way the original band played it. It’s not “your song”. It’s their song. Nothing pisses me off more than to hear a great song ruined because somebody decided to do it their way.
I’ve just started learning Van Halen’s 5150 and fortunately figured out right away many people on here are showing the very first chord incorrectly and making it more difficult for themselves. It’s all about finger placement to make the shift to the second chord. Video idea for you?
Mike, thank you for covering the lick that comes up at 12:38! It's a fantastic honky tonk guitar lick that I've heard no song use since this one, also, I'd suggest using the pick to hit the A string, and your middle finger to pluck the G string, it seems to make it flow a bit better.
@@Guitarzan8 There is one that is an octave higher, during the last solo near the end of the song, it's pretty difficult to play up there though with the big stretch you have to make
Love it. Always loved them, and without that energy, it’s not their song! It needs that build up, and the tightness of the band to really do it justice. Can’t remember who said the music is in the gaps, but here’s another example. I’m sure Malcolm Young would agree. I saw them at reading festival in 198t-something, they were another band nobody had heard of, but they got people jumping around like no other. It was a Quo headline, and I love Quo (I think Magnum were there too but fuck Magnum), but the Satellites ruled the day and I mostly remember screaming “KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF” at Dan Baird.
Man I forgot about that song. I used to love the Georgia Satellites! Great lesson and love your take on it! You are absolutely correct, this is one of those songs that everyone knows but when it's played live it rarely sounds right. Something is always off about it: Too slow, too fast, guitarist doesn't know or care about the blues beat and rhythm, especially a blues solo and just wants to show off all their skiddley-diddly noodling skills. Ugh. Thanks again, this was a fun video to watch 👍
I was 15 when this song came out, awesome tune! I was so happy such a basic (yet complex) guitar based song became a hit! Great video, so true! Funny examples of blurry bands ruining the song, lol!
Telecasters are cool. I love listening to them being played because it’s like there’s a phase shift as you go up and down the register. Don’t know what it is about those guitars.
This is a good format for these videos. When you compared a bar band cover to a professional cover previously, it definitely came across as “This is the way to play the song, and the other way is wrong.” But here, it feels like you’re just letting us in on cool details. In my opinion, some things you share kinda ARE mandatory, and others aren’t. Like, the bassist should learn the real part, yes. But if someone harmonizes on the chorus, that’s chill.
"But i play it MY way!" Yeah, and when non-musicians complain to you, "it was missing that signature lick thing," you'll realize that even if you do it your own way, you can still quote the original enough to be satisfying.
You aint gonna get any blowback from this side of the phone, I totally agree with you. I think you should definitely learn the song in it's original studio format, then over time it sorta takes on your own characteristics.
As an audience member who loves going to hundreds of cover band performances, I truly appreciate it when I hear musicians stay true to the album and go that extra step to make it perfect. My wife and I call it "album perfect" and those are the bands we go back to over and over again. Our ears can definitely tell the difference.
I love that you are appreciative of the effort to play songs the "right" way. A great many cover bands - including the very popular ones - come close, but they don't hit it exactly. Musicians like me often struggle with listening because we're frustrated they didn't learn the song with the same effort many of us did. I appreciate audience members like you who notice.
My bands different. We cover the song rather than the performance; someone else already did that. We play the hell out of the song tho.
Oh shit, she was married? Sorry!
@@RhymesWithCarbon I can't tell you how many times I've heard, "99% of the audience won't notice..." making excuses for not playing a song correctly. When you multiply that attitude x 5 members, then you just have 5 lazy people jamming.
@@farmboypresents9977 Pardon my ignorance but what does that mean? You mean you, "make it your own"?
Rick Richards(Georgia Satellites lead guitar player) is criminally overlooked and underrated as a guitar player. His work with Izzy Stradlin post GnR in the JuJu Hounds and all his solo stuff is some of Rick's best playing!
Damn Skippy
Yup!
Dan is a great player too. He's got that chicken picking thing down.
I love these series. Request: Friends in Low Places. Also, for those too young to know, Keep Your Hands to Yourself was a MASSIVE hit and was on the radio ALL the time in 1987.
this song was HUGE beyond its chart position in its day, and they're not over-stating how much of a sing along anthem it is. The fact that cover bands still spin it up nearly 35 years later is proof.
They had a follow-up hit with Battleship Chain. I thought they had staying power, but they disappeared pretty quickly. I lived in Nashville when they were exploding, and I saw them once at the Cannery. Great live band.
First time I tried this I was like, "Oh, this isn't as easy as I thought it would be." It's deceptively hard like a ZZ Top tune.
I used to get goosebumps and a boost of enthousiasm and a sense of proudness whenever I heard our main guitar player play all the memorable parts of songs exactly like the original bands did them. We were a cover band and so there's lots of room to improvise... but guys; KEEP those parts that make the song unique; listen closely and rehearse-rehearse-rehearse!
Amen brother!
Some bands get preoccupied with wanting to put their unique spin on songs, it's an instinct for the musician to interpret songs with their own twist but one can go overboard.
Couldn't agree with you more. If you actually think you can improvise a better solo on the spot then you think to high of yourself or you should be in a studio recording your next album. Songs have hooks, thigs you remember. Signature solo's that actually MAKE the song. Or the dynamic flow of the song, rather than just jamming the entire song at the same volume. I quit cover bands 10 years ago because I couldn't take the laziness.
Killing it with the videos recently
OMG, must've played this song 2,000 times. Thanks for this. Some of my bandmates would take issue when I asked them to play parts "like the record". "I want to play it my way." My reply was, they tried your way in the studio, and the recorded version worked better. Same thing with tempo changes.
Drums and bass make the groove. Period. They are the backdrop for the rest of the band. If the bass player is, "playing it his way" and the drummer is, "playing it his way", well, enjoy the trainwreck of medicrity.
Switching from Metal Band to Country Rock reminded me of the best/busiest working cover band I was in. I'm in So Cal not far from LA, white guy guitar player bit of a shredder back in the day. Some Hispanic dudes had a 'horn band' and played Chicago, Tower Of Power, Funky Disco stuff and some rock and roll. Their leader was a great chord rhythm guitar guy but not a string bender blues based guy like I was.Well I joined the Band and learned they had a secret weapon. They all spoke Spanish and knew all these Mexican hits and folk songs-- kind of like Mexican Country Western stuff. THIS meant they could play huge Mexican weddings. Large families would really spend some money (they passed the hat) on these weddings. See the Parents and Aunts and Uncles would pay for the Band and the Carpenter's Hall they rented for the night. So a typical 4 hour gig would be one hour of safe old rock and roll stuff combined with Mexican music. Then the old folks would go home and the rest if the gig got progressively hipper and rowdy. We'd end up doing ZZ Top and Queen for the youngsters and we worked at least 5-6 weddings a month, as well as some graduation and birthday parties. We were "Los Lobos" type band before "Los Lobos" existed..lol
Similar story for me. Played rock and metal all my life. My neighbor had an Alt Country band... and he convinced me to join. It was challenging and fun. We played mostly originals that were great songs but the covers were always great. Drive by truckers, Merle, Mel Tillis, uncle tupelo, Son Volt.
The last gig we played together we worked up Rhinestone Cowboy and Wichita Lineman.....brought down the house. Good times.
I know the LatinX community can open so many doors! (My former lead singer is Argentine.) 5-6 weddings a month - now I know you didn't need a day job for that! I saw a quinceañera celebration in the private hall of an American Legion while my classic rock cover band was playing in the main room, and man I wished I played guitarron instead of electric bass that night!
After playing classic rock and blues, which I love, for years I decided to pay attention and get into some country guitar and came to believe that that is where the best guitar players lived.
No one plays like the Nashville session guys and if you play and haven't really listened, you owe it to your self to listen to Keith Urban, Brent Mason, Vince Gill, Danny Gatton and dozens of others. I felt ,and still do feel, like a beginner trying to learn what they do. Sounds like you had the same experience getting into what seemed like a simple song and found real style and nuance that has so much to do with what makes country so challenging and so special.
I love this series. Even as a non-musician, it helps me appreciate the songs more.
This style of soloing & playing is my favorite & why I started playing. That 50s, Chuck Berry thing is just soooo rock ‘n roll!
I like that you give examples of bands playing it differently.
This person needs to do about 4000 more of these videos. An old "road warrior" from a VERY successful cover band told me forty years ago, "Just learn the songs NOTE FOR NOTE LIKE THE RECORD."
Great video! I had the pleasure of treating Dan Baird and Homemade Sin band to dinner a few years ago (great guys!). Of course we talked about "Keep your Hands to Yourself" and he said that to him, the most surprising thing about the song was that no one had written it before. Also, he got to meet Chuck Berry backstage once. He said that all he did was walk over to Chuck, stick his hand out and say "Thank you" when Berry shook his hand. How cool is that?!?
I literally just played this song last night (on drums), at a jam. It's also a favourite of mine to sing, when I'm up front playing the bass. It's a great jam song, as it's relatively easy to play (and to teach others on the spot)
the great thing about this song... even if its better when all these authentic bits are kept in, it can still sound pretty good even when people are just playing it as a blue I-IV-V thing as a jam
The great Rick Price!! Wonderful musician and great guy!!!
Hey, Mike - I've been a working studio & live musician for over 50 years &
I really appreciate your profoundly important video.
God (not the Devil) is in the details! Taking the time to learn how parts are actually played, not only scores big- time with audiences, but makes you a much better musician! Ironically, the 'real' parts are often simpler than the 'assumed' ones. Thank you for pointing out how the right TONE is essential! 90% of cover-band guitarists play EVERYTHING w/too much distortion. If you get the SOUND of each song right ...watch people's faces light-up! I could play a whole set of the simplest songs ever written - & if I get the tones right; people come up & say "You're the best guitarist I've ever seen." Finally: of course you can stretch-out & make songs your own (Please do!) but learning them right, in the 1st place, is the best way to get there! ❤️😎🎸
I was like you and just jammed on it. While I still do I've added a lot of the signature elements you talk about and it just enhanced the sound and the fun of this song. Occasionally I play bass on this song and I appreciate your point about the bass lines. Love your channel! Tanx!
I like when people can play note for note. Sometimes it needs to be right and then you can put your style on it
I'm a bass guitarist and played this song in a cover band that I was in for a hiccup of a time. After we jammed it, the lead guitarist looked at me and said.. "Whoa.. You're actually playing it right" lol.. In jackassery fashion, I retort "You know what you're paying for when you brought me in" The previous bass player did only the root notes and hung on them.
Glad you're pointing out the correct bass lines. It's a really fun song to play when done right.
I had the hardest time hearing what the bass was doing on this track because the mix is muddy. That and he's all over the place. I recently found a 95% correct tab on TH-cam. The majority of them are shitty interpretations is the original. After getting the original EP, "keep the faith" I realized that the version on the 1986 record Is THAT version. They added some guitar parts, and really messed up the bass tone. It's much clearer on keep the faith. It's pretty obvious that this Dave Hewitt on this version. Not cutting Rick P here, but Dave's playing is superb in comparison which is why this original EP version was included on the record in 86. Now that I have found the actual tab I plan to learn the key elements, like especially where the bass is singing over the top of guitar solo. Crazy good bass playing.
My biggest mistake learning covers as a bass player was just looking at the chords the guitar was playing and just following.
that's one reason people don't respect the bass player.
Fun story…I proposed to my wife while singing this song at a karaoke night my friend hosted. She used to do karaoke all the time but I never had. I sang the verses and lead up, and then she would sing the “response”. Had my friend stop the play after the final response and popped the question. She had no idea, which considering the lyrics/subject is pretty crazy, but an older couple came up to me after and the wife said she turned to her husband mid song and said “He’s about to propose”. Great memories, love your channel, keep up the good work!
Have you done a video looking into all the little things folks get wrong with "Shook Me All Night Long" ? People seem to miss there's 2 guitars in the intro. They never get Malcoms part of the 1st verse exactly right, or they skip it all together. Folks often use the wrong voicing for the Angus lick in the intro. Folks never get the arpeggios in the chorus. And I think Cliff Williams is one of the most underrated and misunderstood bass players out there.
I love learning songs exactly the way they were written. I also love to put my own little pieces in them when I’m playing around so you’ll get no complaints from me on learning them exact.
Agreed. I love knowing the ropes and then flowing through them.
@@TheArtofGuitar master it first, then embellish it when you've earned your stripes.
I play bass and sing in a cover band. Rhythm guitar player likes to do (and sing lead on) this song, and because we usually just play for ourselves, we winged it. I knew there was more to the bass line, and started adding the walking up and down parts, but because I'm not singing, I'm definitely going to do some woodshedding and learn more of the actual bass line! Thanks for pointing that out.
Really liking this series.
When GFTPM printed the TAB to this back in the 80s I read through and played every detail for both the lead and rhythm and found there was a lot more going on than a casual listen would have you think. The rhythm part during the solos has much more variety than the basic 5th to 6th rock pattern and gave me a lot of variations to use in similar songs that I use to this day. I certainly don't play this song note for note but I do paraphrase some of the original licks because they work so well. It never would occur to me that a band wouldn't play the lick in the middle of each solo chorus. To me it's what sets this song apart from any other basic rock and roll song. When I play this tune we usually dial the dynamics back during the last verse and pump it back up for the outro. A song like this needs the variety to keep it from sounding static. Keep these "details" videos coming.
Agree about that "doing it your way, not the original way". Well, one can do it ones own way, of course. But the original band made it a hit, playing it their way. A big hit. After playing it live many many times, and adjusting after how the audiences reacted. Maybe there is some hard-earned experience in there. 🙂
It's legit and correct to play the most signature bits in a well-known song, even while making it your own.
"bounce"... Keeping the bounce of this tune in mind was some of the best advice I ever got...
Hope we get more of these videos, even some of the simplest sounding songs still have great details about them that really pushes the songs
Thanks Mike. As a metal head I always loved this song. 😎
Thanks for this video - I think its great to play a song your own way, but at the same times its equally great to stay true to the original music even when you're doing that -- bringing in that lead/bass element, or keeping with the classic licks and double stops sounds much better than going all shred "just because you can"
I also play drums and guitar equally and all I hear listening to the radio is the bass lol it’s always cooking.
That's the interesting thing about Bryan Adam's Summer of 69, it's a breakup song about a band that he made popular by using the timeless formula of a love song about a girl. Dudes in high school bands have two first loves they lose, double the heartbreak.
If nothing else, this should make one listen with a more discerning ear to not only this song, but any song. Brilliant video.
I love The-Art-of-Guitar, period
I played bass in country/rock cover bands for years and on one hand, I kinda loathe this song because I’ve heard it and played it so many times, but on the other hand, it’s a lot of fun to play as a bass player because you can go wild with your walking skills and all the flourishes you can throw in. The unison guitar and bass riff right before the V is one of the details that really makes this song.
Another song I’d love to see you talk about is Mustang Sally. I’ve heard and played so many bad, lazy, half-assed covers of that song but one day recently the original Wilson Pickett recording came on the radio and I remembered what a tight, kick-ass song it actually is. It probably helps if your singer is Wilson Pickett but even so, I think there’s a lot of room for improvement in the other parts for your typical cover band to tighten it back up and get some energy in it.
Love this!
I love " Keep your hands to yourself" such a great tune, I've been hearing it on the radio for years. Not kidding, i've had this set of lines "You got me tied down with battleship chains / Fifty foot long and a two ton anchor" from their song Battleship Chains stuck in my head for about a week haha. It's on a compilation CD I bought recently.
This is so great, Mike! Those details are so important. I love how you mention how this song grooves. It made me think of Pantera; they are called “groove metal”, but what makes songs like I’m Broken or Walk groove? idk, is that a dumb question?
I picked up guitar as a middle aged/old guy so this song was popular WAY before I started playing and I always turned the channel because I didn't care for that style of singing and it was SO overplayed IMO. But this video made me want to go learn these riffs. Love these style videos✌🏻
5:57 Singer sounds like Les Claypool!
Great analysis, The Gorgia Sattelites were never on my radar, but after this video I will check them out, pure Rock'n Roll!
Its a great song! I love the guitar parts and the vocal performance.
my kid did the same thing, he found out country was alot harder/cooler to play than he thought and now he can't stop adding some stuff to his metal writing.
Used to see the Satellites at Hedgens in Atlanta, maybe '82, after getting off my restaurant kitchen job. Great bar band.
That lick in the solo is so key. It would be like missing the bridge lead in Sweet Child or Comfortably Numb. Everyone knows that part musically and ties the music to the song. As someone who prefers to improvise over solos as much as possible, its those signature licks that mean you didn't just wank off and actually know the solo.
I just used the standard bass blues scale riff, but that's not too far off. I was not usually the bass player, but when the bass player wanted to sing, I played bass. When the drummer wanted to sing, I played drums. I was usually glad to get back behind my mic!
Dude. You’re killing me with the swing. The guitar rhythm is straight 4.
we played this song so much that we got tired of playing it and took it out of the rotation unless someone requested it, but we never approached any songs and told the band were gonna play this album right one reason is sure as we would what ever song we played the cover song would get played live different from there album and the other reason was no bar band can play it exact anyway.
That was right on. I try to hit all those licks when I play that song. Especially that little walk up that locks in with the bass. I play it even if the bass doesn't.
And mean double stops like Blackmore paying keef.
Please do Gone Shootin’ by AC/DC, awesome groove, Bass is fantastic, rhythm playing is simple but rocking and Angus is so tasteful and dynamic along with the metronome drums, so much for a “simple” song?
I'm down with duplicating the studio version so I really love these detail videos.
For the uninitiated check out Classic Albums Live. Note for note live performances of the great albums.
It was a hit for a reason...
Another great video, dude! So many people do not play the song right in different places. My uncle was one the first people I know that would point it out while we were running FOH for shows. That being said, the bass line is awesome. Our bassist pretty much nails it too, which makes playing it fun. I believe there's a short clip of us playing it on one of the socials.
Edit- I have also noticed a lot of drummers put to many snare hits in the beginning, which throws the song off a bit.
CCR is another band that gets covered by everyone but only a few cover their songs correctly.
Very educating, love it!
That bassline is rad.
When I played this on guitar, I put all of Eric Clapton's licks in from Blue Suede Shoes. Matched up pretty well.
When I did it on bass, I knew it moved around on the record. Instead of learning it note for note, I just copied the general pattern, made sure I did the lick with rhe guitar, and just let my fingers do the walking.
I saw Georgia satellites open for ZZ Top in 2016, and I felt so bad for them. Everyone knew ONLY this song, and of course they waited until the end to play it. I believe they even addressed it by basically saying "Sorry folks, we know why you are really hear and we only have a couple of songs left"... They were really good even in 2016
I've seen ZZ TOP every time they've come to Birmingham and if they didn't I went out of town. Never saw Satellites with them though. No biggie though. The band is only Rick Richards now, who is great, but it's never been the same without Dan's vocals and distinctive guitar playing. I saw them years and years ago without Dan and it was depressing. Lot the same.
I joined a trio as a guitar player and they were playing KYHTY. I tried to show the bass player Detail #10, the riff during the solo. He couldn't get it, never did, played I don't know what during that spot but it didn't mesh when I played the riff. I knew from that point on that the band would only stay at that level when I joined.
The part "don't gimme no lines etc" has a lot of echo on it. That might be why bands might bring in another voice on that line
Very similar song to Eddie and the cruisers garden of Eden. Really cool guitar riffs
I think it’s really important, for a lot of musicians, to learn songs as close to note for note as possible, then they can break it down, arrange it for their voice/playing style or ability and just make a great cover, that isn’t a note for note rendition, one hears at sad bars in tourist cities.
I learn the bass lines, keys(to my abilities), any other guitar parts(within reason, and depending on the song) and I try to even practice singing songs I have no vocal part on.
I never learned to drum, or I’d have a kit, and practice that too.
I’ve had to play bass, or do certain things on keys, that were integral to the songs, while I still played lead guitar. Never know.
Why does John Cusack never age? Had no idea he played the guitar so well.
Improvision is the key to giving a great performance.
Good video. I saw Georgia Satellites twice, in Atlanta. Great band.
that song is only played if requested and we never practice it. I'm guessing that many cover bands feel the same way.. I don't think I've ever listened to the original other than on the radio many years ago.. but we play it once in a while :) if we have to :) great channel !
I play bass and sing this song in just about every band I've been in, and I appreciate every one of these details. I know the bass is insane, and it needs a good blues-rock bass line. I play it straight while I'm singing (my voice has to be my priority - I'm not a great singer), but I keep it very busy when I'm not singing, and I improv most of it. It keeps the sound moving and the dance floor jumping. That lick during the solo always bothers me though! I play it all the time, sometimes the guys join me, sometimes not, and never on the same beat. It's just sloppy. This is not a throw-away song, and it's a big crowd-pleaser. The details aren't that difficult. You just have to care about making it sound good to the crowd. Improv the solos, sure, but jump on that lick! Jam it out, but learn the structure before deciding where to deviate.
Legit Ideas Here, 100%
however: 7:10 ATL FM Radio ran this one into the ground back in the day. I’d use this tune to pound beers (on stage, open strings, right hand) & come alive when the guitars get jiggy.
this upload features how good this tune really is…so, thanks, Mike. the guitar licks & tone on the record are for sure badass.
I feel like a jerk/snob about young me devaluing this one now, but still refuse to play Mustang Sally/MargaritaVille unless there’s a $100 handed up.
Dan Baird is an absolute beast of a guitar player.
Yep. I'd missed pretty much all that. Nice work!
I mean, if you just consider how many bands have bass players vs how many bands have a guitar player who also owns a bass, the number of bands where the bass just hangs around on the root starts to make a lot of sense.
A really good bass player who actually focuses on bass is worth his or her weight in gold.
I can do more than follow the root, but I’ve always been asked to play lead, or be the only guitarist, in every band I’ve joined.
I’ve played bass at gigs, so others could play the other instruments, or so the bass player could show their guitar skills and have fun.
What you say is true though. Too many naturally gifted players, will rely on winging it, for far too many songs.
I remember embarrassing a friend, because I knew he hadn’t been practicing, and he couldn’t play the two four note verse parts, on Stir It Up, because he got aggravated and quit trying the night before.
I played it in front of the band, with and without the drummer, showing him the same exercise I had the day before.
Count! Know the notes!
I can not deal with band members who don’t practice the songs.
I agree.
I'm guilty of being one of those "guitar players who will grab a bass" but I learned enough to at least work in a walking bass or arpeggio out the chords when it fit the song.
I've been gigging for almost 30 years now play almost every style, rock, country, reggae, r&b, etc... and one thing I've learned is some songs are fun to listen to, some are fun to play but not all are both. You might not like to listen to a song that at the same time you find fun to play and vise versa which really sucks because sometimes a song is fun to listen to but a nightmare to play
That's a definite party tune. Thanks for the breakdown!
The bass in this song, "Keep Your Hands to Yourself" is boring? Ha, not!!! I had fun playing bass on this song! And no, I didn't read the sheet music! All by ear, man! Really cool swinging bass runs! 😁
Its one of those songs that should be played right!
Thanks--great vid. Yes! It's the song that taught me palm muting, at the beginning. Doublestops!
I really admire your dedication to the song. If you can play it correctly, why not? You'll never get better if you don't AT LEAST TRY!
Love the tele.... It's the most underused guitar
Wow very good video. I haven't played this song for many years but yeah I was doing it wrong. The lead parts with all the double stops, I pretty much got them. Some of the rhythm parts not so much. Never really had a bass player play it like that except for the parts where it doubles with the guitar. It's easy to listen to this song and say yeah I got it. I mean the first time I heard it I thought oh this is so straight forward and simple so we can learn it very fast and that was just riding in a car listening on the radio.
Great video, one of my favorite all-time songs. On your last point about band saying while I like to play at my own way. My answer to that is well then go write your own song. I like to hear it the way the original band played it. It’s not “your song”. It’s their song. Nothing pisses me off more than to hear a great song ruined because somebody decided to do it their way.
I’ve just started learning Van Halen’s 5150 and fortunately figured out right away many people on here are showing the very first chord incorrectly and making it more difficult for themselves. It’s all about finger placement to make the shift to the second chord. Video idea for you?
Nothing wrong with an old Beatle song
That was great. Added some nice kicks to my arsenal. Ty
Mike, thank you for covering the lick that comes up at 12:38! It's a fantastic honky tonk guitar lick that I've heard no song use since this one, also, I'd suggest using the pick to hit the A string, and your middle finger to pluck the G string, it seems to make it flow a bit better.
I’m hearing it an octave higher.
@@Guitarzan8 There is one that is an octave higher, during the last solo near the end of the song, it's pretty difficult to play up there though with the big stretch you have to make
Great analysis! Thanks!
Love it. Always loved them, and without that energy, it’s not their song! It needs that build up, and the tightness of the band to really do it justice. Can’t remember who said the music is in the gaps, but here’s another example. I’m sure Malcolm Young would agree.
I saw them at reading festival in 198t-something, they were another band nobody had heard of, but they got people jumping around like no other. It was a Quo headline, and I love Quo (I think Magnum were there too but fuck Magnum), but the Satellites ruled the day and I mostly remember screaming “KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF” at Dan Baird.
Good explanation! Many thanks.
This era of country is my favorite... kick ass dance bands.
Man I forgot about that song. I used to love the Georgia Satellites! Great lesson and love your take on it! You are absolutely correct, this is one of those songs that everyone knows but when it's played live it rarely sounds right. Something is always off about it: Too slow, too fast, guitarist doesn't know or care about the blues beat and rhythm, especially a blues solo and just wants to show off all their skiddley-diddly noodling skills. Ugh. Thanks again, this was a fun video to watch 👍
A Photographer acquaintance of mine Dad was in that band. Her name is Vanessa Joy and she is an outstanding photographer.
The power of Georgia compels you!
Sometimes watching your videos is like watching a classic episode of WKRP in Cincinnati and finding Les Nessman's bandage!!
I was 15 when this song came out, awesome tune! I was so happy such a basic (yet complex) guitar based song became a hit! Great video, so true! Funny examples of blurry bands ruining the song, lol!
I love this song 😊
Another great video Mike. Great info for everyone.
Telecasters are cool. I love listening to them being played because it’s like there’s a phase shift as you go up and down the register. Don’t know what it is about those guitars.
This is a good format for these videos. When you compared a bar band cover to a professional cover previously, it definitely came across as “This is the way to play the song, and the other way is wrong.”
But here, it feels like you’re just letting us in on cool details.
In my opinion, some things you share kinda ARE mandatory, and others aren’t. Like, the bassist should learn the real part, yes. But if someone harmonizes on the chorus, that’s chill.
"But i play it MY way!" Yeah, and when non-musicians complain to you, "it was missing that signature lick thing," you'll realize that even if you do it your own way, you can still quote the original enough to be satisfying.
Very very cool mate….a big thumbs up from me 👍
You aint gonna get any blowback from this side of the phone, I totally agree with you. I think you should definitely learn the song in it's original studio format, then over time it sorta takes on your own characteristics.
I think the Georgia Satellites took Johnny Rivers' song Rockin Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu and repurposed it for this song